We live in The Instant Information Age. Thanks to social media, customers receive the news they want without having to ask for it. Utilities must meet these rising expectations, especially during emergencies. The presentation shows attendees how to successfully communicate with the press, the public, and elected officials. Say the words “social media” and you get a variety of reactions, especially from water professionals. Some will speak of the medium’s value in allowing utilities to push out important, positive news about their work directly to their customers. Others will lament about the power and attention social media gives to a disproportionate number of their customers who always seem to be angry at the utility, either because of an issue with their account or because they’ve been told by WATER KILLS! posts that their drinking water is unsafe. As many of us know from our personal use of social media, both of these points-of-view are correct, and nothing confirms each side’s opinion more than to watch social media react when a crisis occurs. When an emergency hits, social media works as both hero and villain. This presentation shows water professionals how to make it more of a hero by demonstrating how utilities have far more to gain by taking part in social media than they may believe. It also shows how proper planning, as if social media communications were another operation within the utility, puts utilities in a position to succeed. The presentation shows how to create a successful crisis communications plan, based on tried-and-true methods and messages, that covers ALL significant water and wastewater emergencies. It shows how to use mass media, social media, the experiences of your employees, and yes, comments from your customers, to create a successful response throughout an entire crisis, whether it involves the failure of a major main or pump station or the impacts of a significant weather event.
Contributor/Source
Mike McGill
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Proficiency Levels
Introductory
Focuses on a general or broad overview of the topic, awareness of basic factual recall. Limited experience of the subject matter is necessary to understand content areas.
Applied
Focuses on practical implementation of technical steps or strategies, some prior knowledge and experience of the topic is necessary.
Advanced
Mastery of basic concepts associated with an area has been obtained. Focuses on understanding nuances, advanced concepts, and intricacies with implementation within knowledge area. Strong understanding of how the concept impacts other factors or areas of operations.
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Click, Listen & Learn (CLL) are interactive educational webinars. Each program is led by top experts in the field who share new ideas, methods, and technologies in a fast-paced two-hour time frame. These programs are available free to APWA members. CLL programs are eligible for continuing education units (CEUs).
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