5 Practical Tips To Handle a CX MESS

Hi Squad,

Busy week, but a good one. Our WalkAway campaign broke records with well over one million organic impressions and a lot of internet chatter. 

Gonna be honest, though: I woke up on launch day with a pit in my stomach, having no clue if it would resonate.

Learnings? A campaign that hits on a real pain point will resonate more often than not. Oh, and folks love good hand-painted AF1 sneakers. 🙃

If you’d like a chance to win the walkaway sneakers, drop a comment on this post. I’ll be choosing a few of y’all to send over free sneaks!

Ok, let’s talk business.

This week, I want to talk about “Crisis CX”. As some of you may know, my early CX days were chaos, and I learned a ton about handling delays, broken products, missed expectations, and so much more.

Since then, it has helped me handle every crisis with simplicity and ease. 

I learned how to turn every crisis into an opportunity, and I want to share some of that with you.

Let’s get into it. 

This week’s newsie is brought to you by Particl. 

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Part 1: Navigating Sold Out + Pre-Orders: 

My first real CX job was at a luggage brand that launched on Kickstarter. By the time I joined in 2016, two years had passed since their 2014 campaign, and they had over 1,600 backers across 64 countries.

Almost all of them were frustrated and demanding refunds for the $433,684 they collectively contributed.

The fun part? All the funds had been allocated to R&D and production, with the remainder set aside for shipping. 🙃

Regardless of my personal views on the situation, I was hired to resolve it.

As a novice who had never done any sort of CX before, my hypothesis was quite simple:

People do not come to Kickstarter to buy nifty sh!t; they can visit their local mall for that. Kickstarter customers are excited to back an idea from its inception. They want to feel like they are part of creating the product and brand.

Customer updates until I joined were murky and contradictory at best. Customers smelled through the shadiness and were understandably nervous that the project wouldn’t be completed.

My proposed solution: Be overly straightforward. Like to the point where customers ask, “Did they really just share all of that?”.

Here is the first update I shared with customers.

Subsequent updates continued this approach—detailed, frequent, and honest—making backers feel informed and respected rather than strung along.

Here are the key lessons I learned about handling delays and pre-orders:

1. Radical Transparency

Earning trust is crucial, especially when dealing with delays. Clear communication about stock status and realistic timelines helps maintain customer trust.

Take Brēz or Lomi, for example. They do an excellent job selling pre-orders by clearly labeling out-of-stock products and displaying shipping dates prominently. This level of transparency maintains or improves conversion rates and likely boosts customer lifetime value as well.

Conversely, vague or hidden information leads to frustration and mistrust. Clear, proactive communication can turn potential issues into opportunities to build loyalty.

I love how Brēz tells a good pre-order story via email as well. It feels human, on-brand, and friendly. 

2. Over-communicate (but don’t be salesy)

During the luggage saga, consistent and honest communication turned around brand perception. Some of our most vocal critics in 2015 became repeat customers in 2018.

When customers are waiting, keep them informed without pushing additional sales. I’ve seen brands promise regular pre-order updates but then bombard customers with sales pitches instead. It’s a quick way to lose trust.

Frequent, honest updates without sales pressure help maintain trust and respect while customers wait for their products.

A little while back, I purchased an air freshener with a few weeks backorder and received many upsells while waiting. I hated every single one of them. 🙃

3. Set Realistic Expectations

Overpromising and underdelivering is a common mistake, especially with supply chain issues. It's tempting to promise you’re “almost back in stock,” but if you miss that mark, it creates a bigger problem.

Instead, set realistic expectations and aim to exceed them. Underpromise and overdeliver to build trust and customer satisfaction.

This feels incredibly simple but is rarely done right. 

Part 2: Turning Crises into Opportunity - Practical Tips for Crisis Management in CX

Now that we’ve covered the basics of transparency, communication, and setting expectations during crises, let’s dive into some practical tips on handling a CX crisis when it hits. Because, let’s face it, no matter how prepared you are, things will go wrong. 

Here are some strategies to turn a crisis into an opportunity and keep your customers loyal and happy when things go sideways:

1. Swift Acknowledgment

When a crisis hits, don’t wait until it is solved to acknowledge it exists. The faster you can address the issue, the better. Customers appreciate quick acknowledgment because it shows you’re on top of the situation, even if you haven’t resolved it yet.

The same goes for CSMs in SaaS, Front Desk staff at a hotel, etc. 

Example: If there’s a website outage or a significant shipping delay, send out a notification as soon as possible. A simple message like, “We’re aware of the issue and are working hard to fix it. Thanks for your patience!” goes a long way.

I’ve seen some great work from brands sending thoughtful follow-ups when Shopify goes down, or their site goes cuckoo during a hectic time, such as a product drop. Many even add a little push to purchase with a cheeky coupon code for the inconvenience. 

2. Empathy and Apology

Empathy is a powerful tool rarely used well in crisis management. A heartfelt apology can defuse anger and set a positive tone for resolution.

Brands often lean on some old, janky, canned response that removes all responsibility. Still, you can apologize for the hassle incident someone is going through without taking full accountability and having your legal team annoyed. 

Example: “I understand how frustrating this delay must be for you, and I am truly sorry. I can’t imagine you need any additional stress with your upcoming trip! I am checking with UPS to see what could have gone wrong and will do everything possible to make this right.”

3. Provide Clear Solutions

Once you’ve acknowledged the issue and apologized, provide clear solutions. Let your customers know your steps to resolve the problem and what they can expect next. 

Offer multiple solutions so customers can choose what works best for them. Putting the power in their hands, even if there is one great solution and the others are “eh,” having them feel empowered will immediately put them in a better place. 

Example: If a product is sold out after the order went through successfully, offer an alternate item, a refund, or store credit. It makes it easy for customers to choose their preferred option and facilitates the process smoothly.

4. Keep the Communication Flowing

Don’t go silent after your initial acknowledgment. Keep your customers updated regularly until the issue is fully resolved. Even if there’s no new information, a quick update to say you’re still working on it shows you’re committed to resolving the issue.

Very few companies do this well. Your customer should not be waiting days or weeks between updates. Even if you have no significant updates, check in to say you are still working on it, etc. 

Example: Send regular email or SMS updates about the issue's status. “We’re still working on resolving the shipping delays. We appreciate your patience and will update you with any new developments.”

5. Go the Extra Mile

In times of crisis, going above and beyond can turn a negative experience into a positive one. Small gestures like discounts on their next purchase, free shipping, or complimentary products can leave a lasting impression. 

The service recovery paradox is no joke. We’ve created the biggest superfans at OLIPOP when we fixed something badly broken (often our fault.)

That’s it for this week!

Any topics you'd like to see me cover in the future?

Just shoot me a DM or an email!

Cheers, 

Eli 💛

P.S. Looking for inspo on your next email/SMS campaign? 

I know you will love this.