Escalation processes ensure that the provider and the organization can coordinate quickly and effectively during incidents. "A clearly defined escalation process ensures that incidents are handled swiftly and with the appropriate level of authority, particularly when working with cloud service providers." - CISM Review Manual 15th Edition, Chapter 4: Incident Management, Section: Cloud and Outsourced Incident Response* ISACA practice questions reinforce that escalation processes are critical when collaborating with third parties in incident management.