Intro

There is perhaps no moment as consequential for an app’s success as its error handling. Left unchecked, errors can ruin a user’s experience, or even worse, compromise their data. As such, it’s important that we analyze how different services handle their errors and learn from the successes and lessons of each.

Slack

The primary errors that Slack addresses are related to network connectivity. Their error handling is thorough, as they have several steps that you can take to try to troubleshoot. They also offer options to contact Slack support and download error logs, allowing you to escalate your issues if necessary. Overall, Slack’s error handling is optimized to get you back to productivity as soon as possible.

Uber

In a sharp contrast to Slack, Uber’s error handling is far less concentrated. Most of its messaging is vague and undescriptive, and it doesn’t provide any hints as to what might’ve gone wrong or next steps that users can take.

Bank of America

Bank of America’s error handling is a mixed bag. While its mobile app struggles with many of the same challenges that beset Uber’s app, the website is an entirely different story. There, you’re given the exact issue that’s causing your error, and multiple next steps to try to resolve it. If anything, BoA’s mobile team could learn a thing or two from the web team.

Conclusion

Although errors are common, many companies lack sufficient error-handling processes. Companies like Uber and Bank of America struggle with descriptive error messaging, leaving users frustrated and confused. Slack, on the other hand, serves as a shining example, pointing the user in the correct direction and even offering additional help along the way. By studying these practices, we gain a better understanding of how to right our wrongs.