connecting with customers in a crisis
One interesting thing about being stranded by the ash cloud-related transport meltdown was the extent to which the experience was altered by the current state of social media and the mobile internet. Not long ago we'd have been stuck in our hotel, trying to get through on airport helplines. But with twitter on one's nokia multimedia mobile computing device, one was able to get immediate updates from round the world and swap news and anecdotes with fellow volcanic refugees, clients, colleagues, friends and family back at home. We might have been stuck but we weren't at all cut off. Interesting also to see the differences in the way that some organisations used media channels during the period. Finavia and Helsinki aiport were pretty hopeless, with very little mention of volcanic ash problems on their websites – just lists of cancelled flights, updated about twice a day – and useless links pointing at each other's unhelpful info. Swedavia not much better. And if any of these were on facebook or twitter, I certainly couldn't find them.
On the other hand, when I tweeted favourably about BA's service on the final leg of our journey home, they replied within minutes.
Amazing attention to detail. Pretty remarkable when you consider how busy they must be today. A fantastic way to boost positive customer feeling and a brilliant lesson in the use of social media in crisis management.