A Wren Says

“We’re sorry that our site experienced some technical issues recently, which may have disrupted your shopping experience.”

It was an email from a brand I had shopped before, but not recently. In the midst of the Crowdstrike outage, the recognized that their shoppers were affected by their own site issues. As a result, they looked through their list of all their previous shoppers and reached out. “We’re sorry.” And added to that, they offered a discount code to use on the site. Yesterday I wrote about the PR backlash Microsoft was enduring because of this crisis and what a brand can do to protect their image, even when the events weren’t their fault. That email was an example.

I have to admit, I did not have any shopping plans at all while the online retail world was in chaos. But that small gesture made me reconsider. Beyond my own shopping impulses, the messaging conveyed the kind of relationship that I want with a brand. To be valued and cared for and not treated like a commodity.

Sometimes managing a crisis is more about managing the relationships with the clients and partners who are most important to you. The personal touches, direct messages, and highly individualized responses play a role in how people see you. It may be called public relations, but don’t think that all the work needs to be done publicly. You’re not just speaking to publics; you’re speaking to people. Find your way to do that well.