3 ways listening on Twitter helped me address student WiFi complaints
When I started in my current position as Assistant Director of Communications for the IT department at Rowan University, I logged into our Twitter account eager to share information about the services we offer the campus community.
Direct Support
There are no reported WiFi outages. Where on campus are you having trouble connecting?
— Rowan University IRT (@RowanIRT) September 9, 2019
Have you recently changed your Rowan Network password? If so, you may need to forget the RowanSecure network and reconnect. Here are instructions: https://t.co/piyxuMoiDs
— Rowan University IRT (@RowanIRT) September 9, 2019
You're welcome! Have a great day.
— Rowan University IRT (@RowanIRT) September 9, 2019
By listening and responding to student complaints on Twitter, I was able to provide direct support and resolve an issue without them having to call or email for further assistance. This approach resolved the issue for this one student, and, given the public nature of Twitter, it likely helped other students.
Indirect Support
It's not always possible to troubleshoot a WiFi issue over Twitter. But, even if you can't directly resolve a problem, you can provide information about where to get more help. When I first started in my position, complaints about WiFi on Twitter often went ignored. I made it a priority to respond to every complaint about WiFi and provide steps for getting help if I couldn't resolve the issue myself.
In the exchange below, I tried to offer the same tip to forget the network and rejoin, but it didn't work, so I directed them to our in-person support team for further assistance. While, ideally, I'd be able to directly resolve the issue, I provided another avenue to assistance for them.
Please try forgetting RowanSecure on your device and then rejoining the network.
— Rowan University IRT (@RowanIRT) January 31, 2018
Please visit us in Memorial Hall for more help. The Technology Assistance Center opens at 9 a.m. this morning.
— Rowan University IRT (@RowanIRT) January 31, 2018
Proactive Outreach
After listening to student complaints on Twitter, I began to see a pattern. Complaints always spiked at the beginning of the semester, when new students were coming to campus and trying to connect for the first time and returning students were trying to connect new devices or update old devices.
Once I recognized this pattern, I was able to do more proactive outreach via our Twitter account, targeting messages to the student population at the times I knew they would be looking for WiFi-related information on campus.
In addition to sending direct emails to students, providing tips for getting connected to campus WiFi, I also started featuring content I knew would help students troubleshoot common issues and get online faster.
The post below was shared by the main Rowan University account, extending the reach of the post and helping spread the word to more students.
Welcome, @RowanUniversity students moving in today! Want WiFi? Visit https://t.co/DUPc7zNXUU for details about getting your device online. pic.twitter.com/L1e59tbmv0
— Rowan University IRT (@RowanIRT) September 1, 2017
Technical improvements to the campus WiFi, including the launch of a new network on campus that makes it easier to connect personal devices in 2020, has led to a steep decline in the number of WiFi complaints we receive on Twitter. In recent years, I've been able to shift my focus more on providing information about services we offer, but I still keep my ear open on social media, and I make sure to listen closely.
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