Power Providers Going Social for #CustomerService

Power providers like Entergy Arkansas, First Electric Cooperative and Benton Utilities are using social media to update and interact with their customers.

At 9:23 p.m. Wednesday evening, Twitter user @JMAC715 tweeted @EntergyArk, "so you think Thursday for Conway? Sorry I keep asking. I have a newborn so wanted to make arrangements if need be."

20 minutes later, Entergy tweeted her back, "we are receiving lots of requests for city specifics. Compiling a list to see if we can get more updates to share."

While the answers aren't always immediate, waiting for an update via Facebook or Twitter is a new-school alternative to sitting with the telephone up to your ear.

Entergy may be short of specifics at the moment, but other providers are able to give updates neighborhood-by-neighorhood if not street-by-street.

"Service now is restored to First Electric Cooperative's Collegeville, Alentejo and Hot Springs Village East substations," posted First Electric late Wednesday.

A post on the Benton Utilities Facebook page isolates an outage down to streets and specific apartment complexes.

Have you had a good experience with a power provider on social media? In the spirit of this story, post about it on our Facebook wall or send us a tweet.