Recalling a faulty product is never a pleasant task. As Dell starts to withdraw some 4.1 million potentially hazardous laptop batteries, however, investors might do well to bear in mind the lessons learned from past calamities. The computer-maker has had its fair share of product recalls before. But the scale of this one is more evocative of cars or food items than consumer electronics.

Dell and its battery supplier Sony have certainly done well to move fairly swiftly. Voluntarily withdrawing millions of units on the back of just a handful of reported incidents in which batteries overheated might appear hasty. But, as in other areas of life, it is usually the perception of a cover-up that can cause the lasting damage.