How to Choose the Right Mass Notification System for You
Whether your organization is in healthcare, corporate business, government, or education, you need a mass notification system that allows you to send messages reliably and immediately. From unexpected critical situations to everyday processes like onboarding or surveying employees, a mass notification system makes communicating, collaborating, and engaging easier.
Choosing the right mass notification for your organization is key, however. In this blog, we share tips on vetting potential mass notification system vendors and considering your communication needs.
Determine the needs of your organization
The best mass notification system on the market will be the system that best suits the needs of your organization. Start evaluating potential vendors by first outlining what your business needs in a mass notification system. Consider the following kinds of questions.
Business
- What threats or risks does our organization face?
- How does a mass notification system fit in our emergency communication plan?
- Our business continuity plan?
- How can a new mass notification system help our business manage crises?
Employees
- How many users and administrators will be using this system?
- How comfortable are our employees with technology?
- What features or tools do we need to support our teams? (Multilingual messaging, safety tools for remote employees, COVID-19 tools, etc.)
Implementation and integration
- What communication system, software, or tools are we currently using?
- If there is a current mass notification system in place, what do we like about it? What would we change?
- How might our organization change, and thus our communication needs change?
Features
- What do we primarily want to use the mass notification system for? Emergencies, daily operations, or both?
- What essential features or tools do we want in a mass notification system?
- What processes would benefit from a mass notification system? (Onboarding, training, safety drills, travel, etc.)
Once you’ve determined your needs in a mass notification system, you can then formulate questions to ask each potential vendor that you evaluate in your search. Go with the vendor whose system not only meets your needs, but surpasses your expectations and makes you feel confident in your choice.
When speaking to each vendor, listen to how they answer your question. Their responses shouldn’t feel too pushy or focused on making the sale. They should address your organization’s needs — not another company’s needs or the general public’s needs.
Look at success stories and reviews
A simple online search can help you find reviews of each potential vendor’s system. Check the following websites to find reviews for each mass notification system:
You might also find helpful reviews on the company’s social media pages, Google Maps, or job sites like Indeed or Glassdoor. For example, a vendor with poor employee ratings may be a sign that the company is in trouble or on the decline.
If a mass notification system offers smartphone apps, look through reviews in the Apple store or the Google Play store as well. Pay attention to what reviews actually say, not just their star rating. You might find multiple reviews that praise the vendor for a feature you’re interested in, or multiple reviews that report bugs in the user interface.
You might also find case studies or customer success stories on the vendor’s website or blog. Read these real-life examples to better understand how their product works and solves problems for other companies.
Focus on value over cost
Price is certainly an important factor in choosing your mass notification system, but it shouldn’t be the sole factor nor the top priority. Choose a system that’s competitively priced, but also high-value. The cheapest option is not necessarily the best option.
Also consider that you’re paying for a system that protects the safety and wellbeing of your people. Your duty of care to your employees requires that you create a safe work environment by mitigating risks to their health. An unnecessary risk may be picking a mass notification system that’s subpar or doesn’t really meet your needs…just because it suits your budget better.
Keep the future in mind
Small or new companies may feel hesitant at spending more for a high-value mass notification system. Decision makers may think that they don’t need certain features or a higher level of customer support.
But consider the fact that your organization will change. Hopefully, it will succeed and scale. You may open multiple locations and even international branches. You may hire more employees than you expected at the beginning. Your product lines or services may expand rapidly. You’ll want a mass notification system that keeps up with this growth rather than hinder it.
Furthermore, remember that technology changes quickly. Before smartphones became ubiquitous, emergency notifications were often shared through public address systems and pagers. Email became popular, then text alerts. We don’t yet know what people will prefer for communication in the years to come, so pick a vendor that is constantly looking for opportunities to improve and innovate their product.
Rave Mobile Safety is the best fit for your organization
If ease of use, multipurpose communication tools, and a scalable system are what you’re looking for in a mass notification system, look no further than Rave Mobile Safety. Whether you run a business, healthcare facility, public school, federal agency, or state and local organization, the right notification system is essential.
Our systems can integrate with existing infrastructure, getting your organization up and running in mere days. You’ll find our mass notification system meets every need, from crisis communication to sending surveys to checking in with employees, no matter their location.
Rave’s suite of communication and collaboration solutions goes beyond mass notifications. Our other communication solutions include:
- An emergency communication tool that initiates fast response and real-time collaboration with emergency personnel
- A crisis management dashboard that allows for sharing and access of safety resources, policies, and procedures
- A personal safety app that can monitor and communicate with employees as well as guests
- And other tools for emergency and non-emergency matters
Rave Mobile Safety is the mass notification system choice for thousands of customers worldwide. To learn more about what Rave can do for your organization, or to learn about customizing your own solutions package, schedule a demo today.
