How to configure and use Multi - Channel-Level SLA with Escalations
What is a Channel-Level SLA?
A WABA-level SLA lets you set different response time targets for different WhatsApp numbers. Instead of one rule applying to all your channels, each number can have its own SLA.
This is useful when different numbers serve different purposes — for example, a sales number where speed matters more, versus an operations number where a longer response window is acceptable.
How to Configure a Channel-Level SLA
Go to Settings from the left navigation panel and click on Configure SLA. Make sure SLA is enabled. If not, enable it first.
Scroll to the Channel Level SLA section and click the green Add Channel Level SLA button.
Fill in the following:
Name — a label for this SLA (for example, Sales Team or Customer Support)
SLA time — the response target for this channel (for example, 5 minutes)
Channel — select the WhatsApp number this SLA applies to, then confirm
Click Save.
You can repeat this for as many WhatsApp numbers as you need. If a channel has its own SLA, the default SLA does not apply to it.
Adding Escalation Levels
Within each channel-level SLA, you can add up to three escalation levels. Each level defines what happens after a set delay once the SLA is breached.
Click Add Level and configure the following for each level:
Delay — how many minutes after the breach this escalation triggers
Action — choose one of the following:
Escalate to Reporting Manager — assigns the chat to the reporting manager of the agent handling it
Assign Randomly to Human — distributes the chat randomly among available agents
Rotate Equally — cycles through a selected group of agents in sequence
You can set Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3 with different delays and different actions depending on how your team is structured.
Using the SLA Escalated Webhook
Each escalation level — Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3 — triggers an internal webhook the moment it activates. You can connect this webhook to external systems to automate your response to a breach.
Some ways to use it:
Log breach data to a Google Sheet — capture which chat breached, at which escalation level, and when, so you have a record without manual tracking
Send a WhatsApp alert — automatically notify the reporting manager or team that a specific chat has breached its SLA
Trigger a custom workflow — connect it to any internal tool your business already uses
Note: This webhook only triggers on escalation levels (Level 1, Level 2, Level 3). It does not trigger on the default SLA. The default SLA has a separate trigger available inside Workflow Studio.
For a step-by-step guide on setting up this webhook, refer to SLA Breach Webhook
Business Use Cases
A Fine Jewellery Brand Managing Sales, Custom Orders, and After-Sales on Separate Numbers
A fine jewellery brand operates three WhatsApp numbers — one for walk-in and online sales inquiries, one exclusively for custom and bridal jewellery consultations, and one for after-sales service covering repairs, resizing, and hallmarking requests.
The custom and bridal number is the most high-stakes channel. A customer enquiring about a bridal set is often comparing across multiple jewellers at the same time and may have a wedding date within weeks. This number is set to a 2-minute SLA. Level 1 triggers at 2 minutes and escalates the chat to the senior design consultant who manages bridal accounts. Level 2 triggers at 5 minutes and rotates the chat equally across two other senior consultants in case the first is on a call with another client. Level 3 triggers at 8 minutes and escalates directly to the store manager, since at this point the risk of losing a high-value client is significant.
The SLA breach webhook on this channel is connected to two things simultaneously — a Google Sheet that logs every breach with the chat details and escalation level reached, and an automated WhatsApp message sent to the store manager the moment Level 1 is triggered, so the manager is aware even before Level 3 kicks in.
The general sales number runs a 5-minute SLA with a single Level 1 escalation that randomly assigns the chat to any available sales agent if the original agent does not respond. No Level 2 or Level 3 is needed here since the queries are lower in value and urgency.
The after-sales number runs a 15-minute SLA with no escalation levels, since repair and resizing queries are process-driven and customers on this channel are not in a buying decision — they are simply waiting for an update on an existing order.
This setup allows the brand to protect its highest-value conversations with tight SLAs and multi-level escalations, while keeping pressure off teams handling routine inquiries — all from one DoubleTick workspace.
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