Plain-language questions
Ask for escalation rate per month, customer or product in the SQL Explorer with AI. The AI writes the SQL, you see the query and run it yourself; the AI only receives metadata.
KPI · Customer service
Escalation rate: formula and example.
Escalation rate is the share of tickets the front line cannot resolve itself and passes on to a specialist, another department or a manager. It shows how many requests exceed the knowledge or authority of the front line. Escalations usually lengthen resolution time and cost more time per ticket.
Escalation rate formula
Number of escalated tickets ÷ total number of tickets × 100%
Worked example
Acme Groothandel received 1,200 tickets in March. Of these, 96 were passed on to the purchasing department or the team leader. The escalation rate is 96 ÷ 1,200 × 100% = 8%.
Fictitious figures for Acme Groothandel, a sample wholesaler.
How to read this KPI
A lower escalation rate means the front line resolves more requests itself. A rise can point to new types of request, agents still being trained or missing authority, for example to issue a credit note. A very low rate is not always good either: it can mean difficult requests stay with the front line for too long.
Pitfalls with escalation rate
- Lumping together escalations for approval and escalations for missing knowledge, although they need different fixes.
- Counting escalations per hand-off instead of per ticket, so a ticket escalated twice counts double.
- Judging agents on a low escalation rate, so they hold on to requests they cannot solve.
SQL & DAX
Calculating escalation rate in SQL and DAX
Two examples on a fictitious data warehouse for Acme Groothandel: a PostgreSQL query and a measure for a Power BI model. Adjust table and column names to your own model.
SELECT date_trunc('month', created_at)::date AS month,
channel,
COUNT(*) AS tickets,
COUNT(*) FILTER (WHERE escalated) AS escalated,
ROUND(100.0 * COUNT(*) FILTER (WHERE escalated) / NULLIF(COUNT(*), 0), 1) AS escalation_rate_pct
FROM tickets
WHERE created_at >= current_date - interval '12 months'
GROUP BY 1, 2
ORDER BY 1, 2;Escalated Tickets = CALCULATE(COUNTROWS(Tickets), Tickets[Escalated] = TRUE())
Escalation Rate % = DIVIDE([Escalated Tickets], COUNTROWS(Tickets))In ENABLE
Tracking this KPI in ENABLE
In your Power BI dashboard
Define the KPI as a measure in your Power BI model and show it in the portal, with "Last refreshed" next to it. Access profiles and optional row-level security decide who sees which figures.
Custom dashboards (pilot)
Add the KPI as a tile to a custom dashboard, compared with last year. The Dashboard Builder is a pilot and can be switched on per client.
Monthly targets
With the built-in Targets app you set a target for the KPI per month, so you see actuals and target side by side.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How do you calculate escalation rate?
Divide the number of tickets passed on to second line or a manager by the total number of tickets and multiply by 100%. With 96 escalated tickets out of 1,200, the escalation rate is 8%.
What is the difference between escalation rate and FCR?
Escalation rate measures how many tickets are passed on, FCR how many requests are resolved in one contact. An escalated ticket almost never counts as resolved in one contact, so a rising escalation rate usually pushes FCR down.
How do you reduce escalations?
Analyse which requests are escalated and why. Extra training, a knowledge base or more authority for the front line, such as being allowed to issue small credits, often helps.
Further reading
- KPI libraryCustomer service KPIs: formulas and examplesCustomer service KPIs measure how quickly and how well customers are helped. The data comes from your help desk and telephony, and becomes more useful next to customer and order data.Read more
- ResourcesHow to build a KPI dashboard: steps and examplesA KPI dashboard is an overview of the key figures you use to steer towards your goals, such as revenue, margin, on-time delivery or absenteeism. A good KPI dashboard does not start with the software, but with the decisions it needs to support. You then choose a limited number of KPIs, define them, sketch the dashboard and only then build it.Read more
- SolutionPower BI dashboard portal: share dashboards securelyShare your Power BI dashboards securely in your own portal, with role-based access.Read more
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