Escalation Procedures
When and how to escalate support issues to the appropriate teams.
Escalation Procedures
Not every issue can be resolved at the first level. This guide explains when and how to escalate issues to ensure users get the help they need.
When to Escalate
Always Escalate
These situations require immediate escalation:
| Situation | Escalate To |
|---|---|
| Suspected fraud | Trust & Safety |
| Legal threats | Legal Team |
| Media inquiries | Communications |
| Security breach | Security Team |
| System outage | Engineering |
| VIP/high-value user | Account Management |
Consider Escalating
Use judgment for:
- Complex refund requests (> $500)
- Unusual account activity
- Repeat issues from same user
- Policy edge cases
- Sensitive personal situations
Don't Escalate
Handle these yourself:
- Routine password resets
- Basic how-to questions
- Standard refund requests
- Normal verification issues
- First-time minor issues
Escalation Levels
Level 1: Standard Support
Handled by: Support Agents
Scope:
- Account access issues
- Basic technical problems
- FAQ questions
- Simple complaints
Level 2: Senior Support
Handled by: Senior Support / Team Leads
Scope:
- Complex technical issues
- Policy clarification
- Multi-issue tickets
- Frustrated users
Level 3: Specialist Teams
Handled by: Trust & Safety, Engineering, etc.
Scope:
- Fraud investigation
- System bugs
- Legal matters
- Security issues
How to Escalate
Internal Escalation
- Document the issue thoroughly
- Note what you've already tried
- Select the appropriate team
- Use the escalation form in the ticket
- Set appropriate priority
Information to Include
When escalating, always provide:
User ID: [user ID]
Issue Summary: [one sentence]
Steps Taken: [what you tried]
Current Status: [where it stands]
Why Escalating: [reason]
Urgency: [low/medium/high/critical]Better documentation means faster resolution. Take the extra minute to be thorough.
Escalation Contacts
Trust & Safety
- Slack: #trust-safety
- Email: trust@opengiving.com
- Hours: 24/7 for critical issues
Engineering
- Slack: #engineering-support
- Email: eng-support@opengiving.com
- Hours: Business hours, on-call for emergencies
Legal
- Slack: #legal (urgent only)
- Email: legal@opengiving.com
- Hours: Business hours
Communications
- Slack: #comms
- Email: comms@opengiving.com
- Hours: Business hours
Priority Levels
Critical (P0)
- Active security breach
- System-wide outage
- Ongoing fraud
- Legal emergency
Response: Immediate (within 15 minutes)
High (P1)
- Feature completely broken
- User cannot access funds
- Major bug affecting many users
- Potential PR issue
Response: Within 1 hour
Medium (P2)
- Feature partially broken
- Complex user issue
- Non-critical bug
- Policy clarification needed
Response: Within 4 hours
Low (P3)
- Minor inconvenience
- Feature request
- Non-urgent feedback
- General inquiry
Response: Within 24-48 hours
After Escalating
Your Responsibilities
- Stay owner of the ticket
- Update user that it's escalated
- Follow up if no response
- Close ticket when resolved
Tracking Escalations
Keep the user informed:
I've escalated your issue to our [team] for further assistance. You can expect to hear back within [timeframe]. I'll continue to monitor your case and update you on any progress.
Learning from Escalations
After resolution:
- Note what resolved the issue
- Consider if you could handle similar issues
- Suggest knowledge base updates
- Identify process improvements