How you keep shining when the lights go out

It starts with an outage in your own home. Then it turns out the entire street is affected. Next, the neighborhood, the city… and eventually the whole country. What initially seemed like a minor inconvenience quickly escalates into a national crisis. In such situations, it becomes painfully clear how fast we shift from comfortable routines to total dependence on digital infrastructure. And often, it reveals just how unprepared we are. The mobile phone, usually our lifeline in emergencies, doesn’t work because the network is down. Internet is unreachable, and cash is scarce. No communication, no transactions, no information. Then what? Recent events in Spain and Portugal demonstrate the importance of preparation. While almost all shops were closed due to the power outage, one supermarket continued to serve its customers. Thanks to a backup power supply, they could still process card payments. The result? A flood of customers, happy faces, and a strong competitive advantage during the crisis.

Customer services are no longer reliant solely on telephony. Email, chat, social media, and apps are all part of customer interactions. But when the internet and power fail, all these channels disappear at once. And it’s precisely telephony that customers turn to for urgent questions, such as during a crisis. The availability of this channel can make the difference between satisfied customers or reputational damage. A good communication plan can even turn a negative situation into something positive. Vodafone demonstrated this years ago during a nationwide outage. Instead of anger, sympathy arose through open, quick, and personal communication via platforms like YouTube. Transparency and empathy create calm and understanding among customers.

In Spain, it became evident that when digital means fail, people automatically fall back on their surroundings. Information was shared through neighbors, acquaintances, and conversations on the street. Where technology fails, human interaction prevails.
Travel organizations, on the other hand, have experience dealing with unexpected situations like volcanic eruptions or political instability. A good approach: a pre-prepared playbook, contingency pages, and smart call routing with SMS updates. This way, you maintain control, inform quickly, and keep calm in your contact center.

Solutions like “Bring Your Own Carrier” give organizations the flexibility to quickly switch to alternative platforms during outages. By separating the management of phone numbers from cloud services, you’re better protected against disruptions. This independence allows businesses to keep their customer service operational, even if parts of the chain fail. However, technical flexibility is only one part of a resilient approach. Equally important are a clear playbook, well-defined internal procedures, and an empathetic communication strategy toward customers. The ability to communicate quickly and sympathetically during a crisis, combined with practical preparations, determines whether an organization can manage chaos or gain extra trust.

A solid continuity plan contains multiple layers: technical backups, alternative workplaces, redundancy in communication channels, and a strong communication plan. Especially in crisis situations, your preparation determines whether customers leave or become more loyal. So, prepare not only for the outage itself but, more importantly, for its impact. Because when the lights go out, you want your business to keep shining.