How SMS will keep guests & employees safe in a crisis

When a crisis occurs, how you communicate with guests and employees matters. Safety is important. If you are able to be proactive and have strong communication skills, you are going to save lives in the event of a disaster. While you can’t predict when a crisis will occur, you can plan out specific responses or action plans in the event of a specific type of crisis. When you respond with skill and collaboration, guests and employees will be safer.

SMS is the fastest, most direct way to reach a large number of people quickly, and it can all be done from your phone. When you have the ability to text customers and employees, you can share all kinds of information during a difficult situation. With a 98% read rate, quickly notify your employees and guests during a crisis with SMS.

Responses Can Occur Immediately
When a crisis occurs, you can’t predict if your employees or customers are going to be sitting at a computer. With time management of the essence, it is vital to reach out on mobile devices. If you need to check on your employees or you want to make sure each guest at your facility is safe, a quick text message requesting a reply to check on safety can make a big difference. You will hear back from those who are safe and be able to send help to those who don’t respond.

In critical situations, your staff may be on the move and won’t always have immediate access to their computers or a reliable internet connection. With a texting platform, your staff can easily send a text alert from their mobile phones to everyone on their distribution list. They don’t need to install any apps or even have internet access on their phones. In times when seconds matter, the flexibility this offers is crucial to ensuring guest safety.

Answer Employee or Customer Questions
To keep everyone feeling safe, information is essential. As the crisis occurs and you have gathered information, share any pertinent information through SMS. In the event of a fire, for example, you can send out a text stating exactly where the fire is located and what the evacuation procedures are. If the fire has been put out, send out another text to let everyone know. You can respond to questions or concerns through SMS and use creativity to problem solve the crisis.

Share Safety Tips
In the event of a large disaster at your facility, you’ll need to do more than keep people informed about what is going on. If you have safety tips, share them through SMS marketing. For example, if there is a security risk in the building, you need to let everyone know of this risk through SMS. Tell people to shelter in place or share any escape routes that are deemed safe. Be clear about the risk, as being vague will only confuse those who receive the messages. Keep everyone up to date during the crisis.

Use Automation to Respond More Quickly in a Crisis
Good planning can make a huge difference when a crisis occurs. Use project management strategies to set up a response protocol. You will be able to automate text messages based on the crisis that occurs. You can even send out a daily safety tip through an MMS picture message for those that prefer visual thinking. When there is a crisis:

• A solid action plan is necessary.
• SMS gives you the ability to reach out in an instant.
• Security risks are easier to manage.
• Answer questions immediately and gather vital feedback.
• Manage your response with creativity.
• Use collaboration with emergency services to keep everyone safe.
• Increase productivity by managing the crisis effectively.
• Send infographics to maximize your response with visual thinking.

Preparation makes managing a crisis easier. While you can’t predict when a crisis strikes, you can try to manage how you respond to the crisis. With a plan in place, you and your employees will know how to respond. SMS gives you a powerful communication tool so that you can reach out to others, check on safety, and gather information as the event unfolds. When you can share information and collect updates from those directly involved in the crisis, it will become easier to manage the entire situation and makes your organization more secure overall.