Knowing when to hand something on.
WHAT ESCALATION IS FOR
Problems beyond the current person's knowledge or authority.
WHAT IT IS NOT FOR
Avoiding a difficult conversation.
WHAT TO DEFINE
What triggers escalation Who receives it What information must accompany it What response time applies
WHAT SHOULD ALWAYS ESCALATE
Suspected data loss Suspected security incidents Billing errors Legal threats Anything affecting many customers
WHY BILLING ERRORS SPECIFICALLY
They involve money, and mistakes compound.
WHAT TO INCLUDE WHEN ESCALATING
What the customer reported What you established What you tried What you need
WHY THAT LAST ITEM
It converts a handover into a request.
WHAT TO AVOID
Forwarding a ticket with no summary.
WHY
The next person repeats everything, and the customer waits again.
WHAT TO TELL THE CUSTOMER
That it is being escalated, to whom, and when they will hear.
WHAT NOT TO SAY
That you are escalating, then disappear.
WHO OWNS THE TICKET AFTER ESCALATION
Whoever can actually resolve it, explicitly.
WHY EXPLICITLY
Escalated tickets are the ones most often owned by nobody.
WHAT TO TRACK
How often escalation happens, and why.
WHAT THAT REVEALS
Gaps in training, tooling or authority.
