In a crisis, every moment counts. That’s why emergency communications must be quickly disseminated. But how to keep all parties informed, a perennial challenge?
That’s where mass notification software systems come in. Read on to learn their value to the enterprise.
Mass notification software: Definitions and core capabilities
But first, what are mass notification solutions?
A mass notification system is a method of communication that allows administrators to simultaneously broadcast real-time alerts and information to large groups, using defined factors like lists or locations. Its primary function is to instantly send alerts through multiple channels to warn people of danger, including phone calls, text messages, emails, and desktop notifications. These systems can also connect to external channels like public address systems, digital signage, video systems, access controls, sirens, and IoT-enabled devices.
Using mass notification software, people and organizations can be contacted through prerecorded phone calls, text messages, emails, desktop notifications, social media, and more.
The uses of mass notification solutions
What are these solutions used for? Some of the most common use cases of mass notification software are:
Emergency response and public safety
Perhaps the most common use of a mass notification system is to alert residents and large populations about potential danger, using two-way communication and multilingual support.
Enterprise internal communication
Enterprises use mass notification systems, as well, both for emergency purposes and regulatory compliance. For instance, an emergency mass notification system can be used as part of a required disaster recovery plan as well as to send trackable and auditable messages when proof may be needed about the content of a message and its receipt.
Healthcare
In healthcare, a mass notification system is often ideal for alerting staff, patients, and visitors to an emergency. Healthcare mass notification systems also streamline internal communications, enhance patient care, and support healthcare marketing efforts.
Education
In higher education, mass notification solutions are often used to alert 9-1-1, administration, leadership, and the school community about an incident that requires an emergency response, such as an evacuation or lockdown.
Mass notification systems in education relay emergency communications to faculty, staff, and students. The entire community can be notified instantly when severe weather, campus crime, or an adverse event happens via multiple communication channels. Students can also receive informational notifications on class schedules, updated sports events, or safety protocols.
Manufacturing
In manufacturing, mass notification systems are used to quickly distribute information to all workers (on-site or remote), to maintain safe and efficient conditions by keeping workers up-to-date via an employee safety solution.
The benefits of mass notification systems
These common uses of mass notification systems go a long way to explaining their value to public safety agencies and enterprise organizations. But the benefits go far beyond time savings.
As crisis communications systems, mass notification solutions have also become critical tools for preparedness, response, and recovery. Their core benefits include:
Speed and efficiency
Real-time alerts can go out across multiple channels, including SMS, email, voice, app, and more to reach their intended audience, whether entire populations, geographies, or just specific lists. This approach guarantees a faster response time during emergencies, especially when organizations familiarize their users with the system’s functionality before an incident.
Enhanced situational awareness
These systems can act as repositories of critical information during a crisis. Advanced mass notification solutions even provide a channel for anonymous tips, too, whether for employees or the wider population, which can also help enhance situational awareness.
Administrators may often use the system's automated polling functionality to survey respondents. Two-way chat and geo-targeted polling also contribute to forming a common operating picture before, during, and after an incident. Furthermore, advanced solutions even provide a channel for anonymous tips, empowering workers (in heavy industry, for example) or the wider population to report concerning or suspicious behavior directly to safety leaders, further enhancing situational awareness.
Scalability and reach
Mass notification technology relays critical information to large audiences simultaneously, amplifying an emergency message. More advanced solutions also support global communication for increased reach.
Redundancy
Mass notification solutions improve reliability and engagement, by ensuring emergency message delivery through various modalities. FedRamp, Safety Act, and FirstNET-certified, advanced mass notification platforms offer exceptional service availability levels.
Compliance
Many regulations, whether OSHA or HIPAA in the U.S. or GDPR in the EU, include strict privacy obligations that mass notification technology can help regulated entities meet. This functionality reduces liability, while ensuring compliance.
Business continuity
Maintaining communication during critical moments isn’t just a nice to have. In certain sectors, it’s crucial to maintaining business continuity, minimizing downtime, and helping stakeholders avoid confusion.
Improved stakeholder trust
No organization wants to face a crisis. But communicating openly, consistently, and reliably during a critical event helps build confidence among employees, customers, and the public, which often turns into a competitive advantage down the line.
Conclusion: Making the business case for mass notification software
Finally, keeping all parties informed during an emergency is a challenge, which has only been exacerbated by the increased frequency and complexity of contemporary disasters. Therefore, mass notification systems stand out as ROI-enhancing solutions to get the right message to the right people at the right time.
But not all mass notification solutions are created equal. You’ll want an intuitive, high-availability platform that’s easy to use, deploy, and track and also enables reliable, multimodal messages in seconds. What other features to consider? Check out our guide, The Value of a Mass Notification System in Ensuring Resilience, to find out.
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