Here are some basic things that will help people from getting upset during a patch:
1. Update a test server before actually running the update on the rest of the servers. This way you can find the bugs and problems so the install on the regular servers goes smoothly.
2. If you think the update is going to take 4 hours, don't schedule the update for 4 hours. Assume that there will be issues that you might have to overcome and give yourselves a fudge factor. It would be better to say 6 or 8 and finish in 5 instead of saying 4 and finishing in 5. That makes you look incompetent. Especially when you have failed on numerous events, bugs from eons ago are not getting fixed, and 95% of the updates have run long.
3. Don't update the twitter feed at the time the patch is supposed to be done. You already know that it is not going to be done on time and should have been able to figure it out before time is up. Again, this makes you look incompetent.
4. We all know there have been personnel issues. If you want the best game around you need to hire the best people around. That means paying them top dollar to leave where they're at to join you. Judging by the amount of issues I think it's safe to say that there needs to be some restructuring.
5. Lastly, give the people that send you money each month something to say your sorry for the inconvenience. We are the ones that essentially keep you employed. It gets old to see the same bugs and problems that have yet to be fixed, especially when you know they have been reported. Also, responding to tickets should not take a month.