Whenever it is required to intimate the customer about bill, payment reminder, promotional information etc., messages can be sent through different mediums like e-mail, OSD, STB mail, and Mobile SMS. Such information can be sent through message alerts in various forms to maintain good customer relation. This process helps the finance and customer care divisions to effectively communicate information with the customer.
To generate and send alerts to multiple customers with proper format, message templates are required. Message Configuration screen is used to configure such message templates for sending message alerts.
This screen also helps to modify the existing message templates.
To configure or modify a message template:
On the System Administration module, click Basic Configurations, and then click Message Templates.
To configure a new template, Select the New check box.
Enter Template Code and Description in the respective fields. To identify each template a unique template code is required.
Depending on the requirement, select Template Medium through which message alerts should be sent to the subscriber. Message medium can be e-mail, OSD, Mobile SMS, or STB mail.
Depending on the selected template medium, the message parameters appear in the screen. Enter/select values for each parameter. Selected Medium wise following parameters appear in the screen:
For e-mail:
Sender Name- This parameter refers to the sender's name. This name appears in the mail after being received.
Sender e-mail- This parameter refers to the e-mail address of the sender. This e-mail address appears in the mail after being received.
Subject- This parameter refers to the e-mail subject.
Priority- This parameter refers to the e-mail priority. The e-mail priority can be low, high or normal.
Process - This is applicable only if Acknowledgement Required check box is selected. This helps you to set the process, which should be applied after the customer clicks the acknowledgement link.
Acknowledgment Required - Select the acknowledgement required check box to send the acknowledgement link to the customer.
For OSD:
Duration- This parameter refers to the OSD message display duration and is measured in seconds.
Priority- This parameter refers to the OSD message priority and is shown on the TV screen.
Message Start Time- This parameter refers to the OSD message start time. The time at which the OSD should start.
Message Interval- This parameter refers to the OSD message interval and is measured in seconds. The interval after which the message should be displayed.
Repeat Message- This parameter refers to the number of times the message should be displayed within the specified interval.
For STB Mail:
Priority- This parameter refers to the STB Mail priority.
Is Deletable- This parameter refers if the STB Mail is deletable automatically or not.
Days to Delete Message- This parameter refers to the duration (in days) after which the STB Mail should be automatically deleted incase it is defined as "Is Deletable".
Position- This parameter refers to the position of the message displayed on the Set Top Box.
Box- This parameter refers to the box on which the message should be displayed.
Note: The message parameters like Duration, Priority etc. for OSD and STB Mail are dependent on Adapters. If nothing is provided then the default details are sent to the Conditional Access System (CAS) by the adapter.
Enter message template details like, Template Header, Template Content, and Template Footer in the respective fields.
If the template requires any Placeholders, click the Add link in PlaceHolder Information grid. Enter Place Holder Name. If the Placeholder value should be decrypted at the time of sending the actual message then select the "Encrypted" check box against that Placeholder name. You can add multiple Placeholders, if required.
If you want to use the Placeholders in the template Header/Footer/Content, then enter that Placeholder names as “<# PlaceholderName#>”(for example: <# PartyName#>) in the required part of the template.
Note: The placeholder name given template should be added in the PlaceHolder Information grid (for example: PartyName).
After defining the required no of placeholders, enter the stored procedure name in Procedure Name field. The procedure name which retrieves the values of the Placeholders in form of out parameters.
Note: The procedures out parameter order should match the order of the Placeholder names entered in PlaceHolder Information grid.
Click the Save button to save the message template details.
To modify an existing message template, select the Template Code from the drop-down. Details pertaining to that template appear in corresponding fields. Modify the required details and click the Save button to apply the modifications.