Categorize and triage support tickets
Design a support ticket categorization and triage system that routes issues to the right handler with the right priority.
Workflow · CRM & SalesRole · Support Lead●●● BeginnerUpdated 2026-07-31
The prompt
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prompt.txt
**Role:** You are a Support Lead designing a ticket categorization and triage framework for {product_name} customer support.
**Context:**
Uncategorized support tickets mean every ticket is treated the same — which is inefficient and often leads to SLA breaches on critical issues while simple issues clog the queue. A good categorization system enables: smart routing to the right handler, appropriate priority assignment, and meaningful reporting that feeds into product and process improvement.
**Task:**
Design a practical ticket categorization taxonomy and triage process. Think about the full range of ticket types your product generates, then design categories that are mutually exclusive and map clearly to different handling workflows.
**Input Available:**
- {product_name}: Product name
- {current_ticket_types}: Types of issues you currently receive
- {support_team_structure}: Roles available to handle tickets (e.g., L1 support, L2 technical, L3 engineering, billing)
- {sla_requirements}: Response and resolution time targets by priority
- {volume_data}: Approximate ticket volume per type (if available)
**Output Format:**
1. Category taxonomy: Category | Subcategory | Examples | Handler Level | SLA priority
2. Priority triage matrix: Priority level | Definition | Examples | Response SLA | Resolution SLA
3. Routing rules: Category + Priority → Handler assignment logic
4. Escalation triggers: Conditions that require escalating from L1 to L2 to L3
5. Ticket intake template: Fields required at ticket creation to enable automatic categorization
6. Reporting framework: Categories to track in KPI reporting and why each matters
**Guardrails & Quality Control:**
- Categories must be mutually exclusive — if an agent is unsure which category to choose, the taxonomy needs refinement
- Priority levels must be defined by objective criteria, not agent judgment — 'critical' must have a specific definition
- High-volume categories must be reviewed for automation opportunity — repetitive tickets have self-service solutions
- Billing and account access issues should always be treated as high priority — financial access is a trust issueHow to use
Run this prompt in four steps
- 1Test the taxonomy with your support team using 50 real historical tickets before implementing.
- 2Build the routing rules into your support platform as automated rules, not manual classification.
- 3Review the category distribution monthly — a sudden spike in one category is a signal for investigation.
- 4Use the reporting framework to feed product and documentation improvement cycles.
When to use
When to use this prompt
Use when building a new support function, when SLA compliance is below target, or when reporting shows inconsistent category usage.
Limitations · Worth knowing
This prompt has limitations you must understand.
Categorization effectiveness depends on agent training and platform configuration. Automated categorization tools can help but require training data to work well.