Geofence Messaging: Capabilities and use cases
Geofencing is a technology that allows software interactions with users who are within a specific geo location. The technology relies on the use of GPS, IP address or RFID to create a virtual geographic boundary that allows software to trigger a response when an enabled device enters or leaves the specified area. A geofence can be dynamically generated to target those within a region with a notification, alert or other software interactions. With emergency alerting, this technology adds an indispensable tool for reaching the right people at the right time.
Because critical events like riots, severe weather, wildfires and criminal activity can be unpredictable and rapidly evolving, the ability to quickly alert a group in a specified geographical area can help improve outcomes. Coupled with a robust mass notification platform, geofencing is the smarter and faster alternative to phone trees and other forms of notification.
Regroup’s Geofence Capabilities
Geofence alerting can help your organization keep team members safe when seconds count and location matters. Sending timely mass alerts to networks inside or outside targeted geolocation is useful in any emergency, but particularly so when lives are potentially at stake.
Whether you need to contact staff in a specific facility, people in the vicinity of an incident or citizens in an at-risk area, Regroup’s Geofencing feature makes it possible to keep everyone safe and informed based on the recipient’s physical location. With Regroup’s Geofence messaging capabilities, your organization can easily create virtual fences and target notifications to people within selected areas. Regroup also offers the option to add entry and exit messages for people who are traveling into and out of designated areas. This is especially useful when your team consists of first responders or other emergency personnel.
How Regroup’s Geofencing Works
When composing your alert, simply draw the desired location on a map. Regroup’s messaging interface allows you to then send your notification to only those recipients inside the designated area, those entering and those leaving. It’s also fast and accurate.
- Draw the Geofence – Use the pen tool to draw a radius around the location you want to target.
- Select your audience – Send to everyone in the location or select specific groups of people based on your own criteria.
- Set entry and exit messages – Regroup allows you to send people different messages based on whether they’re currently in the location, entering or exiting.
The applications for geofencing are virtually limitless. Depending on the industry, using geofencing to target alerts can assist in production, maintaining schedules, advising others to safety precautions and dealing with critical events such as severe weather or crime.
Industry Use Cases for Geofence Messaging
Different industries have different communication requirements. Whether mass notification is used solely for critical alerting, or is incorporated as part of an overall business communication strategy, geofencing can greatly enhance the effectiveness of an organization’s reach within and outside of its network.
EDUCATION
Administrators can issue location-based messages to alert students and faculty to campus closures, chemical exposure, active shooter events or all-clear notifications. Campuses can also enlist geofence messaging to communicate physical safety procedures in dealing with viral exposures.
HEALTHCARE
Hospitals and clinics can issue alerts to security personnel in cases of unruly patients or carers. Additionally, geofence messaging can be used to inform those entering a specific area of potential threats. Used in routine communication, geofencing can help larger healthcare organizations fill staff requirements in targeted locations.
INSURANCE
Using geofence messaging, insurers can issue localized alerts to clients about potentially catastrophic weather events such as hurricanes, hail storms or floods. This allows policyholders greater opportunity to protect their homes, cars and other property.
CONSTRUCTION
Set an alert for those entering hard-hat areas, target specific construction sites that may be at risk of severe weather or use geofencing to deliver site-specific safety reminders.
ENTERPRISE
Alert employees of special events such as drills or seminars that have been scheduled for their office location. Geofencing can also be used to alert team members of closings, production needs or shipment delays.
VENUES
Use geofencing in larger venues to report suspicious activity or persons. It’s also a powerful tool for alerting security personnel and stakeholders of approaching weather conditions and other threats that could disrupt patron safety or experience.
Regroup Mass Notification provides the most ways to send and receive alerts. Coupled with our powerful geofencing feature, Regroup allows you to reach those in your network who may be affected the most by quickly targeting specific locations most at risk. As part of Regroup’s full suite of mass notification tools, geofencing enables you to get your message to the right people at the right time.
Your Next Steps
Geofenced messaging is a great way for organizations to interact with their stakeholders with targeted messages depending on their geographic location. Geofencing lets companies respond in a timely manner to emergencies and routine events so that everyone gets the right information when they need it most. Book a free demo with Regroup to experience the Regroup platform and see how geofencing can benefit your organization during emergencies and everyday.