Microsoft also had to contend with public backlash. While the company clarified the extent of the outage and provided guidance on workarounds, the extended disruption highlighted vulnerabilities in relying on third-party cybersecurity solutions. Businesses ranging from media outlets to government offices felt the sting, grappling with operational downtimes and financial losses that experts estimate could balloon into billions of dollars.
Unlike Delta’s backlash, Microsoft’s was a mixture of frustration and memes, with many joking that while Windows products weren’t working, somehow Microsoft Teams still was. This, in addition to multiple memes about the blue screen of death, made it absolutely impossible to hide from the outage.
CrowdStrike’s response
CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz faced considerable scrutiny for delivering an apology that some felt was insufficiently forthright or empathetic. Critiques emerged almost immediately, with individuals like Lulu Cheng Meservey of PR firm Rostra taking to Twitter to rewrite his response.
These critiques pointed to a need for a more heartfelt and transparent acknowledgment of the distress caused.
On Sunday, CrowdStrike chief security officer Shawn Henry issued a personal and heartfelt apology encapsulating the gravity of the situation and the company’s commitment to rectifying its mistake:
This statement is a model of what effective crisis communication should look like. Henry’s message is powerful because it:
Acknowledges the issue: Henry starts by admitting the failure openly, a crucial first step in regaining trust.
Expresses sincere apology: The apology is genuine and heartfelt, reinforcing the company’s accountability.
References past authority: By highlighting his and the company’s prior successes and dedication, Henry reminds stakeholders of the contributions that have cemented their trust over the years.
Makes a personal connection: The message is personal and reflective, which helps build an emotional connection with the audience.
Commits to action: By promising to learn and grow from the incident, Henry positions CrowdStrike as committed to continuous improvement and reliability.
This response can’t and won’t be the last; the core response needs to be how the situation was resolved and what measures are being taken to prevent this from occurring again. Trust must be rebuilt from the ground up, and while this apology is a great start, it needs to be followed up with action to make sure customers stay.