Background: Occasionally, an irate customer may request to speak with leadership or require special handling for their complaint or concern. This SOP outlines the procedures for these situations to ensure effective and professional management.

This document provides clear steps for agents to follow when dealing with upset customers or handling escalations. Adhering to these guidelines will help maintain professionalism and ensure that customer issues are addressed efficiently.

Key Considerations and Tips:

Empathy and Patience: Approach each interaction with understanding and calm, demonstrating empathy for the customer's situation.

Clear Communication: Communicate clearly and professionally, ensuring that the customer feels heard and valued.

Protocol Adherence: Follow the specific steps outlined in this SOP to ensure proper escalation and resolution. You are truly the best source to help each unique customer interaction.

If you are a Back Office Support Agent handling an email from a customer providing supporting documentation for an escalated case (Click Here)

If you are a Resolution Specialist Agent and need to access to a CXone Recording Older than 90 days for your investigation or Case, Please (Click Here)

Process:

Step	Event/Action	IF	Then
1	Is the customer upset/refusing assistance and requesting a lead or supervisor and/or does the customer’s concern qualify for additional review by a resolution specialist? Click Here to determine if it qualifies for additional review or not We never OFFER to escalate unless they ask for a situation to be escalated.	YES:	Go to Step 2
1		NO:	Follow the appropriate SOP/Process and Stop
2	Is there any open case related with this complaint?	YES	If the case has been updated Provide any existing updates to the customer If the case has not been updated Tag the Case Owner in the case Feed asking to please contact the customer back with new updates Let the customer know that there is an open case and that the case owner will be contacting them back as soon as possible within the next 24-48 Business hours If Customer agrees to wait; Stop Here If Customer refuses to wait (Click Here)
2	Is there any open case related with this complaint?	NO:	Ask the customer if they would allow us the opportunity to review the concern further and contact them with an update within 24-48 business hours If Customer agrees to wait for a Follow Up (Click here) If Customer refuses to wait (Click Here)

How to proceed If customer agrees to wait for a Follow up:

If you are a Back Office Support Agent handling an email from a customer providing supporting documentation for an escalated case (Click Here)

Step	Action
1	Agent must gather a detailed overview from the customer by asking the following questions	CLICK HERE TO UNDERSTAND THE DETAILED OVERVIEW
2	After asking the questions agent must ensure that the customer understands the need of documentation related to their complaint to assist with resolution	You should explain to the customer that while you are happy to assist, in order to better support the issue we need to obtain documentation related to the complaint This can be communicated clearly during the call to avoid confusion
	To facilitate the request documentation; Front-Line Agent will send an Email to the customer during the call	You may use the Quick Response named as “Requesting Supporting Documentation” This Email will explain the specific documentation needed and request that the customer respond with the required filed
	Once the Email Reply is received by the customer this will go directly to our Back Office queue	Once in queue; Agent will review the Email thread to understand the context and gather the necessary information to proceed
	NOTE: If customer refuses to provide supportive documentation agent will still create the Case and assign to resolution lead (Go to Step 3) The case should clearly note that the documentation was requested but was not provided by the customer
3	Then; you must Create a case in Salesforce	(How to create a case in salesforce) Primary Reason: Complaints Case Description: Include the Detailed Overview of the call/interaction. Supporting Documentation from the Homeowner (If provided) Include the installer/sales rep POV. CXone recording or interaction ID. Key Points of the interaction: What type of escalated concern it is. What red flags did you see when reviewing their concern? What other items raised concern? Does the voice in the welcome call match to your interaction with the homeowner? Review the Certificate of Completion.
4	Create a case assignment and assign to the Resolution Team and then Stop	(How to create a Case Assignment)
4	Advice the customer : “We take your concerns seriously and we will be investigating your concerns. We also highly recommend you calling your installer and notifying them of your concerns. As we are partnered with your installer, but they do not work for Everbright.” If requested by the customer: Provide the Installer’s Information
NOTE: If a Case Assignment to a Resolution Specialist is rejected or returned, the case owner should close the case, making sure to also change the Closed Reason to "Case Voided" before clicking "Save”

How to proceed if customer refuses to wait for a Follow-Up:

Action	IF	Then
Attempt to connect the customer with a Resolution Lead Check if they are available under the transfer skill	Available:	Agent will Warm Transfer to the “Resolution Lead” Skill and wait for 30 seconds to respond. Explain to the customer that you will transfer the call and if in case no one is available they will be prompted to leave a voicemail If they do NOT Answer: Complete the transfer Stop Here If they Answer: Provide all the details related with your interaction and once the Resolution Lead Agent is ready; complete the transfer Stop Here
	Unavailable:	Explain to the customer that you will transfer the call and if in case no one is available they will be prompted to leave a voicemail Complete the transfer Stop Here

Qualifiers for Additional Review

(Go back To the Main Process)

Retained or contacted a lawyer/legal counsel	Slander
Fraudulent claims	Better Business Bureau complaint
Illegal actions	Social media complaint
Agreement violations	Unlicensed contractor
Falsified records	Foreclosure notice
Mischaracterization	Lien requests from creditors against installers or homeowners
Nonregistered company	Customer privacy concerns

Detailed Overview Specifications:

Step	Action	Reference
1	You will gather and verify the following information from the Customer:	What is your Email Address? If they Don't have one then ask: Did the Sales Rep create one for them? Do they have access to the email address? Was the email address created on the sales representative’s device or the homeowner’s personal device? If they provide you or say a different Email address than the one we have on file: Did you ever have access to the email address on file?
2	Gather the following Information based on the customer’s concern
	Claiming Fraud	Did the sales representative promise the system would be free? Did the homeowner ever receive the contract? Continue asking the questions located in “Sales Representative” (Go back to “How To proceed if customer agrees to wait for a Follow Up”)
	Promises from the Installer	Has the system worked as intended/Is it currently operational? Were you promised something outside of the contract? Was the promise verbal? Do they have documentation? Any promises made by the installer is the installer’s responsibility. Provide the customer with the installer’s contact information. If the installer have been unresponsive then follow the following SOP (Go back to “How To proceed if customer agrees to wait for a Follow Up”)
	Sales Representative	Who did the sales representative say they worked for? What did the sales representative tell them they were signing up for? What did the sales representative tell you would happen afterward? Have you had any other contact with the sales representative after they first came to your home? Are you in contact with them? Did the sales rep make an email for you? If yes; Did they give you the login info? Did you ever have access to the email? (Go back to “How To proceed if customer agrees to wait for a Follow Up”)
	Contract	Do you remember receiving anything via email? Do you remember reviewing any documentation on your device or the sales representative's device? Did you receive a copy of your agreement? Were you promised to receive it and never did? Did the documentation you received seem off to you? Did you realize it was a credit application or contract? Do you remember answering any yes or no questions (completing welcome call) using your phone or the sales representative’s phone? (Go back to “How To proceed if customer agrees to wait for a Follow Up”)
	System / Production	Has the system been installed? Does the system cover your energy needs or are you still getting a high utility bill? [Check offset versus monitoring. Is the system making what was promised] (Go back to “How To proceed if customer agrees to wait for a Follow Up”)
	Credit Consent	Was the sales rep and/or installer physically present? Ask the HO If they have the names of the parties present? Did you receive the customer credit application via email and acknowledge it through your device? Was the customer credit application clicked and acknowledged onsite via the installer/sales rep's mobile device? What did the installer/sales rep advise on what would happen? Was there anything that occurred that was not advised? Was there anything confusing during the credit application? (Go back to “How To proceed if customer agrees to wait for a Follow Up”)

Back Office Support Procedure:

Step

Action

1

If you are a back office support agent receiving an Email coming from a customer providing Supporting Documentation

Check the Email Thread since there should be a previous email from the Agent who requested the supporting documentation to the Homeowner.

2

Then; based on the Email Handling Process:
- Since this was previously handled by another agent:
  - Go to the “Directory” Tab in DFO and search for the required agent

IF the system shows the Original Agent as Available (🟢) or Busy (🟡):
- Transfer the Email to the Original Agent
IF the system shows the Original Agent as Unavailable (🔴) or Logged Out (🔘):
- Handle the Email yourself by going to the following Step (Click Here)

FOR RESOLUTION SPECIALISTS ONLY:

If a Resolution Agent is working on a Special Case or Escalation where an interaction recording older than 90 days is required (For Example: For compliance purposes), Follow these steps:

Step

Action

1

Access the following Link:

(Click Here)

2

Complete the following information:
- Raise this request on behalf of:
  - Keep your name (This will be automatically populated)
- Share with:
  - Leave it as “None”
- Title:
  - Requesting Access to recordings older than 90 days
- Description:
  - Provide a detailed explanation of the issue
- Priority:
  - Select the appropriate category based on the urgency of the request
- Issue Type:
  - Select Task
- Product:
  - Select “Agent Issue”

NOTE: Once the ticket is submitted, it may take 24 to 48 hours to receive a response from NICE

When and How to Escalate Complaints and Sensitive Concerns