Purpose
This template provides a complete escalation policy for WhatsApp customer service automation. Customize it for your business and include it in your Acceptance Pack.
Section 1: Escalation Triggers
1.1 Automatic Escalation (System-Initiated)
| Trigger | Threshold | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Confidence Score | <70% | Route to human agent |
| Policy-Restricted Topic | Detected | Route to specialist |
| Sentiment Score | Negative (<-0.3) | Route to senior agent |
| Failed Intent Match | 2 attempts | Route to human agent |
| Sensitive Data Request | Detected | Block + route to compliance |
1.2 Customer-Initiated Escalation
| Trigger | Detection Method | Action |
|---|---|---|
| "Agent please" | Keyword match | Route to human agent |
| "Talk to human" | Keyword match | Route to human agent |
| "Manager" | Keyword match | Route to team lead |
| "Complaint" | Keyword + context | Route to complaints team |
1.3 Business Rule Escalation
| Scenario | Rule | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Order value >50K SAR | Order lookup | Route to account manager |
| VIP customer | Customer segment | Route to VIP team |
| After-hours inquiry | Time check | Route to on-call or queue |
| Multi-language switch | Language detection | Route to Arabic/English agent |
Section 2: SLA Tiers
2.1 Response Time SLAs
| Customer Tier | First Response | Resolution Target | Escalation Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|
| VIP | <2 minutes | <15 minutes | 10 minutes |
| Premium | <5 minutes | <30 minutes | 20 minutes |
| Standard | <10 minutes | <2 hours | 1 hour |
2.2 Escalation Chain
Level 0: AI Bot (automated response)
↓ (trigger met)
Level 1: Customer Service Agent (general queries)
↓ (unresolved after 30 min)
Level 2: Team Lead (complex issues)
↓ (requires approval/exception)
Level 3: Manager (complaints, VIP issues)
↓ (policy violation, legal)
Level 4: Compliance/Legal (sensitive matters)
Section 3: Handoff Protocol
3.1 Information Passed to Agent
When escalating, the system provides:
- Customer Context: Name, segment, order history summary
- Conversation Summary: Last 10 messages + AI interpretation
- Escalation Reason: Specific trigger that caused handoff
- Suggested Response: AI's best-guess response for review
- Knowledge Base Links: Relevant articles for the query
3.2 Agent Takeover Procedure
- Agent receives notification with context
- Agent reviews conversation history (30 seconds max)
- Agent sends acknowledgment message to customer
- Agent resolves or escalates further
- Agent logs resolution and tags for AI training
3.3 Customer Communication
Automated Handoff Message (English):
"I'm connecting you with a specialist who can help better. They'll be with you in [X] minutes. Thank you for your patience."
Automated Handoff Message (Arabic):
"سأوصلك بمتخصص يمكنه المساعدة بشكل أفضل. سيكون معك خلال [X] دقائق. شكراً لصبرك."
Section 4: PDPL-Aware Guidelines
4.1 Data Handling During Escalation
| Data Type | AI Access | Agent Access | Logging |
|---|---|---|---|
| Name | No (default) | Yes | Masked in logs |
| Phone | Hash only | Yes | Masked in logs |
| Order Details | Read-only | Full | Audit trail |
| Payment Info | Never | View-only | PCI scope (if applicable) |
| Conversation | Summary only | Full | Retention: 90 days |
4.2 Consent Management
- Bot informs customers of recording at conversation start
- Opt-out option available at any time
- Escalation to human includes consent status
- Data deletion requests routed to compliance
Section 5: Quality Monitoring
5.1 Escalation Metrics
| Metric | Target | Alert Threshold |
|---|---|---|
| Escalation Rate | <25% | >35% |
| False Escalation Rate | <10% | >15% |
| Avg Time to Escalation | <2 min | >5 min |
| Post-Escalation CSAT | >4.0 | <3.5 |
5.2 Weekly Review Process
- Review top 10 escalation reasons
- Identify training gaps for AI
- Update knowledge base articles
- Adjust confidence thresholds if needed
- Document policy updates
Section 6: Template Customization
6.1 Required Customizations
Before deployment, update:
- Customer tier definitions
- SLA times for your business
- Escalation keywords (Arabic/English)
- Team routing rules
- After-hours procedures
- VIP customer criteria
6.2 Integration Requirements
- WhatsApp Business API connection
- CRM integration (read: customer data)
- Ticketing system integration (write: create tickets)
- Agent dashboard access
- Analytics/reporting pipeline
This template is part of LeenAI's WhatsApp CX pilot Acceptance Pack. Customize for your business and review with your compliance team.