I took it upon myself to take charge in the managers absence. I liaised quickly with team to see if we were all affected. I arranged for another team member to call the IT helpdesk and report the issue and get a timeframe for resolution.
I relayed the information from IT to the customers in a clear yet professional manner. I apologised for the obvious inconvenience caused and took names and numbers for those customers who didn't want to wait. I also offered alternatives to the customers affected by offering them appointments for later that week. I ensured that all follow up actions were completed and carried out.