Escalation Matrix

Streamlined Issue Resolution Pathways

The Store.icu Escalation Matrix provides partners with clear guidelines for efficiently routing and elevating issues based on their nature, urgency, and complexity. Following these structured pathways ensures the fastest possible resolution and maintains clear communication throughout the process.

General Escalation Principles

Before Escalation

Prior to escalating any issue, partners should:

1. Attempt initial troubleshooting using the Knowledge Base and Troubleshooting Guide
2. Document reproduction steps with screenshots or recordings
3. Verify the issue in a clean environment when possible
4. Collect relevant information (store URL, error messages, affected users)
5. Check system status at status.store.icu to confirm no known outages

Escalation Levels

The Store.icu support structure consists of three tiers:

Level	Handled By	Scope
L1 - First Response	Partner Support Team	Common issues, configuration assistance, general inquiries
L2 - Technical Support	Senior Technical Specialists	Complex technical issues, advanced configuration, integration problems
L3 - Engineering	Product Development Team	Platform bugs, architectural issues, security incidents, data recovery

Partner Tier Considerations

Escalation paths and response times vary based on partner tier:

Partner Tier	Support Channels	Priority Levels	Direct Escalation Rights
Standard	Email, Portal	Standard	L1 → L2 only
Gold	Email, Portal, Chat, Phone	Standard, High	L1 → L2 → L3
Platinum	Email, Portal, Chat, Phone, Dedicated Line	Standard, High, Critical	Direct access to any level

Issue-Specific Escalation Paths

Technical Issues

Platform Functionality

For problems with core platform features:

Severity	Initial Contact	Escalation Pathway	Response Time
Critical - Store Down	L1: Emergency Line +1-800-PARTNER	L1 → L3 (immediate)	15 min - 1 hour
High - Major Feature Unavailable	L1: Partner Portal (High Priority)	L1 → L2 (4 hours) → L3 (8 hours)	1-4 hours
Medium - Feature Partially Working	L1: Partner Portal (Medium Priority)	L1 → L2 (24 hours) → L3 (48 hours)	4-8 hours
Low - Minor Issues	L1: Partner Portal (Low Priority)	L1 → L2 (if needed)	1-2 business days

Required Information:

• Detailed issue description
• Steps to reproduce
• Error messages and screenshots
• Browser/device information
• Recent changes to the store

Example Escalation:

Issue: Checkout process fails at payment step
Severity: Critical (revenue impact)
Initial Contact: Emergency Support Line
Information Provided: Store URL, error screenshot, affected payment methods
Escalation Trigger: No resolution within 30 minutes
Secondary Contact: Partner Success Manager + L3 Engineering (via Partner Portal)

Integration Issues

For problems with third-party integrations:

Integration Type	Initial Contact	Escalation Pathway	Response Time
Payment Gateways	L1: Partner Portal (High Priority)	L1 → L2 (4 hours) → Payment Specialist (8 hours)	1-4 hours
Shipping Providers	L1: Partner Portal (Medium Priority)	L1 → L2 (8 hours) → Integration Team (24 hours)	4-8 hours
Marketing Tools	L1: Partner Portal (Medium Priority)	L1 → Marketing Specialist (24 hours)	8-24 hours
ERP/Accounting	L1: Partner Portal (Medium Priority)	L1 → L2 (24 hours) → Integration Team (48 hours)	8-24 hours
Custom Integrations	L1: Partner Portal (Standard Priority)	L1 → L2 (24 hours) → Developer Relations (48 hours)	24-48 hours

Required Information:

• Integration name and version
• Authentication method
• Error responses
• API request/response logs
• Integration configuration details

Example Escalation:

Issue: Stripe payment gateway returning error code 9002
Severity: High (blocking transactions)
Initial Contact: Partner Portal (High Priority)
Information Provided: API logs, error responses, configuration screenshot
Escalation Trigger: No resolution within 4 hours
Secondary Contact: L2 Technical Support + Payment Integrations Team

Performance Issues

For store speed and resource problems:

Issue Type	Initial Contact	Escalation Pathway	Response Time
Site-wide Slowdowns	L1: Partner Portal (High Priority)	L1 → L2 (4 hours) → Performance Team (8 hours)	2-6 hours
Specific Page Performance	L1: Partner Portal (Medium Priority)	L1 → L2 (24 hours) → L3 (if needed)	8-24 hours
API Response Time	L1: Partner Portal (Medium Priority)	L1 → L2 (8 hours) → API Team (24 hours)	4-12 hours
Resource Limitations	L1: Partner Portal (Medium Priority)	L1 → L2 (8 hours) → Architecture Team (48 hours)	8-24 hours
Database Performance	L1: Partner Portal (High Priority)	L1 → L2 (4 hours) → Database Team (8 hours)	4-8 hours

Required Information:

• Performance metrics
• Server response times
• Browser network timeline
• Steps to reproduce slowdowns
• Recent changes or traffic patterns

Example Escalation:

Issue: Admin dashboard taking >15 seconds to load
Severity: Medium (affecting merchant operations)
Initial Contact: Partner Portal (Medium Priority)
Information Provided: Performance timeline, browser console output
Escalation Trigger: No improvement within 24 hours
Secondary Contact: L2 Technical Support with performance team cc'd

Account and Billing Issues

Partner Account Management

For partner program-related issues:

Issue Type	Initial Contact	Escalation Pathway	Response Time
Account Access	Partner Success Manager	PSM → Account Security (4 hours)	1-4 hours
Billing Discrepancies	Partner Portal (Billing Section)	Billing Team → Finance Manager (48 hours)	24-48 hours
Contract Questions	Partner Success Manager	PSM → Legal Team (if needed)	24-48 hours
Commission Issues	Partner Portal (Revenue Section)	Revenue Team → Finance Manager (48 hours)	24-48 hours
Partner Tier Changes	Partner Success Manager	PSM → Partner Program Director (if needed)	24-48 hours

Required Information:

• Partner ID
• Invoice numbers
• Transaction details
• Contract references
• Specific account access issues

Example Escalation:

Issue: Missing commission payment for Q2
Severity: Medium (financial impact)
Initial Contact: Partner Portal (Revenue Section)
Information Provided: Client list, expected vs. received amount
Escalation Trigger: No response within 48 hours
Secondary Contact: Partner Success Manager + Finance Department

Client Account Management

For merchant account issues:

Issue Type	Initial Contact	Escalation Pathway	Response Time
Store Creation Problems	L1: Partner Portal (Medium Priority)	L1 → Provisioning Team (8 hours)	4-8 hours
User Access Issues	L1: Partner Portal (Medium Priority)	L1 → L2 (8 hours) → Security Team (if needed)	4-8 hours
Subscription Changes	Partner Success Manager	PSM → Account Management (24 hours)	24 hours
Client Transfer	Partner Success Manager	PSM → Account Management (48 hours)	48-72 hours
Account Termination	Partner Success Manager	PSM → Account Management (24 hours)	24-48 hours

Required Information:

• Store URL
• Account details
• User information
• Subscription specifics
• Requested changes

Example Escalation:

Issue: Unable to create admin user for new client store
Severity: Medium (delaying implementation)
Initial Contact: Partner Portal (Medium Priority)
Information Provided: Store URL, error messages, steps taken
Escalation Trigger: No resolution within 8 hours
Secondary Contact: L2 Technical Support

Security and Compliance Issues

Security Incidents

For potential or confirmed security issues:

Incident Type	Initial Contact	Escalation Pathway	Response Time
Data Breach	Security Hotline: +1-888-SECURITY	Security Team → CISO (immediate)	15-30 minutes
Account Compromise	Security Portal (Critical Priority)	Security Team → Account Security (immediate)	30-60 minutes
Suspicious Activity	Security Portal (High Priority)	Security Team → Fraud Prevention (4 hours)	1-4 hours
Vulnerability Report	Security Portal (Medium Priority)	Security Team → Engineering (8 hours)	4-8 hours
PCI Compliance	Security Portal (Medium Priority)	Compliance Team → Security (if needed)	24-48 hours

Required Information:

• Detailed incident description
• Affected systems/accounts
• Observed suspicious activity
• Potential data exposure
• Actions taken so far

Example Escalation:

Issue: Suspected unauthorized admin account access
Severity: Critical (security incident)
Initial Contact: Security Hotline
Information Provided: Store URL, suspicious activity logs, IP addresses
Escalation Trigger: Immediate escalation to Security Team
Secondary Contact: CISO office if breach confirmed

Compliance Requests

For regulatory and compliance matters:

Request Type	Initial Contact	Escalation Pathway	Response Time
GDPR Requests	Compliance Portal	Privacy Team → Legal (if needed)	24-48 hours
Data Processing Queries	Compliance Portal	Privacy Team → Data Protection Officer (if needed)	24-48 hours
Security Questionnaires	Partner Success Manager	PSM → Compliance Team (48 hours)	48-72 hours
Audit Requests	Partner Success Manager	PSM → Compliance Director (72 hours)	72-96 hours
Legal Documentation	Partner Success Manager	PSM → Legal Department (72 hours)	72-96 hours

Required Information:

• Specific compliance requirement
• Relevant jurisdiction
• Client details
• Deadline requirements
• Documentation needed

Example Escalation:

Issue: Client requiring specific GDPR documentation
Severity: Medium (compliance requirement)
Initial Contact: Compliance Portal
Information Provided: Client details, specific requirements
Escalation Trigger: No response within 48 hours
Secondary Contact: Partner Success Manager + Privacy Team

Partner Support Issues

Training and Enablement

For issues with partner training and resources:

Issue Type	Initial Contact	Escalation Pathway	Response Time
Training Access	Partner Portal (Training Section)	Training Team → Enablement Manager (48 hours)	24-48 hours
Certification Problems	Partner Portal (Certification Section)	Certification Team → Training Director (48 hours)	24-48 hours
Resource Availability	Partner Portal (Resources Section)	Content Team → Knowledge Manager (48 hours)	24-48 hours
Documentation Errors	Documentation Feedback Form	Documentation Team → Product Team (if needed)	48-72 hours
Enablement Requests	Partner Success Manager	PSM → Enablement Team (72 hours)	48-72 hours

Required Information:

• Specific resource/training
• Access issue details
• Error messages
• Required materials
• Deadlines if applicable

Example Escalation:

Issue: Certification exam not recording completion
Severity: Medium (blocking partner progress)
Initial Contact: Partner Portal (Certification Section)
Information Provided: User details, course name, screenshots
Escalation Trigger: No resolution within 48 hours
Secondary Contact: Partner Success Manager + Training Director

Marketing and Co-Selling

For marketing collaboration issues:

Issue Type	Initial Contact	Escalation Pathway	Response Time
Co-Marketing Approval	Partner Marketing Manager	PMM → Marketing Director (72 hours)	48-72 hours
Lead Sharing Issues	Partner Portal (Leads Section)	Lead Management → Sales Operations (72 hours)	48-72 hours
Brand Asset Access	Partner Portal (Marketing Section)	Brand Team → Marketing Manager (48 hours)	24-48 hours
Event Collaboration	Partner Marketing Manager	PMM → Events Team (72 hours)	48-72 hours
Case Study Approval	Partner Marketing Manager	PMM → Content Team (72 hours)	48-72 hours

Required Information:

• Marketing initiative details
• Specific materials needed
• Deadlines
• Client information (if applicable)
• Previous communications

Example Escalation:

Issue: Co-branded materials not approved before deadline
Severity: Medium (impacting marketing campaign)
Initial Contact: Partner Marketing Manager
Information Provided: Campaign details, submitted materials, timeline
Escalation Trigger: No approval within 72 hours
Secondary Contact: Marketing Director

Critical Incident Escalation Process

For severe, business-impacting issues:

Critical Incident Definition

An incident is considered critical when:

• Complete store functionality is unavailable
• Checkout process is non-functional
• Significant data integrity issues occur
• Security breach is suspected or confirmed
• System-wide performance degradation renders platform unusable

Critical Escalation Procedure

1. Initial Notification

   • Call Emergency Support Line: +1-800-PARTNER
   • State "Critical Incident" at the beginning of the call
   • Provide store URL and brief issue description

2. Immediate Actions

   • Support creates Critical Incident ticket
   • Initial response within 15 minutes
   • Technical lead assigned immediately

3. Escalation Triggers

   • No acknowledgment within 15 minutes
   • No progress update within 30 minutes
   • No resolution plan within 1 hour
   • No significant progress within 2 hours

4. Secondary Escalation

   • Contact Partner Success Manager directly
   • Escalation email to incident@store.icu with ticket number
   • For Platinum partners: Call dedicated escalation line

5. Executive Escalation

   • If secondary escalation doesn't yield results within 1 hour
   • Partner Success Manager contacts Director of Support
   • Director of Support engages executive team if needed

6. Communication Protocol

   • Updates every 30 minutes until resolution
   • Clear timeline and action plan provided
   • Dedicated Slack channel or call established for major incidents

Example Critical Escalation:

Issue: All stores on Australian server cluster unreachable
Severity: Critical (complete outage)
Initial Contact: Emergency Support Line
Information Provided: Affected store URLs, error screenshots
First Escalation: After 30 minutes if no meaningful progress
Contact: Partner Success Manager + incident@store.icu
Executive Escalation: After 1 hour if still unresolved
Contact: Director of Support

Non-Technical Escalation Paths

Relationship Management

For partner relationship concerns:

Issue Type	Initial Contact	Escalation Pathway
Partner Success Manager Concerns	Regional Partner Manager	Regional Manager → Head of Partners
Communication Problems	Regional Partner Manager	Regional Manager → Partner Operations
Strategic Alignment	Partner Success Manager	PSM → Head of Partners
Program Structure Feedback	Partner Advisory Board	Advisory Board → Partner Leadership
Conflict Resolution	Regional Partner Manager	Regional Manager → Partner Mediation Team

Required Information:

• Specific concerns
• Previous communications
• Desired outcome
• Business impact
• Timeline of issues

Example Escalation:

Issue: Partner Success Manager unresponsive for 2+ weeks
Initial Contact: Regional Partner Manager
Information Provided: Communication attempts, business impact
Escalation Trigger: No resolution within 1 week
Secondary Contact: Head of Partner Program

Business Disputes

For commercial disagreements:

Issue Type	Initial Contact	Escalation Pathway
Contract Disputes	Partner Success Manager	PSM → Legal Department
Commission Discrepancies	Partner Portal (Revenue Section)	Finance Team → CFO Office
Service Level Violations	Partner Success Manager	PSM → Operations Director
Intellectual Property Concerns	Legal Contact Form	Legal Team → Chief Legal Officer
Client Ownership Disputes	Partner Success Manager	PSM → Partner Ethics Committee

Required Information:

• Contract references
• Documentation of issue
• Financial impact
• Proposed resolution
• Prior communication history

Example Escalation:

Issue: Commission payments consistently 20% below agreement
Initial Contact: Partner Portal (Revenue Section)
Information Provided: Transaction records, agreement terms, calculations
Escalation Trigger: No resolution within 30 days
Secondary Contact: Partner Success Manager + Finance Director

Escalation Contact Information

Technical Support Contacts

Priority	Channel	Contact Information	Hours
Critical	Emergency Line	+1-800-PARTNER	24/7/365
Critical	Email	critical@store.icu	24/7/365
High	Partner Portal	Critical Ticket	24/7/365
Medium/Low	Partner Portal	Support Ticket	Business Hours
General	Email	partner-support@store.icu	Business Hours

Business Contacts

Department	Primary Contact	Escalation Contact
Partner Program	Partner Success Manager	regional-partners@store.icu
Billing/Finance	finance@store.icu	partner-finance@store.icu
Legal	legal@store.icu	partner-legal@store.icu
Marketing	partner-marketing@store.icu	marketing-director@store.icu
Product Team	product-feedback@store.icu	partner-product@store.icu

Security Contacts

Purpose	Contact Method	Information
Security Emergencies	Security Hotline	+1-888-SECURITY
Vulnerability Reports	Security Portal	Report Vulnerability
PCI Concerns	Email	pci@store.icu
GDPR Requests	Privacy Portal	Privacy Requests
Security Questions	Email	security@store.icu

Escalation Templates

Technical Escalation Template

Subject: [PRIORITY LEVEL] - Brief Issue Description - Store URL

Issue Summary:
[1-2 sentence description of the problem]

Business Impact:
[Description of how this affects merchants/customers]

Troubleshooting Completed:
[Steps already taken to resolve]

Reproduction Steps:
1. [Step by step instructions]
2. [To reproduce the issue]
3. [Be specific and detailed]

Error Messages:
[Exact error text or screenshots]

Environment Details:
- Store URL: [URL]
- Browser/App: [Details]
- User affected: [All/Admin/Specific users]
- First occurred: [Date/Time]
- Frequency: [Constant/Intermittent]

Requested Resolution Timeline:
[When you need this resolved by and why]

Business Escalation Template

Subject: [DEPARTMENT] Escalation - Brief Description

Issue Summary:
[1-2 sentence description of the business issue]

Business Impact:
[Description of how this affects your partnership/clients]

Previous Communication:
[Summary of prior attempts to resolve]

Relevant Details:
- Partner ID: [Your ID]
- Contract Reference: [If applicable]
- Financial Impact: [If applicable]
- Client Impact: [If applicable]

Supporting Documentation:
[List any attachments or evidence]

Requested Resolution:
[Clear statement of desired outcome]

Requested Timeline:
[When you need this addressed by and why]

Partner Responsibilities

Effective escalation requires partner participation:

1. Issue Documentation

   • Provide thorough, accurate information
   • Document all troubleshooting steps
   • Capture relevant screenshots and logs
   • Note exact error messages

2. Process Adherence

   • Follow the appropriate escalation path
   • Respect the defined escalation triggers
   • Use correct priority classifications
   • Provide updates as new information emerges

3. Communication Clarity

   • Be specific about issues and impact
   • Clearly state any deadlines or urgency
   • Keep client expectations realistic
   • Maintain professional communication

4. Resolution Collaboration

   • Remain available for troubleshooting
   • Implement suggested solutions promptly
   • Test thoroughly after resolution
   • Provide confirmation of issue resolution

Tracking and Follow-up

Issue Tracking System

All escalations are tracked in the Partner Portal:

1. Dashboard View

   • Active escalations by priority
   • Resolution timeline tracking
   • SLA compliance monitoring
   • Escalation history

2. Communication Log

   • All interactions recorded
   • File attachment history
   • Status change tracking
   • Resolution documentation

Escalation Review Process

Monthly review of escalation patterns:

1. Partner-level Review

   • Escalation frequency analysis
   • Resolution time assessment
   • Pattern identification
   • Process improvement recommendations

2. System-wide Review

   • Common issue identification
   • Process effectiveness evaluation
   • SLA performance assessment
   • Support quality monitoring

Satisfaction Tracking

Feedback collection on escalation handling:

1. Post-Resolution Survey

   • Resolution satisfaction rating
   • Process effectiveness feedback
   • Communication quality assessment
   • Improvement suggestions

2. Quarterly Satisfaction Review

   • Trend analysis
   • Comparative performance
   • Improvement implementation
   • Process refinement

Escalation Prevention

Proactive measures to reduce escalation needs:

1. Knowledge Enhancement

   • Regular training participation
   • Documentation familiarity
   • Technical certification maintenance
   • Product update awareness

2. Proactive Monitoring

   • Regular store health checks
   • Performance monitoring implementation
   • Error log review
   • Client usage pattern analysis

3. Preventative Maintenance

   • Regular platform updates
   • Plugin compatibility verification
   • Security patch implementation
   • Database optimization

4. Client Education

   • Proper usage training
   • Self-service resource sharing
   • Common issue prevention guidance
   • Update preparation assistance

Feedback and Improvement

Help us enhance the escalation process:

1. Process Feedback

   • Submit suggestions via Partner Portal
   • Participate in escalation process surveys
   • Join partner advisory discussions
   • Share escalation case studies

2. Documentation Improvements

   • Suggest escalation matrix updates
   • Report unclear procedures
   • Recommend additional templates
   • Contribute best practices

Contact the Partner Operations team at partner-ops@store.icu with process improvement suggestions.