You can’t predict an emergency, but you can be as prepared as possible to handle one. Your plan should include the distribution of emergency notifications to your customers.
If you need to release a major emergency notification to your customers, you probably have a lot on your mind, a lot of other things to do and very little time to get it all done.
By having an easy-to-use emergency notification system ready to go at a moment’s notice, you can check this off your list of things to worry about in case of an emergency.
When you’re looking into emergency notification systems, consider the following:
• Ease of use
• Prep time
• List management/storage
• Distribution method options
• Reporting/analytics
Ease of use | Needless to say, emergency situations are stressful. You won’t want to waste time trying to figure out how to work a new system. The system you choose should be intuitive and obvious. As a bonus, the company you choose to work with should provide continuous training and 24/7 support in case you do need assistance or guidance at the 11th hour.
Prep time | Once you’ve got a solid understanding of the set up and distribution processes, you’ll want to have a very good idea of how long it will take you to upload your list, create your message and get it sent out. A system that passes the ease of use test shouldn’t take you too long to prepare and distribute your notifications. However, if a system is easy to use, but still requires hours of prep time, you may want to reconsider. Remember, time is of the essence in an emergency situation – how much time will you realistically be able to dedicate to message distribution?
List management/storage | The ability to create distribution lists in advance will enable you to send your emergency notifications out even faster. You should be able to load all your contacts at your earliest convenience. You should also be able to updates these contacts whenever necessary and securely store them so they’re safe, ready and waiting for when you need to use them.
Distribution method options | Not everyone answers phone calls from numbers they don’t recognize. E-mails can get lost in the shuffle. Letters can take two to three days to arrive at their destination. Increase the chances of your message being received loud and clear by utilizing more than more method of communication. The best emergency notification systems will take advantage of multiple forms of communication. This includes text, e-mail and phone calls. Another bonus: look for a system with intelligent answering. This means that, if a human answers a phone call, the notification system will leave one type of message. If the call is received by an answering machine, a different message will be left. This ensures the messaging is as effective as possible.
Reporting/analytics | This is the most important aspect of any emergency notification system. Without a doubt, you have to have an accurate and reliable account of who has been contacted, how they were contacted and when they were contacted. If you’re unable to access this information, you’ll have no way of knowing which of your customers received your notification. This could have seriously negative consequences to your business. You’ll rest easier knowing that every single one of your contacts has definitely gotten the word.
Another bonus: additional use cases | Hopefully you’ll never need an emergency notification system. You want to be prepared but you shouldn’t have to waste money or resources in order to achieve preparedness. Ensure your notification system can be used to other things. For example:
• Weather related delays/closing
• Promotion of special offers/sales
• Distribution of reminders/updates
• General customer communication
IVR Tech’s solution: nResponse | Our emergency notification system makes mass message distribution simple without compromising accuracy or efficiency. nResponse allows your contact lists to be pre-loaded and fully managed in advance, making it possible for the remaining processed to be fully executed in under five minutes. As with all our products, security is top of mind. All of your information is stored in a secure portal that only you can access. Our intuitive answering function gauges whether it’s a human or a machine that answers your phone call and relays the most appropriate message possible. Notifications can also be sent via text message and e-mail. Our reporting tools are comprehensive and you can access them at any time. You’ll be able to see who was contacted, the exact message they received, when the message was received and who/what received the message. IVR Tech gives all of its clients access to support and training tools and well as emergency tech support. Call us today for a live demo: 800-438-1709.