How can you manage your time during the escalation resolution process?

2 Communicate clearly and frequently

The second step to managing your time during an escalation is to communicate clearly and frequently with all the parties involved, such as the customer, your manager, your team, and other departments. Communication is key to setting and managing expectations, providing updates, requesting information, and resolving issues. You should use the appropriate channels and tools for communication, such as phone, email, chat, or ticketing systems, and follow the best practices for each medium. For example, you should use phone calls for urgent or sensitive matters, emails for detailed or formal messages, chat for quick or informal interactions, and ticketing systems for tracking and documenting issues.

3 Follow a structured process

The third step to managing your time during an escalation is to follow a structured process that guides you through the resolution stages. A structured process can help you avoid wasting time on unnecessary or redundant tasks, ensure consistency and quality, and measure your performance and improvement. You can use the STAR model to follow a structured process, which stands for Situation, Task, Action, and Result. For example, you should first describe the situation and the customer's problem, then define the task and the desired outcome, then take action and implement the solution, and finally report the result and the customer's feedback.

5 Learn and improve

The fifth step to managing your time during an escalation is to learn and improve from the experience and feedback. Learning and improving can help you enhance your skills, knowledge, and confidence, as well as prevent or reduce future escalations. You should reflect on the escalation and identify what went well and what could be improved, such as your communication, process, or solution. You should also seek feedback from your customer, manager, or team on your performance and satisfaction, and use it to improve your service quality and delivery. Moreover, you should share your learning and improvement with others, such as your team, department, or organization, and contribute to the collective knowledge and growth.

6 Balance your workload

The sixth step to managing your time during an escalation is to balance your workload and avoid burnout. Balancing your workload can help you maintain your productivity, efficiency, and well-being, as well as ensure that you can handle other tasks and responsibilities. You should plan and schedule your work, such as your regular tasks, projects, or meetings, and allocate enough time and resources for each activity. You should also prioritize and delegate your work, such as your urgent, important, or routine tasks, and assign or share them with others who can help you complete them. Furthermore, you should take breaks and relax, such as by taking a walk, listening to music, or meditating, and recharge your energy and focus.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?