Service Evolution In the Southern Region Mark Fox Tom Bradshaw Southern Region Headquarters

Talk of Change  Lots of Talk About Change  “Simple” Ideas have come a long way Thumb drives, Internet, MP3sThumb drives, Internet, MP3s Not Around 10—15 years agoNot Around 10—15 years ago  How Does the NWS Prepare for the Future ?

Evolution of Service  ConOps Implementation deals with infrastructure  SRH Vision of the Future deals mainly with service  Where are we in terms of providing service ?  SSD / CWWD project to find out

Types of Services  Communications  Training  Forecast Process  Digital Services We Focused on Weather Information Communications During Hazardous Weather

Methodology  Phone Calls to WFOs / RFCs Talked mainly with WCMsTalked mainly with WCMs  Some MICs  HICs 10 – 40 minutes with each10 – 40 minutes with each  Discussion went as far as the office would take it  Some discussed all aspects, most did not  All talked about impact weather communication services

Questions  Who are the core partners for your office?  What is your “best” service you provide to your core partners?  How do you track services information?  Does your office participate in: Conference calls?Conference calls? IM (why or why not)IM (why or why not) Graphicasts?Graphicasts?  Would you be participating with IM if it were more easily available?  What do you do at your office that should be made available elsewhere?  How involved is management in hazardous communications? Do the forecasters brief, or is it just management.  What are your office’s future plans?

Core Partners  Who are the core partners for your office? WFOsWFOs  82% Emergency Management & Media  18% Emergency Management Only  100% Emergency Management RFCsRFCs  100% WFOs / Water Districts / COE CWSUsCWSUs  FAA / Pilots / WFOs

What is Your “Best” Service ?  50% Direct and Personal Communication Specific Mention of “Hand Holding”Specific Mention of “Hand Holding”  15% Conference Calls  10% Special Web Page  10% Briefings  6% Warnings and Statements  3% Graphical Forecasts  3% Instant Messaging  3% Customer Workshops

Conference Calls ?  Wanted to know whether or not offices were performing conference calls during local / sub-regional hazardous weather 94% Yes94% Yes 6 % No6 % No

Instant Messaging ?  Wanted to know whether or not offices were using instant messaging with media customers during local hazardous weather 42% Yes42% Yes 58% No58% No

Graphical Forecasts ?  Wanted to know whether or not offices were using graphical forecasts (other than PNG maker) for hazardous and/or non- hazardous weather. 56% Yes56% Yes 44% No44% No

Why Do This  To Go Forward, We must know where we are  Assumption that Service Evolution has begun and is in full swing Led by Local OfficesLed by Local Offices  Not a Regional thing…This is going on throughout the Weather Service

Bottom Line  Each office mentioned the need for a continual and constant relationship with local customers  Each office understands their local customer needs and are tailoring their services to meet those needs