Purpose:

This document outlines the escalation path for customer issues, specifically for technical support. It ensures that critical incidents, particularly when the software is down, are addressed immediately. The escalation process is designed to resolve customer issues efficiently, keeping them informed throughout the process.

Internal Escalation Path

1. Frontline Support (Tier 1)

• Responsibility: Initial response and triaging of customer issues.

• Response Time: Within 24 hours (excluding weekends) of ticket submission.

• Action: 

  • Collect necessary information from the customer (issue description, screenshots, maintenance status).

  • Troubleshoot using available knowledge bases and standard procedures.

  • If the issue is resolved, document the solution and close the ticket.

  • If the software is down, escalate immediately to Tier 2 and mark the ticket as First Priority.

2.  Technical Specialist (Tier 2)

• Responsibility: Handling escalations from Tier 1, providing deeper technical investigation.

• Response Time: Within 24 hours (excluding weekends)

• Action:  

  • Investigate the issue further (test software functionality and reproduce the issue if possible).

  • Engage with relevant internal teams if needed (Product Management  & Engineering).

  • If the software is down, update the customer as updates become available.

  • Provide a resolution, workaround, or create an engineering ticket if necessary.

• Escalation Criteria:  

  • If the issue remains unresolved, requires senior knowledge, or requires code fixes or major changes, escalate to Tier 3.

3.  Engineering Support (Tier 3)

• Responsibility: Address critical and unresolved technical issues escalated by Tier 2.

• Response Time: Immediate for systems that are down; otherwise at the discretion of product development.

• Action:  

  • Conduct an in-depth investigation involving code reviews or infrastructure changes.

  • If the software is down, a dedicated team will work on restoring functionality as the top priority.

  • Provide updates on timelines and a resolution plan including work around.

  • Ensure documentation is provided for any necessary patches or updates.

• Escalation Criteria:  

  • If the issue is unresolved after 48 hours or if additional external assistance is required (e.g., third-party integrations), escalate to Leadership

4.  Product Development (Tier 4)

• Responsibility: Handling escalations that require high-level decisions or resources.

• Response Time: Within 24 hours internally and the customer is notified.

• Action:  

  • Evaluate the situation, assess business impacts, and allocate additional resources.

  • Facilitate communications between the customer, support, and development teams.

  • Approve potential workarounds or temporary solutions.

  • Ensure proper follow-up and long-term resolution.

Escalation Priority Definitions

1.  First Priority and Highest Level of Escalation – Software Down (System Outage) 

• Immediate action required, escalates to Tier 2 within 1 hour.

• Constant updates to the customer every 2 hours.

2.  High Priority – Critical Functionality Affected

• Response within 2 hours.

• Update the customer every 4 hours until resolved.

3.  Medium Priority – Performance Issues or Non-Critical Features Affected

• Response within 4 hours.

• Customer updates every 12 hours.

4.  Low Priority – Minor Issues or Feature Requests 

• Response within 8 hours.

• Regular updates every 24 hours until resolved.

Customer Escalation Path

Step 1: Create a customer support ticket

• Include RFP date

  • This allows the customer support team to prioritize the issue accordingly 

  • This date is crucial for tracking the lifecycle of the issue and ensuring timely resolution.

• Note if the software is down

  • This provides the necessary information for escalation to first priority

• Create separate tickets for each individual issue

Step 2: Contact customer account manager 

• Customers should contact their account manager in addition to filling out a support ticket as the account manager provides a more holistic approach, ensuring the customer’s needs are fully addressed in the broader business context.

  • Escalation

  • Advocacy

  • Provide context and understanding business impacts and customer relationship

  • Coordinate internal resources for issues that require more than just technical support.

  • Strategic advice and future planning 

• If the account manager is not available, please sales at info@edx.com

Conclusion

This escalation path ensures that all customer issues are handled promptly, with top priority given to system outages or critical incidents. By following this process, we aim to resolve issues efficiently and maintain strong customer satisfaction.