Why Utilities Must Monitor Social Media
Utility companies are notorious for being slow to adapt to new consumer behaviors, but the time is now for utilities in all sectors to create accounts and monitor social media activity on a regular basis. If you work for a utility that is already doing this, you’re in a place where the proverbial air is rare. But the vast majority of regulated entities are simply not there yet.
How to Manage and Monitor Social Media
Your customers are communicating about your company on these platforms, and therefore it is helpful to listen and engage them regularly. The social platforms that need to be monitored are Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube and Google Plus.
Someone in the company should be responsible for interacting with customers on these platforms. Some examples of this interaction might include:
- Handling social media customer service tasks
- Immediately addressing complaints and/or negative customer feedback
- Sending a note of acknowledgement to a customer who compliments the company
- Adding value to customers by providing emergency preparedness tips or other useful information
- Providing relevant company updates or news
- Providing advanced warning of large-scale events
- Tracking service interruptions and providing updates and other outage information
The most efficient way to monitor social media conversations is by setting up email alerts or investing in software programs that can automatically do the tracking. Various keywords, such as multiple iterations of the company name, can be used to trigger an alert. This way, the employee responsible to maintain and monitor social media activity can take quick action. That said, these software programs are not 100% perfect, so it will also behoove the responsible person to personally check the accounts at least weekly.
For more about the nuts and bolts of engaging utility customers via social media, click here.
