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Write a status page update people actually read

During an outage people check the status page before they email you. A short, honest update answers their question and keeps your inbox quiet. A vague or late one does the opposite.

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Say what is affected first

Open with the thing customers care about: which feature is down and who is affected. Leave the technical cause for later, or for the write-up after the incident.

Investigating: admit what you know

A good first update is two sentences. We are investigating problems with sign-in. Some customers may see errors. We will post another update within 30 minutes. Promise a next update time and keep it.

Identified: name the cause in plain words

Once you know the cause, say so without jargon. We found a problem with our email provider and are working on a fix. Add what customers can do meanwhile, if anything.

Resolved: confirm and apologise once

Say the service is working again, give the time range and apologise in one sentence. Tell people what to do if they still see a problem, and link a contact route.

Keep the tone steady

Avoid blame, hype and promises you cannot keep. Short and calm updates build more trust than long ones. Use the same wording in your saved replies so email and status page agree.

Update on a schedule

Silence reads as trouble. Post at the cadence you promised even when there is nothing new, and write it as no change, still working on it. Then link the page in your auto-reply.

Questions

How often should I post during an incident?

Pick a cadence you can keep, such as every 30 minutes, and say it in the first update. A short no-change post beats silence.

Should the status page explain the technical cause?

Keep it plain and brief during the incident. Save the full explanation for a write-up afterwards, once you are sure of the facts.

Do I still need saved replies if I have a status page?

Yes. Some customers will email anyway, and a saved reply with the same wording as the status page gives them a consistent answer.

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