How to Use This Template
This template defines the complete lifecycle of a support ticket - from the moment it's created to the moment it's closed. Customise the SLA times and escalation rules to match your team's capacity and customer expectations.
Ticket Lifecycle Stages
Stage 1: Intake
Trigger: Customer submits query via any channel (email, WhatsApp, phone, web chat)
Actions:
- •Ticket created automatically with unique ID
- •Auto-acknowledgement sent to customer: "Hi [Name], we've received your query (Ticket #[ID]). We'll respond within [SLA time]."
- •Ticket assigned to intake queue
SLA: Auto-acknowledgement within 5 minutes of ticket creation
Stage 2: Triage
Trigger: Ticket enters intake queue
Actions:
- •Agent reviews ticket and assigns priority (Critical/High/Medium/Low)
- •Agent assigns ticket to appropriate team/agent based on:
- •Query type (billing → billing team, technical → tech team)
- •Customer tier (VIP → senior agent)
- •Agent workload (distribute evenly)
- •Ticket moves to assigned agent's queue
SLA: Triage completed within 30 minutes of ticket creation
Stage 3: First Response
Trigger: Ticket assigned to agent
Actions:
- •Agent reviews full customer history and context
- •Agent sends first response (using canned reply if applicable, personalised)
- •Ticket status changes to "In Progress"
SLA by Priority:
| Priority | First Response SLA |
|---|---|
| Critical | 1 hour |
| High | 4 hours |
| Medium | 8 hours |
| Low | 24 hours |
Stage 4: Resolution
Trigger: Agent working on ticket
Actions:
- •Agent investigates and resolves issue
- •If escalation needed: ticket transferred to specialist with full context
- •Agent documents resolution steps in ticket notes
- •Agent sends resolution to customer
Escalation Rules:
- •If ticket not responded to within 80% of SLA: auto-alert to team lead
- •If ticket not resolved within 80% of resolution SLA: auto-escalate to team lead
- •If customer replies with dissatisfaction: flag for senior agent review
Resolution SLA by Priority:
| Priority | Resolution SLA |
|---|---|
| Critical | 4 hours |
| High | 24 hours |
| Medium | 48 hours |
| Low | 5 business days |
Stage 5: Closure
Trigger: Issue resolved and communicated to customer
Actions:
- •Agent sends closure message: "Hi [Name], your query has been resolved. [Brief summary of resolution]. Please let us know if you need anything else."
- •Ticket status changed to "Resolved"
- •CSAT survey sent automatically (within 5 minutes of closure)
- •Ticket auto-closes after 48 hours if no customer response
CSAT Survey:
"How satisfied were you with the support you received today?"
- •1 = Very Dissatisfied
- •2 = Dissatisfied
- •3 = Neutral
- •4 = Satisfied
- •5 = Very Satisfied
For scores 1–3: Trigger follow-up: "We're sorry your experience wasn't great. Can you tell us what we could have done better?"
Priority Matrix
| Criteria | Critical | High | Medium | Low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| System/service completely down | ✓ | |||
| Multiple customers affected | ✓ | |||
| Single customer, business blocked | ✓ | |||
| Single customer, workaround available | ✓ | |||
| General query, no urgency | ✓ | |||
| Feature request | ✓ |
Escalation Matrix
| Scenario | Action |
|---|---|
| No first response within 80% of SLA | Alert assigned agent + team lead |
| SLA breached | Auto-escalate to team lead; send proactive apology to customer |
| Customer replies with complaint | Flag for senior agent; team lead notified |
| [CSAT score](/blog/csat-score-improvement-guide) 1–2 | Team lead reviews ticket; follow-up call scheduled |
| Same issue reported 3+ times | Escalate to product/technical team for [root cause analysis](/blog/qa-root-cause-analysis-manufacturing-india) |
Canned Reply Templates
Acknowledgement
"Hi [Name], thanks for reaching out. I've received your query about [brief summary] and I'm looking into it now. I'll have an update for you by [time]. Ticket reference: #[ID]."
Clarification Needed
"Hi [Name], thanks for your message. To help you as quickly as possible, could you please share [specific information needed]? Once I have that, I'll be able to resolve this right away."
Resolution
"Hi [Name], great news - I've resolved [issue description]. [Brief explanation of what was done]. Please let us know if you experience any further issues. Happy to help!"
Escalation to Specialist
"Hi [Name], I've reviewed your query and I'm passing it to our [specialist team] who are best placed to help with this. They'll be in touch within [time]. Your ticket reference is #[ID]."
Closure
"Hi [Name], just confirming that your query has been resolved. [One-line summary of resolution]. Don't hesitate to reach out if you need anything else!"
Weekly Review Checklist
- Review SLA compliance rate (target: >95%)
- Review tickets that breached SLA - root cause analysis
- Review CSAT scores - identify low-scoring tickets
- Review top 5 query types - update canned replies if needed
- Review agent workload distribution
- Identify any recurring issues for product/process improvement
*This template is designed for use with IdeaSprout Customer Support. See how it works in practice →*