Last Updated: 2/19/2026

Escalation Procedures

When to Escalate

Immediate Escalation Required

• Security breaches or concerns
• Data loss or corruption
• System-wide outages
• Legal threats or issues
• Severe customer dissatisfaction
• Media or PR concerns

Standard Escalation Triggers

• Unable to resolve within [X] hours/attempts
• Technical issue beyond support scope
• Bug requiring engineering investigation
• Feature requests from enterprise customers
• Billing disputes over $[amount]
• Customer requests to speak with management

Optional Escalation

• Complex questions requiring specialist knowledge
• Unusual use cases
• Process improvement suggestions
• When you need a second opinion

Escalation Levels

Level 1: Senior Support Agent

When: Standard technical issues, process questions
How: Assign ticket to senior agent queue
Response Time: Within [X] hours

Level 2: Team Lead/Manager

When: Customer satisfaction issues, policy exceptions
How: Tag manager in ticket or send via [method]
Response Time: Within [X] hours

Level 3: Technical Team

When: Bugs, system issues, engineering required
How: Create technical ticket via [system]
Response Time: Within [X] business days

Level 4: Executive Team

When: Severe issues, major accounts, legal concerns
How: Email [executive] with “URGENT” in subject
Response Time: Within [X] hours

Escalation Process

Step 1: Document Thoroughly

Before escalating, ensure you have:

• Complete description of the issue
• Steps already taken to resolve
• Customer account information
• Screenshots or error logs
• Impact assessment (who/what is affected)
• Customer expectations and timeline

Step 2: Choose Appropriate Level

• Review the escalation triggers
• Select the correct escalation level
• Consider urgency and impact

Step 3: Submit Escalation

• Use the proper escalation channel
• Include all documentation
• Set priority level
• Add context and urgency notes
• Keep ticket open and assigned to you

Step 4: Inform the Customer

Use the escalation email template:

• Explain that you’re escalating
• Set expectations for next steps
• Provide timeline if known
• Give them a ticket/reference number
• Reassure them you’re still involved

Step 5: Follow Up

• Check escalation status regularly
• Update customer with progress
• Coordinate with escalated team
• See the issue through to resolution
• Document the outcome

Escalation Email Template

To: [Escalation team/person]
Subject: ESCALATION - [Brief description] - Ticket #[number]

Priority: High/Medium/Low
Customer: [Name/Account]
Ticket #: [Number]

Issue Summary: [Brief description of the problem]

Steps Taken:

1. [What you’ve already tried]
2. [Results of each attempt]

Customer Impact: [How this affects the customer]

Customer Expectation: [What the customer is asking for and timeline]

Additional Context: [Any other relevant information]

Attachments:

• [Screenshots, logs, etc.]

After Escalation

Your Responsibilities

• Remain the primary point of contact
• Keep the customer updated
• Monitor escalation progress
• Coordinate between teams
• Close the loop when resolved

Documentation

• Update ticket with escalation details
• Record resolution steps
• Add to knowledge base if needed
• Note lessons learned

De-escalation

When a situation has calmed down:

• Acknowledge improvement
• Confirm customer satisfaction
• Summarize resolution
• Thank customer for patience
• Offer additional assistance if needed