Assessing How Operators Are Integrating Social Media Into Existing Control Structures

To Determine Optimum Information Levels To Push To Digital Customers

Brian AndersonDigital Communications Manager, WMATA

introductionbrian anderson, manager of digital communications

began as Social Media Manager, building WMATA’s social program on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter

this is a story of what social means to WMATA, how we got there, lessons learned and thinking about the future

of social in transit

social @ wmata

twitter @wmata - 61,500 followers

@metrorailinfo - 17,500 followers @metrobusinfo - 4,642 followers

@metrotransitpd - 3,769 followers !

facebook - 7,300 'likes' youtube - 426,000 views

!

ridership total -1.2 million

metrorail - 800,000 people metrobus - 400,000 people

why social?washington, DC is a strong media market

!social provides incredible source

of intelligence !

keeping pace with new channels for communication

!need a broadcast platform for

WMATA initiatives like our capital rebuilding program -

MetroForward

social rules at the beginning

internal plan for social different than what riders demanded

social was only broadcast

!service engagement was to help

explain & control message

traditional Customer Service unchanged

challenges to introducing social capital program re-building effort (MetroForward) was not

showing immediate results in a "right now" world

constant reassurance of service delivery

strong group of extreme advocates

use of initials like ^BA & ^DS individualized responsibility for messaging

one account for everything

inconsistent response hours

inconsistent engagement

John Hendel, blogger for TBD On Foot, former mobility bloghttp://www.tbd.com/blogs/tbd-on-foot/

“WMATA now needs to tighten its commitment to specific channels and really develop a human, open, and consistent voice that

convinces its riders that the agency is listening and engaged and not entirely a PR flourish.”

social rules today

four twitter accounts

defined service hours!

more encouragement on human follow up using traditional channels

!goal of delivering consistent, fast,

detailed information

the social advantage

invaluable ability to provide real-time service updates and feedback through twitter

facebook provides a face to the organization with a chance for Q&A style education in messages &

comments; visual medium

youtube helps riders understand behind-the-scenes rebuilding and other complex WMATA issues

service information first

"first on twitter" approach to service information during rush hour

programmed tweeting

consistent engagement

mid-day or weekends for visual promotional product

maximizing social

balance social for your organization

*CONSISTENCY*

develop a plan with strong resources

making social an corporate culture

what's next?

self-reporting mobile apps

business intelligence analysis

customer profiling in CRM