Manager Escalation Process for Service Desk Tickets and Incidents

Manager Escalation Process Definition

This process provides supervisors and managers (or VP/Dean-designated point person) the means for requesting urgent responses (beyond the planned SLA) to specific, previously-submitted Service Desk tickets.

  • Supervisor/manager (or VP/Dean-designated point person) submits a ticket in the Service Desk ticketing system.
  • This is outside of the automated SLA-defined escalation process (in planning stage).

Assumptions

  • The user and the user's supervisor/manager have reviewed and understand the planned SLA-defined response times before initiating an escalation request.
  • The user and the user's supervisor/manager will not abuse the escalation process by inflating routine requests or inappropriately classifying them as urgent.

Process flow with built-in (SLA-driven) escalation

1. User submits a Service Desk ticket via email, web, chat or voicemail. A ticket is assigned to a team or agent for response/resolution.

2. The Service Desk system automatically escalates the ticket if it is not responded to within two days.

3. Notices of escalations are sent to the respective ITS manager for follow-up.

Process flow with supervisor/manager initiated escalation

Process begins as outlined above (Steps 1 through 3)

4. If the business unit's need for urgent escalation of a specific ticket becomes necessary, the user's supervisor or manager (or VP/Dean-designated point person) can submit an escalation request by email or phone to the Escalation Coordinators within ITS - referencing the Service Desk ticket number previously assigned to the user's request. If a service desk ticket has not been submitted, the user will be asked to submit a ticket before beginning the escalation process.

Reporting and monitoring compliance with SLA-defined response times

  1. ITS managers and area leads/supervisors are automatically sent email alerts from the Service Desk system when service ticket escalations involving their staff occur.
  2. These managers are responsible for proactively monitoring and following-up with their respective staff/agents.
  3. The Escalation Coordinators will respond to all manager escalations in a timely manner and will do their best to provide the users with the information and support they need.
  4. Escalation Coordinators will investigate and escalate the request to the appropriate ITS manager with a copy to the CIO. This will be done through the ticketing system to ensure documentation.
  5. Even if the issue does not appear to be urgent, the Escalation Coordinator will contact the user with an estimated time of when the issue can be resolved and with a copy to the CIO. This will be done through the ticketing system to ensure documentation. Tickets assigned to USS will be responded to by the Director of User Support Services. Tickets in other areas of ITS will be handled by the appropriate manager for that area. Tickets assigned to teams outside of ITS will be managed by the managers in those divisions.

Escalation Coordinator

If they are not reachable, contact their manager:

For each issue the Escalation Coordinator will:

  1. Review the ticket and ticket history.
  2. Contact the user and get more information, clarification if necessary.
  3. Ensure the user knows that we will keep in communication with the user.
  4. Communicate status of the ticket to the manager who escalated the request
  5. Contact the service owner/appropriate ITS manager
  6. Ensure the manager or designate follows up with the user with a copy to the escalation coordinator
  7. Ensure the follow up work is documented in the ticket