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Contents
0 Introduction
1 Level 1 Support: Branch Support Centre and IT Digital Service Desk — high level overview
1.1. Branch Support Centre ..
1.1.1 Tier 1 process...
1.1.2 Tier 2 process...
1.1.3 Branch Support Centre Availability ...
1.2 IT Digital Service Desk (Provided By Post Office Staff)...
2 Level 2 Post Office Service Management.
2.1. Major Incident Management...
3 Horizon Online 3rd Line Support ..
3.1. Support for Operational Services...
3.2. Service Desk...
3.3 Systems Management Service......
3.4 Data Centre Operations Service...
3.5. Application Support Service (Fourth Line)...
3.6 Branch Network Service
3.7. Central Network Service ....
3.8 Operational Business Change Service (Branch Change).....
3.9 Reference Data Management Service
3.10 Security Management Service ....
3.11. Engineering Service...
3.12 Management Information Service.
3.13 Reconciliation Service ....
3.14 Investigation and Resolution of New Software Incidents...
3.15 Production of workaround:
3.16 Manual Intervention in the Track & Trace Despatch Reports
3.17 Local Fujitsu Services POA Database and Intranet Development and Support.
3.18 Service Management Portal Development and Support...
3.19 Support for Business Continuity testing ...
3.20 Service Availability ....
S
Horizon Application Support Service (Fourth Line)
4.1 Software Support..
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4.2 Service Availability ...
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0 Introduction
This document summarises the different helplines/helpdesks, technical escalation routes at both the
Post Office Limited and Fujitsu.
It also provides a summary of policies and processes / operations of Tier 1 and Tier 2 support for
postmasters.
The overall support model is shown in the diagram below and consists of a number of levels/support
paths depending on the type of support/escalation required.
Not shown on this diagram is level 4, application support, for Horizon; This is described in para 4
below.
Post Office Engagement Model
Branch Agents = Admin Colleagues
Branch Hub
Level 1 Support
(NBC) PO Branch Support
Post Office Service Management
fechnol opliers
Verizon
Level 2/3 Support
1 Level 1 Support: Branch Support Centre and IT Digital Service Desk — high
level overview
1.1. Branch Support Centre
The Branch Support Centre provides support to branches for all customer transaction enquiries and
navigation of Horizon. This can include a wide range of enquiries, including back office processes
such as balancing and stock ordering. This support is provided through a two tier approach.
1A Tier 1 process
Tier 1 are the first point of contact and are responsible for resolving approx. 90% of all enquiries into
the desk. They use a CRM tool, Dynamics 365 that provides an extensive knowledge base
containing documented processes ( circa 3k) to help support resolution through a series of key
search words and classifications. These knowledge base articles ( KBAs) provide guidance on both
the products and services as well as navigational advice on Horizon. If the tier 1 advisor is unable to
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find a resolution for the branch, support is provided through tier 2, who will escalate to a product
team if the answer is not within the knowledgebase.
When an enquiry is resolved, an update on the advice given to the branch is updated in the
resolution field in Dynamics and the case is then closed.
Where a branch is calling for support with a discrepancy, the tier 1 advisor will follow a detailed
check list to try and resolve the issue for the branch. This is documented here:
New%20T2%20Discr
epancy%20Sheet.doc:
If the tier 1 advisor is still unable to resolve the issue, they will advise the branch that further
investigation is required and that somebody will call the branch back, assigning the case on
Dynamics to the tier 2 team.
1.1.2 Tier 2 process
Tier 2 have a process that they must follow to ensure that all possible causes of the discrepancy are
investigated. This process is documented here:
BSC%20-%20Tier%20
2%20Investigation%2:
When the investigation is complete, Tier 2 will contact the branch to share their findings. If the
branch is not happy with the result of the investigation, Tier 2 will escalate for review to the Case
Investigation Review Team (CIRT).
1.1.3 Branch Support Centre Availability
The Branch Support Centre availability times from 16th November will be:
08.30-18.30 Mon — Fri with 19.30 Wed evening.
08.30-16.00 Saturday
09.00-13.00 Sunday
1.2 IT Digital Service Desk (Provided By Post Office Staff)
The IT Digital Service Desk provides support to branches for any technical queries they may have
with their Horizon system, including any peripherals, such as pin pads, screens, printers and
keyboards.
Issues can be raised by phone or through self-raised tickets via Branch Hub. They use Service Now
to log all incidents which provides Knowledge Base articles ( KBAs) to support triaging the incident
with initial diagnostic checks to try and resolve the issue for the branch. If the desk are able to
resolve, they update the incident with the details of the fix advised and close the incident in Service
Now. They resolve approx. 40% of all enquires are first line ( know as first line fix) as many issues
raised require more technical support from an engineer in branch.
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Where the desk are unable to resolve, they assign the incident in Service Now to the relevant IT
supplier, such as Computacenter and advise the branch of the expected time of an engineer visit.
The estimated time of arrival is provided which is aligned to an agreed service level ( SLA) with the
supplier. This is based on the type of incident and number of counter positions in branch. The desk
will continue to own the incident through to resolution and will continue to chase for an update,
keeping the branch informed.
If the branch chases for an update as the issue remains unresolved or the desk have identified that
an incident has breached SLA, the level 1 escalation process is followed. The desk will contact the
Supplier and ask for an update and expected fix time. An update is then provided to the branch. If
the incident continues to be unresolved and there is no expected fix time, level 2 process is followed
and the incident is escalated to the Service Manager for that particular supplier, within IT .
2 Level 2 Post Office Service Management
The level 2 support team deliver a range of IT service management functions through an ITIL based
framework including service relationship management and service operations.
This team also provides support to major incidents as described below
2.1. Major Incident Management
When there is a technical issue that affects multiple branches, this can be identified across either
Branch Support or IT Digital Service Desk, often as a result of branches seeing the issue and reporting
to either desk — this is sometimes determined by what error message comes up on Horizon as to
which desk the branch will call. On some occasions, incidents are raised by Suppliers but this is not a
common occurrence.
When it has been established that there is a major incident affecting branches, such as Common.
Digital Platform failing, this will impact on a variety of products and will potentially stop branches
being able to process a specific transaction. These calls can come into either or both desks
simultaneously and at this point, there is a process that ensures that IT Digital Service desk propose
an incident to the Major Incident Management Team within IT.
As part of this process, Senior Managers across Branch Support and Branch and Operations
Engagement Team will pull together immediate communication and forward to the communication
team to issue to branches with immediate effect. Operationally, both Branch Support and IT Digital
Service Desk will update the IVRs ( call plans) with a front end message and a banner message will
also be displayed on Branch Hub.
Depending on the nature of the incident, if it is proposed as a P1, the Business Protection Team will
be invoked.
3 Horizon Online 3rd Line Support
The Fujitsu Services Third Line Support Service, provides 3" line application support functions using
operational staff who are fully trained to carry out this service.
Services provided by third line support are
= Technical support when required to the following HNG-X Operational Services:
o Systems Management Service;
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Data Centre Operations Service;
Application Support Service (Fourth Line);
Branch Network Service
Central Network Service;
Operational Business Change Service (Branch Change);
Reference Data Management Service;
Security Management Service;
Engineering Service;
Management Information Service; and
o Reconciliation Service;
000000000
* The investigation and resolution of new Software Incidents within the Branch Infrastructure.
The production and authorisation of workarounds and updates to entries within the KEL.
Local Fujitsu Services POA Database and Intranet Development.
Support Service Management Portal Development and Support.
Support for business continuity testing where this is required.
Development and support for internal Fujitsu Services POA applications and support tools.
The Third Line Support Service will receive solutions developed by the Application Support Service
(Fourth Line) to resolve Incidents.
The Third Line Support Service will provide a manual workaround to remove items in excess of 1500
from the Track and Trace Despatch Reports. Further details are provided below.
3.1. Support for Operational Services
This section sets out the technical support provided by the Third Line Support Service to the
appropriate Operational Services. The Third Line Support Service also supports the Business
Capabilities and Support Facilities.
3.2. Service Desk
The Third Line Support Service provides technical support to the Service Desk to assist in the
resolution of operational Incidents at "first line". Data relating to Incidents are passed from the
Service Desk Incident Management Systems via an electronic interface to the Third Line Support
Service incident management tool (Peak). Any failure of this electronic interface will result in the
manual transfer of data from the Service Desk.
The Third Line Support Service will provide information for, and maintain the Known Error Log (KEL).
3.3. Systems Management Service
The Third Line Support Service provides technical support to the Systems Management Service to
assist in the resolution of operational Incidents.
3.4 Data Centre Operations Service
The Third Line Support Service provides technical support to the Data Centre Operations Service to
assist in the resolution of operational Incidents.
The Third Line Support Service does not provide technical support to the POLSAP service described
in Annex B of the Data Centre Operations Service Description.
3.5 Application Support Service (Fourth Line)
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The Third Line Support Service provides technical support to the Application Support Service (Fourth
Line) to assist in the development of Software fixes required for the Branch Infrastructure or HNG-X
Central Infrastructure.
3.6 Branch Network Service
The Third Line Support Service provides technical support to the Branch Network Service to assist in
the resolution of operational Incidents surrounding the loss of communications between the Branch
Infrastructure and the HNG-X Central Infrastructure. This may involve close liaison with Fujitsu
Services' or Post Office's network suppliers, e.g. British Telecom (BT).
For the avoidance of doubt, the 3rd line application support service does not directly support branch
routers or Post Office Managed Switch since no POA written applications run on these network
appliances.
3.7. Central Network Service
The Third Line Support Service provides technical support to the Central Network Service to assist in
the resolution of operational Incidents surrounding the loss of communications within the central
Fujitsu Services network.
3.8 Operational Business Change Service (Branch Change)
The Third Line Support Service provides technical support to the Operational Business Change
(Branch Change) Service to assist in the resolution of Software or remote technical Incidents which
may occurring during the delivery of changes, (including, for example: Branch openings, closures and
moves) to the Branch Infrastructure.
3.9 Reference Data Management Service
The Third Line Support Service provides technical support to the Reference Data Management
Service to assist in the resolution of operational Incidents surrounding the distribution of Reference
Data to the Branch Infrastructure.
3.10 Security Management Service
The Third Line Support Service provides technical support to the Security Management Service to
assist in the resolution of operational Incidents surrounding the application of the required level of
security within the Branch Infrastructure and HNG-X Central Infrastructure, together with the
provision of data from the HNG-X Central Infrastructure where this cannot be readily obtained by
the Security Management Service.
3.11 Engineering Service
The Third Line Support Service provides Software and operating system support to the Engineering
Service to assist in the resolution of Hardware Incidents within the Branch.
3.12 Management Information Service
The Third Line Support Service provides technical support to the management information Service to
assist in the generation of management information in response to Ad-Hoc Data Requests where this
information is not readily available to the Management Information Service.
3.13 Reconciliation Service
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The Third Line Support Service provides technical support to the Reconciliation Service to assist in
the resolution of Reconciliation Incidents where Transaction information is required following
interrogation of the HNG-X Central Infrastructure. This will also include the re-sending of rejected
Transactions to Post Office or Clients following the resolution of a Reconciliation Incident.
3.14 Investigation and Resolution of New Software Incidents
The Third Line Support Service will investigate, in accordance with internal Fujitsu Services
operational procedures, any suspected new Software errors escalated from the Service Desk or
Systems Management Service and provide Software fixes, as required, to either:
(a) an individual Branch or Counter Position;
(b) a number of Branches or Counter Positions;
(c) the entire Branch and all Counter Positions; or
(d) the Data Centres.
Ownership and management of the incident remains with the service desk that logged the incident.
3.15 Production of workarounds
Following investigation of a Software error, the Third Line Support Service will produce, where
possible, a workaround which will enable the Branch to continue normal business in line with
relevant processes or will enable the Data Centre to continue processing.
Where a workaround requires a Branch not to operate in accordance with relevant processes, this
will be handled through the Service Management Service in accordance with good service
management practice.
3.16 Manual Intervention in the Track & Trace Despatch Reports
The current track and trace despatch report has a ‘cut off’ function that a Branch Post Master is
supposed to perform at the end of each day. The Branch Post Masters currently print the report but
some Branches are not then cutting it off. This causes a build-up of items stored on the system.
The Third Line Support Service will, as an interim solution, clear down any items in excess of 1500 at
all outlets on a monthly basis.
3.17 Local Fujitsu Services POA Database and Intranet Development and
Support
The Third Line Support Service will provide support for the development and support of internal
Fujitsu Services POA databases and Intranet services required to provide reporting and management
information (where this is not available from the HNG-X Central Infrastructure). These include (but
are not restricted to):
. KEL Web Service
. Peak incident management Web Service
. PODG reporter Web Service
3.18 Service Management Portal Development and Support
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The Third Line Support Service will provide support for the development and support of Fujitsu
Services POA intranet and the relevant portal arrangements which allow data to be available to the
Service Management Portal accessible to Post Office.
3.19 Support for Business Continuity testing
The Third Line Support Service will provide technical support for scheduled business continuity tests
3.20 Service Availability
The Third Line Support Service is not directly available to Post Office. It is a service internal to Fujitsu
Services and is available 24 hours per day, but is provided only on an on-call basis outside of
09:00hrs to 17:30hrs Monday to Friday and Bank Holidays.
4 Horizon Application Support Service (Fourth Line)
The Application Support Service (Fourth Line) provides:
© application support in terms of Software fixes to the Business Capabilities and Support
Facilities using appropriately trained operational staff
¢ investigation and resolution of new Software Incidents within the Branch Infrastructure and
HNG-X Central Infrastructure environments which cannot be otherwise resolved either due
to technical or resource limitations by the Third Line Support Service.
4.1. Software Support
The Application Support Service (Fourth Line) will provide Software support by:
© receiving from the Third Line Support Service, Software related Incidents which cannot be
resolved by the Third Line Support Service. Such Incidents will have been originally logged by
the Service Desk following a call from a Branch, or having been logged by the Systems
Management Service, the Central Network Service or the Data Centre Operations Service;
identifying a “known error” following receipt of the Incident from the Third Line Support
Service, where this information will be communicated to the Third Line Support Service and
the appropriate Known Error Log (KEL) will be updated and the information disseminated to
the Service Desk to enable the resolution of similar Incidents;
ensuring the internal Fujitsu Services Incident management systems are updated with the
Incident resolution details prior to return to the Third Line Support Service together with the
method of recreation of the problem;
ensuring that the Third Line Support Service is made aware of the symptoms which generate
an Incident. This will be documented by the Application Support Service (Fourth Line) and be
available to both the Service Desk and the Systems Management Service;
ensuring that any resolutions or workarounds which are returned to the Third Line Support
Service have been tested (including regression testing) and have been correctly authorised
in accordance with the Release Authorisation Process;
¢ providing the Third Line Support Service with documentation and source code relating to
new Releases in sufficient time to enable the Third Line Support Service to become familiar
with the new product or service prior to its Release into the Branch Infrastructure or HNG-X
Central Infrastructure environments. This documentation will be in the form of a “support
guide”
¢ liaising with Fujitsu Services' subcontractors / suppliers, or Post Office's suppliers, if the
Parties consider it is appropriate, as and when an additional level of Software support is
required;
e delivering secure coding training on an annual basis;
maintaining the secure guidelines on an annual basis; and
~~ maintaining the secure coding template on an annual basis.
4.2 Service Availability
The Application Support Service (Fourth Line) is not directly available to Post Office. It is a service
internal to Fujitsu Services and is available between 09:00hrs to 17:30hrs Monday to Friday. The
Application Support Service (Fourth Line) will provide an out of hours service when requested
provided notification is given in advance on a reasonable endeavours basis.
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