Trade Shield | Knowledge Centre
TEAM STANDARDS
Inter-Team Ticket Communication Protocol
? 5 min read 7 steps Applies to: Customer Support & all receiving teams
When a ticket is raised with another team, every person involved needs to know it has been received, who owns it, and what to expect next. This protocol sets the standard for how we communicate across teams — from the moment a ticket lands to the moment it is resolved. Fast, transparent communication keeps customers informed, prevents escalations, and gives every team the time they need to do their best work.
1
Acknowledge receipt immediately
As soon as a ticket arrives in your team queue, send an acknowledgement within 30 minutes. Do not wait until you have investigated. Your acknowledgement must include: confirmation of receipt, the name of the team member who will own it, and the expected timeframe for a first meaningful response.
EXAMPLE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT NOTE
tradeshield-help.freshdesk.com / ticket
✓ ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Hi team — we have received this ticket.
Owner: Sarah M. (Ops Team)
Expected first response: Within 4 business hours
We will update you if anything changes.
ⓘ Tip: Add an internal note in FreshDesk for team-to-team acknowledgements rather than a public reply.
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2
Assign an owner and set a reply time
Every ticket must have a
named owner — not just a team. Assign the ticket to a specific person and commit to a realistic first response time.
| Priority | First Response | Resolution |
| ▲ Urgent | 30 minutes | Same business day |
| ▶ High | 2 business hours | Within 1 business day |
| ▶ Normal | 4 business hours | Within 2 business days |
ⓘ Tip: Assign in FreshDesk at the same time as acknowledging. An unassigned ticket is a missed ticket.
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3
Delays or updates must be communicated proactively
If anything changes, add a note to the ticket immediately. Never go silent. Every update must include: what has happened so far, what is blocking you (if applicable), and a revised ETA.
EXAMPLE DELAY UPDATE NOTE
tradeshield-help.freshdesk.com / ticket
⚠ UPDATE — Delay Notification
Progress: Confirmed the issue is on our side and testing a fix.
Blocker: Awaiting dev environment access until 14:00.
Revised ETA: Full response by 15:00 today.
Updated by: Sarah M. | 10:42
⚠ Note: Update the ticket before the ETA passes — not after.
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4
Log all off-system conversations
Any conversation outside FreshDesk — Teams call, WhatsApp, email, verbal — must be summarised and added to the ticket before end of day. Include: who was involved, the channel used, key points discussed, and any actions agreed with owners.
EXAMPLE OFF-SYSTEM CONVERSATION LOG
tradeshield-help.freshdesk.com / ticket
? OFF-SYSTEM LOG
Channel: Microsoft Teams call
Participants: Sarah M., James K., Amy D.
Summary: Config error confirmed on Tech side. Ops to send settings file by 16:00.
Actions: James K. — push fix by 15:00. Sarah M. — confirm applied by 16:30.
Logged by: Amy D. | 11:20
ⓘ Tip: If a decision was made verbally, it only counts once it is on the ticket.
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5
Investigate thoroughly before escalating
Before moving a ticket to another team, confirm with evidence that the issue does not sit in your area. Work through this checklist:
Pre-Escalation Checklist
| ☐ | Reviewed the full ticket history |
| ☐ | Checked if a similar ticket has been resolved before |
| ☐ | Confirmed all steps within your team scope have been attempted |
| ☐ | Documented what you found, tried, and the outcome |
| ☐ | Identified which team the issue likely belongs to and why |
| ☐ | Added an investigation summary note to the ticket |
ⓘ Tip: Give the next team a head start, not a mystery. A well-documented handover means faster resolution.
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6
Escalate fast and hand over cleanly
Once confirmed, escalate immediately. Every hour you hold it is an hour the next team loses.
HANDOVER NOTE TEMPLATE
tradeshield-help.freshdesk.com / ticket
→ HANDOVER TO: [Team Name]
Issue summary: [1-2 sentences]
What we investigated: [What was checked and ruled out]
What we found: [Key findings or errors]
Why it is with you: [Reason this belongs to you]
Customer expectation: [What customer has been told]
Urgency: High — waiting since [time]
⚠ Note: Reassigning without a handover note is not acceptable. The receiving team should never have to ask what it is about.
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7
Call a breakout session early — do not wait until overdue
If a ticket is complex, taking longer than expected, or you are unsure —
call a breakout immediately. Trigger one when: you cannot determine where the issue belongs; it requires more than two teams; you are approaching your response time without resolution; the customer is at risk; or you need more expertise.
How to call a breakout:- Add a note: Breakout session requested — [reason]
- Contact relevant team leads via Teams or phone
- Set a time — aim within the hour if urgent
- Log the outcome and agreed actions on the ticket after
BREAKOUT SESSION PRINCIPLES
✓ DO Call early — the moment you feel stuck
Include only who is needed
Come with context and what you tried
Log the outcome immediately after |
✕ DO NOT Wait until the ticket is overdue
Call instead of doing basic investigation
Leave actions undocumented
Repeat the same breakout without updating the record |
⚠ Note: Asking for help is not weakness. Sitting on a difficult ticket without raising it is. Call the session, solve it together, move forward.
✍ Quick Reference — Communication Commitments
| Action | When | Where |
| Acknowledge receipt + name owner | Within 30 minutes | Ticket internal note |
| Delay or update communication | Before ETA passes | Ticket note |
| Log off-system conversation | Same day | Ticket internal note |
| Complete investigation checklist | Before reassigning | Ticket internal note |
| Add handover note | At point of reassign | Ticket internal note |
| Call breakout session | The moment you are stuck | Teams / phone + log on ticket |
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