SLA Alerts & Escalations
Get notified when SLAs are at risk and automatically escalate breached tickets.
Alert Types
Warning Alert
Triggered when SLA is approaching deadline:
- Default: 25% time remaining
- Customizable threshold
- Gives time to act before breach
Breach Alert
Triggered when SLA deadline passes:
- Immediate notification
- Ticket marked as breached
- Escalation actions can run
Configuring Alerts
Warning Threshold
Set when warnings trigger:
- Go to Settings → SLAs → Alerts
- Set warning threshold (e.g., 25%, 50%)
- Save
Examples:
- 4-hour SLA with 25% warning = Alert at 1 hour remaining
- 8-hour SLA with 50% warning = Alert at 4 hours remaining
Notification Recipients
Choose who receives alerts:
| Recipient | When to Use |
|---|---|
| Assigned agent | Default—agent can act |
| Team lead | Oversight on team SLAs |
| Manager | Escalation awareness |
| Slack channel | Team visibility |
Notification Channels
In-App Notifications
- Badge appears on bell icon
- Shows in notification panel
- Links directly to ticket
Email Notifications
- Sent to configured recipients
- Includes ticket details
- Link to open ticket
Slack Notifications
- Posts to configured channel
- Includes ticket summary
- Thread for updates
Warning Automations
Automatically act when SLAs approach deadline:
Example: Urgent SLA Warning
Trigger: SLA Warning
Conditions:
- Priority = Urgent
- First Response SLA at risk
Actions:
- Notify assigned agent
- Slack to #urgent-support
- Add tag "sla-warning"
Example: Reassign Unattended
Trigger: SLA Warning
Conditions:
- Assignee is set
- No agent activity in 30 minutes
Actions:
- Notify team lead
- Add internal note "SLA at risk"
Breach Escalations
When SLA breaches, escalate automatically:
Example: Manager Notification
Trigger: SLA Breached
Conditions:
- First Response SLA breached
Actions:
- Email manager
- Add tag "escalated"
Example: Priority Bump
Trigger: SLA Breached
Conditions:
- Priority = Medium or lower
Actions:
- Set priority = High
- Notify assigned agent
Example: Reassign to Senior
Trigger: SLA Breached
Conditions:
- Resolution SLA breached
Actions:
- Assign to senior-support@team.com
- Add internal note "Escalated due to SLA breach"
Escalation Paths
Tiered Escalation
Set up multiple escalation levels:
Level 1 (Warning):
- Notify assigned agent
- Notify team lead
Level 2 (Breach):
- Notify manager
- Increase priority
- Slack #escalations
Level 3 (Extended Breach - 2x SLA):
- Notify director
- Add tag "critical"
- SMS alert
Configuring Tiers
Create separate automations for each tier:
- Warning automation
- Breach automation
- Extended breach automation (time-based trigger)
Quiet Hours
Prevent alert noise during off hours:
Setting Quiet Hours
- Configure alert schedule
- Set active hours (e.g., 8 AM - 6 PM)
- Choose quiet hour behavior:
- Delay until active hours
- Skip entirely
- Always send anyway
Per-Channel Settings
Different settings per channel:
- In-app: Always
- Email: Active hours only
- Slack: Always
- SMS: Critical only
Alert Fatigue Prevention
Consolidation
Multiple alerts for same ticket consolidate:
- First warning sends full alert
- Subsequent updates append to thread
- Prevents inbox flooding
Snooze
Temporarily silence alerts:
- Snooze per ticket
- Snooze per policy
- Set duration (1h, 4h, 1d)
Priority Filtering
Only alert for high-priority SLAs:
- Filter by ticket priority
- Filter by customer tier
- Filter by SLA policy
Viewing Alert History
Per Ticket
In ticket timeline:
- When alerts sent
- Who was notified
- Escalation actions taken
Alert Log
Settings → SLAs → Alert Log:
- All alerts sent
- Filter by date, type, recipient
- Export for analysis
Best Practices
Set Realistic Thresholds
- Warning too early = ignored
- Warning too late = can't act
- Sweet spot: 25-30% remaining
Escalate, Don't Punish
Escalations should help resolve tickets, not blame agents:
- Focus on getting ticket handled
- Add resources, not pressure
- Review patterns, not individuals
Review Alert Effectiveness
Monthly check:
- Are warnings acted upon?
- Do escalations resolve issues?
- Is there alert fatigue?
Document Escalation Paths
Make sure team knows:
- What triggers escalation
- Who gets notified
- What they should do