CX Emergency Playbook

Break this glass in case of an emergency (everything you need)

Sep 18, 2025

Hi Team!

Two quick updates.

1. I left my house last week for the Beanstalk conference and hate to report that it was not too bad. Might leave my house more in the new year.

2. I announced last week that I am leaning into my biggest nightmare and networking a bit more. I am choosing one new person each week to connect with. Like Lucy from One Trick Pony said, “the internet version of trading a paperclip until I get a house.”

But in my case, until I lose my damn mind.

Oh, well.

This week might be the most practical newsletter I will write this quarter. I get 2–3 calls a week with someone saying they have a “CX nightmare,” and 90% of the time, it’s the same exact crisis. And weirdly enough, my success rate is 100% to date.

So instead of waiting for your call, let me arm you to resolve your CX crisis before it even gets here.

Ready? Let’s dive in.

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It Always Starts the Same Way

Someone texts me that they're in a mess, then calls to explain how they oversold their entire inventory, their subscription shipments are stuck somewhere in Ohio, or they accidentally shipped 500 units with lids that don't close.

Sometimes it's all three because they're just that good at business.

I've had this conversation maybe 50+ times, and I can tell you exactly what happens next. Three days of internal Slack debates about whether to email customers. Someone suggests hiring a temp agency. Someone else floats giving everyone free product to "make it right."

All of this while customers are out there writing one-star reviews and telling their friends you're a disaster.

Here's what actually works.

Send One Real Email

If people are mad and your inbox is full, you missed prevention, but you can still contain it.

Send a plain text email from the founder, not "Customer Support" or "The Team." The actual person who runs this thing and should be taking accountability.

Skip the novel about your supply chain and make it sound like deeply care and are on top of it.

Hi [First Name],
I wanted to reach out personally and explain what's happening. We ran into a production issue that's delayed your order, and I'm honestly frustrated with how this went down. I've been at our fulfillment center all day working directly with our suppliers to figure out a good way to get your order to you as soon as possible.
I don't have all the answers yet, but I'll update you in the next 48 hours with a concrete timeline. This isn't the experience we want for you, and I'm sorry we're in this spot.
Thanks for your patience while we sort this out. I will report back ASAP.
[Founder Name]

Most people calm down after this. Not everyone, but most. The real fear isn't the delay, it's radio silence and the fact that they are forgotten about.

Remember, the bar is so damn low. Most brands promise dates they know are unrealistic just to get the sale, and customers have PTSD. 😵‍💫

I've watched teams debate whether to "wake sleeping bears" while the bears are already up, telling their friends. This kind of message stops most of the noise. Doesn't fix the problem, but it stops the spiral and will shush 50% or more of the chaos.

Fix Your Robot Responses

You sent the founder note, but tickets keep coming. Now I see mistake number two: templates that sound like they were written by someone who hates taking accountability. A nameless, faceless entity.

Real example I got once:

Hi there, Thanks for reaching out. We're so sorry your item was affected. We're working to resolve this and will keep you updated.
Customer Experience Team

Nobody reads that and thinks "they care." It reads like nobody read my message. It reads like a bot, an automated response.

You need macros that sound human. Rule: say "I", not "we."

Hi [First Name],
Sarah here, founder of [Company]. I jumped into our email inbox today to personally apologize for the hassle and delay you're dealing with. Our whole thing is treating customers like family, and it's clear we fell short here. I'm deeply sorry about that.
I've been working directly with our fulfillment team to get this sorted. Here's what we're doing to fix it: we're expediting replacement units, and I'm personally overseeing every step. You'll have tracking info by end of day tomorrow.
This isn't the experience we want for you, and I'm committed to making it right.
All the best,
Sarah

Even automated, it shouldn't feel automated. You won't build loyalty with generic apologies. Sound like you read their message and actually care.

Don't Panic Spend

This is where everyone reaches for the credit card.

I've seen $50K thrown at temp support just to close tickets. Or hundreds of free products shipped out of fear.

Feels right in the moment, but usually it isn't.

Someone spending $100 on your product probably doesn't want free stuff. They want to feel like a real customer instead of ticket number 847.

Skip the product dump. Send that email, fix your macros, and respond like you understand the urgency.

If you offer anything, give options. Refund, reship, or credit. Let them pick. Control matters.

But don't throw product at people because you're scared. They'll forgive delays. Silence and BS, not so much.

Catch It Earlier Next Time

By the time you have 1200 angry tickets, you have already lost.

Most brands have zero early warning system. You need pattern recognition that works.

Ten complaints about one SKU in a day? Someone looks. Words like "broken" or "leaking" spike in mentions? Team gets pinged. Agent flags the same issue twice? Someone listens.

Simple Slack channel works. Call it #cx-alerts or whatever. Just need somewhere for warnings to land without friction.

Also keep a founder apology draft saved. Writing that while everything burns is not the move.

So Yeah

I get the same call multiple times a week and somehow I'm still surprised when people act like this is quantum physics.

Send the founder email. Fix your macros. Give people actual choices. Build some kind of early warning system so you're not calling me next month with the same crisis.

And maybe don't hire 20 temps or send everyone a free case of product because you're having feelings about customer satisfaction scores.