# Escalate a support case before the SLA breaks

> A process map exported from forks.world (https://forks.world). Author: Brian. Source: https://forks.world/p/cmv2toe9h0009jy061e7tzin2
> It describes who does what, in what order, and with which technology. Read the plain-language sections first; the JSON at the end is the exact, complete data.

## Summary

- 23 steps across 2 layers
- Persona: Customer, Tier 1 agent, Tier 2 specialist
- Technology / systems: Service console, Knowledge base

## Pain points

Where this process hurts, worst first:

- **Escalate to Tier 2 with full notes** (Escalate a support case before the SLA breaks; critical): Thin handoff notes make customers repeat everything
- **Track SLA milestones and warn the owner before a breach** (Escalate a support case before the SLA breaks; painful): Warnings that fire too late leave no time to act

## How to read this file

- A process is made of **layers**. The main layer is the top level; any step of kind `subprocess` opens a detail layer with its own lanes and steps.
- **Lanes** are either persona (people/roles) or technology (systems). Each step belongs to one lane; `using` lists tools a person uses for that step.
- Step kinds: `start`, `task`, `decision` (its arrows carry the answer as a label), `subprocess`, `end`.

## Escalate a support case before the SLA breaks

Lanes:
- Customer: person / role (id `cust`)
- Tier 1 agent: person / role (id `t1a`)
- Tier 2 specialist: person / role (id `t2s`)
- Service console: technology / system (id `console`)
- Knowledge base: technology / system (id `kb`)

Steps, in the order they run:

1. **Reports a problem by email, chat or web form** [start; Customer; id `c1`]
   - then Create a case and apply the customer's entitlement
2. **Create a case and apply the customer's entitlement** [task; Service console; id `c2`]
   - then Search knowledge for a known fix; then Track SLA milestones and warn the owner before a breach
3. **Search knowledge for a known fix** [task; Tier 1 agent; id `c3`], using Knowledge base
   - then Fix found?
4. **Fix found?** [decision; Tier 1 agent; id `c4`]
   - if "Yes" go to Send the fix to the customer; if "No" go to Can Tier 1 solve it?
5. **Send the fix to the customer** [task; Tier 1 agent; id `c5`]
   - then Problem solved?
6. **Problem solved?** [decision; Customer; id `c11`]
   - if "Yes" go to Close the case and send a satisfaction survey; if "No" go to Reopen the case
7. **Close the case and send a satisfaction survey** [task; Service console; id `c12`]
   - then Case closed
8. **Case closed** [end; Customer; id `c14`]
9. **Reopen the case** [task; Service console; id `c13`]
   - then Can Tier 1 solve it?
10. **Can Tier 1 solve it?** [decision; Tier 1 agent; id `c6`]
   - if "Yes" go to Troubleshoot and resolve; if "No" go to Escalate to Tier 2 with full notes
11. **Troubleshoot and resolve** [task; Tier 1 agent; id `c7`]
   - then Problem solved?
12. **Escalate to Tier 2 with full notes** [task; Service console; id `c8`] ⚠ PAIN POINT (critical): Thin handoff notes make customers repeat everything
   - then Investigate and fix
13. **Investigate and fix** [subprocess; Tier 2 specialist; id `c9`], opens the detail layer "Investigate and fix"
   - then Write or update a knowledge article
14. **Write or update a knowledge article** [task; Tier 2 specialist; id `c10`], using Knowledge base
   - then Problem solved?
15. **Track SLA milestones and warn the owner before a breach** [task; Service console; id `c15`] ⚠ PAIN POINT (painful): Warnings that fire too late leave no time to act
   - then SLA met or flagged
16. **SLA met or flagged** [end; Service console; id `c16`]

```mermaid
flowchart LR
  subgraph l_cust["Customer"]
    n_c1(["Reports a problem by email, chat or web form"])
    n_c11{"Problem solved?"}
    n_c14(["Case closed"])
  end
  subgraph l_t1a["Tier 1 agent"]
    n_c3["Search knowledge for a known fix"]
    n_c4{"Fix found?"}
    n_c5["Send the fix to the customer"]
    n_c6{"Can Tier 1 solve it?"}
    n_c7["Troubleshoot and resolve"]
  end
  subgraph l_t2s["Tier 2 specialist"]
    n_c9[["Investigate and fix"]]
    n_c10["Write or update a knowledge article"]
  end
  subgraph l_console["Service console"]
    n_c2["Create a case and apply the customer's entitlement"]
    n_c15["Track SLA milestones and warn the owner before a breach"]
    n_c16(["SLA met or flagged"])
    n_c8["Escalate to Tier 2 with full notes"]
    n_c13["Reopen the case"]
    n_c12["Close the case and send a satisfaction survey"]
  end
  n_c1 --> n_c2
  n_c2 --> n_c3
  n_c2 --> n_c15
  n_c15 --> n_c16
  n_c3 --> n_c4
  n_c4 -->|"Yes"| n_c5
  n_c4 -->|"No"| n_c6
  n_c5 --> n_c11
  n_c6 -->|"Yes"| n_c7
  n_c6 -->|"No"| n_c8
  n_c7 --> n_c11
  n_c8 --> n_c9
  n_c9 --> n_c10
  n_c10 --> n_c11
  n_c11 -->|"Yes"| n_c12
  n_c11 -->|"No"| n_c13
  n_c13 --> n_c6
  n_c12 --> n_c14
```

### Investigate and fix (detail of step "Investigate and fix")

Lanes:
- Tier 2 specialist: person / role (id `i_t2`)
- Engineering: person / role (id `i_eng`)
- Service console: technology / system (id `i_console`)

Steps, in the order they run:

1. **Reproduce the issue** [start; Tier 2 specialist; id `i1`]
   - then A product bug?
2. **A product bug?** [decision; Tier 2 specialist; id `i2`]
   - if "Yes" go to Link the case to a bug report; if "No" go to Fix the setup or data
3. **Link the case to a bug report** [task; Service console; id `i3`]
   - then Fix and release
4. **Fix and release** [task; Engineering; id `i4`]
   - then Confirm the fix with the customer
5. **Confirm the fix with the customer** [task; Tier 2 specialist; id `i5`]
   - then Fixed
6. **Fixed** [end; Tier 2 specialist; id `i6`]
7. **Fix the setup or data** [task; Tier 2 specialist; id `i7`]
   - then Confirm the fix with the customer

```mermaid
flowchart LR
  subgraph l_i_t2["Tier 2 specialist"]
    n_i1(["Reproduce the issue"])
    n_i2{"A product bug?"}
    n_i7["Fix the setup or data"]
    n_i5["Confirm the fix with the customer"]
    n_i6(["Fixed"])
  end
  subgraph l_i_eng["Engineering"]
    n_i4["Fix and release"]
  end
  subgraph l_i_console["Service console"]
    n_i3["Link the case to a bug report"]
  end
  n_i1 --> n_i2
  n_i2 -->|"Yes"| n_i3
  n_i2 -->|"No"| n_i7
  n_i3 --> n_i4
  n_i4 --> n_i5
  n_i7 --> n_i5
  n_i5 --> n_i6
```

## Full data (JSON)

```json
{
  "title": "Escalate a support case before the SLA breaks",
  "maps": {
    "m_root": {
      "id": "m_root",
      "lanes": [
        {
          "id": "cust",
          "name": "Customer",
          "type": "person"
        },
        {
          "id": "t1a",
          "name": "Tier 1 agent",
          "type": "person"
        },
        {
          "id": "t2s",
          "name": "Tier 2 specialist",
          "type": "person"
        },
        {
          "id": "console",
          "name": "Service console",
          "type": "system"
        },
        {
          "id": "kb",
          "name": "Knowledge base",
          "type": "system"
        }
      ],
      "steps": [
        {
          "id": "c1",
          "kind": "start",
          "lane": "cust",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "c2"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Reports a problem by email, chat or web form"
        },
        {
          "id": "c2",
          "kind": "task",
          "lane": "console",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "c3"
            },
            {
              "to": "c15"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Create a case and apply the customer's entitlement"
        },
        {
          "id": "c15",
          "kind": "task",
          "lane": "console",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "c16"
            }
          ],
          "pain": {
            "note": "Warnings that fire too late leave no time to act",
            "level": 2
          },
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Track SLA milestones and warn the owner before a breach"
        },
        {
          "id": "c16",
          "kind": "end",
          "lane": "console",
          "next": [],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "SLA met or flagged"
        },
        {
          "id": "c3",
          "kind": "task",
          "lane": "t1a",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "c4"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [
            "kb"
          ],
          "label": "Search knowledge for a known fix"
        },
        {
          "id": "c4",
          "kind": "decision",
          "lane": "t1a",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "c5",
              "label": "Yes"
            },
            {
              "to": "c6",
              "label": "No"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Fix found?"
        },
        {
          "id": "c5",
          "kind": "task",
          "lane": "t1a",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "c11"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Send the fix to the customer"
        },
        {
          "id": "c6",
          "kind": "decision",
          "lane": "t1a",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "c7",
              "label": "Yes"
            },
            {
              "to": "c8",
              "label": "No"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Can Tier 1 solve it?"
        },
        {
          "id": "c7",
          "kind": "task",
          "lane": "t1a",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "c11"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Troubleshoot and resolve"
        },
        {
          "id": "c8",
          "kind": "task",
          "lane": "console",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "c9"
            }
          ],
          "pain": {
            "note": "Thin handoff notes make customers repeat everything",
            "level": 3
          },
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Escalate to Tier 2 with full notes"
        },
        {
          "id": "c9",
          "kind": "subprocess",
          "lane": "t2s",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "c10"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "child": "m_investigate",
          "label": "Investigate and fix"
        },
        {
          "id": "c10",
          "kind": "task",
          "lane": "t2s",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "c11"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [
            "kb"
          ],
          "label": "Write or update a knowledge article"
        },
        {
          "id": "c11",
          "kind": "decision",
          "lane": "cust",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "c12",
              "label": "Yes"
            },
            {
              "to": "c13",
              "label": "No"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Problem solved?"
        },
        {
          "id": "c13",
          "kind": "task",
          "lane": "console",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "c6"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Reopen the case"
        },
        {
          "id": "c12",
          "kind": "task",
          "lane": "console",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "c14"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Close the case and send a satisfaction survey"
        },
        {
          "id": "c14",
          "kind": "end",
          "lane": "cust",
          "next": [],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Case closed"
        }
      ],
      "title": "Escalate a support case before the SLA breaks",
      "parent": null
    },
    "m_investigate": {
      "id": "m_investigate",
      "lanes": [
        {
          "id": "i_t2",
          "name": "Tier 2 specialist",
          "type": "person"
        },
        {
          "id": "i_eng",
          "name": "Engineering",
          "type": "person"
        },
        {
          "id": "i_console",
          "name": "Service console",
          "type": "system"
        }
      ],
      "steps": [
        {
          "id": "i1",
          "kind": "start",
          "lane": "i_t2",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "i2"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Reproduce the issue"
        },
        {
          "id": "i2",
          "kind": "decision",
          "lane": "i_t2",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "i3",
              "label": "Yes"
            },
            {
              "to": "i7",
              "label": "No"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "A product bug?"
        },
        {
          "id": "i3",
          "kind": "task",
          "lane": "i_console",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "i4"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Link the case to a bug report"
        },
        {
          "id": "i4",
          "kind": "task",
          "lane": "i_eng",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "i5"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Fix and release"
        },
        {
          "id": "i7",
          "kind": "task",
          "lane": "i_t2",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "i5"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Fix the setup or data"
        },
        {
          "id": "i5",
          "kind": "task",
          "lane": "i_t2",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "i6"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Confirm the fix with the customer"
        },
        {
          "id": "i6",
          "kind": "end",
          "lane": "i_t2",
          "next": [],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Fixed"
        }
      ],
      "title": "Investigate and fix",
      "parent": {
        "map": "m_root",
        "step": "c9"
      }
    }
  }
}
```