... and using Last Activity.

This tool is the key in preventing inaction on your cases.  It displays a list of cases wher the last History note was entered over 30 days ago.  This list on its own gives you a picture of cases where inactivity is creeping in, and where trouble can be brewing.

But the default is not the only picture that this tool provides.   Changing the date range from 30 to infinity to 1 to 30, gives you a picture of the last action on those cases that have been worked.  Do the last actions show actions that require follow-up from external sources or should have they been handled immediately by the staff?  Failing to complete follow through impacts productivity by forcing the associate to have to re-learn what has been happening in the case a few days later.  Multiply by the number of cases each associate handles and you will quickly see time that need not be wasted.

Now select an associate and click on the By Assoc? check box.  Is the associate working all his/her cases?  A limited number of cases under 30 days can be due to the lack of follow through described above.    Working by the interruption method, where the associate works on cases triggered by an angry phone call show up by cases being over 30 days inactive and then randomly being worked on.

There are two ways of making the work flow smoothly, use things to do for each and every follow through, even your own.  And have each associate use Last Activity, found in the Cases menu, on a regular basis.  Run it with the By Assoc? option on and off, to see how his/her cases stand, and how cases are being handled.