Customer service CRM with SMS updates and web chat for a commercial bank in Tanzania
Our team, with a delivery partner, implemented a Tanzanian commercial bank's customer service CRM on an open-source helpdesk, with SMS updates when tickets close, website chat and two-factor sign-in.
- Commercial bank, Tanzania
- Tanzania
- 2023
Status at a glance
Which parts are live, which are in pilot, and which are built and awaiting activation.
| Part of the system | Status |
|---|---|
| Customer service CRM with ticket tracking | Live |
| SMS notifications when a ticket is closed | Live |
| Website chat widget and customer feedback form | Live |
| Two-factor sign-in for staff | Live |
The starting point
The bank needed one system to log, track and resolve customer complaints and requests, wherever they came in. Customers were not told when their issue was resolved, the website had no live way to ask for help, and there was no structured way to collect feedback. Staff access to customer records had to be properly protected.
What we delivered
- A customer service CRM on an open-source helpdesk, where every complaint and request becomes a tracked ticket
- Automatic SMS notifications to the customer when their ticket is closed
- A chat widget on the bank's website that opens a conversation with the service team
- A customer feedback form linked to the CRM
- Two-factor sign-in for staff using the CRM
- Complaint reporting being adapted to the Bank of Tanzania's reporting format
The client
Our client is a commercial bank in Tanzania. Our team delivered this project with a delivery partner; the client is not named.
The problem
Complaints and requests reached the bank through branches, the phone and the website, and there was no single place to track them to resolution. Customers often did not hear back when an issue was fixed. The website offered no live way to ask for help, and feedback was collected informally, if at all.
What we built
One CRM for customer service. We implemented the bank’s customer service CRM on an open-source helpdesk. Every complaint and request becomes a ticket with an owner and a status, so nothing is lost between teams.
Customers hear back automatically. When a ticket is closed, the customer gets an SMS. No one has to remember to call.
Help from the website. A chat widget on the bank’s website opens a conversation with the service team, and a feedback form collects customers’ views straight into the CRM.
Protected access. Staff sign in with two-factor authentication, because a customer service system holds customer records.
Live since 2023, and still evolving
The CRM has been live since July 2023. Complaint reporting is now being adapted to the Bank of Tanzania’s reporting format, so the bank can report from the same system it works in.
Why it matters
Automating the routine steps of customer service, such as the closing SMS and the web chat hand-off, is the same work we now do for businesses of every size. For banks, it also builds the complaint record that supervisors expect.
What it runs on
- Open-source helpdesk
- SMS gateway integration
- Web chat
- Two-factor authentication
Planning a software project?
Tell us what it must do and who will use it. We reply within one working day with questions and a rough shape of the work, then scope and price it with you after a short discovery phase.