🚨 Escalation Matrix
Prevent small issues from becoming fires. Clear path for every problem.
🎯 PURPOSE
Prevent small issues from becoming fires. Stop "I didn't know what to do" excuses. Clear path for every problem.
🔴 CRITICAL: 30 min response. Affects revenue NOW.
🟠 HIGH: 2 hour response. Will affect revenue soon.
🟡 MEDIUM: 6 hour response. Creates inefficiency.
🟢 LOW: 24 hour response. Minor issue.
🤝 Section 1: Client Issues
Client Threatens Bad Review
🔴 Critical
First Response By:
Client Success Manager within 15 minutes
Immediate Actions:
1. Acknowledge within 15 minutes
2. Express genuine concern
3. Ask what would make it right
4. Offer to hop on a call immediately
5. Document everything in real-time
2. Express genuine concern
3. Ask what would make it right
4. Offer to hop on a call immediately
5. Document everything in real-time
Escalate To:
Delhi Team if client not calming down after 30 min
Max Resolution:
2 hours
📝 Communication Template:
"Hi [Name], I'm truly sorry you're feeling this way. Your satisfaction matters deeply to us. I want to personally ensure we fix this right now. Can we hop on a quick 10-minute call? I'm available immediately."
Client Demands Refund
🔴 Critical
First Response By:
CSM acknowledges → Escalate to Delhi Team within 30 min
Immediate Actions:
1. Do NOT say yes or no to refund
2. Respond calmly and professionally
3. Ask for specific reason in detail
4. Document exactly what we delivered
5. Forward full summary to Delhi Team within 30 min
2. Respond calmly and professionally
3. Ask for specific reason in detail
4. Document exactly what we delivered
5. Forward full summary to Delhi Team within 30 min
Final Authority:
Delhi Team ONLY
Max Resolution:
24 hours
Client Angry About Quality
🟠 High
First Response By:
Project Manager within 1 hour
Immediate Actions:
1. Apologize for their experience
2. Ask for specific list of issues
3. Create prioritized fix plan within 2 hours
4. Assign senior developer to handle fixes
5. Provide timeline for each fix
2. Ask for specific list of issues
3. Create prioritized fix plan within 2 hours
4. Assign senior developer to handle fixes
5. Provide timeline for each fix
Max Resolution:
48 hours for fixes to be completed
Client Not Responding (3+ Days)
🟡 Medium
First Response By:
Project Manager
Immediate Actions:
Day 3: Send WhatsApp + Fiverr message
Day 4: Send email if available
Day 5: Send "project pausing" notice
Day 7: Pause project if no response
Day 4: Send email if available
Day 5: Send "project pausing" notice
Day 7: Pause project if no response
Max Resolution:
7 days, then pause project
Client Keeps Changing Scope
🟡 Medium
First Response By:
Project Manager
Immediate Actions:
1. Document original agreed scope
2. List all new requests with dates
3. Calculate additional cost/time
4. Present change order professionally
5. Get WRITTEN approval before any additional work
2. List all new requests with dates
3. Calculate additional cost/time
4. Present change order professionally
5. Get WRITTEN approval before any additional work
📝 Communication Template:
"I love that you're excited about adding [feature]! These additions are outside our original project scope. The investment for these extras would be $[X] and would add [Y] days. Would you like me to proceed with a change order?"
⚙️ Section 2: Technical Issues
Live Store Is Broken/Down
🔴 Critical
First Response By:
Lead Developer within 15 minutes
Immediate Actions:
1. Verify the issue exists
2. Check what was last changed
3. If recent change caused it → rollback immediately
4. Start debugging
5. Inform client PROACTIVELY before they notice
2. Check what was last changed
3. If recent change caused it → rollback immediately
4. Start debugging
5. Inform client PROACTIVELY before they notice
Escalate To:
Delhi Team if not fixable within 2 hours, or client is Premium
Max Resolution:
4 hours absolute maximum
Checkout Not Working
🔴 Critical
First Response By:
Lead Developer immediately
Immediate Actions:
1. Test checkout with test order
2. Check payment gateway status
3. Check Shopify status page
4. Check recent changes to checkout/apps
5. Fix or rollback to working state
2. Check payment gateway status
3. Check Shopify status page
4. Check recent changes to checkout/apps
5. Fix or rollback to working state
Max Resolution:
2 hours - this directly affects client revenue
Page Speed Below 70 (Mobile)
🟠 High
First Response By:
Developer assigned to project
Immediate Actions:
1. Run GTmetrix and PageSpeed tests
2. Screenshot current scores
3. Identify top 3 issues
4. Fix images first (usually biggest impact)
5. Then address code/app issues
2. Screenshot current scores
3. Identify top 3 issues
4. Fix images first (usually biggest impact)
5. Then address code/app issues
Max Resolution:
24 hours
App Conflict/Error
🟠 High
First Response By:
Developer assigned
Immediate Actions:
1. Identify which apps are conflicting
2. Test by disabling apps one by one
3. Check app support documentation
4. Contact app support if needed
5. Find alternative app if conflict unfixable
2. Test by disabling apps one by one
3. Check app support documentation
4. Contact app support if needed
5. Find alternative app if conflict unfixable
Max Resolution:
48 hours
Minor Bug Reported
🟢 Low
First Response By:
Developer assigned
Immediate Actions:
1. Reproduce the bug
2. Assess impact on user experience
3. Add to bug fix queue
4. Fix within 72 hours
2. Assess impact on user experience
3. Add to bug fix queue
4. Fix within 72 hours
Max Resolution:
72 hours
👥 Section 3: Internal/Team Issues
Team Member Absent Without Notice
🟠 High
First Response By:
Project Manager
Immediate Actions:
1. Try to contact via WhatsApp, call within 30 min
2. Reassign their urgent tasks
3. Document the absence
4. Issue warning when they return
2. Reassign their urgent tasks
3. Document the absence
4. Issue warning when they return
Escalate To:
Delhi Team if second offense by same person
Missed Project Deadline
🟠 High
First Response By:
Project Manager
Immediate Actions:
1. Inform client BEFORE deadline passes if possible
2. Give new realistic timeline (add 2-day buffer)
3. Identify root cause of delay
4. Assign additional resource if needed
2. Give new realistic timeline (add 2-day buffer)
3. Identify root cause of delay
4. Assign additional resource if needed
Escalate To:
Delhi Team if pattern of misses (3+ times) or client is angry
Conflict Between Team Members
🟡 Medium
First Response By:
PM first → HR if needed
Immediate Actions:
1. Speak to each person separately
2. Identify root cause (often miscommunication)
3. Mediate a constructive conversation
4. Document resolution and commitments
2. Identify root cause (often miscommunication)
3. Mediate a constructive conversation
4. Document resolution and commitments
Max Resolution:
48 hours to reach resolution
Quality Consistently Low From Team Member
🟡 Medium
First Response By:
Lead (Tech or Design)
Immediate Actions:
1. Document specific quality issues with examples
2. Have private, constructive conversation
3. Create clear improvement plan with measurable targets
4. Monitor closely for 2 weeks with daily check-ins
2. Have private, constructive conversation
3. Create clear improvement plan with measurable targets
4. Monitor closely for 2 weeks with daily check-ins
Escalate To:
PM + HR for PIP if no improvement after 2 weeks