The purpose of this document is to outline the procedures for escalating issues within the support team. It ensures that critical issues are handled in a timely and efficient manner, minimizing impact on operations and ensuring resolution at the appropriate level.
Scope
These guidelines apply to all support team members and cover the process for escalating customer issues, technical problems, and internal concerns.
Definitions
Escalation: The process of forwarding an issue to a higher level of authority when it cannot be resolved at the current support level.
Critical Issue: Any issue that has a significant business impact, affecting operations, revenue, or customer satisfaction.
Responsible for in-depth technical analysis and resolution of complex issues that require advanced expertise.
Support Lead/Manager
Provides oversight, ensures escalations are handled properly, and intervenes in case of delays or further escalations.
Escalation Criteria
Escalation should occur in the following situations:
Urgency: The issue is critical and affects multiple users, operations, or key functionalities.
Timeframe: If the issue has not been resolved within a predefined time (e.g., 2 hours for high-priority tickets).
Complexity: The issue requires expertise beyond the capabilities of the current support level.
Customer Demand: The customer requests escalation after reasonable attempts to resolve the issue at the current level.
Escalation Process
Level 1 to Level 2 Escalation
Trigger: If an issue is not resolved within 1 hour or is beyond the expertise of the Level 1 support team.
Action:
Create a detailed incident report with all troubleshooting steps taken.
Notify the Level 2 Escalation Manager via the ticketing system and include all relevant documentation.
Inform the customer of the escalation and provide an estimated time for resolution.
Level 2 to Level 3 Escalation
Trigger: If Level 2 cannot resolve the issue within 3 hours, or if the issue requires a technical deep dive.
Action:
Transfer the ticket to a Technical Specialist (Level 3).
The Level 2 Escalation Manager should coordinate with Level 3 to ensure timely follow-up and resolution.
Notify the customer of the further escalation and provide updates on progress.
Escalation to Support Lead/Manager
Trigger: If the issue remains unresolved after 24 hours or if the customer escalates due to dissatisfaction.
Action:
Support Lead/Manager steps in to review the situation and ensure all protocols have been followed.
The Lead may initiate further actions, including involvement from other departments (e.g., Development, Product).
Provide a formal update to the customer with a resolution plan and timeline.
Communication Protocol
Internal Communication: All escalations should be documented in the ticketing system with clear timelines, actions taken, and parties involved.
Customer Communication: Customers should be informed of the escalation at each stage and provided with regular updates on progress, especially for critical issues.
Initial notification within 30 minutes of escalation.
Progress updates every 2 hours for critical issues or as needed.
Monitoring and Reporting
The Escalation Manager is responsible for tracking the status of all escalated issues.
Weekly reports should be generated to review escalations, root causes, and identify trends for continuous improvement.
High-impact escalations should be flagged for post-resolution review and analysis.
Resolution Timeframes
Priority
Resolution Timeframe
Critical Issues
Resolved within 4 hours (or less, based on company policy).