Proactive strategies to aid customer support during cyberattacks

Customer support is the human face of a brand — the touchpoint that can elevate or diminish a customer’s experience. 

So, it’s no surprise that 89% of consumers are more likely to purchase again after a positive customer service interaction. They don’t just solve problems; they build loyalty. 

When the worst happens, like a cyberattack, getting customer support right becomes even more critical. After a breach, customers want immediate answers on why the breach happened and what private personal information (PPI) was at risk. They also want to know that it won’t happen again.    

Failure to act quickly and transparently can tarnish your brand reputation, leading to loss of customer trust, negative media attention, and long-term financial impact. Research shows 65% of data breach victims reported a loss of trust in an organization following a breach. 

Make sure your customer support team is a proactive participant in protecting and rebuilding your organization’s reputation with these strategies.  

Proactive customer support strategies to combat breaches 

Make sure their role is clear before incidents happen 

Customers don’t want to learn that their credit card was compromised by a brand when scrolling through their social feeds. Legal teams and customer support teams both have important, complementary roles here.  

Legal must immediately assess the scope of the breach and determine the type of regulatory response required. That will impact how to notify affected customers. Legal must work to then notify affected customers, regulators, and, in some cases, law enforcement within a certain window of time. Failure to do so adds more fuel (such as fines and negative sentiment) to the fire.  

The customer support team assumes the role of “the messenger.” They promptly acknowledge the issue to customers through dedicated channels in a non-technical manner and answer questions with empathy and transparency. Updating FAQs and sharing regular updates helps put customers’ worries at ease. In the case of an extreme breach, customer support can escalate specific issues to legal for a quicker resolution.  

It’s a good idea to consider what else customer support teams can offer customers to show your organization cares about security and privacy. Target has been lauded for the way it bounced back from a breach. The support teams offered free credit monitoring and identity theft protection services to those impacted by a breach. They also turned their support services into 24/7 hotlines to respond to the influx of calls and concerns.  All of this served to rebuild trust. 

Offer continuous security training for support teams and customers 

Bad actors are finding more ways to exfiltrate data through customer support teams. According to research, 70% of organizations cite customer service as a major vulnerability in their security strategy. This is largely due to support teams falling for tactics like phishing, where an attacker may be impersonating a customer.  

Offer customer support teams a library of hands-on resources like videos, blogs and interactive modules to make them aware of their vulnerabilities. Oftentimes, phishing simulations or regular incident response drills can put them through the motions of what a “real” breach looks like so they’re ready to react proactively.

Cybersecurity is a two-way street. Support teams can also offer customers resources to safely communicate with support agents like themselves — flagging what they should and should not share and being mindful of using an encrypted channel. Regularly layering updates and quick tips into company communications and social campaigns keeps cybersecurity top of mind for customers.  

This sort of knowledge sharing builds trust and shows that you respect your customer’s well-being instead of just the transactions.  

Use AI to elevate your relationships with customers 

We’ve heard a lot about how AI can assist organizations to spot and prevent cyberattacks. AI also helps support teams assist their customers faster and in more personalized ways. AI agents can handle the “easy” questions and calls and sentiment analysis identifies when humans need to be brought in for more complex scenarios. It can also fast-track helpful content, product recommendations, and gather and analyze feedback to help with preventative measures in the future.  

Quality customer support is about building and maintaining trust with customers. After a cyberattack, people need that human connection more than ever. Support teams can help turn tough situations into positives by keeping customers informed and reassured their data is safe. Prioritize proactivity and invest in the right mix of tools and training so your customers know they’re protected.