We are excited to announce new features and enhancements for service buyers and providers on the OnForce platform.

h3. IE 7 Compatibility

OnForce is fully compatible with Microsoft’s recently released Internet Explorer 7. We’ve tested our site and both the Online Office and Buyer Command Center for compatibility. If you have any issues you believe are related to an IE 7 incompatibility, please “contact our support team”:1

h3. Provider Recognition Levels

With the launch of the new PowerPro Program, OnForce is kicking off its first recognition program for service providers. Buyers and providers have been asking for an indication of those providers who have demonstrated consistent performance with OnForce work orders. While the rating system, certifications, and number of completed work orders are critical ingredients for evaluation, members of the community have been asking for a single designation to indicate that a particular provider has been successful through OnForce. With the PowerPro program, buyers can identify providers who meet a set of qualifications designed to demonstrate a history of quality service events. And providers can show off to the community and get the credit they deserve for providing exceptional service.

!http://blog.onforce.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/11/provider_listing.png!

To become a PowerPro, a provider must meet the following requirements:
* At least 50 work orders completed (at least 20 actual work orders completed with the option to “exchange” work orders with an approved certification to make up the remainder)
* At least 1 work order closed in the last 90 days
* A 5.7 or higher rating
* Completion of either OnForce 102 (experienced provider) or OnForce 101 (new provider) training
* No suspensions in the last 90 days
* An up-to-date service profile

“More information”:2 about the PowerPro program is available.

In addition, providers who have just joined the OnForce marketplace will be designated with a “New Provider” icon. Providers will be considered new to OnForce for 30 days. Remember, though, that all providers on the platform are required to have at least 2 years of service experience and many have much more. “New to OnForce” does not mean new to the service industry - just to OnForce. We welcome all new members of the community and look forward to having new providers become PowerPros over time.

h3. Background Checks

We now display the status of provider background checks on the Explore the Marketplace provider listings. Previously this information was only available on the Provider Profile page.

h3. Conditional Offer Reasons and Rejections

Providers now have the ability to submit a reason along with a conditional offer. Providers can choose from the following reasons via a drop-down menu on the work order acceptance page:
* Work order location too far
* Part location too far
* Work order requires higher spend limit
* Appointment date is too soon
* Appointment date is not during my regular hours
* Other

Additionally, buyers can now also reject conditional offers instead of just allowing them to expire. If a provider has submitted a conditional offer that a buyer cannot accommodate, that offer can be rejected by clicking the “Reject” button on the conditional offer display. We’ve also added the display of conditional offers to the work order page, so that buyers can view all of the conditional offers for a work order together in the context of that work order’s information. The updated conditional offer display makes it very easy to see what effect a conditional offer will have on a work order’s spend limit or service date.

!http://blog.onforce.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/11/conditional_offers.png!

h3. Quick Route Buttons Now Pre-select Providers

The quick route buttons that were available on the work order confirmation page now take buyers to the routing page with relevant providers pre-selected. This change adds more visibility into which providers are being selected for quick routing, and gives buyers the opportunity to easily remove any provider from the selection list before quick routing a work order.

h3. Provider and Buyer Block Lists

Buyers now have the option of explicitly blocking providers from receiving work orders from their company. Any provider who is blocked will appear on work order routing lists as “blocked” and will not be available for selection for all users under a buyer account. Providers can be blocked when issuing ratings upon the closure of a work order or by viewing a work order once its already been closed. In order to block a provider, a closed work order must exist with that provider. Additionally, blocking a provider only affects future work orders. If you have a work order open with a provider, it will not be affected if you block that provider using an already closed work order.

!http://blog.onforce.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/11/block_provider.png!

Similarly, providers can now block buyers from routing work orders to them. Blocking a buyer prevents that buyer from routing any future work orders to that provider and other technicians in that provider’s account. The provider will still appear in that buyer’s routing list, but will be marked as “blocked”. Buyers can be blocked when entering a rating, completing a work order or by viewing a work order once its already been closed. In order to block a buyer, a closed work order must exist with that buyer. Blocking only affects new work orders; if a provider has a work order open with a buyer, it will not be affected and that provider must complete all accepted work orders for that buyer.

!http://blog.onforce.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/11/block_buyer.png!

Both buyers and providers can edit their block lists by selecting the “Edit Block List” menu option under “Preferences”.

!http://blog.onforce.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/11/block_list.png!

h3. Buyer Training

Buyers can now view online training to learn about the OnForce Marketplace. The ‘Getting Started’ buyer training has 5 chapters: What is OnForce; Explore the Marketplace; Create a Work Order; Buyer Command Center; Approve and Rate the Provider. Buyers can “view the new online training”:3 through links on the Buyer Command Center home page.

!http://blog.onforce.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/11/buyer_training_page_01.png!

h3. Provider Training - OnForce Platform 102

OnForce Platform 102 was designed to provide continuing education to providers who have been engaged with the OnForce platform for several months or years. The training reinforces basic principles of the OnForce marketplace (including a focus on policies) and highlights more recent product enhancements that have a direct impact on the community (including Explore the Marketplace, sending work order notes by email, and more). Just launched 2 weeks ago, the Platform 102 training has been completed by over 1,000 providers.

!http://blog.onforce.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/11/provider_training_102.png!

h3. OnForce Blog Posts Available in Online Office and Buyer Command Center

We’ve added sections to the Online Office and Buyer Command Center home pages that show recent postings made to the OnForce Blog, so both buyers and providers can keep up-to-date on new happenings at OnForce.

[1]http://www.onforce.com/contact
[2]http://www.onforce.com/view/help_about_recognition_levels
[3]http://www.onforce.com/action/buyer_training

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