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Below is our recent interview with André Mindermann, CEO and Co-Founder of OTRS:
Q: October was cybersecurity awareness month. How does OTRS protect its customer data from external access?
A: We are actually certified as a SERVIEW CERTIFIEDTOOL in 13 processes that are proven to be in line with ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library). We also host all customer data in certified data centers. Besides that, we have developed our own security solution: STORM acts as the technical backbone for IT security processes, defining specific processes for detailed threat scenarios and enabling role-based approvals for different user groups. It also allows completely encrypted communication between clearly authenticated users on security-relevant events and documents them in a legally compliant manner. Additionally, as a company headquartered in Europe, we are beholden to the new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which means that we’re required by law to actively implement strict data protection policies in the world. Since we just concluded National Cybersecurity Awareness Month we’re curious to know how OTRS protects customer data from external access. As part of this effort, OTRS developed these simple, fast online security reminder videos. Share them liberally to help spread awareness about the steps that each individual can take to minimize cybercrime risks.
Q: You’ve recently opened an office in Budapest. How is it working out?
A: Yes, we opened an office in Budapest this summer and are already seeing increased demand for OTRS in Hungary. We initially started to work with a sales partner in Hungary and, since our sales efforts were successful, we integrated the external team into the OTRS family. This turned out to be a great decision because OTRS is the only ticket system that also works in the Hungarian language. Being the first OTRS office in Eastern Europe, Budapest can be seen as a starting point to roll out OTRS in other Eastern European countries like Romania or Poland where we see increasing potential for web based ticket systems. We expect great interest in Hungary for our latest version of the service management suite, OTRS 7, that will be launched on November 19. You can read more on that in the last two questions.
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Q: In what industry do you have the most clients?
A: There is no one particular industry in which we have most of our customers. Because OTRS can be used in many different ways – for IT Service Management, Customer Service, Corporate Security or internal communications — it is useful in any industry and by companies of every size. Currently, there are more than 170,000 customers using OTRS worldwide to make their processes and communication more efficient.
Q: In our last interview, you announced that you would be launching several new products by the end of the year. When can we expect them?
A: Our highlight will be the launch of the latest version of our service management suite OTRS 7 on November 19 when we present the innovative customer interface that will create a new spirit in the relationship between agent and customer. We have been preparing for this for a long time. OTRS 7 was designed to support the digital transformation that every company is dealing with these days. We have taken customer feedback very seriously: Besides the new customer interface we have integrated many new features that will strengthen the relationship between agent and customer. We are very excited to launch the new release since we think that this is a ground-breaking change for the software suite.
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Q: Can you give us a little insight into the new features? What will be the benefits for the customer?
A: First of all, the customer will highly benefit by the new customer interface. The innovative and intuitive design will give them a new user-experience. To give one example: Users can now design their OTRS 7 customer interface based on their corporate branding, thus ensuring immediate recognition by their end customers. Another key element will be automation. According to a recent study, more than a third of the interviewed office workers need an average of one hour a day to view and sort emails. The new features of OTRS 7 support the user in reducing this so that they are able to work more accurately and faster: The feature Automation of Recurring Tasks enables fully automatic execution of scripts, for example to send emails or move an order to its next process step. The study also shows that 82 percent of the respondents spend half an hour of their working time searching for information they need to do their job. OTRS 7 helps users find information faster. The new Dynamic Search feature allows for fast, intelligent and dynamic searching across all content (tickets, presentations, knowledge entries) in the OTRS system, without knowing where they are stored. Stay tuned for the launch on November 19.
