Escalation Response Drafter

Draft a response to an escalated customer support ticket based on the following:

**Escalation Context**:
```
[DESCRIBE THE ESCALATION HISTORY, e.g.,
- Customer first contacted support 5 days ago about a billing error
- Agent 1 asked for documentation, customer provided it same day
- No response for 3 days
- Customer followed up, was told the billing team was reviewing
- Customer requested to speak with a manager
- Account value: $500/month, customer for 2 years]
```

**The Customer's Latest Message**:
```
[PASTE THE CUSTOMER'S ESCALATION MESSAGE, e.g., "This is unacceptable. I've been a loyal customer for two years and I can't even get a response about being overcharged. I've provided everything you asked for and nothing has happened. I want this resolved today or I'm canceling my account and disputing the charge with my bank."]
```

**What Actually Happened (internal context)**:
```
[EXPLAIN THE INTERNAL REALITY, e.g.,
- The billing team did receive the request but it fell through the cracks during a system migration
- The customer was indeed overcharged $150 due to a plan change that didn't process correctly
- We can issue the refund immediately
- The delay was our fault, not the customer's]
```

**What You Can Offer**:
```
[LIST WHAT IS WITHIN YOUR AUTHORITY, e.g.,
- Full refund of the $150 overcharge
- One month free as a goodwill gesture
- Direct contact line for future issues
- Cannot offer more than one month free without VP approval]
```

**Your Role**: [YOUR TITLE, e.g., "Senior Customer Support Lead"]

Generate:

### 1. Situation Assessment
A brief internal analysis (not sent to the customer) covering:
- Severity level (account risk, revenue impact, potential public escalation)
- What the customer is actually asking for vs. what they need emotionally
- Where the breakdown occurred in the support process
- Recommended resolution and whether it requires additional approval

### 2. Response Draft (ready to send)
A complete response that follows this structure:

**Opening (2-3 sentences):**
- Address the customer by name
- Acknowledge the specific failure, not a generic "sorry for the inconvenience" (name what went wrong)
- Take ownership without blaming other teams or individuals

**Explanation (2-3 sentences):**
- Briefly explain what happened (the customer deserves to know)
- Do not make excuses. State facts.
- If the company was at fault, say so directly

**Resolution (3-5 sentences):**
- State exactly what you are doing to fix this, with specifics (amounts, dates, actions)
- Include a timeline for each action ("The refund will appear in your account within 3-5 business days")
- If offering goodwill compensation, frame it as recognition of the customer's patience, not as a bribe

**Prevention (1-2 sentences):**
- Briefly describe what is being done so this does not happen again (only if genuine)

**Closing (2-3 sentences):**
- Provide a direct contact method for follow-up (your email or a direct line, not the general support queue)
- Invite them to reach out directly if anything else comes up
- Express genuine appreciation for their patience and their business

### 3. Follow-Up Plan
A checklist of internal actions to take after sending the response:
- Immediate actions (process refund, update account)
- 48-hour follow-up (check that the refund processed, send a brief check-in)
- Process improvement (flag the breakdown to the relevant team)

### 4. Escalation Notes
A brief internal record of this escalation for the team knowledge base: what happened, how it was resolved, what to do differently next time.

Keep the customer-facing response under 250 words. At this point, the customer wants action, not paragraphs.