Questions to Ask Before You Invest in Alert Software

Investing in an alert notification system has many benefits. You can improve internal communication and engagement, have a dedicated channel you can utilize in the event of an emergency and even deliver training opportunities to staff.

Alert notification systems differ, but generally they will allow you to communicate with a wide range of people, very quickly – this is especially important if you plan on using the system for an emergency function.

Your organization has its own unique needs and circumstances. Choosing the right alert notification system for your organization should be done carefully, taking these into account.

These are the questions you should ask to help influence your decision:

How does it work?

Determining the ins-and-outs of the systems you’re interested in investing in can help you decide whether or not they are right for you.

For example, is it something that is used by sending messages to every computer in your organization? Is it SMS-based only? Does it rely on older technology, such as pagers? Or ca it be used across a range of different platforms, such as DeskAlerts?

How easy is it to use?

When there’s an emergency situation and you need to quickly alert your employees, you need a system that is simple to use as there’s absolutely no time to waste.

How do the systems you are evaluating stack up? Do they have an easy-to-use interface, or do they require a great deal of technical knowledge and skills?

How quickly are messages sent?

Again, time is of the essence when sending emergency alerts. You should determine what the capacity and speed is of the system you are intending to use. Do alerts arrive with recipients quickly, or are they rolled out over a longer period of time? Are there limits to the volume of data you can send or the number of recipients that you can send to?

How reliable is it?

Obviously if you are sending important information – especially when it could be a matter of life and death – you want to be assured that the system you are using is robust and reliable. Can you be sure that your messages are getting through? Is there a way of determining whether or not your messages have been received and acted upon?

Can it be customized to suit your business?

Your organization may need more than a system that’s ready to use out of the box. What sort of flexibility and scalability is offered by the vendor? Is there scope with the systems that you are examining to adapt the system to suit your company’s specific needs?

What sort of support is available from the manufacturer?

When you are investing in such an important asset, you’ll want to have peace of mind that you can have support and help should you ever need it. What sort of customer service is offered by the vendor? Can you access it 24/7 or only during business hours. Remember, emergency situations don’t contain themselves to 9-5 Monday to Friday.