Virtual assistant escalation severity

Key takeaways

• Use a written brief and definition of done.
• Keep approvals and escalation rules visible.
• Review quality before expanding the workflow.

# Virtual assistant escalation severity

Define severity using consequence, urgency, safety, access, customer impact, deadline, and reversibility. The assistant gathers facts; the accountable owner chooses response and records the change.

Applying virtual assistant escalation severity

Severity should reflect consequence and reversibility, not the loudness of the message. Ask what could be harmed, how soon action is needed, whether access or customer trust is involved, and who can safely decide. Use examples at the boundary between levels so a queue does not depend on personal interpretation.

Role boundary and review

The assistant can collect facts, apply the agreed label, and route the item. The accountable owner handles urgent judgment, changes the response level when evidence changes, and records the reason. Never let a low-confidence label delay a safety, access, or irreversible-change concern. the [services library](/services) helps identify the support lane, while the [[provider vetting guide](/provider-vetting)](/provider-vetting) gives questions about escalation coverage. [NIST guidance](https://www.nist.gov/itl/smallbusinesscyber) is a useful general reference for access-related risk. ### Escalation record Keep facts, severity rationale, response owner, time of escalation, unresolved uncertainty, and change history.