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Crisis Communication Templates

System: 09 Support Operations
Context: Use these scripts during service disruptions to maintain trust and control the narrative.
Tone: Transparent, Empathetic, Action-Oriented.

1. Major System Outage (e.g., LMS Down)​

Email / Social Media Post​

Subject: [Urgent] Update regarding access to [Course Name/Platform]

Hi [Name],

We are currently experiencing an issue with [Platform Name] that is preventing users from logging in/accessing course materials.

Our team is aware of the issue and is working directly with the provider to resolve it as quickly as possible. We know this disrupts your learning schedule, and we sincerely apologize for the inconvenience.

Current Status: Investigating Next Update: We will provide an update in [60 minutes] or as soon as service is restored.

Thank you for your patience.

The TTDTTD The organization managing this documentation. Team

Chat / Support Ticket Reply​

Hi there,

Thanks for reaching out. You are likely writing in because you cannot access the course platform right now.

We are currently experiencing a system-wide outage with our hosting provider. Our team is on it! We expect to be back online shortly. I will keep this ticket open and notify you the moment it is resolved.

Apologies for the interruption!

2. Billing Error / Accidental Charge​

Email Template​

Subject: Correction regarding your recent invoice #[Invoice Number]

Hi [Name],

We noticed a billing error occurred on your account on [Date]. You may have seen an incorrect charge of [Amount] or a duplicate transaction.

What happened: [Brief, honest explanation, e.g., "A sync error between our payment processor and invoicing system caused a duplicate charge."]

What we have done: We have immediately initiated a full refund for the incorrect amount. You should see this reflect in your bank statement within 5-10 business days, depending on your bank's processing times.

Your subscription/access remains active and unaffected. We have implemented a fix to ensure this does not happen again.

We apologize for the stress this may have caused. Please reply to this email if the refund does not appear by [Date + 10 days].

Best,

[Your Name]

3. Data / Privacy Incident (General Precaution)​

Note: In the event of a severe breach, consult legal counsel before sending specific details.

Initial Notification​

Subject: Important security notice regarding your account

Hi [Name],

We are writing to inform you of a security incident that may have involved your account information.

What happened: On [Date], we detected unauthorized activity on [System]. We took immediate action to secure our systems and block the unauthorized access.

What information was involved: [List specifically: e.g., "Your email address and name. No passwords or credit card information were accessed."]

What you should do: As a precautionary measure, we recommend you reset your password for [Platform]. If you use the same password on other sites, we recommend changing it there as well.

What we are doing: We are conducting a full investigation and have enhanced our security monitoring.

We take your data security incredibly seriously and deeply regret this incident.

Sincerely,

The TTDTTD The organization managing this documentation. Security Team

4. Internal "Code Red" Notification (Slack/Teams)​

Channel: #general or #emergency Message:

🚨 INCIDENT ALERT 🚨 Severity: High Issue: [LMS is down / Payment Gateway Failure] Impact: Customers cannot login / Sales are failing. Owner: [Name] is leading the response. Action Required:

  • Support: Use the "System Outage" canned response.
  • Social: Pause all scheduled posts.
  • Sales: Do not send payment links until further notice.

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