In today’s fast-paced world, the safety and security of our people, facilities, and venues are more important than ever. During emergencies, effective communication can be a game-changer.
Whether managing a stadium, convention center, campus, or multi-tenant building, having a reliable mass notification solution to reach an audience quickly is crucial. Check out the 9 key attributes to consider when choosing the right solution:
1. Reach Audiences with Multi-Channel and Geographic Support – Mass notification and broadcast systems should support a variety of channels to increase the chances of successful delivery, including SMS, email, voice calls, mobile app notifications, social media, and even integration with digital signage or sirens. The ability to narrow the broadcast to a targeted location or precise group is also essential.
2. Customize Messages and Manage Recipients – Look for a system that allows the creation and customization of messages quickly, with pre-defined templates for different types of notifications. Ensure that messages are clear, concise, and relevant. Manage recipient lists by importing and updating contacts, creating and managing groups, and integrating with existing contact databases.
3. Two-Way Communication and Integration Capabilities – Some situations require feedback from recipients or the ability to establish two-way communication. The right system lets admins choose this feature, allowing for the gathering of responses or additional information from recipients. Integrating the mass notification system with other business tools and systems further enhances functionality and efficiency.
4. Ensure Effective Alert Escalation – An effective system should support alert escalation. It should automatically retry delivery through different channels or escalate the alert to higher levels of management if initial attempts fail.
5. Enhance Safety and Security with Location-Based Services – If relevant, the system should support location-based services. This feature can pinpoint the current location of individuals, which is especially useful for safety and security notifications.
6. Track and Improve Communication with Analytics and UI – Robust reporting and analytics features can help track the effectiveness of notifications, monitor delivery rates, and make data-driven improvements to communication strategies. In high-pressure situations, ease of use is paramount. Look for a system with a user-friendly and intuitive interface for quick message deployment.
7. Prioritize Security and Compliance – Contribute to establishing compliance with relevant security and privacy regulations with features like encryption, access controls, and audit trails to protect sensitive information.
8. Plan for Scalability and Continuity – Choose a system that can accommodate the venue or organization’s growth and ensure continuity of operations even in the event of system failures.
9. Mobile Accessibility and Notification History – The system should offer mobile access for administrators and recipients. This allows for remote management and notification receipt, ensuring connectedness regardless of location. A mass notification system should allow users to learn from past events with notification history. Recording past notifications and their outcomes is helpful for auditing and review purposes, helping improve emergency responses.
Your local CTS team designs, deploys, and supports customized broadcast and mass notification solutions. Keep your staff and visitors well-informed and secure. Call CTS today at 800.787.4848 or email: jnolte@ctsmd.us.