Knowing when and how to escalate is one of the marks of a confident, effective agent. Escalation isn't a last resort or an admission of failure — it's the right tool for the right situation, and using it well protects customers, protects you, and keeps things moving. This guide covers the main escalation pathways at Good Egg Energy and how to use them.
When to escalate
Not every difficult call needs to go further than you. With experience, you'll develop a good instinct for what you can handle and what genuinely needs another pair of hands. As a general guide, consider escalating when:
- A customer is requesting something outside your authorisation level — a large goodwill payment, a debt write-off, or an account action that requires manager approval
- A complaint has reached a point where you've exhausted your available options and the customer remains dissatisfied
- There is a safeguarding or welfare concern — see Safeguarding and escalation for full guidance on these situations
- A customer is threatening legal action or has mentioned the regulator or Ombudsman
- You're dealing with a complex billing or metering issue that requires specialist investigation
- The customer has specifically requested to speak to a manager or senior team member
- You're unsure about the correct course of action and need guidance before proceeding
If you're genuinely unsure whether to escalate, talk to your team leader. That's what they're there for — and a quick check-in before a call goes wrong is always better than a difficult conversation after.
Tier 2 agents
Tier 2 agents handle contacts that require more in-depth knowledge or authority than standard first-line support. They're the right escalation point for:
- Complex billing investigations involving multiple estimated reads or historical billing queries
- Metering disputes that require specialist review
- Technical account issues that can't be resolved through standard Kraken processes
- Complaints that have already been through first-line resolution without success
To escalate to Tier 2, use the escalation workflow in Kraken — select Escalate contact, choose Tier 2, and add a clear summary of the issue and what's already been tried. Don't transfer a customer to Tier 2 without completing this summary — it's what allows the Tier 2 agent to pick up without asking the customer to start from scratch.
Team leaders
Your team leader is your first port of call for anything that falls outside your authorisation level or that requires a judgement call in the moment. They can:
- Authorise goodwill gestures or account credits above your limit
- Take over a call where a customer has become very distressed or hostile
- Provide guidance on complex or unusual situations in real time
- Support you after a difficult call
If a customer asks to speak to a manager, your team leader is the appropriate person to take that call. Let the customer know you're going to get a senior team member, give your team leader a brief verbal handover before transferring, and make sure everything is logged in Kraken.
Specialist teams
Some issues need to go to a dedicated team rather than a general escalation. The main specialist escalation routes are:
Metering team
For meter faults, smart meter comms failures, disputed reads that can't be resolved through standard investigation, and meter exchange requests.
Billing team
For complex billing recalculations, historical billing reviews, and cases where a billing error spans multiple billing periods.
Vulnerability team
For customers with complex vulnerability needs that go beyond what standard agent support can address — including customers who need ongoing case management rather than a one-off interaction.
Collections team
For accounts with significant debt where standard payment plan options have been exhausted. Note that accounts in active collections may have restrictions on what first-line agents can action — check in Kraken before making any changes.
For all specialist escalations, use the relevant workflow in Kraken and ensure your case notes are thorough. The specialist team will work from your notes — the better they are, the faster the customer gets a resolution.
What good escalation looks like
A well-handled escalation feels seamless to the customer. They shouldn't feel passed around, dismissed, or like they have to start over. Every time you hand off a contact, aim for:
- A clear verbal or written briefing to whoever is taking over — covering what the customer has told you, what you've already tried, and what the customer is hoping for
- Full Kraken notes logged before the handoff, not after
- An honest explanation to the customer of why you're involving someone else — framed as getting them the best possible help, not as passing the buck
- A confirmed next step — whether that's a warm transfer, a callback, or a written response with a clear timeframe
