---
title: Communication Triage Process
type: article
created: '2026-04-05'
updated: '2026-04-05'
source_docs:
- raw/2026-02-17-account-coordinator-1st-round-interview-katie-m-123070840.md
tags:
- client-management
- communication
- triage
- account-coordinator
- process
layer: 2
client_source: null
industry_context: null
transferable: true
---

# Communication Triage Process

## Overview

The communication triage process defines how incoming client requests are categorized and routed at Asymmetric. The goal is to keep the [[wiki/roles/account-coordinator|Account Coordinator (AC)]] responsive to clients without pulling specialists into low-complexity tasks — and to ensure high-stakes issues reach the right decision-maker quickly.

This framework was articulated during the [[wiki/hiring/interviews/account-coordinator-katie-mikulak-round-1|Account Coordinator first-round interview with Katie Mikulak]] as part of explaining the AC role's scope and boundaries.

---

## The Three-Tier Routing Model

### 1. Simple Requests — AC Handles Directly

**Threshold:** Tasks that take fewer than ~5 minutes to complete.

**Examples:**
- Pulling a quick snapshot of ad performance from Google Analytics
- Answering a straightforward status question about an ongoing project
- Confirming a meeting time or sharing a previously delivered asset

**Rationale:** The AC should be able to respond quickly and keep the client feeling heard without creating a bottleneck or unnecessarily consuming specialist time.

---

### 2. Complex Requests — Route to Specialist

**Threshold:** Anything requiring more than ~5 minutes of investigation, analysis, or production work.

**Examples:**
- Detailed analytics breakdowns or custom reporting
- Ad copy changes, content updates, or web development tasks
- CRM configuration questions or platform-specific troubleshooting

**Process:** The AC acknowledges the request to the client immediately (setting an ETA), then routes the task to the appropriate internal specialist — Google Ads, web dev, content, etc. — via the project management system.

> *"If it's anything more than a five-minute kind of look around and send, at that point, we would send that to the specialist to just quickly kind of get that turned around for you."*
> — Karly Oykhman

---

### 3. Hot Issues — Escalate to Strategist or Owner

**Threshold:** Sensitive, reputational, or relationship-threatening situations that require senior judgment.

**Examples:**
- An email or ad went out with a typo or incorrect information
- A client is upset or threatening to leave
- A deliverable was missed or significantly delayed

**Escalation path:** The AC surfaces the issue immediately to the Strategist (Karly) or, if necessary, the Owner (Mark), who then steps into the client conversation directly.

> *"We would expect or we would hope the account coordinator would push to the higher level to where either myself or Mark would jump in on that conversation."*
> — Karly Oykhman

---

## Acknowledgment as a First Response

Regardless of tier, the AC's first action on any request should be **immediate acknowledgment** — letting the client know their message was received and providing an expected turnaround time. This is especially important when the full response will take time.

> *"I see your request. I received it. Our team's going to take a look at it and provide a solution as soon as I can."*
> — Katie Mikulak (candidate, describing her approach)

This practice manages client expectations, prevents follow-up emails, and reinforces the sense that the client has a reliable point of contact.

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## Relationship to Client Tiers

Triage priority is also influenced by [[wiki/knowledge/client-management/client-tier-model|client tier]]. When multiple requests arrive simultaneously, the AC should factor in:

1. **Client tier** (mid-tier clients take precedence over third-tier)
2. **Urgency** (hot issues override tier ranking)
3. **Complexity** (route complex requests early so specialists have lead time)

---

## Related

- [[wiki/knowledge/client-management/client-tier-model|Client Tier Model]]
- [[wiki/roles/account-coordinator|Account Coordinator Role]]
- [[wiki/hiring/interviews/account-coordinator-katie-mikulak-round-1|AC Interview — Katie Mikulak (Round 1)]]