Reply: Outage or Known Issue Update (Proactive)

Purpose: keep many affected customers informed with one consistent, honest message during an outage, delay or known problem.

Use it when: a problem affects many customers at once (site down, payment errors, shipping delays from a warehouse or weather, a widespread bug).

Goal: every affected customer gets the same accurate update on a fixed schedule, and the queue does not flood.

Version: v1.0

Before you send

Tier 2 or the lead has opened a master ticket and linked affected tickets
Facts confirmed by the client: what is affected, since when, any workaround, next update time
Wording approved by the client (required for outages and anything public)
Update schedule agreed (for example every 2 hours until fixed)
One person owns sending the updates

The flow

1. First update (as soon as the issue is confirmed)

You: Subject: Update on (ISSUE IN PLAIN WORDS) Hi (CUSTOMER FIRST NAME), We're currently having a problem with (WHAT IS AFFECTED) that started at (TIME AND ZONE). Our team is working on it now. What this means for you: (IMPACT, for example "you may not be able to check out" / "your order may arrive 2 to 3 days later than shown"). What you can do now: (WORKAROUND, or "nothing is needed from you"). We'll send our next update by (TIME AND ZONE), even if it's not fixed yet. We're sorry for the disruption. (YOUR NAME), (COMPANY NAME) Support

Why it works: what, impact, action and next update time. No guessing, no technical detail.

2. Progress update (on schedule)

You: Hi (CUSTOMER FIRST NAME), An update on (ISSUE): (PROGRESS IN ONE SENTENCE). (WHAT IS STILL AFFECTED.) Next update by (TIME AND ZONE).

3. Resolved

You: Hi (CUSTOMER FIRST NAME), Good news: (ISSUE) is now fixed as of (TIME AND ZONE). (WHAT THEY SHOULD DO NOW, for example "you can check out as normal" / "your order shipped today, tracking: (TRACKING LINK)"). (If approved:) To say sorry for the trouble, (GOODWILL GESTURE). Thank you for your patience.

If a customer was financially affected (failed payments, double charges)

Handle their individual case separately using the Billing Error reply, and link it to the master ticket.

If a customer replies angrily to the update

Reply personally using STEER. Do not just send the update macro again. Confirm their specific situation and when they will hear next.

Objections and tricky replies

Customer says	You reply
"When will it be fixed?"	"I don't have a confirmed time yet, and I don't want to guess. You'll get our next update by (TIME AND ZONE)."
"What caused it?"	Share only what the client approved: "It was caused by (APPROVED EXPLANATION)." Or: "Our team is still investigating. We'll share more once it's resolved."
"I want compensation."	Follow the client's outage policy. Escalate requests outside it.

After you send

Internal note on each linked ticket:

Linked to master ticket (MASTER REFERENCE). Update (NUMBER) sent (TIME AND ZONE). Next update due (TIME AND ZONE).

Tags: outage or known issue, issue name. Status: On-hold until resolved, then Solved after the final update.

Never do this: never guess causes or fix times, never blame a supplier or partner by name, and never post or send outage wording the client has not approved. Inconsistent messages during an outage do more damage than the outage.