But they have posters up all over the place boasting about how they use Twitter (and, they were one of the first too) so clearly they haven't always thought that.
I bet the person who did set it all up has left (maybe poached by DOR/EC?) and they don't even know how to continue with it. A major fail! Just like the way they don't bother to take their online forums seriously anymore, and if they've done that to their Facebook page then what a major U-turn for being open.
The new MD may well not understand social media, or even like it, but it's very important - and whether you think there's much point in using Twitter to post tweets, you can't deny that Twitter is the ideal way to relay information quickly to lots of people, in a format best suited for people who are out and only have a mobile phone. Far better than email and probably better (and quicker) than trying to send out loads of SMS messages, which cost money to send and can be delayed (and usually are, as most FCC texts I get are anything from 30-60 minutes late).
KX driver manager: "Ah, Mr spare driver, we need you to drive the 1530, the booked driver is late arriving. But first, can you log onto twitter and let everyone know your just about to leave. I know it'll make you late, but its more important that the handful of people who would even dream of looking at twitter know your running. I know this handful probably wont be on your train, but that doesnt matter"
Spare driver: "But i dont know how to use twitter"
Driver manager: "Oh come here and i'll show you"
Driver: "But thatll make the train later. For heavens sake its more important to get trains running"
Driver manager: "No no, your wrong, its more important to use twitter than to get the train away on time"
Message on twitter: Im sorry but the 1530 is late running because we had to write this update on here.
Twitter? For heavens sake. They are a train operating company, or do they have shares in twitter?
If i want to find out about train services i would look at the national rail website, or the TOCs website. This would make it plainly obvious there are servere disruptions. It may not list my exact train that i intend to catch, but the website would make it plainly obvious things were not going to plan.
This would automatically tell me that my train may be cancelled, and it may be delayed. Hey it may even be diverted. I realise it may be a last minute thing, and i definitely dont expect to get precise information beforehand.
I would then make a decision. Do i head for the station or not. If i do, i would know that things may go tits up, and it would be my fault for heading for the train.
On a seperate note. I once got a text message telling me my ferry was cancelled. I was very glad of this, as i hadnt yet left London, and now didnt need to. If i hadnt received this text message, but later on heard that it had been mentioned on twitter, facebook, bebo or any other site like that, instead. Well, I would have been absolutely fuming. If FCC never sent me a text, but instead put info on twitter, i would be more fuming than any of you lot on here. If they never said anything anywhere, thats no problem. But if they put it on twitter, and not send me a text, if they have my number, then that is not ok.
On days like this, i expect problems. I head to the station knowing things will be up the swanny. I dont need to check online (well very rarely) because i know precise info may not be available. I know i may have to wait at the station, and i accept this, knowing that 9/10 times, they will do their best to get me from A to B.
This has nowt to do with info given to staff on the ground. This may well need to be better. Also, by the sounds of it, FCC have been quite poor at times with info on their website. But you lot are going OTT. The website tells you major delays are being experienced. You know what to expect when you get to the station. Cancellations, delays, diversions. I expect it, cant you?
Now if half the services from KX were cancelled, and the website never mentioned this, that is bad. But if the website said "Majority of services from KX cancelled", then thats fine. I understand what is happening. I realise decisions may be last minute. I realise i may be very late arriving somewhere. Its expected.
Now before any of you start shouting saying that twitter is the most important website in the whole entire world (dont worry, ive already called the doctor for you), it is fine if they put info on here, but not at the expense of text messages, and not before they put it on their website. Twitter must be the last priority. Do the obvious things first.
