AsureQuality uses a customer support platform with ticketing to manage customer requests. Each enquiry is recorded as a ticket so that the conversation, responsibility for responding and progress towards a resolution can be managed together.

You can still communicate with us by email. Ticketing adds a way for our teams to organise and follow through on your request behind the scenes, while you continue to receive and reply to updates using your usual email application, including Outlook.

This article explains what a ticket is, how customers and companies should use ticketing, and why it is a widely used good-practice approach for teams handling customer enquiries.

What is a ticketing system

A ticketing system is a tool for recording, assigning, tracking and resolving requests. A ticket is the individual record for a particular enquiry, issue or piece of work that needs a response.

For example, a ticket might record a question about a laboratory report, a request to clarify testing instructions, an audit scheduling enquiry, a billing query or a problem accessing an online service. Tickets are used for everyday questions as well as problems and complaints.

A ticket normally contains:

• A unique reference number and a description of the request.
• The customer contact and other people included in the conversation.
• The messages, relevant attachments and notes recorded for that request.
• The team or person responsible for managing it.
• A status showing whether action is needed or information is awaited.
• Relevant categories, priorities and service targets, where configured.
• A history of recorded activity, such as replies, assignments and status changes.

The ticket number identifies the support request. It does not replace a sample number, submission reference, audit reference, invoice number or other reference needed to identify the service being discussed.

How a request moves through a ticketing system

The precise process varies between companies and services, but it usually follows these steps.

1. The request is received. An email or online form creates a ticket. Other contact channels can also create tickets or be recorded against them, depending on how the platform is set up.
2. The request is reviewed. The team checks what is needed, identifies missing information and considers urgency and business impact.
3. Responsibility is assigned. A team or person takes responsibility for progressing the request. They may involve other people with specialist knowledge.
4. The work is progressed. Advice, investigations, decisions and relevant updates are recorded. The team may ask the customer for clarification or wait for another department to complete an action.
5. The outcome is communicated. The customer receives an answer or confirmation of the action taken, with any remaining steps explained.
6. The request is marked resolved. Once the support work is complete, the ticket is marked accordingly. If the issue remains unresolved, the customer should let the team know.

An automated acknowledgement usually confirms that a request has been recorded. It does not, by itself, confirm that a person has reviewed it, that a booking has been accepted, or that a requested change has been approved. Those outcomes require a specific response.

What ticket statuses mean

Statuses help the company see what needs to happen next. Labels vary, and the customer view may use fewer labels than the internal team view.

A ticket status describes the support request. It should not be treated as confirmation that laboratory testing is complete, an audit has taken place or a certificate has been issued unless the accompanying response confirms that outcome.

How customers can use ticketing effectively

Provide the information needed to start

Explain what you need help with and what outcome you are seeking. Include relevant account or company details, service references, dates and supporting documents. For an online access problem, a description of the error and a screenshot can help.

If there is a deadline, state the date, time and reason it matters. For example, saying that a report query affects a shipment scheduled for Friday gives the team more useful information than simply writing “urgent”. Avoid including passwords or information that is unrelated to the request.

Keep follow-up messages with the existing request

Reply to the latest ticket update when supplying more information or asking about progress. Keep the ticket reference in the subject and the support address in the recipients. This helps the platform associate your response with the existing record.

Sending a fresh email to several addresses about the same issue can create separate tickets. Different people may then investigate the same matter without seeing all the information. If you have already contacted another team, mention that and provide the existing reference so the records can be coordinated.

For a genuinely unrelated matter, start a new request with a clear subject. Several related questions can stay together when they form part of the same enquiry. The team can separate or link requests if different issues need independent action.

Include colleagues deliberately

Add colleagues who need to participate as CCs, or ask the team to include them. For shared updates, use Reply all and retain the main customer contact and support address.

A forwarded email does not necessarily add its recipient to the ticket. Replies from someone who is not already participating may be recorded privately for the support team to review. Adding a colleague can also expose earlier public correspondence, so only include people who should receive that information.

Respond when information is requested

If the team is waiting for your confirmation or supporting details, respond on the existing ticket. If you need time to gather them, let the team know. This helps distinguish a request that is still progressing from one where no further assistance is required.

Tell us if the request remains unresolved

If an answer does not address your question, explain what is still needed. Do not mark a request resolved if you are still waiting for assistance. If it has already been marked resolved, reply to the latest update. Depending on its stage, the platform may reopen it or create a follow-up record.

For time-critical matters, follow the contact instructions in your acknowledgement or service information. Where telephone contact is advised, provide the ticket number and explain the impact and deadline. An email subject alone does not guarantee immediate attention.

How companies should use ticketing effectively

Ticketing creates the structure for good service, but the company must maintain it. Customers should not have to understand the company's internal departments or repeatedly explain the same issue to get help.

Maintain clear ownership

Each active request should have an accountable team or person responsible for its next step. That person does not need to complete every technical task themselves, but should coordinate the work and keep the customer informed.

Involving a specialist should support progress. Forwarding a message or asking another department a question does not, on its own, complete the customer request. When responsibility changes, the receiving team should have the history, outstanding actions and relevant deadlines.

Keep the record useful and accurate

Staff should record material advice, decisions, commitments and actions against the ticket. If a relevant conversation takes place by telephone or separately by email, its outcome should be added to the record rather than remaining only in someone's personal inbox or memory.

The status should reflect the next action. If information is needed from the customer, the team should explain what is missing. If another team is investigating, the company should retain responsibility for follow-up and communicate meaningful progress.

Communicate clearly and protect information

Customer updates should explain what has been done, what happens next and whether the customer needs to act. If the expected timeframe changes, the team should explain the delay rather than relying on a status label to communicate it.

Staff should distinguish customer-visible replies from internal working notes, check recipients before sharing information and follow the company's access and information-handling rules. A recorded requester or CC address is not, by itself, proof of authority to approve a change or receive every type of information.

Resolve the request and improve the service

A ticket should be marked resolved because the required support work has been completed and the outcome communicated. Sending an acknowledgement or passing the matter to someone else is not sufficient.

Companies should also review outstanding requests and recurring issues. Reporting can highlight delays, unclear instructions, repeated questions and processes that create avoidable work. Customer feedback helps identify whether the answer actually met the need. Useful improvements might include clearer forms, better Help Centre guidance or changes to the underlying service process.

How ticketing compares with simple email exchanges

Outlook is an effective tool for sending, receiving and organising email. A shared mailbox also lets several staff members read and respond from one address. This can work well for straightforward correspondence or a small volume of requests.

As the number of requests, people and follow-up actions grows, the team needs a reliable way to manage the work as well as exchange messages. The comparison below is between a purpose-built ticketing workflow and email handling using inboxes, folders, flags and manual coordination. Additional applications and integrations can extend what an email-based setup does.

Why ticketing is considered good practice

Ticketing supports the main disciplines of dependable customer service: recording what was requested, assigning responsibility, following up on outstanding work and communicating the outcome.

Its value is particularly clear when several people or departments handle requests, enquiries require investigation, or customers need continuity across staff changes. A shared record reduces dependence on one person's availability and makes it easier to review whether a commitment has been met.

It also helps managers see the workload beyond the number of unread emails. An email can be read while the customer's problem remains outstanding. Tracking the request's status and next action gives a more useful view of the work still needed.

Ticketing does not guarantee faster answers or replace staff knowledge, sound judgement and personal service. Its benefits depend on sensible configuration, accurate records and consistent working practices. Email remains a convenient communication channel within that approach.

Example of a laboratory enquiry

A customer asks whether a particular test is suitable for a sample and explains that the answer is needed before the next submission.

With email-only handling, the question might be forwarded to a specialist, followed up separately and answered in a thread that other staff have not seen. If the original contact is away, another person may need to reconstruct the discussion before helping.

With a well-managed ticket, the initial question, sample details, specialist advice and final customer response are recorded together. The responsible support person can track the advice still needed, communicate the outcome and provide a clear handover if someone else takes over.

The customer can continue using Outlook throughout. The difference is how the company organises and follows through on the request.

Using ticketing with AsureQuality

When contacting AsureQuality, include the relevant service references and explain the assistance you need. Once you receive a ticket reference, use the existing conversation for related updates and follow-up questions.

For a new enquiry, use Submit a request or the relevant service contact address. If you are unsure where a request belongs, describe it clearly so the team can direct it appropriately.

For more information about forwarded messages and CCs, see our article Why some email replies are not visible in your support request.