*Utilities have been slow to exploit social networking forums. Tweet up, or miss out, says Nik Nesbitt.*

Traditional methods of communication are always in danger of being superseded. The trouble is, it's not always obvious when it's going to happen. Unbeknownst to many organisations - especially those busy coping with the recession - we are seeing this process in action right now. Like it or not, many consumers, and consequently utility customers, are starting to wake up to, and engage in, a post-email communications landscape.

At the heart of everything is the growth of social networking applications and the evolution of instant messaging into the seemingly unstoppable Twitter. Many are using these tools to communicate in more logical, interlinked and rapid ways than email can possibly provide.

*Huddle and Basecamp*

In the business world, collaboration tools such as Huddle and Basecamp continue to gain credence. Huddle boasts a reduction in unnecessary emails of 50 per cent or more. As new generations of staff continue to enter the workspace, it is likely that email will continue to become less and less relevant. And, though voice-based contact pretty secure, we are even seeing new communication tools eat into traditional voice conversations as collaborative communication becomes more efficient.

Utility customers are using new ways of understanding their suppliers, gathering information on them and their activities, and interacting with like-minded people about the issues that matter to them. But many utilities are being left behind by maintaining focus on "traditional" contact routes of phone, post and email.

While this is by no means flogging a dead horse, it does indicate that many have failed to adapt to new methods of engaging with customers. Yet by using these new methods, a utility can not only show that it cares about its customers, but can also gather much service-enhancing feedback that has not traditionally been available.

*Don't panic*

Utilities need not panic. Social media evangelists talk of seismic shifts away from traditional communications channels but this is not the case. While many customers will be using the new routes, disruptive technologies on the web tend to develop slowly, taking time to gain interest, groundswell and mainstream appeal. But there are many opportunities for utilities to engage positively and usefully within communities to provide information, address concerns and generally help out customers. The buzzword is "complete customer engagement", where customers are able to communicate with a company and each other using the tools most appropriate to them.

The path to complete customer engagement should begin with listening, because a utility must work to understand how, where and why customers exchange and gather information. It is also important to find out what might be missing in a utility's communications repertoire. For example, customers may have trouble finding information on their energy tariffs or getting in touch with someone about saving money. "Listening" can be done using online polls, interviews and so on. It is important to ensure that those who do not use online tools are not neglected.

*Listen up*

The listening process must then continue - for at least a month - to find out what is going on and where. To save money, free monitoring tools such as Google Alerts and Monitter (in Twitter) can be used. For the larger utility, a premium service such as Radian 6 or Onalytica could also be useful. Once this is done it is up to the utility to assess where and how it needs to engage or facilitate engagement with its customers.

Some examples might be providing utility experts to engage in customer forums or giving customer services departments, onshore or offshore, the tools and processes to engage through Twitter and the like. Numerous companies have also had success in creating their own social networks and groups, for example over Facebook and Ning.

The listening process should not stop after the initial period, because communication around utility-related issues will continue regardless. It is up to proactive companies to constantly monitor conversations around utilities and engage appropriately. For example, if people ask questions about continuing promotions or the impact of oil prices on their energy costs, it is the utility's place to be there to provide the answer. While continuing engagement will obviously incur some costs, most find the benefits of added engagement far outweigh spending.

*Be selective*

A word of caution to utilities before diving in: do not think you should be involved in everything that is happening online. In many cases customers will be getting on just fine helping each other out without extra input. However, often there will be something the utility can add. It is also important to look out for groups and individuals opposed to a company, for example those setting up "I hate xxx" groups in Facebook. And, when online engagement does take place, it should be on as human, honest and transparent a basis as possible.

Nik Nesbitt is chief executive of KenCall, a provider of offshore complete customer management.