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Answer a service credit request after downtime

After an outage some customers ask for money back. A reply that states the facts, the policy and the decision keeps trust better than a slow or vague one.

Last reviewed

Acknowledge the impact

Say the outage hurt their work before you discuss money.

Check what actually happened

Look at the incident record for start, end and which features were affected.

Apply your policy

Compare the downtime with your uptime promise or credit terms.

State the decision plainly

Say whether a credit applies, how much and when it will appear.

Offer something when no credit applies

If it is outside the policy, consider an apology note or a small goodwill gesture.

Share what you will change

A line on the fix or the follow-up review shows you took it seriously.

Questions

Should we give credits automatically?

If your terms promise them, yes. Otherwise handle each request on its facts.

What if the customer says it lasted longer?

Share your record and ask for their timeline. Adjust if they show real impact.

How do we avoid many requests?

Post status updates during the outage and a short follow-up afterwards.

Written by Flatdesk, a help desk for small support teams at one flat price per agent. Try it free for 14 days, no card.