Triage customer inboxes during earthquake-related service disruption

Define what the inbox can actually support

A shared inbox can become a source of confusion if its automatic acknowledgement promises normal service while staff are unavailable. After earthquake disruption, confirm whether anyone can monitor it and adjust expectations accordingly. Do not ask affected employees to remain reachable simply because customers can still send messages.

This is business-message triage, not emergency dispatch. The agency should not invite public requests for rescue, medical help or building assessments. Link relevant official guidance separately and direct emergency needs to the appropriate local services rather than improvising instructions.

Prioritize customer impact over sales potential

Sort messages by operational consequence: imminent appointments, active-client service problems, account changes, routine inquiries and new sales opportunities. An attractive prospect should not automatically outrank a client who needs an inaccurate appointment notice corrected. Keep the categories simple enough for a temporary deputy.

Assign one owner per message thread and use approved response language. Flag issues involving sensitive data or suspected security problems for the appropriate specialist rather than treating them as ordinary scheduling questions. Keep personal employee circumstances out of customer-facing explanations.

Use an inbox-triage worksheet

The example below records a business action, not a guaranteed response deadline. Review any contractual commitments separately and avoid assuming the same obligations apply to all clients or markets.

• Message: client asks whether an upcoming consultation will proceed.
• Category: appointment clarification; owner: available scheduling deputy.
• Verified information: original host unavailable; replacement not yet confirmed.
• Action: explain the uncertainty and offer postponement without pressure.
• Record: response timestamp, agreed next action and thread owner in the approved log.

Keep the queue honest during recovery

Do not mark a message resolved merely because a holding reply was sent. Separate acknowledgement, action pending and completed outcomes. If no qualified owner is available, record the limitation and escalate through the continuity process rather than making an unsupported promise.

As capacity returns, review the oldest unresolved items and reconcile any replies handled outside the shared inbox. Pause automated sales follow-ups where a person has already raised a service issue. Ready.gov's continuity resources support organizing and testing these responsibilities, while QuakeSmart encourages considering service alongside staff and systems. The suggested triage categories are agency operating choices, not an official emergency prioritization scheme.