Customer Service & Social Media

Jeff Cranson Communications Director

Michigan Department of Transportation

Providing the highest quality integrated

transportation services for economic benefit and improved

quality of life.

Our Mission

Strategic Emphasis on Customers

“The role of government is to serve our citizens as customers ---to make a difference in their lives in a positive way.”

Governor Snyder

Strategic Approach to Performance

Focus on a ‘Wildly Important’ Goal

Act on Lead Measures

Create Compelling Scoreboards

Create A Cadence of Accountability

‘Good Government in Action’ Initiative

Improved Customer SatisfactionImprove Customer Satisfaction to 80%

Our ‘WIG’: Statewide Goal:

Customer-Centered System Operations A Platform for Customer Service and Satisfaction

Goal: Limit User Delay Costs on High Priority Corridors

Statewide

Transportation System Operations:

Lead/Lag Measures Winter Operations

Work Zone Management

Traffic Incident Management

Limit User Delay Costs

Winter Regain Time After Storm Huddles when

regain > 2 hours

Pre-storm communications with contract agencies

Normal Speeds <2 hours

Data Resources Field Detectors

NAVTEQ

Trucking Companies

Crowdsourcing

Performance Measures

Accountability

Employee Engagement

Cadence

Scoreboard

Performance Measures

Winter Operations

Work Zone Impacts

Quick Clearance

Post Incident Review

Driving Customer Service Through Communications

Social Media• Important traffic, safety

& construction information

• Notification about news releases, reports, public events & public comment periods

• Links to informational videos, photos & the MDOT Web site

Providing Customer Service Through Social Media

Social Media

• MDOT recognizes that social media works both ways

• Communication isn’t just one-sided

• Communications staff actively monitors Facebook & Twitter feeds for questions, complaints & traffic news tips from the public

• State of Michigan social media policy is to respond to a public question within 24 hours during the work week

• Of course traffic doesn’t stop on the weekend, so MDOT staff keeps tabs on social media feeds during the weekends when at all possible

Social Media • Opportunity to convert critics

into fans

• Offer help, or at the very least to listen

• Even if you can’t solve their current problem, show them that you’re always there to help

• Be honest & helpful, not confrontational

Dealing with an angry customer

The Michigan Department of Transportation

Social Media - Customer Service

• Sometimes you need to ask an expert to help answer a question.

• Everyone’s busy, so getting that help may not come quickly. Make sure to let the customer know you’re working on it and that they haven’t been forgotten.

Don’t leave customers hanging

A quick Facebook post about rest area maintenance led to a question from a follower about why MDOT doesn’t use that money to fix roads instead.

A.j. Bertin I just have to ask... why have so many of Michigan's rest areas been demolished and rebuilt over the last few years? Couldn't those funds have gone toward improving more of the actual roads?

The Michigan Department of Transportation

Social Media - Customer ServiceExample

MDOT responded within an hour to acknowledge the question. Communications staff drafted a response and forwarded it to a department expert on rest areas to make sure it was thorough and accurate.

Michigan Department of Transportation Working on a response for you, A.j. Bertin. Thanks for the question!

The Michigan Department of Transportation

Social Media - Customer ServiceExample

As it turned out, the expert was away at a meeting and could not respond immediately. MDOT made sure to provide the Facebook follower an update the next morning.

Michigan Department of Transportation Haven't forgotten about your question, AJ. Verifying some information we plan to pass along to you. 

-- Follower responded by liking MDOT’s post.

The Michigan Department of Transportation

Social Media - Customer ServiceExample

The rest area expert provided information to pass along to the follower. Staff made sure to apologize for the delay in the response.

Michigan Department of Transportation Sorry for the time it took to give you the full response. We wanted to make sure we included a thorough explanation of why rest areas/Welcome Centers are so valuable, given the current funding issue.

-- Follower responded by liking MDOT’s post.

The Michigan Department of Transportation

Social Media - Customer ServiceExample

A few hours later, the follower made sure to thank MDOT for keeping our promise to respond to him.

A.j. Bertin Thank you for this thorough answer. I appreciate you getting back to me! 

The Michigan Department of Transportation

Social Media - Customer ServiceExample

Dealing with an angry customer

Example

Angry Detroit motorist stuck in construction following a concert.

@KINGVERN:

@MichiganDOT I hate you for this traffic on 75 after the Kevin Heart show. Down to two lanes... EFF YOU!!

Dealing with an angry customer

Example

Angry Detroit motorist stuck in construction following a concert.

@KINGVERN:

@MichiganDOT y'all need to get your @$!$ together

Dealing with an angry customer

Example

Angry Detroit motorist stuck in construction following a concert.

@MichiganDOT:

@KINGVERN Sorry for the inconvenience, Vern. Which area of I-75 was that? I can explain the work with that info. Thanks!

Dealing with an angry customer

Example

Angry Detroit motorist stuck in construction following a concert.

@KINGVERN:

@MichiganDOT it was Saturday night between The palace of auburn hills and Crooks road. What happened? Thanks for the response.

Dealing with an angry customer

Example

Angry Detroit motorist stuck in construction following a concert.

@KINGVERN:

I cant belIeve @MichiganDOT responded to my angry tweet lol. #humbled

Dealing with an angry customer

Example

Angry Detroit motorist stuck in construction following a concert.

@MichiganDOT:

@KINGVERN Found it - maintenance work. Hard to do that kind of work during work week, so wkend only option. Sorry again for the delays.

Dealing with an angry customer

Example

Angry Detroit motorist stuck in construction following a concert.

@KINGVERN:

@MichiganDOT thank you

Dealing with an angry customer

Example

Recap

• Angry motorist called out

MDOT by name

• MDOT responded with offer to

help explain the delay

• Motorist surprised MDOT

responded

• Motorist attitude changed

from anger to appreciative

Summary

• Monitor social media channels

• Meet issues head-on

• People want to be heard

• Stay positive, don’t be confrontational

• Opportunity to convert critics to fans

Use of Social Media tools is no

excuse for distracted driving

- Don’t drive while “intexticated!”

MDOT Social Media Sites

Twitter@MichiganDOT @MDOT_MetroDet@MDOT_West @MDOT_Southwest@MDOT_Bay @MDOT_Lansing@MDOT_A2 @MDOT_Traverse@MDOT_UP@MDOT_Rail

Facebook

www.facebook.com/MichiganDOT

YouTubewww.youtube.com/MichiganDOT

Instagramwww.instagram.com/mdotpicoftheday

Questions?

31

Customer Service is ImportantPlease take our customer survey:

https://www.research.net/s/ZKC9H99