Using a Mass Notification System to Improve Enterprise ROI
Measuring ROI for a mass notification system can seem complicated. But, justifying the investment can be a simple process when you apply cost- and time-saving benefits.
For virtually every type of business, return on investment (ROI) is an important consideration for budgeting, long-term business goals, and overall solvency. Though a standard measurement of return on costs is gain over investment, it may be challenging to evaluate (in terms of dollars and cents) when applied to ancillary business support systems like mass notification.
There are, however, other methods with which the use of mass notification for routine and critical alerts can be measured in terms of ROI. This is particularly true when mass notification is incorporated as a support system for production, logistics, routine communications, IT and other critical operations.
Used as a means for improving production and other operations, mass notification systems can be important contributors to a healthy bottom line for businesses of practically every type and every size. And, looking at monthly or annual subscription costs in comparison to the overall benefits of a mass notification system can be a simple and illustrative process.
Time is Money
By using a mass notification system as part of a well-rounded business communications plan, companies of all varieties can reduce response- and down-time when critical processes are at risk of interruption. As opposed to relying on outdated methods like phone trees, responses to critical incidents are better served through a more reliable tool like mass notification.
Doing so can mitigate miscommunication and other delays. Further, when specific, predetermined groups of employees are reached via a mass alert, accountability can be established through a type of digital ‘paper trail’. This can help organizations ensure the appropriate people respond appropriately and, when warranted, report on the incident.
Additional time can be saved when team leaders or administrators have event-specific templates at their disposal. This can aid in communicating more accurate information with a smaller margin of error and in less time. Database integrations can also dramatically reduce errors and increase success rates when responding to incidents.
When evaluating up-time as a performance metric in overall business success, the addition of a mass notification system is a vital complement to an organization’s communication plan. The benefits of protecting business-critical processes cannot be overstated.
Reducing Operational Costs and Developing Resilience
As with responses to critical incidents and outages, keeping production and operational costs in check is a key metric for an enterprise. Mass notification systems are an entire ecosystem of communication and reporting tools that can be incorporated into your existing infrastructure with minimal investment, allowing you to leverage the technologies you already have in place.
Since mass notifications are cloud-based and can be sent to existing emails and mobile devices, the need for additional hardware or devices is virtually nil. Should an organization’s facilities make use of public address systems or digital signage, mass notification systems can further be harnessed for both routine and critical announcements.
A cloud-based mass notification system also serves to save money because it requires no additional IT support or intervention. Functionality is largely a part of the platform itself or its APIs and requires virtually no end-user
One of Regroup’s clients — a large chemical manufacturing company — uses the platform regularly to cover shifts, advise as to outages, warn of severe weather conditions and update workers on physical procedures used for COVID-19 mitigation.
Streamlines Processes
There are countless ways mass notification can assist an organization in honing essential processes and keeping employees on point. Additionally, an MNS system creates an audit trail for every message and response, encouraging best practices and accountability within the organization.
Mass notification can also be used to establish a chain of command within operational processes. This allows escalation to team leaders in a more orderly and accountable manner than email chains or other methods. Keeping clear and consistent messaging at the forefront of internal processes is essential in identifying and addressing areas in need of improvement or attention. It can also facilitate more informed decision-making and process improvement efforts.
When used in combination with standard training practices, mass notification goes a long way to reinforce best practices among the workforce. Organizations can use MNS to announce policy changes, shift notifications, facilities maintenance, physical procedures for COVID-19 precautions, and other routine announcements. This practice is substantially more effective than traditional means as it can deliver information via email, text/SMS, push notifications, company intranets and more.
Check out Regroup’s COVID-19 Resource Center here.
Analyzing Gain Over Cost
The precise ROI of a mass notification system may not always be easy to quantify in terms of hard numbers. However, the cost-saving and operational resilience benefits are clear and measurable. For many organizations, a mass notification system can create a competitive advantage because of its ability to keep the workforce, vendors, logistics providers, and team leaders all informed and proactive. As a tool for corporate communications, it provides a reliable and cost-effective tool for imparting information during normal operations or in times of crisis.
The easily measured gains are a better-informed workforce, improved accountability, operational resilience, enhanced incident response, and risk management. These gains can greatly reduce costs and other exposures as well as reinforce the best practices that lead to a more profitable outcome.
A mass notification system is one piece of an intelligent business communication strategy. For both critical and routine communications, mass notification is an indispensable tool for gaining a competitive edge and keeping operational costs at manageable levels.
Broad Range of Functionality
Along with the obvious business case for incorporating a mass notification system into your organization’s overarching communications strategy, it’s important to consider the range of functionality a MNS can offer.
With Regroup Mass Notification, your organization can harness a number of smart, cloud-based features that help you maintain resilience and reduce costs.
Robust reporting, broad API capabilities that integrate easily into other applications, desktop alerting, enhanced mapping layers for geo-targeted alerts, secure hosting environment and more all deliver a first-in-class solution from a nominal investment.
Learn more about Regroup’s API integrations here.
Your Next Steps
Ready to see how a smart mass notification system can help you improve your bottom line and reduce costs? Schedule a personalized demo of Regroup Mass Notification today. We can help you analyze your current communications plan and show you how a solution like Regroup provides a positive return on investment.