How to Handle a Site Outtage — FreshDrop Shows
Firm communicates well during database restoration.
It’s never fun when a subscription-based web service goes down. But FreshDrop ought to be applauded for how it handled a data problem the prior week. Other firms ought to take note.
Last Thursday Freshdrop President & CEO Tan Tran sent an email to clients stating that there was a database problem and data wasn’t being updated. The email stated:
1. What happened
2. What is being done to fix the problem
3. When the problem ought to be fixed
4. What the firm is doing to prevent this from happening in the future
There was also a notice on the Freshdrop web site.
Tran then sent two follow up status emails. Each one listed the seven steps the firm needed to complete to bring the database back to working order and the current status of each one. Future steps were noted with an estimated time of completion.
By effectively communicated with its clients, FreshDrop reassured them of how serious it was taking the issue. And Freshdrop is just a data service. I frequently see “more notable” services such as registrars and parking firms have serious issues yet communicate less effectively with clients.
