Ways Organizations Can Prepare for Winter Communications

November 16, 2020

It’s hard to believe we’re nearing the end of 2020, a year we will never forget. Now is the time to sharpen communication skills to keep everyone safe and informed as the winter approaches. Mass notifications and a thought-out strategy can help.

Many non-essential businesses and organizations remain remote or hybrid-remote, while essential facilities including healthcare and grocery stores have been open all along. Each organization will have unique challenges this winter.

With Regroup, organizations can segment their audiences to receive the correct information at the right time. When roads close due to weather, schools have snow days, businesses need more winter-weather supplies from their vendors, mass notifications can be used by governments, municipalities and enterprises to ensure continuity.

The bottom line is that winter months can bring risks to many areas of the country, and mass notifications help keep people safe. In addition, there is no doubt that there will continue to be changing and perhaps conflicting information regarding COVID-19 shutdowns, and communities in all climates will need to be kept abreast of the changes.

Outside of pressing COVID-19 information, some ways mass notifications can help:

Government

Announce which services will be closed and which are available
Inform the community on emergency and non-emergency ways to get help
Issue routine day-to-day information about utility services and official municipal business
Distribute photographs of at-risk residents who may need help, or video stills of crimes that have occured in the area, on any device
Let people know if there are government rebates or special programs they can enroll in, to help during the winter
Inform residents how they can best winterize their homes and stay safe

Business

Allow opt-in lists of customers to let people know about closures, changing hours and openings
Use an easy, two-tap system to keep in touch with both in-person employees and those working from home
Announce closures due to weather, or even simple warnings about icy parking lots or problem roads on the commute
Keep in contact with vendors, who might be disbursed due to the pandemic
Warn in-person workers about any immediate threats to the business, including workplace violence — with mass notifications, this can be done remotely, from any device

Education

Announce snow days or adverse travel conditions that may affect the commute
Announce school closures for weather or illness reasons, on any device
Keep faculty and staff well-informed of protocols during unexpected closures
Keep the school community informed about changes in municipal rules that might impact the schools or district, using geofencing reach the right schools in the right locations
Advise best practices to students and parents who might be learning from home
Announce lockdown drills, lockdowns or lockouts
With two taps, inform the entire community if there are any threats of violence to the school or on its property, including active shooter events

Healthcare

Quickly mobilize healthcare providers and staff to fill in, in case others are quarantined
Warn the right people, when seconds count, when there is a dangerous situation in any facility or on campus
Keep essential workers informed about the commute, including road closures, using geofencing to reach the right people
Inform patients and their caregivers about any changing rules about masks or other protocols with a segmented list based on location
Distribute meaningful or helpful information during holiday months that may be lonely for patients, staff, and healthcare providers
Let employees know where they can get help when needed

Could your organization benefit from a mass notification system? Schedule a free customized demo today.