Skip to main content

Escalation & Exception Handling

1. When to Escalate​

You are empowered to solve most problems. But sometimes, you need backup.

Technical Escalation (Tier 1 -> Tier 2)​

  • Trigger: You have spent 30 minutes investigating and are still stuck.
  • Trigger: The issue requires database access or code changes.
  • Action:
    1. Change Ticket Owner to "Tier 2 Queue."
    2. Add Internal Note: "Tried X, Y, and Z. Suspect issue with API."
    3. Ping #support-tier2 in Slack if urgent.

Manager Escalation (The "Angry Client")​

  • Trigger: Client uses aggressive language ("Unacceptable," "Demand a refund," "Talk to your boss").
  • Action:
    1. Do not argue.
    2. Reply: "I hear your frustration. I'm going to loop in my manager to ensure this gets resolved ASAP."
    3. Assign to Support Lead.

2. Exception Handling (Approvals)​

Some requests require specific permission levels.

RequestAuthorityProcess
Refund (< $100)You (Tier 1)Process in Stripe. Log reason.
Refund (> $100)ManagerAssign ticket to Manager for approval.
SLA BreachManagerIf we missed a deadline, Manager must draft the apology.
Free Month CreditSalesAssign to Sales Rep to negotiate.

3. Crisis Mode (System Outage)​

  • If: 3+ tickets come in about the same error in < 10 minutes.
  • Then:
    1. Check #status channel in Slack.
    2. If no alert exists, post: "🚨 Possible Outage: [Feature] is down for multiple users."
    3. Use the "Incident Response" Canned Reply for new tickets (do not troubleshoot individually).

Related Documents: