CSM Lessons from the Worldwide CrowdStrike IT Outage

Hakan Ozturk⚡

Jul 20, 2024

∙ Paid

The recent CrowdStrike incident on July 19, 2024 is a tough reminder of the key role CSMs play during crises.

It all started as a routine configuration update.

But then escalated into what some are calling the "largest IT outage in history".

Part 1/2

The Unprecedented Scale of Impact

The ripple effect of this outage was immediate and far-reaching:

Airlines grounded flights, causing widespread travel chaos
Banks experienced service interruptions, affecting millions of customers
Hospitals faced scheduling system failures, impacting patient care
Retailers grappled with payment processing issues and frustrated customers

According to CrowdStrike's official statement, the issue affected Windows operating systems. that is a large majority of all systems worldwide.

The company has since identified, isolated, and deployed a fix for the defect.

Communication Strategies for Crisis Management

For CrowdStrike's CSMs, this crisis means managing massive customer concerns and frustrations.

This is why building powerful strategies for communicating with customers is key.

Here are the ones to focus on during such challenging times in the future:

Transparent Communication

Create a dedicated status page with real-time updates.

For example:

"As of 10:00 AM EST, we've identified the root cause and our engineering team is working on a fix. We expect to deploy the solution within the next 4 hours."

Focus on Solutions

Share a clear action plan.

"We're implementing a three-step process:

Isolate affected systems,
Deploy the fix,
Verify system stability.

We'll update you at each stage."

Empathize and Listen

Building empathy is key.

Use phrases like:

"I understand your frustration and I’m sorry about it.”

This approach is key for managing difficult customer expectations.

Leveraging Internal Resources

Collaborate with your technical teams to get clear, explanations of the issue.
And then provide solutions without any corporate jargon.
Work with your marketing team to craft consistent messaging across all communication channels.
Engage with your product team to understand the roadmap.
This will help prevent similar issues in the future.

These cross-functional collaborations are fundamental to managing crises.

Long-Term Crisis Management

Document all customer interactions and pain points for post-crisis analysis.
Identify opportunities for process improvements in your crisis response.
Prepare a post-mortem report to share with customers. this will show transparency and your commitment to doing better.

Check out these best practices for preventing churn and maintaining customer trust.

Rebuilding Trust

Schedule follow-up calls with affected customers.
Discuss the incident and your company's response.
Share detailed plans for preventing similar incidents in the future.
Offer extra value or services to affected customers as a goodwill gesture.

These steps are key for rebuilding customer relationships after a crisis.

Take Care Of Yourself

Managing such a global crisis is tough.

But you can’t handle it for your customers if you’re not taking care of yourself, first:

Take short breaks to recharge between difficult calls.
Practice stress-management techniques like deep breathing.
Stay hydrated and keep regular meals.
Reach out to colleagues for support and shared experiences.

Maintaining your well-being is key to supporting your customers.

Looking Ahead

As the dust settles, there will be time for thorough analysis and lessons learned.

But for now, know that your efforts are making a real difference.

You're the unsung heroes.

You work hard to build customer relationships during such challenging periods.

A crisis is temporary.

Your dedication and professionalism help rebuild trust and strengthen long-term relationships.

To all the CS pros at CrowdStrike:

We see you, we appreciate you, and we're rooting for you.

Keep up the incredible work!

Share Your Experience

Have you experienced similar issues in the past?

Share your experiences or strategies in the comments section.

Your insights could help others tackle similar challenges.

For more on tackling CS challenges, check out my Ultimate Guide to Customer Success Managers.

Part 2/2

Exclusive Insights for Premium Subscribers

Advanced Crisis Management Techniques

Exclusive to my paid subscribers,

I explore advanced crisis management techniques in the 2nd part, including:

Psychological Strategies for Customer Engagement

Learn how to use psychology to calm and reassure customers during a crisis.

I explore the following:

The "Acknowledge, Align, Assure" method for instant rapport building
How to use "future pacing" to instill confidence in your resolution timeline
The power of "contrast framing" to put issues into perspective

Building a Resilient Customer Success Team

Discover strategies to build a resilient team capable of handling crises.
Learn how to run regular crisis simulation training and reduce burnout risk.

Leveraging AI for Crisis Management

Understand how AI tools can help you manage crises in a more efficient way.
Use predictive analytics, AI-powered chatbots, and sentiment analysis to improve crisis response capabilities.

Case Studies of Successful Crisis Management

Get insights from three case studies of renowned tech companies that navigated major crises with success.
Learn from their experiences and apply these lessons to your own strategies.

Upgrade now to access my exclusive insights.

And take your crisis management skills to the next level!

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