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Challenge:
For community-owned utilities, social media has become a primary communication channel, especially during outages, storms and emergencies. Consumers expect timely, accurate responses at all hours. But for many communications teams, that expectation collides with reality.
Peace River Electric Cooperative in Florida and Flint Energies in Georgia both faced the same challenge: small communications teams stretched thin. Neither team could realistically watch social channels around the clock, and missing a critical message wasn’t an option.
Solution:
Both cooperatives joined Pioneer’s TwoFourSeven Response Program to extend their teams and ensure round-the-clock coverage. By working with Pioneer’s dedicated social engagement specialists, PRECO and Flint Energies gained peace of mind knowing their consumers are never left waiting for a response.
“Our communications staff can sleep at night, every night, knowing Pioneer is on watch and ready to respond,” Flint Energies Vice President of Cooperative Communications Marian McLemore says.
Pioneer became an extension of each utility’s voice—monitoring, responding and documenting interactions in real time.
Most jobs have clearly defined start and end times. Social media channels, however, are always on. Luckily, Pioneer employs social media specialists, often military spouses, in different time zones around the world to help monitor utility channels and respond to consumer questions through Pioneer’s TwoFourSeven Response Program.
Using customized messages approved in advance by your staff, the TwoFourSeven team jumps into Facebook comments and private messages sent to your account day and night with a rapid response from a real human who can nip negativity in the bud before it spreads. The team can also filter profanity, watch for threats and answer constant questions like “When will the fiber get to my house?” that chip away at your productive time.
As a one-person communications team, Peace River Electric Cooperative Communications Coordinator Claire Thomas often partners with Pioneer to keep up with the demands of social media.
“Pioneer was crucial in helping me stay on top of scheduling and providing content for our social channels. I would have never been able to keep up with the demand,” she says.
Flint Energies Vice President of Cooperative Communications Marian McLemore sees similar benefits. With Pioneer monitoring channels around the clock, her team can focus on strategic communications instead of constant social scrolling and notification checks.
“Knowing our channels are being monitored allows us to step away and focus on other projects that support our members and community,” Marian says.
Social Support When It Matters Most
The value of Pioneer’s TwoFourSeven Response Program becomes especially clear during high-stress events.
A few months into her role, Claire faced Hurricane Milton in October 2024. During the storm, Pioneer’s team monitored PRECO’s social channels, responded to direct messages from members and flagged critical issues.
“I truly don’t know how I would have made it through without their support,” Claire says.
At Flint Energies, Pioneer played a key role during a potential ice storm in early 2026, pausing scheduled posts, reshaping content to focus on safety and preparation and giving staff members the breathing room they needed to manage internal operations.
Mike Marsch, manager of social media engagement at Pioneer, leads the team that makes this level of support possible. In 2025, the TwoFourSeven team managed an average of 9,562 social media interactions per month for more than 100 utility members.
The team reviews every comment, message and mention—handling everything from positive feedback to spam, safety concerns and crisis escalation.
“Our goal is to handle the good, the bad and the ugly so our clients don’t have to,” Mike says.
Sometimes, things do get ugly. In one instance, the TwoFourSeven team alerted a utility about a threat made overnight that resulted in an angry member being taken into police custody the next morning at the customer service center.
Every action is documented and shared with the utility, ensuring transparency and alignment.
Your Voice, Amplified
Maintaining authenticity was a nonnegotiable for both utilities. Pioneer worked closely with each team to develop response templates that reflected their unique tones and priorities.
“We send every utility a form with a set of common questions,” Mike says. “We offer standard answers they can approve, or they can share what they would like said. During an emergency, they send us special messages and updates to share, too.”
Claire describes the process as seamless.
“We gave them a sample of what we wanted, and it was tailored to our needs. Just like it was me behind the screen the whole time,” she says.
“We’ve actually seen someone message one of our members and say preemptively, ‘An automated response isn’t helpful,” says Alexis Risemas, a member solutions specialist for Pioneer who spent two years on the TwoFourSeven team while her family was stationed in Europe. “Utility members and subscribers are so used to getting poor, robotic customer service that they really appreciate a real human response.”
Pioneer works with a mix of electric utilities, telcos and broadband service providers, providing a deep bench of industry experience.
“The process is easy, since Pioneer is familiar with co-op speak,” Marian says. “If things change during the year, they’re flexible and quick to adjust.”
Results: Time, Trust and Peace of Mind
For both PRECO and Flint Energies, the biggest win isn’t time saved. It’s confidence.
“I’ve regained not only time, but a sense of security knowing I’ve got a team that has my back,” Claire says.
“Our communications staff can sleep at night, every night, knowing Pioneer is on watch and ready to respond,” Marian says.
Ready to Feel the Same Social Relief?
If you’re struggling to keep up with social media demands and want to escape constant scrolling, Pioneer’s TwoFourSeven Response Program can help. Schedule time with us to learn more about how we can support your team and online community around the clock.