How to Keep Customers Updated on Bug Fixes
A customer reports a bug. You fix it two weeks later. But the customer never finds out — they've already moved on or assumed you didn't care. This gap between fixing and communicating is where trust breaks down.
The Follow-Up Problem
Most teams fix bugs in their issue tracker and close the ticket. But the customer who reported it only knows if someone manually emails them. That manual step gets forgotten when the team is shipping fast.
The result: customers feel ignored even when you're actively fixing their problems.
How a Public Board Closes the Gap
A public Linear board with email notifications solves this automatically:
- A customer reports a bug on the board (or your team adds it)
- Other affected users find the issue and vote on it
- Your team works on the fix in Linear
- When the status changes to "In Progress," voters get notified
- When it moves to "Done," everyone who voted gets an email
No manual follow-up. No forgotten customers. The loop closes itself.
What to Show on the Board
For bug fixes, include enough context for users to recognize their issue:
- Clear title — "Login fails on Safari" not "Auth bug #4821"
- User-facing description — What's broken, not implementation details
- Accurate status — Backlog, In Progress, or Done
- Acknowledgment — A reply from your team confirming the issue is noted
Keep internal debugging details in Linear comments, which don't appear on the public board.
Beyond Individual Bug Reports
A public board doesn't just help with one-off bug reports. It shows your overall maintenance posture:
- Users see that bugs get fixed consistently
- New customers see an active board, which signals a healthy product
- Recurring reporters become allies who help you catch issues early
The Trust Dividend
When customers know you'll keep them updated, they report bugs more willingly. They trust that their time wasn't wasted. That trust compounds — they stick around, refer others, and forgive the occasional issue because they know you'll address it.