Keeping Your Customer Base Happy Even In Crisis-Mode

Sometimes, the best way to learn is through an example of what not to do.

In May, Florida-based VyStar Credit Union shut down its mobile banking app for 48 hours to transition to a new platform. But 48 hours turned into a week and eventually, a week turned into a month.

The app and website were down for over a month and VyStar suffered because of it. The credit union’s stock took a huge hit and was steadily declining until its banking platforms were up and running again.

VyStar’s biggest downfall wasn’t the failure of their new app though, it was the way their representatives handled customer service. Several members have vowed to close their accounts following the incident – myself included.

So, what did VyStar do and what could they have done better?

Nobody likes talking to a robot

What VyStar did:

Since the app was down, I had to call a representative to move funds from my savings account to my checking account.

The phone rang for a few minutes before an automated voice picked up.

After not having access to my account for days, they wouldn’t even let me speak to a real person. Not that it mattered. The voice told me that because of the high volume of callers, no one would be answering me.

I wasn’t placed on a waitlist or told a time to call back – just hung up on.

Why this was a bad idea:

No one likes being rejected, let alone by a robot.

Not being able to get in touch with a service representative has to be one of the most frustrating things in the world. Though it may be easier for a company to have a robocall center, its customers won’t appreciate it.

VyStar should have prepared for a high number of callers once its mobile and online banking platforms went down.

Use social media the right way

What VyStar did:

I stalked VyStar’s Twitter account religiously, hoping for a useful update. To no one’s surprise, I didn’t get one. It wasn’t until I publicly aired out my frustrations that I received a response that was actually helpful.

VyStar also tweeted out its support phone number constantly, which I knew didn’t work. So, I replied to one of their tweets telling them about my experience.

Nine minutes later, I received a response from VyStar’s Twitter asking that I DM the account.

A VyStar representative asked me what I needed assistance with and had someone call me the same day.

Why this was a bad idea:

It shouldn’t have taken a public tweet to get help from VyStar.

When a company messes up this badly, customers should have no issue getting help when they need it – especially when it comes to their own money.

To me, it seemed like VyStar only cared about getting help to its members when its public image was threatened.

Keep the local news in the loop

What VyStar did:

Since VyStar’s Twitter wasn’t very helpful, I kept my eye on the local news, hoping for a solid update. However, the credit union seemed to shut out news outlets in the first week of its outage.

VyStar declined multiple news outlets’ requests for interviews, including News4Jax and the Florida Times-Union. The credit union released very little to the public and when they did offer new information, it was usually accompanied by a corporate apology.

Why this was a bad idea:

In a case like this, it would have been in VyStar’s best interest to be open with its members.

The credit union had a major slip-up and it caused panic among its members. No one knew if their money was safe or how to access it without walking into a VyStar building – which wasn’t an option for me.

Instead of pumping out commercial apologies and pushing its non-functioning support hotline, VyStar should have answered every question its members had.

By shutting out the news early on, it seemed secretive which caused rumors to spread. Some speculated that VyStar had become a victim of cyber-hacking, which caused more panic.

VyStar could have avoided this by keeping its members updated multiple times a day and being upfront about what was happening.

Bottom line:

Mistakes happen, but they have to be handled the right way in order to maintain a happy customer base. Let VyStar serve as an example of what not to do when your company enters crisis-mode.