Your Level 1 agent is stuck on a complex technical issue. Your VIP customer is threatening to leave. A critical bug is crippling dozens of users. What should you do? Escalate.
Escalation is an essential mechanism in customer service, but if not handled properly, it can become a nightmare. In this guide, learn everything you need to know about support escalation: definition, types, and best practices for using it effectively.
Escalation support is the process by which a customer request is transferred to a higher level of expertise or authority when the initial agent cannot resolve it.
Climbing can be:
It is a safety net that ensures that every request is answered, even the most complex ones.
Referral to a specialist or team with specific expertise.
Examples:
This is the most common escalation. It allows the request to be routed to the right person with the right skills.
Transfer to a superior when the situation requires it.
Examples:
She often intervenes in matters of authority or decision-making.
Transfer to an entity outside the company.
Examples:
The agent determines whether escalation is necessary and justified. Have all Level 1 resolution options been exhausted?
Before climbing, the agent clearly documents:
The request is assigned to the correct recipient with all documentation. The customer is informed of the transfer.
The initial agent can remain on copy to follow the resolution and learn.
Once resolved, returning to the initial agent allows for improvement of skills for similar cases.
Climbing is organized into a structure of levels:
Each level has different skills and costs. The goal is to solve at the lowest possible level.
Modern tools allow certain escalations to be automated:
If a ticket is approaching its SLA limit, automatically escalate it to a senior agent or manager.
Detection of sensitive terms ("lawyer," "cancel my account," "refund") that trigger an escalation.
AI detects a frustrated or angry customer and automatically escalates the issue.
Klark can accurately analyze the sentiment of conversations and trigger intelligent escalations when the situation requires it.
Formula: (Escalated tickets / Total tickets) × 100
Target: 10-20% is generally healthy. Too low may indicate a lack of rigor, too high may indicate a Level 1 training issue.
Time between ticket creation and escalation. Too long indicates hesitation to escalate.
Are escalated tickets actually resolved by the higher level?
If many escalated tickets return to level 1 ("it wasn't for us"), there is a problem with the criteria.
Climbing without attempting to solve creates overload at higher levels and deprives the agent of learning.
Waiting too long frustrates the customer and can cause SLAs to explode. Knowing when to escalate is a key skill.
"I'm transferring this ticket to you" without documentation = a waste of time for everyone and the customer having to repeat everything.
Escalate and forget. The initial agent must follow up to ensure that the customer is taken care of.
Using escalation to avoid difficult customers rather than for genuine competency reasons.
The more competent your agents are, the less they need to escalate issues. Invest in ongoing training.
A comprehensive knowledge base enables agents to find solutions without escalating.
If escalation is often used to "request authorization," expand the prerogatives of level 1.
A lot of escalations on the same subject? Create a procedure or provide specific training on this point.
AI suggestions enable agents to resolve cases that they would otherwise have escalated.
Yes, an escalated ticket is by definition not resolved on first contact. But a relevant escalation is better than a bad resolution.
Yes, transparency. Inform him of the transfer and the estimated time frame for processing.
Generally, responsibility passes to the level that receives the escalation. But the initial agent can keep an eye on things.
Not systematically, as this would slow down the process. But clear criteria must be defined.
Escalation support is an essential mechanism, but one that must be used judiciously. When managed well, it ensures that every customer finds a solution. When managed poorly, it overloads teams and frustrates customers.
The keys to successful climbing:
Need to optimize your climbs? Discover how Klark can help you.
