Emergency Notification System for Business Continuity

Communication keeps your business running. This key element takes on an even greater significance when some sort of emergency threatens the wellbeing of your community, your staff, and your customers. In an emergency situation, it’s vital to have an internal system of communication pre-established so that employees know where to expect new information.

Why Use Voice Broadcasting for Emergency Alert Notifications?

Call broadcasting supplies businesses with communication that is fast, personal, and informative.

• Fast. Quick communication is key during a crisis. When using voice broadcasting, calls can be sent out immediately. This can be a new voice recording or a voice recording done previously. For example, a business can pre-record messages about different types of emergencies. Then, when one occurs, they simply select the correct recording.
• Personal. When people are panicking, a familiar voice can help people to think rationally and calm down. If the voice recordings used in calls are recorded by someone in whom most employees trust, it may help to ease panic. By recording the messages ahead of time, this allows the head of a business to communicate with all employees a once, even though as they listen he or she may have bigger things to deal with.
• Informative. One of the most important aspects of calls during an emergency is that they provide a pathway for more information. This information could come from the recipient, in the form of updates or questions. It could also come from the source, if the call recipient pushes a button to receive more information or to be connected with a live representative.

Why Use Mass SMS for Emergency Alert Notifications?

There are also many benefits to using mass SMS text messaging for an emergency notification system for businesses. Mass text messaging is instant, clear, and just as informative as call broadcasts.

• Instant. Most people in the business sphere have SMS-enabled cell phones. In fact, they carry these cell phones with them almost all the time. And because of the silent nature of text communication, people can sometimes read and reply to text messages in times when they couldn’t take a call or listen to a message. Sending emergency notifications via SMS allows your employees to see them instantly.
• Clear. The brevity of text messages is also a benefit in many situations. Being forced to limit an emergency notification to 160 characters helps to make the situation as simple as possible. Stating the facts so simply can ensure that recipients don’t mishear or misconstrue information.
• Informative. Like calls, texts open up the same lines for 2-way communication between the sender and recipient. But what’s more, texts allow for the exchange of links, maps, or pictures. In many types of emergencies, it can be ideal to send a map of evacuation routes, a link to a pre-existing resource, or another visual aid that can’t be conveyed in a voice call.