Escalation update template

Initial update

What we know:

What is affected, including the scope and the customer impact:

What we do not yet know:

Actions underway and who owns them:

Any action the customer needs to take:

When the next update will arrive:

Before you send

• Distinguish confirmed facts from assumptions.
• Describe customer impact in plain language.
• Name an accountable owner for the communication.
• Give a next update time you can keep.
• If there is nothing new to report, still send the promised update.
• Explain any workaround and its limitations.
• Avoid promising a resolution time without a sound basis.

Ongoing update

What has changed since the previous update?

What evidence supports the current assessment?

What remains uncertain?

Which action is now the priority?

What does the customer need to know or decide?

Next update:

When the issue is resolved

Confirm the service or process has recovered and how that was verified.

Explain any remaining customer actions.

Record the cause only once it has been established.

Agree corrective actions, owners and dates.

Set expectations for any further incident review or commercial discussion.

Relationship check

Once the immediate issue is resolved, ask what was hardest for the customer.

Use that feedback to improve the next response.