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Ticket escalation notification via WhatsApp API

The scenario sends the client a personalized WhatsApp template when a support ticket is escalated because resolution is taking longer than usual.

Use case overview

The scenario sends the client a personalized WhatsApp template when a support ticket is escalated because resolution is taking longer than usual. The message includes the client name, ticket number, and what happens next after escalation. A static URL button opens the ticket status page.

Template example

Hello, {{1}}! Your request #{{2}} is taking longer than usual, so we have escalated it. {{3}} We apologize for the wait.

Request status
  • {{1}}
    customer name
  • {{2}}
    ticket or case number
  • {{3}}
    next step after escalation (e.g. senior specialist assigned, reply within 24 hours)
  • “Request status”
    button — fixed in the Meta template
WhatsApp Business API for ticket escalation notification

When to use it

Reach for this scenario when a support ticket exceeds its SLA or moves to a senior queue and the client still has no open WhatsApp thread — the business needs to tell them the case was escalated and what happens next before they chase support again. It fits helpdesk teams, enterprise support with transparent SLA communication, and agencies wiring escalation webhooks from Zendesk, Freshdesk, or a custom SLA engine.

Fewer repeat "where is my ticket?" contacts
Three body variables carry the client name, ticket number, and the next step after escalation, so the delay and escalation path land in WhatsApp instead of forcing another email or phone chase.
Proactive notice without an open chat
An approved template goes out when SLA is exceeded or priority rises, so the client hears about the escalation even when there is no active 24-hour session to reply in.
Self-service status from the same message
The static URL button opens the ticket status page fixed in the Meta template, so the client can check progress without calling support again.
No manual escalation emails
The helpdesk fires the template on the escalation event and the system resolves phone and escalation fields, so no agent retypes ticket details for each breach.
Delivery tracked in helpdesk or CRM
Delivery result is logged after send, so the support team knows whether the escalation notice reached the client.

Workflow

  1. Trigger

    The helpdesk escalates the ticket when SLA is exceeded or priority rises.

    event · triggered

  2. Capture event

    The system resolves the recipient phone number and escalation fields.

    phone: "+…"

  3. Build & send

    A personalized template message is built with three body variables and a static URL button.

    POST /sendTemplate

  4. Delivered

    The client receives the WhatsApp notification with ticket number and escalation context.

    delivered

  5. Status tracked

    Delivery result is logged; errors are handled according to platform rules.

    status: "read"

WhatsApp Business API for ticket escalation notification

Technical implementation

Prerequisites

  1. 1MSG API Key · How to get API Key
  2. WhatsApp Business account · How to Connect WABA
  3. WhatsApp Template · How to Approve WABA Template
  4. Customer opt-in · How to Manage Customers Consent

Code examples

#!/usr/bin/env bash
set -euo pipefail

# === Configuration (replace "___" placeholders) ===

API_BASE_URL="https://api.1msg.io"        # production 1MSG API base URL
CHANNEL_ID="___"                           # channel ID from 1MSG dashboard
API_TOKEN="___"                            # channel JWT token (Bearer)

TEMPLATE_NAME="___"                        # approved template name
TEMPLATE_NAMESPACE="___"                   # template namespace (required — send fails without it)
TEMPLATE_LANGUAGE="___"                    # template language code, e.g. "en"



# === Test data ===
TEST_PHONE="___"                 # client phone in international format
TEST_CUSTOMERNAME="___"         # {{1}} customer name
TEST_TICKETNUMBER="___"         # {{2}} ticket number
TEST_NEXTSTEP="___"         # {{3}} next step

PHONE_NORM="$(printf '%s' "$TEST_PHONE" | tr -cd '0-9')"

for pair in "CHANNEL_ID=$CHANNEL_ID" "API_TOKEN=$API_TOKEN" \
            "TEMPLATE_NAME=$TEMPLATE_NAME" "TEMPLATE_NAMESPACE=$TEMPLATE_NAMESPACE" \
            "TEMPLATE_LANGUAGE=$TEMPLATE_LANGUAGE" "TEST_PHONE=$TEST_PHONE" \
            "TEST_CUSTOMERNAME=$TEST_CUSTOMERNAME" \
            "TEST_TICKETNUMBER=$TEST_TICKETNUMBER" \
            "TEST_NEXTSTEP=$TEST_NEXTSTEP"; do
    val="${pair#*=}"
    if [ -z "$val" ] || [ "$val" = "___" ]; then
        echo "Missing configuration value: ${pair%%=*}" >&2
        exit 1
    fi
done

if [ -z "$PHONE_NORM" ]; then
    echo "Error: phone number has no digits after normalization" >&2
    exit 1
fi

URL="${API_BASE_URL%/}/${CHANNEL_ID}/sendTemplate"

# params carries body ONLY. Button text is fixed in the Meta template — no button param.

# {{1}} customer name → ${TEST_CUSTOMERNAME}
# {{2}} ticket number → ${TEST_TICKETNUMBER}
# {{3}} next step → ${TEST_NEXTSTEP}
read -r -d '' PAYLOAD <<JSON || true
{
  "phone": "${PHONE_NORM}",
  "template": "${TEMPLATE_NAME}",
  "namespace": "${TEMPLATE_NAMESPACE}",
  "language": { "policy": "deterministic", "code": "${TEMPLATE_LANGUAGE}" },
  "params": [
    {
      "type": "body",
      "parameters": [
        { "type": "text", "text": "${TEST_CUSTOMERNAME}" },
        { "type": "text", "text": "${TEST_TICKETNUMBER}" },
        { "type": "text", "text": "${TEST_NEXTSTEP}" }
      ]
    }

  ]
}
JSON

RESPONSE="$(curl -s -w '\n%{http_code}' -X POST "$URL" \
    -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
    -H "Authorization: Bearer ${API_TOKEN}" \
    -d "$PAYLOAD")"

HTTP_CODE="$(printf '%s' "$RESPONSE" | tail -n1)"
BODY="$(printf '%s' "$RESPONSE" | sed '$d')"

case "$BODY" in
    *'"sent":true'*) ok=1 ;;
    *) ok=0 ;;
esac

if [ "$HTTP_CODE" -ge 200 ] && [ "$HTTP_CODE" -lt 300 ] && [ "$ok" -eq 1 ]; then
    echo "Message sent to client."
    echo "API response: $BODY"
else
    echo "Send failed. HTTP status: $HTTP_CODE" >&2
    echo "$BODY" >&2
    exit 1
fi

Response and delivery status

HTTP 2xx and JSON "sent": true mean 1MSG accepted the message for sending — not that it already reached the customer's phone. Save the id field (looks like wamid.…) to correlate delivery callbacks.

200 OKResponse
{
  "sent": true,
  "message": "Sent to [email protected]",
  "description": "Message has been sent to the provider",
  "id": "wamid.HBgLMzgwNjM5..."
}
  • sent

    Accepted for sending — not yet on the customer's phone

  • id

    Store it; delivery callbacks and hookInfo are keyed on this

Delivery statuses and webhooks →

Common errors

StatusAPI responseCauseFix
200Message was not sent: template is not definednamespace, template or language is missing from the request body.Send all three. Take namespace and the exact template name from GET /templates; language is an object: {"policy": "deterministic", "code": "en"}.
200template name (…) does not exist in <language>The template is approved in a different language than the one requested.Use the exact language code the template was approved in (for example es_MX is not the same as es). Check it in GET /templates.
200Message was not sent: provide chatId, phone, bsuid, or usernameNo recipient the channel could resolve.Pass exactly one recipient: phone (country code plus number, digits only), chatId (for example [email protected]) or bsuid.

All error codes →

Common questions

Related

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