Quick Start Guide for New Contact Users
This guide is intended for Agent users of CS Contact
What is CS Contact?
CS Contact is a contact center management system that helps you:
Handle incoming calls and other contacts (chat, text, etc.)
Find the right resources for callers
Make referrals to services
Track caller information and history
Manage multiple contacts efficiently
Key Concepts
Contact: A single interaction with a caller (phone call, chat, text)
Profile: The caller's information and history
Service Need: What the caller is looking for (e.g., "Housing", "Food Assistance")
Resource: A service provider or organization that can help
Referral: Connecting a caller to a specific resource
Your First Contact
Step 1: Log In
Open CS Contact in your web browser
Log in with your credentials
You'll see the main dashboard
Step 2: Answer a Call
When a call comes in:
The system automatically creates a contact record
You'll be redirected to the contact screen
If this is a new caller, you'll need to select or create their profile first
Step 3: Select or Create Profile
Option A: Find Existing Profile
Search by name, phone number, or email
Click on the matching profile if found
Option B: Create New Profile
Click "Create New Profile"
Enter basic information:
Name
Phone number
Email (optional)
Address/Zip code
Once a profile is selected, you'll see the full contact interface.
Contact Workflow
The Contact Screen Layout
The contact screen has four main tabs:
Caller Details 📋
Contact source
Demographics
Service provision
Inquirer served
Service needs (primary/secondary)
Tags
Notes
Call History
Resources 🔍
Search for services
View resource details
Make referrals
Referrals 📞
View all referrals made
Send referrals via email or SMS
Track referral status
Add service gaps
Programs 🏢
Intake surveys
Program enrollment
Main Contact Workflow
Key Features
1. Service Needs (Primary/Secondary)
What are Service Needs? Service needs describe what the caller is looking for (e.g., "Emergency Shelter", "Food Pantry", "Mental Health Services").
How to Populate Service Needs:
Go to the Search Resource & Taxonomy tab
Apply filters to search appropriate resources
Select one or more resources from search
The primary need will auto-populate from the first referral issued
Secondary needs will be informed by subsequent referrals issues
Tips:
Always refer the most relevant resource first, to inform the primary need
2. Demographics
What Information to Collect: (Organization determined)
Postal Code (used for finding nearby resources)
Phone number
Email address
Language preference
Other demographic information as required
Why It Matters:
Helps find resources in the caller's area
Used for reporting and service planning
May be required to close the contact
3. Contact Source
What is Contact Source? This identifies how the caller reached you I.E. Skill line (e.g., "Main Line", "Crisis Line", "Chat").
How to Set:
Configured with IVR system of your organization
Can be changed in the "Caller Details" tab if needed
4. Tags
What are Tags? Tags help categorize contacts for reporting and follow-up (e.g., "Follow-up needed", "High priority").
How to Add Tags:
Go to "Caller Details" tab
Click "Tags" section
Select relevant tags from the list
Click "Save"
5. Notes
When to Add Notes:
Important details about the conversation
Special circumstances
Follow-up instructions
Any relevant information that doesn't fit in other fields
How to Add Notes:
Go to "Caller Details" tab
Find the "Notes" section
Type your notes
They save automatically
Searching for Resources
Accessing Resource Search
Click on the Resources tab in the contact screen
You'll see the search interface
How to Search
Basic Search:
Type keywords in the search box (e.g., "food bank", "shelter", "mental health")
Press Enter or click the search icon
Results will appear below
Advanced Search Options:
By Location:
Enter a postal code
System will show resources near that location
You'll see distance from the caller
By Service Area:
Filter by specific service areas (e.g., "Central LA", "Westside")
By Service Type:
Use filters to narrow by service category
Multiple filters can be combined
By Phone Number:
Search for resources by phone number
Useful when caller has a specific contact number
Understanding Search Results
Each resource result shows:
Service Name: What service is offered
Agency Name: The organization providing it
Location: Address and distance from caller
Phone Number: Contact information
Hours: Operating hours
Description: What the service provides
Refer Button: Click to make a referral
Tips for Effective Searching
Start Broad: Begin with general keywords, then narrow down
Use Multiple Keywords: Try different terms (e.g., "housing", "shelter", "residence")
Check Location: Verify the resource is in the caller's service area
Review Details: Click on resources to see full information
Consider Distance: For transportation-limited callers, prioritize nearby resources
Making Referrals
What is a Referral?
A referral connects a caller to a specific resource. The system tracks:
Which resources were referred
When the referral was made
How the referral was delivered (email, SMS)
How to Make a Referral
Option 1: From Search Results
Search for resources (see above)
Find a suitable resource
Click the "Refer" button on the resource card
The referral is automatically created
Option 2: From Resource Details
Click on a resource to see full details
Click "Refer" button
Referral is created
Viewing Referrals
Click the Referrals tab
You'll see all referrals made during this contact
For each referral, you can:
View resource details
Send via email
Send via SMS
Delete if needed
Sending Referrals
Via Email:
Go to "Referrals" tab
Click "Send Email" on a referral
System will send resource information to caller's email
Via SMS:
Go to "Referrals" tab
Click "Send SMS" on a referral
System will send a link to resources via text message
Verbal:
Simply tell the caller the information
No additional action needed
Multiple Referrals
You can make multiple referrals per contact
Give callers options when appropriate
Track all referrals in the Referrals tab
Closing a Contact
When to Close
Close a contact when you have: (Organizations specifics may apply)
✅ Identified service needs
✅ Made referrals (if applicable)
✅ Collected required information
✅ Completed the conversation
How to Close
Look for the "Close Contact" button (usually at the top right)
Click it
The system will check if all required information is complete
Close Contact Checklist
Before closing, ensure:
✅ Service Needs Added
At least one service need identified
Primary service need marked
✅ Inquirer Served
Indicate if the caller was served/helped
✅ Service Provision
Document what service was provided
✅ Demographics (if required)
Zip code collected
Other required demographic information
✅ Tags Added (if required)
Appropriate tags applied
✅ Demographic Survey (if required)
Survey completed if prompted
If Something is Missing
If you try to close and something is missing:
The system will show a checklist
Complete the missing items
Try closing again
Force Close (When Allowed)
In exceptional cases, you may be able to force close:
Only use if truly necessary
May require supervisor approval
Contact will be marked as incomplete
After Closing
Contact is marked as closed
You'll be returned to the dashboard
Contact appears in your contact history
You can view it later but can't edit (view-only mode)
Tips & Best Practices
Efficiency Tips
Use Keyboard Shortcuts: Learn shortcuts to navigate faster
Search While Talking: Start searching while caller explains their need
Use Tags: Tag contacts for easy filtering later
Save Templates: Create note templates for common situations
Keep Notes Brief: Focus on key information
Quality Tips
Verify Information: Double-check addresses and phone numbers
Confirm Service Area: Ensure resources serve caller's location
Check Hours: Verify resources are open when caller needs them
Give Multiple Options: Offer 2-3 resource options when possible
Follow Up Instructions: Note if caller needs to follow up
Communication Tips
Ask Open Questions: "What kind of help are you looking for today?"
Clarify Service Needs: Make sure you understand before searching
Explain Next Steps: Tell callers what to expect after referral
Confirm Contact Info: Verify you can reach them if needed
Be Empathetic: Remember callers may be in crisis
Search Tips
Start Simple: Begin with basic keywords
Refine Gradually: Add filters as needed
Try Synonyms: If no results, try different words
Check Nearby Areas: Expand search if needed
Use Phone Search: Search by phone if caller has a number
Common Scenarios
Scenario 1: Caller Needs Multiple Services
Add all relevant service needs
Search for resources in each category
Make referrals for each need
Document in notes
Scenario 2: Caller Already Has a Resource
Search for that specific resource
Verify it exists in system
Make referral to track it
Add note about caller's preference
Scenario 3: No Resources Available
Document the service gap
Note what was needed but unavailable
Offer alternative suggestions
Tag contact appropriately
Scenario 4: Repeat Caller
Search for their profile
Review previous contacts
Check if previous referrals were helpful
Update information as needed
Troubleshooting
Problem: Can't Find a Resource
Solutions:
Try different keywords
Check spelling
Search by phone number if caller has it
Expand search area
Ask supervisor for assistance
Problem: Contact Won't Close
Check:
Are all required fields completed?
Look at the close checklist
Complete missing items
Contact supervisor if needed
Problem: Can't Find Caller's Profile
Solutions:
Try searching by phone number
Try different name spellings
Check if they have a different name on file
Create new profile if truly new caller
Problem: Search Returns No Results
Solutions:
Simplify your search terms
Remove filters
Try broader keywords
Check if resource exists outside your service area
Document as service gap
Problem: System is Slow
Solutions:
Refresh the page
Clear browser cache
Check your internet connection
Contact IT support if persistent
Problem: Can't Send Referral
Check:
Does caller have email/phone on file?
Is contact information correct?
Try refreshing the page
Contact supervisor if issue persists
Quick Reference
Navigation Shortcuts
Contacts List: Click "Contacts" in main menu
Active Contact: Check top of screen
Switch Tabs: Click tab names or use keyboard
Required Fields (Before Closing)
✅ Service Need (at least one)
✅ Primary Service Need marked
✅ Inquirer Served status
✅ Service Provision status
✅ Tags (if required by your organization)
✅ Demographics (if required)
Tab Overview
Caller Details
Manage contact information
Add service needs, demographics, notes, tags
Resources
Find services
Search, view details, make referrals
Referrals
Track referrals
View, send via email/SMS
Programs
Case management
Enroll in programs, complete intake
Status Indicators
Green Checkmark: Complete/Ready
Yellow Warning: Needs attention
Red X: Missing required information
Clock Icon: Pending/Waiting
Getting Help
Resources Available
On-Screen Help: Look for "?" icons for tooltips
Supervisor: Ask your supervisor for guidance
Training Materials: Check organization's training portal
Support Team: Contact IT support for technical issues
When to Ask for Help
Unclear service need classification
Complex multi-service requests
System errors or glitches
Policy questions
Escalation needed
Next Steps
Now that you understand the basics:
✅ Practice with test contacts
✅ Review your organization's specific procedures
✅ Learn about special programs/integrations your organization uses
✅ Ask questions during training or to supervisors
✅ Use this guide as a reference as you work
Remember
Be Patient: Learning takes time, you'll get faster with practice
Ask Questions: It's better to ask than make mistakes
Take Notes: Good notes help callers and your team
Stay Organized: Use tags and complete all required fields
Be Accurate: Double-check information before closing contacts
Good luck with your first contacts! You've got this! 🎯
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