Proactively communicating during operational issues is crucial. Silence during store outages or other issues leads to a backlog of customer frustration and distrust. Proactive communication through frequent updates, even if the issue isn't fully resolved, acknowledges customers' concerns and provides a pressure-release for potential dissatisfaction. This approach was validated when a Shopify store faced a 3-hour payment failure. Frequent updates helped maintain customer goodwill and limited refund requests to under 5%, compared to over 20% in a past silent incident. By making systems for crisis communication integral, operators can prevent the decay of trust.