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Love it or hate it, social media has taken a lead role in utility communications.
Utility social media accounts represent a fast, nimble communication channel, able to transform utilities from slow-moving, reactive behemoths to proactive, responsive communicators.Leveraging social media increases transparency with customers and builds higher customer satisfaction, engagement and loyalty.
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While most utilities have adopted social media, not all have invested in the same strategy. The following utilities were selected as the top utility social media accounts to follow. Reasons include:
Alabama Power’s Twitter account offers the best outage communications in the group. Customers are able to learn, down to the street level, what areas are impacted by outages and how many of their neighbors are without power as well. That’s what J&C calls powerful data with a purpose.
PSE&G demonstrates strong customer preparation and crisis management by using its social media accounts to keep followers informed of severe weather, common household safety tips and even local scams. The Newark-based power company developed industry-making best practices during Hurricane Sandy to stay in touch with residents. While the hurricane impacted the region, PSE&G had 22 people from its operations and communications teams working the company Twitter account for 15 hours a day for two and a half weeks. Over 17 days, the team sent more than 9,000 messages and the company’s Twitter account grew by almost 47,000 followers by the time the event was over.
DC Water fills the funny man role in J&C’s list of best utility social media accounts. Rarely does a utility take such a sassy attitude online, but DC Water is able to both amuse and inform its followers on Twitter and Facebook. Between the jokes are plenty of posts and images supplied from team members out in the field, fixing leaks, making infrastructure improvements and helping customers connect to the brand through the happy smiles of its employees.
Discover other ways DC Water and other utilities are driving effective customer engagement and increasing their positive reputation and customer program buy-in by downloading the 12 Powerful Examples of Energy Marketing eBook.
Duke Energy tops many best utility social media charts because of the quality educational content it provides its customers. By sharing its blog content across its social media accounts between outage and service alerts, customers are engaged to learn more about the many ways the company is empowering the local community
LADWP incorporates the use of video across its social media channels to educate customers about the various infrastructure and technology upgrades the team is undertaking. Complex infrastructure projects and their benefits are explained by the real men and women in the office and out in the field making things happen. The videos, coupled with regular service alerts, make LADWP’s followers informed and more engaged.
6. PG&E
PG&E has created an impressive presence on social media, using impactful visuals for notifying customers of service outages and keeping them up-to-date on the latest developments affecting coverage. On Twitter, customers can follow designated PG&E representatives who have active accounts and dispense more in-depth information based on their subject matter expertise.
Dominion’s social media strategy relies on posting helpful energy savings tips for residential customers and reminders about available online customer tools. Social media is an ideal strategy for helping increase customer adoption and engagement of many applications intended to help customers save energy or remain informed. Between these educational posts, Dominion has incorporated a series titled “A Day in the Life of a Line Tech” to engage customers with the individuals working hard to provide high-quality service.
Topics: Utility Industry
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