Ticket De-escalation Best Practice

[james_m_harvey]

We are looking for industry best practice regarding ticket escalation/de-escalation specifically around NOT sending tickets back to tier 1. Looking for a source to reference...maybe ITIL and HDI.

[Yashsvi]

Hi @james_m_harvey,

Industry best practices for ticket escalation/de-escalation, especially to avoid sending tickets back to Tier 1, are well outlined in ITIL and HDI guidelines:

ITIL Best Practices:

1. Clear Escalation Procedures: Tickets should move forward based on priority, impact, and urgency, avoiding unnecessary back-and-forth.
2. SLAs: Define clear response and resolution times to ensure tickets are handled efficiently without being sent back to Tier 1.
3. Knowledge Management: Higher tiers should document solutions to empower Tier 1 to resolve similar issues in the future.

HDI Best Practices:

1. Efficient Escalation: Ensure tickets are escalated correctly the first time to avoid delays.
2. Empowerment of Tier 1: Provide sufficient training and resources to Tier 1 to handle as many issues as possible on the first contact.
3. Ticket Ownership: Once a ticket is escalated, it should remain with the higher-tier support until resolution.

Implementing in ServiceNow:

1. Define Escalation Paths: Use workflows for clear escalation paths.
2. Configure SLAs: Set SLAs for timely responses and resolutions.
3. Utilize Knowledge Base: Document solutions to enable Tier 1 to handle future similar issues.
4. Maintain Ticket Ownership: Ensure escalated tickets stay with higher-tier support until resolved.

And also check below link:

https://www.servicenow.com/community/developer-forum/best-practices-for-long-pending-tickets-and-req...

Thank you, please make helpful if you accept the solution. 

[Sandeep Rajput]

@james_m_harvey 

In IT Service Management (ITSM) frameworks like ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library) and HDI (Help Desk Institute), there are indeed best practices around ticket escalation and de-escalation. One common principle is to avoid sending tickets back to Tier 1 support unless absolutely necessary, as it can frustrate customers and prolong issue resolution times.

Key Principles from ITIL and HDI:

1. First Call Resolution (FCR): The aim of FCR is to resolve customer issues at Tier 1 whenever possible. This reduces the need for escalation and ensures quicker resolution times. According to ITIL and HDI principles, Tier 1 support should be equipped and empowered to handle a majority of common issues without escalation.

2. Problem Management: ITIL emphasizes proactive Problem Management to identify and resolve recurring issues at their root cause. Effective Problem Management reduces the frequency of issues requiring escalation back to Tier 1.

3. Escalation Protocols: Both ITIL and HDI recommend clear escalation protocols that outline when and how issues should be escalated. This helps ensure that escalations are handled efficiently and effectively, minimizing the need to send issues back to Tier 1.

4. Knowledge Management: HDI stresses the importance of robust Knowledge Management practices. This includes maintaining a comprehensive knowledge base that Tier 1 support can leverage to resolve issues independently, reducing the likelihood of escalation.

Sources for Reference:

• ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library): ITIL provides detailed guidance on Service Operations, including incident management and escalation processes. You can refer to ITIL Service Operation publication for best practices related to incident handling and escalation.

• HDI (Help Desk Institute): HDI offers industry standards and best practices for IT service and support professionals. Their resources include frameworks and guidelines for effective incident and problem management, emphasizing the importance of minimizing escalations back to Tier 1.

Example Approach:

A typical approach aligned with ITIL and HDI principles could involve:

• Empowering Tier 1: Ensure Tier 1 support has adequate training, tools, and access to a knowledge base to handle a wide range of issues independently.

• Effective Escalation Criteria: Establish clear criteria for escalating tickets beyond Tier 1, based on complexity, impact on business operations, or need for specialized expertise.

• Proactive Problem Management: Implement proactive problem management practices to identify recurring issues and address them at their root cause, thereby reducing the need for repetitive escalations.

• Continuous Improvement: Regularly review incident and problem management processes to identify areas for improvement, such as enhancing Tier 1 capabilities or optimizing escalation paths.

These principles and practices help organizations in IT service management to streamline operations, improve customer satisfaction, and ensure efficient use of resources by minimizing unnecessary escalations back to Tier 1 support.