So, I have to be quick here. Power is still out. MacBook down to 43%. Sixth day and counting. No hard feelings, just wanted to let you know what you could do differently next time around if you decide you want a modern communications plan.
This would be a good thing. You ARE the major supplier in the most densely populated state in America, the service you provide, next to air and water, literally means life and death for many people -- and economic catastrophe for others when service fails. Certainly, it means expense and discomfort for grumpy folks like me.
Yet twice now within a period of six months, you've experienced emergencies from a hurricane and a snow storm that have left hundreds of thousands of residents uninformed and frustrated and dozens of police and fire departments without updates from you.
Overall?
Just tell the truth. Stop obfuscating with statistics and cough up the truth.
Look at it this way.
When I ride New Jersey Transit, I experience frequent delays. Some years back they learned something.
If they explained to passengers what was happening, the passengers were far more understanding.
So now, if I have more than two minutes delay on the rails, I get,
"Ladies and genetlemen, sorry to say we are on hold here for 15 minutes because of a derail at the tunnel. We apologize for this and are doing everything we can to correct it."
The JCP&L version of this?
"We're stopped and not going anywhere, but 99 percent of the rest of the trains are running on time."
We'll skip the basics and the sarcasm and get to what you did wrong and right as best I can see as your client and as a professional corporate communicator.
Here are some things you do very wrong.
Your web site should, well, work. It can't go out or down as it has. Consistently.
Don't give us a phone number to call to report outages when it's either always busy or you have us input a phone number so you can call us back. And then never do.
Don't Twitter. Unless you have something to say. (Saying the website is out on Twitter isn't really actionable info.)
Don't freeze out first responders. Our police had to siren down a JCP&L truck two days after the storm to get basic information that meant life and death for them and residents who were trying to clear hot wires on emergency thruways.
Don't give overly optimistic information in statistics that you then fail to meet.
Now, here's what you could do.
Have a live web site. Mirror it. Have some contingencies for geographic outages and heavy traffic.
These are table stakes in the poker game you play. We aren't talking mobile apps. Just a functional web page.
"The power went out" is not an excuse for you in explaining that the website is down.
Have a sign-in page on your website, sorted by simple info like zip codes.
Let us input emails or text message numbers for contact, or phone numbers for robo-calls and updates.
Give us semi-customized updates.
For God's sake, please have a master list of first responders, and do the same for them.
This is simple technology these days. All it requires is forethought.
If you'd like more information, get my power up so I can recharge my computer. Gotta run now. The fire in the 55-gallon drum is running low and I need to add wood.
This would be a good thing. You ARE the major supplier in the most densely populated state in America, the service you provide, next to air and water, literally means life and death for many people -- and economic catastrophe for others when service fails. Certainly, it means expense and discomfort for grumpy folks like me.
Yet twice now within a period of six months, you've experienced emergencies from a hurricane and a snow storm that have left hundreds of thousands of residents uninformed and frustrated and dozens of police and fire departments without updates from you.
Overall?
Just tell the truth. Stop obfuscating with statistics and cough up the truth.
Look at it this way.
When I ride New Jersey Transit, I experience frequent delays. Some years back they learned something.
If they explained to passengers what was happening, the passengers were far more understanding.
So now, if I have more than two minutes delay on the rails, I get,
"Ladies and genetlemen, sorry to say we are on hold here for 15 minutes because of a derail at the tunnel. We apologize for this and are doing everything we can to correct it."
The JCP&L version of this?
"We're stopped and not going anywhere, but 99 percent of the rest of the trains are running on time."
We'll skip the basics and the sarcasm and get to what you did wrong and right as best I can see as your client and as a professional corporate communicator.
Here are some things you do very wrong.
Your web site should, well, work. It can't go out or down as it has. Consistently.
Don't give us a phone number to call to report outages when it's either always busy or you have us input a phone number so you can call us back. And then never do.
Don't Twitter. Unless you have something to say. (Saying the website is out on Twitter isn't really actionable info.)
Don't freeze out first responders. Our police had to siren down a JCP&L truck two days after the storm to get basic information that meant life and death for them and residents who were trying to clear hot wires on emergency thruways.
Don't give overly optimistic information in statistics that you then fail to meet.
Now, here's what you could do.
Have a live web site. Mirror it. Have some contingencies for geographic outages and heavy traffic.
These are table stakes in the poker game you play. We aren't talking mobile apps. Just a functional web page.
"The power went out" is not an excuse for you in explaining that the website is down.
Have a sign-in page on your website, sorted by simple info like zip codes.
Let us input emails or text message numbers for contact, or phone numbers for robo-calls and updates.
Give us semi-customized updates.
For God's sake, please have a master list of first responders, and do the same for them.
This is simple technology these days. All it requires is forethought.
If you'd like more information, get my power up so I can recharge my computer. Gotta run now. The fire in the 55-gallon drum is running low and I need to add wood.
What a mess!
ReplyDeleteHello you company Jersey Central Power & Light Sucks will not work with me why is that is not right your company talks some good s*** you don't care about people your company does not give a crap about nobody will not work out payment will not help you're worse than Hillary Clinton and I will tell you I always stuck up for your company you have disappointed me so he won't reply turn my lights back on and contact me back and you will get paid your people will not accept payments when we try to pay but you're supposed to be the Great Jersey Central Power & Light Company there's a big tree it is going to fall it is going to take it out telephone poles and also street light and all the wires they refused to cut it how is it possible to complain and they don't cut it it is a big tree Bend right over and will fall and probably take out the telephone pole all the wires and the street light the wires are so old they were melded together they never replace them there is three lines they don't want to do nothing to them Warriors let's face it how to expect to have a good reputation when you hire a tree crew to come down and cut the trees and they don't do their job I told them just cut the top out we would take the rest then that way it didn't hit the water they told me know contact Jersey Central Power and Light because they are working on a bid plan the other way Jersey Central Pace $2,500 4 1 Train there are four trees in a row the other end of the rude they could have laptop the trees they had the machine the grind up the branches and we told him just leave the wood there in the woods they will not do it they do not get paid enough is one thing I said but yet the wires ripped down right off the house is it they are not responsible for that last time I looked you are responsible from the pole to the meter you charge so much money and we barely use the electric so maybe you can help I have tried to get in touch with the CEO Jersey Central Power & Light they will not connecting so maybe you can do something and feel free to contact me on my Twitter or my phone number and I will tell you on thank you have a nice day hope you get this message peace
ReplyDeleteNot sure what I can do other than publish.
ReplyDelete