Escalation Rate

KPI Name

Escalation Rate

Alternative Names

Case Escalation Rate

KPI Description

Measures the percentage of customer support cases that require escalation to a higher support tier.

Category

Customer Support

KPI Type

Quantitative, Lagging

Target Audience

Customer Support Managers, Business Owners

Formula

Escalation Rate = (Number of Escalated Cases ÷ Total Cases) × 100

Calculation Example

If a company resolves 5,000 cases and escalates 500, Escalation Rate = (500 ÷ 5,000) × 100 = 10%

Data Source

CRM software, helpdesk platforms

Tracking Frequency

Weekly, Monthly, Quarterly

Optimal Value

Lower is better; fewer escalations indicate better frontline support.

Minimum Acceptable Value

A high escalation rate suggests poor training or unclear resolution processes.

Benchmark

Industry benchmarks: SaaS ~5-15%, E-commerce ~3-10%, Telecom ~8-20%

Recommended Chart Type

Bar chart (to compare teams), Line chart (to track trends)

How It Appears in Reports

Displayed in customer support reports to assess issue complexity.

Why Is This KPI Important?

Indicates how well customer support can resolve issues at first contact.

Typical Problems and Limitations

May not reflect all issues; some cases may be escalated unnecessarily.

Actions for Poor Results

Improve frontline agent training, refine knowledge base, enhance first-contact resolution processes.

Related KPIs

Support Ticket Volume, Average Resolution Time, First Response Time

Real-Life Examples

A telecom company reduced escalation rate from 15% to 7% by providing better frontline agent training.

Most Common Mistakes

Focusing on reducing escalations without ensuring issue resolution quality.