Customer Service Ticket Triage Checklist

Daily workflow for an e-commerce customer service team to triage, respond to, and follow up on customer tickets across Shopify, Amazon Buyer-Seller Messaging, and email/chat channels. Run by CX leads and CSRs using Gorgias, Zendesk, or Re:amaze.

5 sections 16 steps Collects data
1

Inbox Triage

  1. Sort the helpdesk inbox by oldest unassigned

    • In Gorgias / Zendesk / Re:amaze, filter to unassigned tickets sorted by age. The CX lead works oldest-first to keep the response-time SLA from slipping. Amazon Buyer-Seller Messaging tickets must be answered within 24 hours including weekends — pull those forward regardless of channel age.

  2. Tag tickets by issue type

    • Apply tags: WISMO (where is my order), return/refund, sizing, defect/quality, address change, cancellation, pre-sale. Tag hygiene drives weekly trend reporting and macro-coverage decisions — untagged tickets show up as gaps later.

  3. Identify the ticket channel

    • Channel determines which rules apply. Amazon Buyer-Seller messages cannot include external links, marketing language, or review solicitation outside Amazon's allowed templates. Shopify / DTC tickets follow brand-voice macros.

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  4. Flag VIP and repeat-issue customers

    • Pull customer LTV from Shopify or Klaviyo profile. VIP-tier or 3+ prior tickets routes to senior CSR with retention authority (free reship, store credit up to $50 without manager approval).

2

Order and Account Lookup

  1. Pull the order from Shopify or Seller Central

    • Match by order number, email, or last-4 of card. For Amazon, use the order ID (3-7-7 format) inside Seller Central — buyer email is anonymized. Confirm fulfillment status: unfulfilled, in-transit, delivered, or returned.

  2. Verify shipment tracking and carrier scans

    • Check the carrier (UPS, USPS, FedEx) tracking page directly, not just the helpdesk integration. Look for stalled scans (>72 hours without movement), "delivered" with no porch photo, or rerouted packages. Note the last scan location and timestamp on the ticket.

  3. Determine the resolution path

    • Most tickets resolve as a standard response from a macro. Escalations involve refunds over policy, defect patterns, A-to-z claims, or chargeback risk — these route to the CX lead before any reply goes out.

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3

Standard Response

  1. Apply the appropriate macro

    • Use the issue-type macro library (WISMO, return-initiation, sizing-exchange, address-change). Personalize the greeting and at least one substantive line — pure-macro replies tank CSAT. For Amazon, use channel-compliant macro variants only.

  2. Confirm refund or replacement authority

    • Standard CSR authority: refunds up to $75, one free replacement, store credit up to $50. Anything above goes to the CX lead. Document the authority used in ticket internal notes for monthly audit.

  3. Send the reply and set follow-up

    • Send via the ticket channel (do not switch channels mid-conversation — Amazon buyers must be answered in Buyer-Seller Messaging). Set a 48-hour follow-up reminder so unresolved threads do not slip into late-response territory.

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4

Escalation Handling

  1. Brief the CX lead on the escalation

    • Summarize order, issue, customer LTV, and recommended resolution in the ticket internal note. The CX lead approves or revises before the reply goes out. For Amazon A-to-z claim risk or chargeback threats, loop in the ops manager same day.

  2. Document defect patterns for the product team

    • If the complaint matches a recurring SKU defect (zipper failure, sizing inconsistency, packaging damage), log it in the defect tracker with photos. Three matching reports in 30 days triggers a product-team review — manufacturing problems get ignored when CSRs only resolve the individual ticket.

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  3. Issue goodwill credit or replacement

    • Manager-approved resolutions: full refund + replacement, expedited reship, or VIP credit beyond standard. Note the exception reason in ticket internal notes — these feed monthly contribution-margin review.

5

Follow-Up and Review Capture

  1. Confirm the customer is satisfied

    • Reply to the resolved thread asking if the issue is fully handled. Closes the loop on FCR (first-contact resolution) and surfaces silent dissatisfaction before it becomes a public review or chargeback.

  2. Request a review through compliant channels

    • For Shopify orders, trigger a Yotpo or Okendo review request. For Amazon, use only the "Request a Review" button or Vine — off-platform review solicitation violates Amazon ToS and risks listing suspension. Never incentivize reviews.

  3. Tag the ticket closed with outcome

    • Set status to solved, confirm tags are accurate, and verify the resolution field is populated. Untagged closures break the weekly CX dashboard (CSAT, AHT, FCR, refund rate by SKU).

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Sections 5
Steps 16
Category E-commerce
Price Free to start
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