Social media offer utilities new ways to connect

"Tweets," 140-character messages, are just long enough to send and receive outage reports or announce customer meetings. (Artwork by Twitter)

Using social media, Internet communities are changing the way businesses and organizations talk to—or rather, with—their customers.  While bill stuffers, newsletters and local newspaper ads still reach large swaths of ratepayers, utilities that don't join in the online conversation risk having their message being co-opted or overlooked entirely.

According to a 2008 Cone Business in Social Media Study, almost 60 percent of Americans interact with companies using a social media tool, and 25 percent interact more than once per week. The study also found that 93 percent of Americans believe a company should have a presence in social media, and 85 percent believe companies should use it to interact with consumers.

Yet businesses have been hesitant to wade into communications channels they don't own. Nevertheless, with so many people discussing their experiences with companies online, utilities have a major opportunity to harness social media to get closer to customers.

How sites are used

One thing holding utilities back from getting involved in social media is that many aren't sure what purpose the different forms of "social networking" might serve in business. Those who use computers mainly for work, checking e-mail and looking up movie times may find a little background on the most popular sites helpful.

• Facebook and MySpace are free-access social networking sites where users may post messages that appear on their friends' "pages" as well as their own. Interactions on both sites tend to be more social than professional. However, special interest and community groups and elected officials are increasingly using Facebook to spread news and to organize meetings and events.

• LinkedIn stands out as being a professional, rather than primarily social, networking site. Utilities can use this site for business-to-business functions, such as finding service providers, collaborating on projects, discussing issues and recruiting employees.

• Twitter, the hot site of the moment, allows users to send short messages of 140 characters or less known as "tweets." A utility might use Twitter to promote public meetings, news and new Web pages, briefly answer customer questions or communicate with customers during outages, since people can receive tweets on cell phones.

• YouTube is a video-hosting service where individuals can upload video clips for other users to view and comment upon. Businesses are using YouTube to demonstrate products or talk about services. You can also put links on your Web site to YouTube videos that address issues of interest to your customers, or reinforce your utility's message. Watch how The Light Pong Masters make turning off the lights cool, or how Man & Cow civilly discuss our mutual responsibility for climate change.

• A Web log, or blog, provides commentary or news on a particular subject—your utility, for example—with brief stories, images and links to other news resources and blogs. It differs from an online newsletter in that it is updated more frequently, and generally allows visitors to engage with you by commenting on the content. Sites like WordPress allow businesses and individuals to set up blogs without in-house IT support.

Challenges abound

The openness that makes social media such a potentially valuable business tool also makes it vulnerable to disruption—of the message and the technology.

Best practices for business involvement in social media are still evolving.  Most social media sites have posting policies and offer screening tools to prevent abusive or off-topic comments. But don't ignore or evade appropriately-worded posts about subjects you would prefer to avoid. Keep in mind that social media tools are about dialogue and interaction. If you simply regurgitate the information on your company Web site, you lose the opportunity to guide the conversation and worse, risk alienating customers.

Technological disruptions may be more difficult to manage. Software and screening policies can help to filter out spam, viruses and hackers, but none are foolproof. A business that wants a social media presence should ask if it has the savvy IT support needed to combat disruptions—and if that is how the IT department should be spending its time.

Educate yourself

Clearly, there is a lot a utility must consider before embracing social media: What format serves your communication needs? Is that where your customers are? Do you have the staff to support it? Do they have the necessary communication and technology skills?

The last question may ultimately answer itself as young people with a "lifetime" of online social experience move into the workforce. But you don't have to wait to make social media part of your communication plan—there are plenty of resources to teach you how to get your business connected.

Start by downloading Customer Services Meets Social Media: Best Practices for Engagement, a complimentary white paper from Right Now Technologies. This report offers an excellent overview of using social media in a business setting.  Next, hone in on the utility industry with Social Media for Utilities, a forum where utilities share information and lessons learned about venturing into the social media world.

The APPA Business & Financial Conference, in Savannah, Ga., Sept. 13-16, is offering session on how utilities are using Facebook, Twitter, IMs and blogs. If you can't make the conference, an Internet search is likely to turn up training opportunities closer to home—including online workshops.

Utilities should not let the wide-open nature of social media deter them from joining the conversation. Try thinking of it as a community meeting, where your members come to talk about their needs and offer suggestions for new programs and services. It might get a little rowdy, a little passionate, like any gathering of unique individuals with a multitude of opinions. But ultimately, social media tools are another way to connect with your community, and that is something public power providers understand.  

Resources

2008 Cone Business in Social Media Study

Facebook

MySpace

LinkedIn

Twitter

YouTube

Resources (cont.)

The Light Pong Masters

Man & Cow

WordPress

Right Now Technologies

Social Media for Utilities

APPA Business & Financial Conference

Related articles

Energy Services Bulletin, September 2009
Blogs, RSS feeds provide steady stream of news, feedback

Right Now Technologies white paper —
Customer Services Meets Social Media: Best Practices for Engagement

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