Escalation Procedures
This page defines when and how to escalate questions or decisions internally before committing to clients.
Escalation Decision Flow
Purpose of Escalation
Escalation is not a sign of weakness — it's a quality control mechanism. Escalate to:
- Avoid making commitments we can't keep
- Get clarity on ambiguous situations
- Ensure consistency across the organization
- Learn from more experienced colleagues
- Protect the organization from problematic engagements
When to Escalate
Always Escalate
- Pricing decisions outside standard rates
- Scope that significantly exceeds typical engagements
- Requests that fall into grey areas of our offerings
- Prospects who have been previously declined
- Any request that feels "off" even if you can't articulate why
- Potential conflicts of interest
- Legal or contractual concerns
Escalate Before Committing
- Custom arrangements or non-standard terms
- Partnerships or referral arrangements
- Work for competitors of existing clients
- Engagements with unusual risk profiles
- Anything you're uncertain about
Escalate After the Fact (for visibility)
- Declined prospects (document why)
- Unusual requests even if declined
- Competitive intelligence from conversations
- Market trends observed across multiple prospects
How to Escalate
During a Live Conversation
When you need to escalate during a prospect call:
"That's a good question, and I want to make sure I give you accurate information. Let me confirm that internally and get back to you within [timeframe]. Is that acceptable?"
Never:
- Make up an answer to avoid escalating
- Promise something you're not sure about
- Give a "probably" when you need a definite answer
Written Escalation
When escalating via email or message:
- State the situation clearly — What happened, who's involved
- Explain what's being asked — The specific request or question
- Share your assessment — What you think, why you're uncertain
- State what you need — A decision, guidance, or information
- Include timeline — When you need a response
Example:
"Prospect: ABC Corp, manufacturing company, ~200 employees
Situation: They're asking for ERP implementation guidance, which is standard, but they also want us to commit to handling ongoing customization requests post-implementation at a fixed monthly rate.
My assessment: The implementation piece fits our model. The ongoing customization retainer feels like it could drift into managed services territory.
What I need: Guidance on whether this type of ongoing arrangement is acceptable, and if so, how to scope and price it.
Timeline: They're expecting a response by Thursday."
Escalation Paths
Sales and Scope Questions
Escalate to: [Define your organization's structure]
Pricing Questions
Escalate to: [Define your organization's structure]
Technical Questions
Escalate to: [Define your organization's structure]
Legal or Contractual Concerns
Escalate to: [Define your organization's structure]
Response Expectations
When you escalate:
- Expect acknowledgment within [X hours]
- Expect a decision within [X business days] for standard issues
- Complex issues may take longer — communicate timeline to prospect
When someone escalates to you:
- Acknowledge receipt promptly
- Provide decision or timeline for decision
- Document the decision and reasoning for future reference
Common Escalation Scenarios
"Can we do [thing that's probably out of scope]?"
Escalate before answering. Better to delay than to commit incorrectly.
"They want a discount"
Escalate all pricing deviations. Standard rates exist for reasons.
"This seems like a great opportunity but something feels off"
Trust your instincts and escalate. Document what feels off even if you can't fully articulate it.
"They're asking for something we've never done"
Escalate. Novel situations require senior evaluation.
"They want to start immediately"
Escalate if speed is pressuring you to skip normal evaluation. Urgency is sometimes legitimate, but it's also a red flag.