Escalation Procedure

What is an Escalation Procedure?

An escalation procedure is a formal, documented process for handling issues that can't be resolved at the current level of authority. It spells out when escalation is necessary, who to contact at each level, and how quickly people need to respond. Without one, problems tend to sit unresolved while everyone wonders whose job it is to fix them.

Why do escalation procedures matter? They give employees a clear path forward when they hit a wall. Instead of guessing whether to bother their manager or just wait and hope, team members know exactly what triggers an escalation and who needs to get involved. The procedure answers the questions that come up in the moment: Should I escalate this now? Who do I call? What do I tell them?

You'll find escalation procedures in customer support, IT service management, project management, quality control, and incident response. They work as both a communication tool and a decision-making framework, making sure issues land on the desk of someone who actually has the authority or expertise to handle them. Most escalation procedures are documented as part of a broader standard operating procedure or included in the company's procedure manual.

Key Characteristics of Escalation Procedure

• Defined Triggers: Clear criteria for when escalation kicks in. This could be time elapsed, severity level, complexity, potential impact, or risk to customers.
• Hierarchical Levels: Multiple escalation tiers with specific people or teams at each level, from frontline staff up to senior management or subject matter experts.
• Contact Information: Names, roles, phone numbers, emails, and preferred communication channels for each escalation level. When something goes wrong, you need to reach the right person fast.
• Timeframes: Expected response times and resolution deadlines at each level. These create urgency and keep people accountable. The process owner typically sets these based on customer impact and business requirements.
• Documentation Requirements: What information needs to travel with the escalation. Usually this includes the problem description, what's already been tried, the impact, and any relevant data.

Escalation Procedure Examples

Example 1: Customer Support Escalation

A software company uses a three-tier escalation procedure for customer support. If a support agent can't resolve an issue within 24 hours, it goes to the team lead. The team lead then has 48 hours to fix it or push it up to the support manager. Critical issues, like anything affecting multiple customers or involving data security, skip the line entirely and go straight to the manager and executive team. Every escalation includes a summary of customer impact, what troubleshooting has been tried, and any workarounds that were offered.

Example 2: IT Incident Management

An IT department runs an escalation procedure based on incident severity. Level 1 incidents (minor stuff affecting one user) go to the helpdesk tech with a 4-hour resolution target. If it's not fixed by then, it moves to Level 2 support specialists. Level 2 incidents (problems hitting multiple users or critical systems) start with specialists and escalate to senior engineers if they're still open after 2 hours. Level 3 incidents (full system outages or security breaches) trigger immediate escalation to the IT manager, CTO, and relevant stakeholders, with notifications going out by phone, email, and SMS all at once.

Escalation Procedure vs Escalation Matrix

People often use these terms interchangeably, but they're not quite the same thing. An escalation procedure describes the overall process and steps for escalating issues. An escalation matrix is a specific tool, usually a chart or table, that shows the escalation structure at a glance.

How Glitter AI Helps with Escalation Procedures

Glitter AI makes it easier to create and maintain escalation procedures by letting teams document the process with screen recordings and visual step-by-step guides. Instead of writing long text documents, you can record yourself walking through the escalation workflow: how to identify triggers, where to find contact information, which tools to use, and what needs to happen during handoff. People tend to understand the practical execution better when they can see it.

Keeping escalation procedures up to date gets simpler too. When someone leaves or a process changes, you can record an update to the relevant section instead of rewriting the whole document. This keeps your escalation procedures accurate and easy to access, which matters most during critical incidents when you don't have time to dig through outdated documentation.