Customer Product Communications
Writing Personalized Customer Notifications for Service Interruptions
This prompt helps marketing teams draft personalized notifications to inform customers about service interruptions or outages. It focuses on clear, empathetic communication, providing reassurance, and offering next steps or resolutions to maintain trust and satisfaction.
Responsible:
Marketing
Accountable, Informed or Consulted:
Marketing, Customer Success, Communications, Operations
THE PREP
Creating effective prompts involves tailoring them with detailed, relevant information and uploading documents that provide the best context. Prompts act as a framework to guide the response, but specificity and customization ensure the most accurate and helpful results. Use these prep tips to get the most out of this prompt:
Gather accurate details about the interruption, including scope, timeline, and resolution efforts.
Identify customer segments most affected by the issue.
Determine appropriate communication channels based on the urgency and nature of the interruption.
THE PROMPT
Help draft personalized notifications to inform customers about a [specific service interruption, maintenance, or outage]. Focus on:
Headline and Tone: Crafting a headline that is clear and empathetic, such as ‘We’re Experiencing an Issue’ or ‘Important Update on [Service Name].’
Explanation: Providing a concise overview of the issue, its impact on the customer, and what’s being done to resolve it.
Call-to-Action (CTA): Suggesting actions customers can take, such as visiting a status page, contacting support, or accessing alternative resources.
Reassurance: Including a message that reassures customers, such as estimated resolution times or a commitment to keeping them updated.
Channel Strategy: Recommending the best channels to deliver notifications, such as email, SMS, or in-app messages, based on urgency and customer preferences.
Provide example drafts tailored to [specific service or audience] and ensure the message maintains trust while being informative. If additional details about the issue or audience are required, ask clarifying questions to refine the communication.
Bonus Add-On Prompts
Propose methods for linking service notifications to real-time updates on a dedicated status page.
Suggest ways to personalize messages based on customer impact, such as tailoring content for specific regions or user segments.
Highlight techniques for following up with a resolution message and compensation offers, if applicable.
Use AI responsibly by verifying its outputs, as it may occasionally generate inaccurate or incomplete information. Treat AI as a tool to support your decision-making, ensuring human oversight and professional judgment for critical or sensitive use cases.
SUGGESTIONS TO IMPROVE
Focus the notification on proactive updates for scheduled maintenance rather than unplanned outages.
Include recommendations for adding alternative solutions, such as temporary features or workarounds.
Propose ways to integrate automated notifications with customer support tools, like Zendesk or Intercom.
Highlight tools for monitoring customer sentiment post-notification to gauge effectiveness.
Add tips for writing apology or compensation follow-ups after prolonged disruptions.
WHEN TO USE
During unplanned outages or disruptions that impact customers.
To communicate scheduled maintenance and its expected impact.
When reinforcing transparency and trust through proactive updates.
WHEN NOT TO USE
If the issue is minor or doesn’t directly affect customer experience.
When the resolution plan is unclear or still in development.