Hurricane Sandy’s winds might be dying down, but the aftermath of destruction remains. Over 800 miles across the United States has been affected by the superstorm, with 7.4 million homes and businesses without power. Nearly 12,500 flights were canceled on Monday and Tuesday, mainly due to the storm, according to the flight-tracking service FlightAware.
Businesses that are experiencing power outages and temporary halts in service are going to be working especially hard to ensure that customers stay informed and up-to-date on progress being made. Utility companies especially will see an influx of inquiries over the phone or through online customer services.
This blog previously mentioned how some East Coast cities took extra steps to ensure that consumers are kept in the loop, as previous storms left many without power – and without solid information – for days.
For example, Massachusetts instituted extra call center answering services to help utility companies communicate plans to customers. According to the Boston Globe, some businesses are still facing fines from what state officials call poor responses to last year’s hurricanes and snow storms.
However, Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick said in a news conference at the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) bunker in Framingham, that as the state fared better than New York and New Jersey, it’s going to try to send resources to other areas.
“We are very, very fortunate indeed, ” Patrick said at the news conference. “There is a roof here, siding there, and there is an issue down in Harwich – but no place where there is devastation.”
While it is never easy to predict how severe weather will impact an area, taking necessary precautions will help in the aftermath. Using a 24 7 answering service will give customers an outlet to stay informed and up-to-date on the recovery process.
