The Problem with Technology Silos
Most organizations have a tool in place to communicate with their people. In fact, most organizations have several. As challenges arise and requests are made, new technology gets added to your stable to address the changing needs of your organization. But as more technology gets added, so does the complexity of actually using those tools. Each may require a different login or have a different person who is most familiar with how to use it. You unwittingly create silos that can tackle very specific tasks yet have no overarching connectivity that allows them to effectively work together.
When you need to communicate during a crisis this becomes a real problem as precious time is wasted trying to launch messages from different tools. Which one do you use first? And how do you guarantee that you don’t miss a step? Answering those questions could mean the difference between someone safely getting out of harm’s way or being injured or worse.
What if you could eliminate those silos though? You would reduce the complexity and be able to get messages out to the people who need it much faster. In this blog, we’ll tell you exactly how you can do that using a mass notification system.
Send Messages More Easily
Mass notification systems offer a wide range of integrations with many devices and systems organizations already have in place to trigger and deliver critical messages. This includes desk phones, IP speakers, overhead paging systems, desktop computers, digital signage, and mobile phones that can all be set up to receive text and audio messages. Organizations that utilize different tools to send messages to those devices can go from managing six or more different tools, down to one. This is accomplished through user profiles that can include multiple devices and message templates that can provide consistent information via different delivery methods including live and recorded audio broadcasts, SMS text messages, push notifications, emails, desktop pop-ups, and more.
The One Thing Everyone Forgets About Mass Notification
This also makes it much easier to trigger messages and lowers the barrier for training and entry to access notifications when they need to be sent. Mass notifications make it easy to trigger messages from anywhere through simple activation via a web interface, mobile app, speed dial, or physical or virtual panic button. Your organization can determine the level of restriction and access depending on your needs, but the easier you can make it for someone to send a message, the more quickly it can be sent out. Single touch activations like panic buttons mean no one needs to remember a login or be in front of a computer. The moment someone sees a potential issue, they can begin spreading the word.
Manage Incidents from Start to Finish
Mass notification systems are also becoming more sophisticated and can be leveraged to help manage incidents from the first alert to the final “All Clear” message. In addition to connecting to the devices used to broadcast warnings, mass notifications systems can also connect to collaboration tools to bring together key stakeholders that can assess a situation and determine the best course of action. Invitations to join virtual collaboration spaces, like Microsoft Teams and Webex, or a conference call can be sent out at the same time as other notifications. The more automated you can make processes, the faster you can respond to an incident, and less likely it is that steps are missed that could result in someone not receiving the help they need during a crisis.
By consolidating management into a single system, you can break down silos and create a much more efficient method for sharing critical information.
