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When we think of mass notifications, our minds usually jump to emergency situations—extreme weather, an active shooter or maybe even a child abduction. While in these moments mass notifications are absolutely critical, many of us tend to overlook the everyday uses of such communication.
The truth is, mass notifications offer daily opportunities for organizations in just about every industry to share knowledge, improve productivity and enhance the customer experience. More recently, the Internet of Things (IoT) has enabled businesses to take mass notifications to a new level, moving beyond standard SMS messaging and even allowing machines to “talk” with their own notifications.
Mass notifications expand with IoT
With mass notifications, businesses deliver information more quickly to the right people across a range of devices and communications channels. An intelligent system allows organizations to send notifications through SMS, email, desktop, landlines and mobile phones. Companies reach employees and customers through their preferred channel and then receive an acknowledgement of receipt.
When it comes to everyday operations, mass notifications enable companies to automate routine communications, such as billing notices and promotional offers. Businesses save time and reduce errors with pre-scripted messages. And they can measure effectiveness with both real-time and historical reports.
With IoT, you can take this a step further. Connected devices speak to each other. For example, smartphones can send and receive information between devices. Mass SMS notifications offer entrance to a newly expanded realm by allowing businesses to communicate with customers and employees via IoT devices.
Enhance everyday communications across verticals
When used intelligently, mass notifications help businesses keep personnel informed and happy, improve productivity and engage customers. The addition of IoT to the mass notification process delivers the same benefits to an even greater degree through expanded reach. IoT also allows machines to communicate and send notifications, adding a new layer of benefits around operational efficiency and predictive maintenance.
Let’s take a closer look at mass notifications in some key verticals:
Healthcare: Quickly find coverage when short-staffed with group notifications, ensuring patients receive the proper level of care. Request assistance when supplies are running low or send a group message to locate an open wheelchair when a patient needs transport. And let food services know when a family member would like to order an extra meal.
Hospitality: Notify guests via smartphone of special hotel events such as fitness classes, shows and family events. Update messages on digital displays to provide easy access to information, including hotel gym and pool hours and special meal nights. Alert staff to scheduling changes and maintenance needs. You can even improve the stay of VIPs guest by notifying staff of anniversaries or other special occasions.
Government: Just because your staff is constantly on the move doesn’t mean you can’t communicate every day. Mass notifications quickly update personnel of schedule and event changes, no matter where they are. And receipt acknowledgements let you know when critical team members have read and received the message.
Education:Keep busy parents up to date with friendly reminders about upcoming school events. Encourage staff and students to participate in activities like fundraisers and after-hours educational sessions. Foster school spirit with photos of students and faculty interacting and learning.
Field Services: Technicians can notify managers when they’re held up on a job. That lets the company reroute another to the next customer waiting for service. IoT sensors on equipment and trucks monitor asset health and send notifications at the first sign of trouble. Predictive maintenance reduces downtime and repair costs.
Retail: Notify customers of current promotions or special store hours via mass SMS messaging. With IoT, retailers can use mass notifications to communicate with customers through digital displays. They can also advertise price reductions, change prices in real-time and provide product information so customers can make informed purchases. Sensors alert staffers when inventory runs low, and shelves can be restocked before they become barren.
Sports & Entertainment: Promote upcoming events with customized messages and pictures to excite fans via text message and digital signage. Advertise promotions and announce winners of fan contests to increase engagement and create better experiences. Use IoT sensors to trigger notification alerts when inventory and concession items run low. Remind suite attendants about VIP members and encourage gate attendants to greet each entrant with a smile. And check in with security to make sure the environment remains safe and secure.
Simply put, don’t save mass notifications for a rainy day. Successful organizations across all industries use mass notifications to keep communication channels open all day, every day. Across industries, this effective and efficient means of real-time communication can be a key differentiator.
