What you can learn from Eurocontrol on Twitter

#ashtag #brilliant

Wow, Eurocontrol really understands Twitter.

While that volcano on Iceland with its unpronouncable name (despite my short course in Icelandic) disrupted air traffic over Europe, I have come to admire the way Eurocontrol – The European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation – is using Twitter in days of crisis. Plenty to be learning from.

The power of immediate conversation

It showed they really understand the power of social media, especially in a time where lots of people need reliable and up-to-date information. All they do is: what do you want to know? Just ask us.

Personally, I think using information and conversation like this has turned out to be a great way to handle the growing pressure from airlines on their decisions. In their positioning, they clearly focused on the needs of passengers and really hélped them.

So here are just a couple of reasons why I think Eurocontrol on Twitter rocks:

1. Open to conversation

You’d think they’d be afraid of being flooded with questions by passengers, but no, they clearly stated: any questions, just ask us. They let the door open wide.

2. Quick with answers

Tested it myself: since we have a flight booked for this week, I asked for news on our route yesterday. Response within half an hour. That’s how it works.

3. Loud & clear communication

They are not afraid to close the door and clearly announced their “Twitter blackouts” and when they would be open again. They tell when exactly official announcements would be made. Smart communication, inspiring trust like that.

4. Consequent in hashtags

From #ashtags to #eu, they used the same hashtags over and over again in a smart and logical way. That makes it easy to find their info Twitter.

5. Sounds like a person

Their tweets are written naturally, as if in a real conversation. That makes you feel like you are really being helped by people, and not by a machine or an inanimate, slow institution.

6. Nice in the right way

I just loved their tweet about EarthDay: “We’ll issue our environmental experts’ figures on CO2 emissions during the #ashcloud crisis asap to celebrate EarthDay”. Just made me smile, what a great way to handle those data and show you they cover all sides of the story.

Follow Eurocontrol on Twitter and learn.

Or do you see things differently?

Need more advice on Twitter?

Read our post: This is a conversation, not a commercial: 8 tips to make Twitter work for you.

Image source
APTOPIX China Volcano Flights by Plasmastik
Photo reproduced under a CC license

1 Comment

Auteur : Francisco George
URL : http://twitter.com/paco229

Well a Spanish news paper realeased an article about the woman that tweeted for Eurocontrol and tonight Antena3 TV will air an Interview on Why and How they tweeted.

NewsPaper:
http://www.elmundo.es/elmundo/2010/04/21/internacional/1271872273.html

Antena3 TV News:
http://www.antena3noticias.com/PortalA3N/home.do