Moving to a new phone or unified communications (UC) platform can bring significant benefits from improved flexibility and collaboration to easier management and reduced costs. During a migration, one critical area can sometimes be overlooked: emergency communications.
Whether your organization is moving to a cloud-based platform, upgrading an existing PBX, or adopting a hybrid communications environment, emergency services and notification capabilities should be part of the migration plan from the beginning.
Keep E911 at the Forefront
When employees dial 911, accurate location information is essential. As organizations move away from traditional phone systems, users and devices may no longer be tied to a single physical location. Your migration plan should account for how emergency calls are routed and how accurate location information is maintained across offices, buildings, floors, remote locations, and other work environments.
Review Internal Emergency Notifications
Emergency communication doesn't stop when a 911 call is placed. Security teams, front desks, administrators, and other designated personnel may also need to know that an emergency is occurring. When changing phone systems, review how your organization currently handles emergency notifications and determine whether those processes will continue to function after the migration.
Don't Forget Paging and Mass Notification
Many organizations rely on multiple communication channels during an emergency, including overhead paging, desktop notifications, SMS, email, and other alerting methods. A phone system migration is an ideal opportunity to review how these systems work together and identify potential communication gaps.
Plan Before You Migrate
Emergency communication shouldn't be something organizations address after their new phone system goes live. Including E911, emergency notification, paging, reporting, and incident management in the planning process can help create a smoother transition while maintaining critical safety capabilities. Genesis Systems provides emergency communication, E911, notification, incident management, and communications solutions designed to integrate with a wide range of communication environments.
When it's time to change your phone system, make sure your emergency communications move with you. Contact Genesis to learn more.
