Human Interest – Page 5 – Taylor Made Solutions, Inc.

10 Ways to Avoid Looking Like a Jerk When Using Email

January 27, 2014/0 Comments/in Communications, Human Interest, Management/by Heather-Anne MacLean

We all know people who would rather email than pick up the phone or even walk down the hall to talk to someone. Heck, if I am being honest, I have even done that. Sometimes it is done through laziness other times it could be to CYA. C’est la vie, right? For the most part, yes; however, there are times that the answer is no. So, here are 10 ways to avoid looking like a complete jerk when using email:

Image courtesy of www.bubblews.com –

10. Use “Reply All” Judiciously

Not every email needs to have everyone on the distribution list or even an entire string. It is good etiquette to acknowledge that some information is for information only. On top of that, it is good practice to acknowledge that email is moving to a smaller distribution list who can and will and act on the issue(s). When more information is ready, the entire group will be added back to the email distribution. Being up front and transparent about actions is important.

9. Understand the “To” and “CC” Fields

Think about who needs what information and when. For example, many people don’t realize that when sending an email and using the “To” section, you are actually looking for feedback or input from that person or persons. Using the “CC” section is to ensure that you are providing information to people so that they are in the know, but not necessarily for response.

If you are CC’ed on a message you do not need to respond if you don’t have something to add or contribute. People often feel that they need to respond to all email even when CC’ed. The fact is, you don’t.

8. Double Check Spelling and Grammar

To err is human and everyone makes mistakes from time to time in what they write and heck even in speech. Despite this, mitigate the damage and do good proof read.

7. Work to Keep Email Short

Ever receive an email and see paragraph after paragraph and think…”Do I really have to read all of this?” Sure you have. If you feel this way, think about others and avoid having your audience dread your email. If you are about to recite War and Peace, it might be better to call a meeting.

6. Format Email

Make it easy for readers. Don’t blend all content in one long paragraph. Break it up with spaces, bullets, etc.

5. Have a Large Attachment to Send? Ask first

Some organizations restrict the size of incoming email. It is best to ask in advance if there could be an issue and/or if they would prefer to receive the information via another medium.

4. Know When Not to Use Email

If your email could be perceived as alarming, punishing or angry, it would be best to pursue other communication channels. For example, ask yourself if it would be better to meet in person to help put the issue in context and to be able to answer questions/concerns immediately.

3. Avoid Using All Caps

I am surprised that some people still don’t know that using all caps is the equivalent to yelling at someone, but it would appear that this is the case. In a few instances when people have sent me an email with sentences written entirely in caps, I called to ask what I had done to cause the person to yell. The person who sent the email was completely surprised that I took it that way and was only intending to draw more attention to a particular sentence.

2. Know When to BCC Others and Use Caution

When sending out a mass email to people it is best to BCC the entire distribution list. This helps protect people from unwanted return emails or in some cases, protects privacy.

Where it becomes really tricky is when a person responds to someone and BCCs others in order to make the another person look back or to CYA. It only takes one “Respond to All” by the person who was BCCed or a conversation to realize that there is a trust issue at hand.

1. Respect People

It goes without saying that you should not put anything in an email that you wouldn’t want a third-party to read. That being said there are some expectations by the sender that the receiver will not respond and include others in the email, except in certain circumstances:

Some acceptable times to include others in an email distribution that they were not originally cc’ed on include:

You have changed jobs and the person sending the email is looking for assistance based on your old role
A person is looking for help or advice in a particular area and as a result sent an email asking if you know of someone who could assist
The originator of the email is looking for contact information for another party.

These are three examples where cc’ing another party is completely acceptable. In each case, the person responding would include the third-party and offer an explanation and/or introduction.

Some examples of when it is not acceptable and makes you look kinda like a jerk include:

A person in authority sends an email looking for information and you respond sending the information, but include others. In this case you should let the person in authority determine if and when another will get the information. There could be a very good reason that the person was not included in the original email.
A colleague sends an email and either has inaccurate information or missing information and you respond correcting the person and cc their boss.
The sender of the email has or is looking for information from you and in your response you cc the entire department and/or management.

In all these cases, the person who responds and adds others to the email really comes across as trying to make the other person look bad.

What has been your experience with email? Have any items to add to this list? Disagree with any? We would love to hear from you.

How Eating Haggis Makes You A Great Lover, Scholar and Business Person

January 25, 2014/0 Comments/in Human Interest/by Heather-Anne MacLean

You have heard Mike Myers say, “If it isn’t Scottish, it is CRAP!” And on top of that, Arthur Herman wrote and entire book: “How the Scots Created the Modern World: The True Story of How Western Europe’s Poorest Nation Created Our World and Everything in It.” So, what is it about this great nation that enabled us to enjoy the things that we do. Well, it all comes down to the Haggis. Think about it. No one else was eating it, but the Scots. It contained all the nutrients and food value to get you through the cold and damp weather. So, yes, I believe that Haggis can make you a great lover, scholar and business person.

Image courtesy of thefabulousreport.com

Aye…don’t be so squeamish! If you haven’t tried Haggis, you honestly don’t have any idea what it tastes like. Therefore, before deciding you think it is gross, I ask you the following question:

Have you ever had:

calves liver?
headcheese?
sweetbreads?
foie gras?
escargot?
lobster?

The items on this list are sought out by many who either believe that they are the best tasting morsels anywhere and/or true delicacies. I have tried everything on this list and I have to say that haggis tastes better than a lot of them. Yup! Haggis tastes BETTER!

If you have tried these foods, then get off ye high horse and acknowledge the fact that many are actually kinda more gross than what people perceive Haggis to be.

The Scots are a hearty lot that have preserved and prospered. This means that their population has not only continued to grow in Scotland, but the Scots have invaded the world. Even with the Highland Clearances, our lot has thrived. Thus, they must be great lovers.

The Scots invented the modern world bringing advances to education, healthcare, transportation and much more. These have all lead to business advancements and new inventions. Thus, the Scots are great scholars and business people. Don’t believe it? Give Arthur Herman’s book a read.

So, you will excuse me now while I go make an order for some Haggis. I seem to have an hankering for a wee dram and some good ole Haggis. Yum! And, oh yes I would be remiss if I did not wish you a wonderful Robbie Burns Day!

10 Ways to Avoid Looking Silly on LinkedIn

January 22, 2014/1 Comment/in Human Interest, Human Resources, Social Media/by Heather-Anne MacLean

LinkedIn continues to grow in popularity and is used by more recruiters than any other tool right now. While you might not be looking for a job, you might want to use LinkedIn to enhance and maintain your personal brand. But the question is: where do I start? Or, I have a profile, but don’t seem to be getting anywhere, what am I doing wrong? Here are 10 ways to avoid looking silly on LinkedIn:

Image courtesy of swishdesign.com.au

10. Not Completing Your Bio

Be sure to put substance in your profile. Don’t just list your employer. Actually give context about “what” you do and “what” you are responsible for. Don’t be afraid to show some of the professional interests that you have.

9. Talking about Yourself in the Third Person

I have to admit that practitioners find this odd when people do this. This is your profile. You own it and maintain it. I don’t know many people who speak about themselves in the third person when having a normal conversation. So, the question is, why in the world would you choose to do that with your LinkedIn Profile? Advice: don’t. It is that simple.

8. Not Using Recommendations Correctly

Like connection requests, giving LinkedIn Recommendations should be carefully considered. Remember, Recommendations are public and visible on your profile as well as the profile of the person for whom you have written the recommendation. Sure you can manage visibility, but why bother giving a recommendation if you aren’t willing for it to be public. You have to manage and develop your personal brand. That being said, not giving anyone a recommendation also sends a message and not a good one.

7. Over Sharing

Depending on your contacts and your network, the level of sharing will vary. It is important to remember that LinkedIn is not like Twitter or Facebook. Sharing one or two really good pieces of content/advice a day would be more than appropriate. I only share a couple of pieces of content per week, but tend to like or comment more on the content shared by others.

In addition, LinkedIn is not the place to share what you had for dinner, where you are going on holidays, etc. Remember that this is a professional networking site. Keep it professional.

6. Not Using Groups Appropriately

Groups are a great source to make connections and learn from others. It is important to join groups that you have some interest or connection with. Be sure to contribute to the conversation when you have something to add. Don’t use it as a source to spam people with your services and/or products. It is also important to be professional.

5. Don’t Show Your Birthday

Some practitioners might disagree with me on this one, but this is not Facebook. Why in the world would you show your birthday on a professional network? Are you looking for birthday wishes? Do you really want that level of personal detail available to your entire network, the public and possibly recruiters?

4. Connecting with People When There is No Obvious Connection

Choosing whom to connect with is something that people should give great consideration. Different people have different criteria for who they accept when new people reach out to them. Some for example, will only accept LinkedIn connections from people that they know well and are in their respective industry.

Others, including myself, will accept LinkedIn connections from people in my industry as long as they are connected to other people I know. I do not connect with individuals whom I don’t know and there is no obvious connection. I also don’t accept connection requests from people who either don’t have a photo of themselves and/or it is a logo or some other odd image.

3. Spamming People

One of the greatest pet peeves that I have, and I know that others feel this way too, is having someone ask to connect with me and then when I do, they start spamming me with:

Vote for me to win or be recognized for X
Endorse me for X
Recommend me for X
Buy my product and/or service

I did not accept your connection to be bombarded with requests or sales pitches. If you want to ask a question or have a conversation, that is one thing. The action or reaction you will likely get from me is a disconnection.

2. Not Having a Professional Photo

Ensure that you actually have a photo for your profile. You should even go one step further and have a professional photo. The photo should only be of you and not you and your significant other and/or a buddy. This is YOUR professional profile.

1. Not Being truthful

Remember that this is a public profile and someone will call you out for using a more important title and/or claiming that you had a team of 50 professionals reporting to you when you in fact had no direct reports.

Of course there are other things you should/should not do. And, if you still have questions, let me know.

Sex, Drugs & Rock n’Roll? How About Smart Technology, Ethics and Privacy?

January 21, 2014/0 Comments/in Communications, Human Interest, Marketing, Social Media/by Heather-Anne MacLean

Sure, sex sells and drugs and rock n’ roll still elicit a raised eye brow from many, but I have a question that is much more important to the masses. Are we really ready for where smart technology – specifically related to appliances – is taking us? Do we have the ethical issues identified? What about privacy policies for vendors, industry ethical standards, laws and regulations? Have we really thought out the implications and considered the ramifications?

Image courtesy of digitaltrends.com

It has been less than a week since a refrigerator has been identified as the source of more than 100,000 spam email. Seriously…yes, a fridge was used to spam people. It was spam this time, but my point is that someone was able to get control of the computer in the appliance – a fridge that was located in someone’s home or business. We have been so focused on virus protection and firewalls for our computers, mobile phones and tablets, but what about all this great new technology that is already in our homes and yet to be in our homes – fridges, microwaves, and even diapers – I kid you not diapers.

Technology is emerging so quickly that we just can’t keep up with the implications and ramifications. Regulators and legislators are still struggling to catch up with social media and all the issues around privacy that have emerged. Ethically, we are still working to deal with online bullying and distribution of child pornography as well as what rights employees have to privacy, and the rights of employer to access to social sites and information of their employees.

This is not to say that all this technology is not great. Just the opposite actually! I love technology and the things that it can do for us. Technology has enabled us and empowered us to reach wider audiences and to have a voice. Prior to social media, individuals didn’t really have this ability…not without a lot of expense and time. Additionally, I believe that there is some great work being down with Smart Grid technology with a significant focus on protection and privacy.

The issue for me around all of this smart technology in terms of appliances is really centred on who is the gatekeeper? Who is helping identify all of the potential land mines that come with having access to so much personal data? Who is ensuring that the right people have the information versus protecting it from the wrong people? As more and more smart devices enter our homes, there are countless companies that will have access to our activities including food and drink preferences and consumption, brand preferences and by extrapolation spending habits, when and what rooms we use and how, the frequency of cleaning and on and on and on. In addition, who has the access and power to take control of our devices ( and information) and use it they way they want to use it? Can our access be cut off?

As we become increasingly dependent or reliant on our technology, how long will it be before we are rendered incapable of caring for ourselves? What are we doing as individuals to ensure that we protect our data, our privacy and our ability to think for ourselves?

What are your thoughts on having “smart” devices in your home? Are you ready to jump in with both feet?

Will 2013 Political Antics Result in an Abysmal 2014 Edelman Trust Barometer?

January 10, 2014/0 Comments/in Communications, Human Interest, Human Resources, Influence, Management/by Heather-Anne MacLean

Like many in the Marketing, PR and business world, I am anxiously awaiting the 2014 Edelman Trust Barometer. Will the bizarre political antics of 2013 result in abysmal results when the 2014 Trust Barometer is released? (Tweet this) Time will tell.

This is a question on the minds of many. And, quite frankly it should be. Organizations whether privately owned, publicly traded or even government-based, trust is becoming more important. Having the social license to operate is based on the foundation of trust. The same goes for those individuals (and organizations ) who wish to influence policy or purchasing decisions. Members of the C-suite (or senior government) and Marketers in particular should pay close attention to the results of the Trust Barometer and here are 5 reasons why:

1. Investments

Over the years there has been a shift in the types of organizations that individuals want to associate with or invest time and/or money. (This also applies to geographic locations. See #3.) They want trustworthy organizations that are perceived to be doing the right things. If you are publicly traded you should be very interested to know where your industry falls within the barometer.

2. Recruitment & Retention

Whether you are recruiting for your Board of Directors or your workforce, trust plays an important part in how your industry or profession is perceived.

If overall your industry is not faring well, it could impact your recruitment efforts. With this knowledge however, your C-suite and Marketing professionals can take steps to differentiate your specific brand and business. With some careful planning, work, a lot of consistency and proper employment branding, it is possible to stand apart from the industry and be the bright light.

3. Business Expansion

There is a lot of consideration given to business expansion and the choice of geographic location. Businesses tend to stay away from areas or regions that don’t meet workforce planning requirements of skills, education, or demographics. They also careful in locating in areas that have a questionable economic position.

More importantly though, managers that understand that reputation management is the single greatest risk that keeps Boards of Directors awake at night (as outlined by CIMA), and a country or region that has been identified as lacking trust will most certainly impact site location. While some may not consciously realize that they are including this in their assessment, it is a contributing factor. It relates directly to the region’s ability to attract and retain quality people.

4. Employee Engagement

As BlessingWhite findings have shown us time and time again, engaged employees stay for what they can give versus the unengaged employees who stay for what they can get. This should be a huge red flag for employers, including governments. With reduced budgets, having the right people in the right frame of mind has never been more important.

The question for employee engagement should be: if an industry has been identified as lacking trust, how does this trickle down to the organization? The 2013 Trust Barometer found that on average employees were more trusted than CEOs when delivering information. Add to that the gap in how the C-suite values the importance of treating employees well and there are significant concerns.

5. Spokesperson Selection

The Trust Barometer should be carefully referenced when thinking about corporate spokespersons. Are CEOs the most trusted? Are subject matter experts the most trusted? Or, is the average employee the most trusted?

And just what were some of the political antics of 2013? Let’s take a look at a few (in no particular order):

In the United States:

Mayoral Race in New York
Snowdon Leaks and the associated fallout
Healthcare Debate
Healthcare Rollout
“The” Government Shutdown

And, really for the first time we can’t forget Canada. A country that usually has super boring politics saw a year when things went spinning out of control with media coverage focused on three key stories:

Senate Spending Scandal – This is really several stories with Duffy, Pamela and Patrick. After months of suspense and intrigue, the soap opera would just not go away. And, into 2014, the story will continue.
Quebec Charter of Values – Apparently in Quebec some feel that it is more than ok to merge Church and State. Or, more appropriately, the State can/will tell you what you can wear or not wear to work and in public. Next, they will tell you what language you can speak or not…oh…wait a minute…never mind.
Mayor Ford of Toronto. That’s it. That is all I need to say about this. Of all the stories, this one was very well covered by the media, the late night shows and satirists everywhere. Everyone knows about Mayor Ford.

What is your take on Trust in 2014? What do you anticipate we will see?

3 Tips Smart Content Marketers Can Learn From Downton Abbey

January 8, 2014/0 Comments/in Communications, Content Marketing, Human Interest, Influence/by Heather-Anne MacLean

If you haven’t heard of Downton Abbey by now I am not sure what you have been doing. I dare say that each of us who work in content marketing would love to have the audience that Downton has achieved. In fact, according to Entertainment Weekly the Season 4 premiere on PBS was up 22 percent over premier of Season 3. So, what is it that makes this show so riveting? And, are there lessons to be learned? There are definite lessons that content marketers can learn from the success of Downton. Here are 3:

Image courtesy of www.26.org.uk

1. Be a Good Storyteller

This is probably the most consistent message you will hear about content marketing. Some marketers are better at it than others. I continue to work at this. Sometimes I hit the mark. Sometimes I do not.

We can all take some tips from Julian Fellowes. Just watching the show has given me ideas. It is enough of a break from the same-old-same-old that my mind can think about new and fresh ideas.

2. Don’t Blend In

In a sea of so-called reality TV of Housewives, singing contests and storage/pawn-a-thons, Downton Abbey is clearly different. The characters are actors being actors and not people pretending that they aren’t following some contrived storyline. The characters have depth versus one-dimensional and predictable personalities.

When creating content we all follow the prescribed approach don’t we? Create a list – just like I have done here. Ensure that it relates to something timely and topical – just like I have done here. However, we to stop there. We don’t think differently. Fellowes really demonstrates that being completely different from the norm or the expected, resonates with the audience.

3. Create Suspense

This might be the biggest challenge for content marketers. We tend to write independent stand-alone pieces. We only have your attention for a short time after all. However, if done well, this might be a great opportunity. This could be the best way to shake up your audience and you certainly won’t blend in with the rest. This will be an area that I explore. How can I create suspense? And, will I be successful?

These are just three areas that content marketers can look to Downton Abbey for inspiration and learnings. What would you add to the mix?

3 Ways to P!$$ Off Your Customers – Keurig Canada Customer Service #Failure

January 6, 2014/0 Comments/in Communications, Customer Service, Human Interest, Influence, Management, Marketing, Social Media/by Heather-Anne MacLean

Customer service is not something that you expect some of the time. Customers expect good customer service all of the time – period – full stop. Great customer service is what sets a brand apart from its competitors. Unfortunately, some companies are failing at customer service – both traditional AND social. Even more unfortunate is the specific epic #failure of Keurig Canada. Here three things we can learn from this bad experience.

The Issue

For the first time I opted to buy my coffee online direct from Keurig Canada. This is not a complicated process. Create an account, select the coffee you want, check out and pay for it. Check, check, check and check. All was well up to and including the confirmation email receipt. This email stated that I would receive another email when shipped. Days passed, no email. A week passed, no email. More days passed, no email. I checked on line. What did I find out? My payment was taken, but yet there was no status on my shipment. In fact under delivery date, it said: “N/A”. I made my original order on November 30th. After approximately two weeks, I called. In total I called three times. Each time I waited on the line for close to an hour and still could not reach a human. An option was given to leave a message. I left a message with my name and telephone number and asking about delivery. No one returned my call. I emailed Customer Service as well. No one ever responded. I resorted to social media and did get a response and a call from the main location in the US. Unfortunately they were unable to help. They couldn’t see my order because I was in Canada. They were fantastic. In fact, I want to stress that when dealing with Keurig in the United States, their brand representatives are among the best. I love dealing with them. Cross the border and well, that is a different story. Dealing with Keurig in Canada is painful at best and enough to make you rethink your coffee machine purchase. Keurig Canada’s customer service is a failure.

So, how can your business excel at customer service – both traditional and social? Here are 3 lessons learned from Keurig Canada’s epic #fail:

1. Understand the Brand You Represent

It is incumbent on all organizations to ensure that all employees, and particularly customer-facing employees, know and understand your brand – the brand values, voice and how to actually live the brand. If you are going to outsource parts of your operation, this is even more important. It only takes one person to hurt your brand and reputation.

Keurig Canada failed to understand the brand. Their website states the following: “Keurig” is derived from the Dutch word for excellence, which is our standard for everything, from our patented brewing technology to our gourmet brands of beverages and our customer service.”

Keurig Canada if you believe that not returning phone calls and/or email which you specifically point your customers to as a communication channel is “being excellent,” I beg to differ. This is NOT excellence. Failing to keep your customer informed is a fail.

2. Staff Your Customer Channels

There is no question that certain times of the year more busy than others. The business cycle should not come as a surprise. Staff for it. Keurig in the US was able to answer and respond to calls. Their population base is larger. They have more customers. They were staffed appropriately. Jump on a plane and get schooled by the Keurig experts at your head office. Please!

3. Rethink Your Processes and Actually Make Changes

Clearly there was an issue and Keurig Canada realized it. I received notification that there was an issue with unusually high volumes and therefore they were offering a free box to make up for it. Good on them, sorta! This is an opportunity for a second chance. Unfortunately, they have failed yet again. Not only did they require that you make a minimum purchase, it has now been a week since my last order. Guess what? For days there was no information. My delivery date said: N/A. I checked today and my order apparently shipped yesterday. I have not received the verification email that they promise. So, the question is: has it really shipped? I could call or email, but based on my previous experience, I will pass.

What’s Your Experience?

These three items are three easy fixes. If you value your customers, establish processes to avoid these missteps. The next step is mine. Will I continue to be a Keurig user? Or, will I sell my machine and go another route? I am not certain just yet, but I can tell you that I am seriously evaluating next steps.

So, what is your customer service experience with Keurig? Would you choose another coffee system? I would love to hear your thoughts.

It’s Dec 26th – 20 Updates to Make to Your Profiles

December 26, 2013/1 Comment/in Human Interest, Influence, Management/by Heather-Anne MacLean

Not everyone is recovering from Christmas Day or enjoying Boxing Day, so this is a great time to look at your social media profiles. It is an even better time to update your profiles so that they are top-notch for 2014. Here are 20 updates that you can do this week:

Forgo pet pics for your avatar – image Courtesy of soundcloud.com

Twitter

Update your Avatar – This is your Twitter profile. Why not use a good photo of you? Be recognizable.
Add your location – I love knowing where people are that I am connecting with. I am not alone in this.
Complete your Bio – I tend not to follow people who share nothing. This is social media after all and it is about building relationships. If you can’t share anything about who you are…you seem unfriendly.
Make Use of the Header – This is a great way to show more about who you are. Use it. Don’t leave it blank. That is just boring.
Add a URL– Add your blog or website URL. Again it is about sharing more about who you are.

Facebook

Understand Different Features – For example, if you use Facebook for both personal and professional purposes, you may wish to make use of different lists for your friends, colleagues and business associates.
Complete your “About”section – Fill this section out with as much information that you feel comfortable sharing. Remember that you can set your security settings to share with friends only.
Set your custom URL – Go to http://www.facebook.com/username/ and get your custom URL for your personal page and/or any pages that you administer.
Update your Avatar – When is the last time you updated your Avatar? And…forget the cat pics.
Have a unique cover photo – Standing out in a sea of social profiles is something that people usually want to do. Having a custom cover photo shows personality. Have fun, but remember that it is public and anyone can see it. Don’t be Stupid – Social Media Can Get You Fired.

LinkedIn

Photo – This is definitely the place that you want a professional photo. This is your living resume and brand. This is your time to shine. Sharing a photo with another person is just weird and confusing.
Be sure to get your custom URL – Like your photo this is important. This helps in searches.
Complete your summary – This is probably one of the biggest misses for people using LinkedIn. This can be your elevator pitch. Keep it short, accurate and punchy. Whatever you do, don’t write about yourself in the first person. That too is just weird!
Get Recommendations – This is a great opportunity to showcase your skills and accomplishments. The fact that others take the time to write you a recommendation speaks volumes. When people prepare recommendations for others, it says just as much about that person as it does you. People do not enter into recommendations lightly.
Highlight & Describe your Experience – Another faux pas that people make repeatedly is only listing their jobs, and not outlining their experience. Even if you are not looking for a job, this is your time to showcase your experience. People use this information when recruiting for Boards of Directors, mentors and more.

Google+

Think about SEO – Don’t over do it on keywords. That won’t really get you a higher SEO rating. The unique algorithm used by Google will likely look at your variations on the same keywords as spam.
Use a Good Avatar – This is a consistent message of this blog. We all like to see who we are connecting with. Some might think it fickle, but it is reality. Go with it.
Select a Solid Cover Image – Like in Facebook and Twitter, choose a good quality image. Grainy images that are distracting is not the image you want for your brand – be it personal or business.
Get your custom URL – This is still “relatively” new. If you are able to get your custom URL, do it.
Complete your About section – This should be a no brainer after reading the tips above. It also applies to Google+.

These are just some tips for improving your profiles. They don’t take long, so why not use this “quieter” time of year to update your profile. You will have a head start on the New Year!

3 Critical Communication Tips Utilities Need During Storms

December 24, 2013/0 Comments/in Communications, Customer Service, Human Interest, Influence, Management, Social Media/by Heather-Anne MacLean

Blizzards, hurricanes, tornados, flooding — you name it and these weather events can wreak complete havoc on our electrical grid, leaving thousands and sometimes tens of thousands of customers without power.

Image courtesy of the weathernetwork.com

Most utilities, but not all, do a great job of getting the preparedness message out to customers in advance of the storm, and really strategic utilities have made the move to using social media to not only communicate information, but also to listen and engage with customers during and after the storm. There are some great learnings from these utilities that we can all apply to our social media and customer service strategies.

From personal experience I can attest to the fact that leading up to a storm, good communications and PR practitioners go into a full-scale information-sharing mode participating in hundreds of media interviews while also sharing information via social media.

The real challenge and opportunity however, arises when the storm is nearing an end or actually finished and thousands of customers remain in the dark for hours, days and maybe longer. So what do strategic and prepared utilities do? They do these three things:

1. BE PREPARED

Strategic utilities have fantastic plans in place for their customer interaction centres to take inbound calls, but they don’t stop there! They also staff for listening, engaging and responding through social media channels, while still engaging with the media and doing interviews.

The conversations that can most impact your brand will occur in these channels. Frustrated customers will share their stories and photos with people who they can commiserate with. Not being present will further frustrate your customers.

From My Archives – Previous Life at a Utility

Take full advantage of visuals. Post your photos and videos – both your own and those submitted by customers – that show the damage to poles, lines, service loops and more. They say a picture is worth a thousand words and how true that is. In the utility world we know that most damage takes place in hard-to-reach and isolated areas. Why not show what you are facing behind the scenes, the special equipment needed to reach transmission towers or broken poles?

2. BE AVAILABLE

Have multiple resources trained and ready to use social media tools. Most importantly, engage with your customers outside your normal working hours. Being available will go a long way to ensuring your customers that you are there for them. Utilities need to be proactive and communicate according to best practices for each social channel that their customers are using. Utilities that fail, don’t engage with the customers in the customers’ preferred channels.

From personal experience, reaching out to the customer immediately has lead to private conversations that then resulted in the customer publicly praising the utility for its attention and prompt response.

3. LISTEN

Be sure to be listening in the space where your customers communicate. Conversations occur in multiple channels and missing a key conversation can do significant damage to your reputation and your relationship with your customers. Utilizing a monitoring platform not only ensures that you hear these conversations, but saves you valuable time that can be directed to engaging with your customers.

Now that we are in full storm season, what are your tips for utilities? What would you like them to do?

Don’t Be Stupid: Social Media Can Get You Fired

December 23, 2013/0 Comments/in Communications, Human Interest, Influence, Management, Social Media/by Heather-Anne MacLean

It’s time to grow up and face the fact that social media, or what you say in social media channels specifically, can get you fired. This is a message that I “try” to get across to University students and professionals that I coach on best practices for social media, PR and media relations. Unfortunately not enough practitioners focus on this message!

The now infamous Tweet

If there is one thing that we can take away from 2013, it is the fact that using social media can get you in trouble if not careful. In the first quarter of the year we saw what many deemed a “shit-show-in-progress” when Adria Richards, was attending a developer conference and not only tweeted about being offended by sexists comments made by two male attendees, but tweeted a picture of the offenders. Long story short, plus you can read the story in the link provided, the two men making the comments were fired, as was Adria. There are many lessons to be learned from these events and some to be taken very seriously, but I will save those for another blog post. The focus of this post is that a single Tweet can cause an avalanche that can’t be stopped.

Let’s look at the latest Tweet fiasco. If you haven’t heard about Justine Sacco, I don’t know where you have been. Her now infamous Tweet and her actual Twitter account have been deleted. In fact, it has been reported that she has deleted or suspended all of her social accounts. Despite this, the now infamous Tweet lives on. Did Sacco make a mistake? The obvious answer is yes. The court of public opinion has ruled on that. Her one Tweet resulted in her being publicly called out, humiliated, fired and her social accounts taken over by people around the globe calling for action, some even threatening her. Did she deserve to be threatened? No. She did not. Should she have known better? The answer is yes. She was the Director of PR for a pretty well known company. I am sure that this holiday season is taking on a whole new period of reflexion for her. She has lost her job. She had to shut down all her social accounts. She is infamous. She has had to publicly apologize for her error in judgement. Despite her apology, people continue to Tweet to her and about her. The Tweets are less than kind.

A Tweet AFTER the apology from Sacco

When coaching clients I hope to help them understand that social media is public. You may only have a small number of followers or friends on social, but the fact of the matter is that it is public. Sacco apparently only had a few hundred followers. She clearly didn’t think about the worldwide impact that 12 words would have.

The key take away from these actions is quite simple: when you share your thoughts in social media, you are “publicly” sharing information. What you might think is funny or light-hearted or even informative could actually be offensive and perceived as insensitive and hateful. Before hitting “send”, “share” or “Tweet”, pause and reflect. Think about what “could” happen.

Now the questions is: Do you feel sorry for Justine Sacco? Why or why not?