Lesson 1.3: Getting Help & Escalation
Duration: 5 minutes
💡 Key Takeaway: Asking for help is a sign of professionalism, not weakness. Knowing when and how to ask is a critical skill.
✅ The Right Mindset
We’d rather you ask 10 questions today than make 1 mistake that affects a student’s visa. Your job is to serve students well, and getting help when you need it is PART of that job.
Who to Ask When
Different questions go to different people. Here’s your decision tree:
1️⃣ Try the System First
Before asking anyone:
- Check the FAQ in Help Center
- Search the knowledge base
- Watch the relevant video tutorial
- Look for the workflow guide
⏱️ Time limit: 5 minutes. If you haven’t found the answer in 5 minutes, move to step 2.
2️⃣ Ask Your Peer “Buddy”
Ask your buddy for:
- Quick “how do I…” system questions
- “Where do I find…” navigation help
- “Which template should I use…” choices
- Simple clarifications on workflows
👥 Your buddy is: [Buddy name will be assigned in your first week]
3️⃣ Ask Your Supervisor
Ask your supervisor for:
- Workflow clarifications and exceptions
- Situations not covered by standard procedures
- Permission for non-standard actions
- Routing complex issues to the right department
- When you’re unsure who else to ask
💼 Your supervisor is: [Supervisor name and contact – provided in orientation]
4️⃣ Use Formal Escalation (System)
Use the escalation system for:
- Compliance-related issues
- Visa or immigration questions
- Matters involving students under 18
- Any red flag situations (you’ll learn these in Module 6)
- Anything that could affect a student’s visa status
🚨 When in doubt, escalate! This is covered in detail in Module 6.
Escalation Triggers (Quick Reference)
⚡ IMMEDIATE Escalation Required
These ALWAYS go straight to the escalation system (not your buddy or supervisor chat):
- Student asks about visa conditions or restrictions
- Student’s attendance is below 80%
- Student requests to defer, suspend, or withdraw
- Student has unsatisfactory course progress
- Immigration or Department of Home Affairs contact
- Anything involving a student under 18
- Student welfare or safety concerns
Why immediate? These involve compliance requirements or student safety. Delays could have serious consequences.
Support Channels
💬 Teams/Slack Chat
Best for: Quick questions, clarifications, “how do I…” queries
Response time: Usually within 15 minutes
Who: Your buddy, team channel
Best for: Non-urgent questions that need a detailed answer
Response time: Within 24 hours
Who: Supervisor, support team
🎫 Help Desk Ticket
Best for: System errors, technical issues, access problems
Response time: Within 4 hours
Who: IT support team
🚨 Escalation System
Best for: Compliance, visa, safety issues
Response time: Immediate to same-day
Who: Compliance Manager, Academic Manager, Student Services
FAQ Access
📚 Your Self-Service Resources
Before asking anyone, check these resources – they’re designed to answer 80% of daily questions:
1. Knowledge Base
Location: Help Center → Knowledge Base
Searchable articles on every workflow, organized by topic
2. Video Tutorials
Location: Help Center → Video Library
Screen recordings showing step-by-step processes
3. Quick Reference Guides
Location: Help Center → Downloads → Quick Guides
One-page cheat sheets for common workflows (printable)
4. FAQ Section
Location: Help Center → Frequently Asked Questions
Most common questions organized by category
✓ Pro Tip: Bookmark the Help Center. Add it to your browser favorites bar for instant access.
How to Ask Good Questions
Getting help quickly depends on asking clear questions. Here’s the formula:
✅ The Good Question Template
Subject/Title: [Specific issue] – [Student name if relevant]
What I’m trying to do: [Your goal]
What’s happening: [The problem/error/confusion]
What I’ve tried: [Steps you’ve taken]
What I need: [Specific help you’re asking for]
Example of a GOOD question:
Subject: CoE generation error – Maria Santos
What I’m trying to do: Generate CoE for Maria Santos (ID: 12345)
What’s happening: System shows “Error: Missing OSHC data” but OSHC policy is uploaded
What I’ve tried: Re-uploaded OSHC document, clicked refresh, logged out and back in
What I need: Help resolving the OSHC error or should I escalate?
Example of a POOR question:
“The CoE thing isn’t working. What do I do?”
This requires multiple back-and-forth messages to get the information needed to help.
Quick Decision Guide
❓ “Who Should I Ask?”
|
If it’s about… |
Ask… |
| Where to click / How to navigate | Your buddy or Knowledge Base |
| Which template to use | Your buddy or Knowledge Base |
| Workflow clarification / exceptions | Your supervisor |
| System error / technical issue | Help desk ticket |
| Compliance / visa / student safety | Escalation system (immediately) |
| Not sure who to ask | Your supervisor |
🎯 Remember This
- 5-minute rule: Try to find the answer yourself for 5 minutes max, then ask
- When in doubt, ask: It’s always better to ask than to guess
- Be specific: Good questions get fast, helpful answers
- Compliance = Immediate escalation: Never delay on visa/safety matters
- Learn as you go: Keep notes on answers so you build your own knowledge
📝 Your First Week: Expected Questions
It’s completely normal to ask lots of questions in your first week. Here’s what to expect:
- Days 1-2: Lots of “where do I find…” and “how do I…” questions (totally normal!)
- Days 3-5: Workflow clarifications and template questions (you’re learning!)
- Week 2: More nuanced questions about exceptions and specific situations
- Week 3-4: Questions become less frequent as patterns emerge
✓ Goal: By end of month 1, you’ll answer most of your own questions using the system resources. But you’ll always have occasional questions – that’s part of continuous learning!
🎓 Module 1 Complete!
You now understand your role, know your way around the system, and have a clear path for getting help when you need it.
You’re ready to move on to Module 2: Student Inquiry & Application.
✓ Module 1 Complete! Ready for your assessment?