Service Ordering
Verizon Business understands that FTS2001 Bridge users have varying electronic ordering
capabilities and have designed a solution to support users as they evolve
towards an electronic transaction environment. The Verizon Business service ordering
solution enables federal government users to order any FTS2001 Bridge service
through a range of electronic information exchange methods (e.g., e-mail,
intranet), as well as by telephone and facsimile.
In addition to service-ordering system support, Verizon Business will utilize
the experience and expertise of its existing service order implementation
and agency-specific account team structure. Verizon Business will provide expert,
accurate, and timely service ordering through:
- Existing Regional Order Entry Hubs. Staffed with order entry and product specialists, the regional Order Entry Hubs ensure the integrity of the order entry process. Verizon Business centralized ordering provides the benefits of streamlined accountability, cross-product training, and the development of product and system expertise. These hubs currently support Verizon Business' largest global customers and are staffed to easily accommodate and manage fluctuations in customer service ordering activities.
- Agency-Specific Account Teams. Verizon Federal account team is composed of experienced telecommunications specialists, including a Service Order Specialist, who will provide dedicated and customized support to specific agencies. The Service Order Specialists will work with government users to gather and ensure accurate order information. The specialist works with the OE hub to drive customer orders through to implementation. Where technical assistance is required, the Service Order Specialist will enlist the assistance of the account team technical consultant to work with the customer, OE hub, or other Verizon Business supporting organizations, as necessary. To obtain Verizon Federal account team contact information, refer to the section, Contact Your Account Manager, from the Resource Guide homepage.
- The FTS2001 Bridge Business Office. Coupled with an experienced service ordering expert, the FTS2001 Bridge Business Office serves as an escalation point to resolve issues and provide management expertise. The Service Ordering Manager will oversee related contract compliance issues and ensure requirements are fulfilled on a timely and technically sound basis. This function will be responsible for tracking order issues, identifying order-related trends, and gathering service order data across FTS2001 Bridge customers and services. This information will be used to generate new training subjects, identify system development requirements, evaluate, and update service order processes, and communicate key service information to the government.
Benefits of the Verizon Business service ordering system and processes are highlighted below:
- Service ordering available in multiple methods providing user-friendly access options.
- Experienced FTS2001 Bridge Service Ordering Manager to provide program expertise, support, and escalation of issues.
- Agency-specific Verizon Federal account teams with service ordering and technical experts to ensure personal, customized attention.
- Integrated service ordering and billing systems, providing consistent and reliable data.
Verizon Business will provide standardized templates and Web-based service ordering to enhance and speed information exchange and ensure that orders are processed in a reliable environment. Verizon Business service ordering capabilities will support the specified methods for exchanging service orders and acknowledgments to the maximum extent possible, including:
- Intranet Web site
- E-mail message or e-mail attachment
- Facsimile
- Telephone
EDI Service Ordering Capabilities. Using its commercially offered capabilities, Verizon Business will provide the ability for electronic service ordering, using transaction sets that conform to ANSI X12 850 transaction sets as specified by the TCIF and described in the IEG. All government-specified data will be included in the standard transaction sets; those not included in the standard transaction sets will be presented in common data formats as approved by the FTS2001 Bridge Contract Officer.
Verizon Business is active in EDI standard-setting committees and trade associations, such as the Telecommunications Industry Forum (TCIF). Government agencies that are EDI-capable can send their service orders using the ANSI X12 transaction sets to their agency-specific account teams. These orders will be translated into the FTSNet Web server "in-box" for account team access and will be tracked in the FTSNet service ordering system.
Web Service Ordering Capabilities. Verizon Business will provide government users with a Web-based system for service ordering, FTSNet. The FTSNet Service Ordering System will support the six-step service ordering process. Upon receipt of a service request from an authorized user through the Internet, a Service Request Acknowledgment message will be automatically generated and transmitted by the FTSNet Web servers to the submitting agency through the Internet to the customer premises system. This message may then be printed as confirmation of acknowledgment receipt. Regardless of the service request delivery mechanism, all incoming service requests will be stored in an inbox on the FTSNet Web servers. The agency account team Service Order Specialist will process incoming service requests. In addition to service order-related data, the Service Ordering System will provide government users access to service order data, service order templates, template revisions, and documentation detailing service ordering guidelines. The use of the Internet will enable government users to receive timely program updates and ensure a consistent, timely communication of processes and procedures.
E-mail Service Ordering Capabilities. Verizon Business will provide e-mail service ordering capabilities through X.400-based and SMTP-based e-mail. Use of e-mail will conform to the six-step service ordering process. As an Administrative Management Domain (ADMD), Verizon Business supports the X.400 standards. This feature allows the government to create and send service order requests via the DAR's e-mail in native mode while minimizing the impact to the DAR. The DAR will address the e-mail message to Verizon Business using the X.400 addressing scheme. The message will then be routed to the destination mailbox. Service Order Request Templates can be used and are sent as a binary attachment. Similarly, SMTP-based e-mail service order requests will be addressed using the Internet addressing scheme.
File Transfer Service Ordering Capabilities. Verizon Business will provide electronic file transfer service ordering capabilities. Electronic file transfers of a service request(s) will be provided to the FTSNet Web servers. Typically, file transfers of service request(s) will be done for batch, bulk, and project orders but are not limited to these types of orders. Upon receipt of a service request from an authorized file transfer user, a Service Request Acknowledgement message will be generated in the form of a properly completed file transfer.
Facsimile Service Ordering Capabilities. Verizon Business will provide facsimile service ordering capabilities. Facsimiles will be sent to the Verizon Business POC or the account team representatives using standard fax capabilities. Upon receipt of a service request from an authorized fax user, a Service Request Acknowledgement message will be generated and transmitted by the FTSNet Web servers to the submitting agency through e-mail to the customer DAR. This message may then be printed as confirmation of acknowledgement receipt. Regardless of the delivery mechanism, all incoming service requests will be stored in an inbox on the FTSNet Web servers. In the case of fax submissions, the account team Service Order Specialist will manually enter the service request into the FTSNet Service Ordering Database. The Service Order Specialist will process service requests throughout the day as required.
Telephone Service Ordering Capabilities. Verizon Business will accept service orders directly from the DAR via voice. The account team Service Order Specialist will accept voice service requests and enter them into the FTSNet Service Ordering Database while online with the DAR. A Service Request Acknowledgment message will be given to the DAR while online with the Service Order Specialist and will be followed up with written or electronic notification within one business day.