Escalation Matrix and Documentation

 Escalation Matrix and Documentation

Objectives

• Escalation Matrix and Documentation procedures for reporting work and related issues

Escalation

Escalation is a last resort. Prior to escalation there must be the capability and the capacity at the steward level to attempt root cause problem sloving. Ownership of the issue must be agreed at whatever level the issue is raised, e.g. by steward at services level or by chef in the kitchen. Progress of issues should be formally reviewed daily. Issues raised should not just be External,  i.e. issues that are judged to be "someone else's fault " communication of progress is critical, particularly to those who raised the issue initially.

The 5 principles of problem solve: 

• problem Definition

• identify Root cause

• Customer satisfaction and counter measure (s)

• confirm Effectiveness of solution

• Feedback from customers after implementing the solution

The aims of the escalation procedure are:

• Finding efficient solutions for problems

• Guaranteeing a strategically balance between the interests of customer and the responsibility of the staff.

• Making sure that all participants get to know their responsibility for an efficient troubleshooting

• Coordination of an action plan for troubleshooting with responsibilities for the defined actions

• realization of the coordinated action plan

• Ensuring that the escalation procedure can be closed

Escalation Matrix :

Step 1: Once a problem is identified it is reported to the restaurant captain to resolve it. The issue is not escalated beyond this point until the restaurant captain has tried everything in his power to resolve the issue. If he cannot resolve it, than, it is escalated to the restarurant head waiter. It is still unresolved at the head waiter's  level; it is escalated to the restarurant manager level.

Step 2: once all efforts to slove the problem have been exhausted at the restarurant manager level, the problem is escalated to the assistant F&B Manager level to avoid non resolution of the issue. If the issue is still unresolved, the F&B manager gets into the picture.

Documentation process:

At each step proper documentation has to be maintained to ensure that the steps are being followed.

• available for analysis : when escalation are documented in a detailed manner, they are available for analysis as and when required. This helps the management in understanding the knowledge that was used in designing the solutions that are currently followed. This also help the management decide whether the best practices followed are indeed relevant in the environment they are operating in.

• can be compared to new situations: with detailed documentation in place, issues can be compared as they are raised. This means that the management will have the previous 3 to 4 issues and their solutions in place. They can see them together and see what changes are satisfying the customers. This will them what they are successful at and they can continue doing so.