Implementing Social Media to Communicate with Your Customers Chris M. Gent Kissimmee Utility Authority APPA Business & Financial Conference September 16, 2009

About KUA Founded in 1901 Florida’s sixth largest municipally-owned utility Provides service to 62,000 customers 325 employees Corporate Communications department budget has been cut by nearly 50 percent this year

In tight financial times, communications expenditures are often the victim of a utility’s reduced budget.

That's why we need to be creative in how we communicate with our customers.

Definition of Social Media Social media describes a set of Internet tools that enable shared community experiences, both online and in person. Social media tools make it easier to create and distribute content and discuss the things we care about. It’s simply about joining a conversation!

Resistance Don’t understand it Government/corporate America often moves slowly Resistant to change Fear of the unknown Don’t want to leave anyone behind

Obstacles Lack of technical expertise Corporate firewalls that restrict access Lack of personnel policies to govern employee use Liability

Benefits Customer communication Employee communication Recruitment Training Conversation! What happens if you don’t listen???

What One Person Can Do Dave Carroll Lead singer in Canadian band ‘Sons of Maxwell’ Traveling from Halifax, Nova Scotia to Nebraska via Chicago’s O’Hare Airport

What One Person Can Do Baggage handlers damaged his $3,500 guitar Bad customer service experience After nearly a year of frustration, Carroll promised to write and post three songs on YouTube First song released in July: 5 million+ views Second song released in August

What One Person Can Do REFRAIN United... You broke my Taylor guitar. United… Some big help you are. You broke it, you should fix it You're liable, just admit it. I should've flown with someone else Or gone by car 'Cause United breaks guitars.

What One Person Can Do The video, produced for just $150, achieved 4.6 million views within its first three weeks on YouTube, including 21,000 comments Within four days, United's stock price plunged by 10 percent, costing shareholders $180 million. (They could have purchased 51,000 replacement guitars!)

Bottom line: Social media levels the playing field for your utility and your customers!

Social Media Tools Research –Survey Monkey, Zoomerang Communication – , Constant Contact, Facebook, Twitter, Google Maps, TinyURL, bit.ly Multimedia –YouTube, Vimeo, Flickr Collaboration –Blogs, Google Groups

Monitor Google Alerts Technorati Wikipedia

Recruitment/Training Use the RSS reader in your Internet browser and subscribe to blogs about HR and recruiting Set up content watchlists in Twitter Join groups on LinkedIn and contribute to the conversation Start a YouTube channel with training videos

Communication How-to and energy conservation videos on YouTube Information sharing, outage updates on Twitter Photos, videos and information on Facebook

Media Relations Photo and video sharing –Flickr Mapping –Google Maps Twitter

How to Use Them If you’re not using them now, at least reserve your organization’s name for future use.

Go out and join the conversation today!

Thank You! Chris M. Gent Vice President of Corporate Communications Kissimmee Utility Authority w c twitter.com/chrisgent