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  3. Mass Voice/Text Messaging Service

Mass Voice/Text Messaging Service

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  • M milo xml

    Google search doesn't provide real world experience with at product. You could buy a car with a google search, but I bet you would prefer to talk to someone you trust about their experience with the vehicle you're looking at. :)

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    Slacker007
    wrote on last edited by
    #51

    Well, have you found anyone with real world experience, here at the lounge on mass text bombing? And if so, did that experience help you make mission critical, command decisions on this topic? Just curious is all... :)

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    • M milo xml

      Does anyone have any experience with systems or companies that can send mass voice or text messages? We're looking to contact selected employees with info relating to work. Ideally, I think we would set up the contacts and whether or not they want voice or text messages. The interface needs to be user friendly with a small learning curve if possible.

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      rnbergren
      wrote on last edited by
      #52

      I hate these services. Cannot recommend them. Just be sure this is an opt IN and has a working opt OUT!

      To err is human to really mess up you need a computer

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      • M milo xml

        Does anyone have any experience with systems or companies that can send mass voice or text messages? We're looking to contact selected employees with info relating to work. Ideally, I think we would set up the contacts and whether or not they want voice or text messages. The interface needs to be user friendly with a small learning curve if possible.

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        Dan Neely
        wrote on last edited by
        #53

        My previous employer setup VoiceShot[^] as a platform to distribute emergency office closed type messages. I think during the 3 years between when they set it up and I left it was only used for the annual system test message...

        Did you ever see history portrayed as an old man with a wise brow and pulseless heart, waging all things in the balance of reason? Is not rather the genius of history like an eternal, imploring maiden, full of fire, with a burning heart and flaming soul, humanly warm and humanly beautiful? --Zachris Topelius Training a telescope on one’s own belly button will only reveal lint. You like that? You go right on staring at it. I prefer looking at galaxies. -- Sarah Hoyt

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        • S Slacker007

          Well, have you found anyone with real world experience, here at the lounge on mass text bombing? And if so, did that experience help you make mission critical, command decisions on this topic? Just curious is all... :)

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          milo xml
          wrote on last edited by
          #54

          Actually, yes. I've been able to narrow it down to 4 options that people have had experience with. One has PeopleSoft integration which might be desirable, depending upon what they're looking at for price. Remember, we're manually calling these people anyway in regards to work, so this will be just a way to automate it. :) The four are, for reference: Mass Notification & Emergency Notification Software | MIR3, Inc.[^] Cloud Phone System, Voice Broadcasting, Appointment Reminders, IVR API[^] https://www.twilio.com/[^] Nimbow - API for Text Messaging & Bulk SMS[^]

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          • D Dan Neely

            My previous employer setup VoiceShot[^] as a platform to distribute emergency office closed type messages. I think during the 3 years between when they set it up and I left it was only used for the annual system test message...

            Did you ever see history portrayed as an old man with a wise brow and pulseless heart, waging all things in the balance of reason? Is not rather the genius of history like an eternal, imploring maiden, full of fire, with a burning heart and flaming soul, humanly warm and humanly beautiful? --Zachris Topelius Training a telescope on one’s own belly button will only reveal lint. You like that? You go right on staring at it. I prefer looking at galaxies. -- Sarah Hoyt

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            milo xml
            wrote on last edited by
            #55

            Thanks for the info. Was it because it was not user friendly?

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            • M milo xml

              Thanks for the info. Was it because it was not user friendly?

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              Dan Neely
              wrote on last edited by
              #56

              I have no idea how usable it was on the admin end, but they never had to do an emergency office closure after setting the system up. Or at least not in my building. A few of the coastal locations had hurricane shutdowns, and the other local building had a watermain problem that they encouraged people to work from home if possible (to try and avoid having to buy 200-300 people's worth of bottled water) until it was fixed that might've happened after the system was setup.

              Did you ever see history portrayed as an old man with a wise brow and pulseless heart, waging all things in the balance of reason? Is not rather the genius of history like an eternal, imploring maiden, full of fire, with a burning heart and flaming soul, humanly warm and humanly beautiful? --Zachris Topelius Training a telescope on one’s own belly button will only reveal lint. You like that? You go right on staring at it. I prefer looking at galaxies. -- Sarah Hoyt

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              • D Dan Neely

                I have no idea how usable it was on the admin end, but they never had to do an emergency office closure after setting the system up. Or at least not in my building. A few of the coastal locations had hurricane shutdowns, and the other local building had a watermain problem that they encouraged people to work from home if possible (to try and avoid having to buy 200-300 people's worth of bottled water) until it was fixed that might've happened after the system was setup.

                Did you ever see history portrayed as an old man with a wise brow and pulseless heart, waging all things in the balance of reason? Is not rather the genius of history like an eternal, imploring maiden, full of fire, with a burning heart and flaming soul, humanly warm and humanly beautiful? --Zachris Topelius Training a telescope on one’s own belly button will only reveal lint. You like that? You go right on staring at it. I prefer looking at galaxies. -- Sarah Hoyt

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                milo xml
                wrote on last edited by
                #57

                Thanks!

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                • M milo xml

                  Does anyone have any experience with systems or companies that can send mass voice or text messages? We're looking to contact selected employees with info relating to work. Ideally, I think we would set up the contacts and whether or not they want voice or text messages. The interface needs to be user friendly with a small learning curve if possible.

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                  Dominic Amann
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #58

                  Sounds like you are describing twitter.

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                  • M milo xml

                    Does anyone have any experience with systems or companies that can send mass voice or text messages? We're looking to contact selected employees with info relating to work. Ideally, I think we would set up the contacts and whether or not they want voice or text messages. The interface needs to be user friendly with a small learning curve if possible.

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                    bryanren
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #59

                    Spok EverBridge I know we use them both at different locations. I have no insight into the use of them.

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                    • B bryanren

                      Spok EverBridge I know we use them both at different locations. I have no insight into the use of them.

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                      milo xml
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #60

                      Thanks! I'll check those out.

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                      • M milo xml

                        Does anyone have any experience with systems or companies that can send mass voice or text messages? We're looking to contact selected employees with info relating to work. Ideally, I think we would set up the contacts and whether or not they want voice or text messages. The interface needs to be user friendly with a small learning curve if possible.

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                        ProfessorDan
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #61

                        try X-matters.com We use it for on-call notification and escalation as well as emergency notification I am sure it will fit the need how ever I do not know the cost (We support 18,000 employees with 5 hospitals and dozens of clinics )

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                        • P ProfessorDan

                          try X-matters.com We use it for on-call notification and escalation as well as emergency notification I am sure it will fit the need how ever I do not know the cost (We support 18,000 employees with 5 hospitals and dozens of clinics )

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                          milo xml
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #62

                          Looks good. Thanks for the info!

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                          • M milo xml

                            Does anyone have any experience with systems or companies that can send mass voice or text messages? We're looking to contact selected employees with info relating to work. Ideally, I think we would set up the contacts and whether or not they want voice or text messages. The interface needs to be user friendly with a small learning curve if possible.

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                            User 3398932
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #63

                            try bulksms.com No voice option, but great for bulk sms text messaging - international coverage.

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                            • M milo xml

                              Does anyone have any experience with systems or companies that can send mass voice or text messages? We're looking to contact selected employees with info relating to work. Ideally, I think we would set up the contacts and whether or not they want voice or text messages. The interface needs to be user friendly with a small learning curve if possible.

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                              PSU Steve
                              wrote on last edited by
                              #64

                              Our county sheriff's office uses http://www.nixle.com to send text message notices of accidents, road closures, etc. It works pretty well. Not sure if it's a solution for you or not.

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                              • OriginalGriffO OriginalGriff

                                So do it all by email. It's free (which texts mostly aren't) and the subscriber can always set a rule to bin them unread or feed them to a particular folder.

                                Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay...

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                                Greg Lovekamp
                                wrote on last edited by
                                #65

                                Oddly, most USA plans anymore have free text messaging while data (which would include email) is metered. I think texts are great; very easy to ignore. Agree with those who point out automated phone calls are INCREDIBLY annoying.

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                                • M milo xml

                                  Does anyone have any experience with systems or companies that can send mass voice or text messages? We're looking to contact selected employees with info relating to work. Ideally, I think we would set up the contacts and whether or not they want voice or text messages. The interface needs to be user friendly with a small learning curve if possible.

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                                  ajhampson
                                  wrote on last edited by
                                  #66

                                  We just started using Everbridge at work for inclement weather and emergency notifications. I can't speak to the set up by the owning office, but the UI for configuring how you want to receive messages was very simple to use. It sends to voice, email, and text and you can choose which of these to get messages on and in what order. The Safety folks set it up with work phone and email, and each user gets to register and add any other numbers/addresses they want information on. Very easy. Good luck!

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                                  • P PSU Steve

                                    Our county sheriff's office uses http://www.nixle.com to send text message notices of accidents, road closures, etc. It works pretty well. Not sure if it's a solution for you or not.

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                                    milo xml
                                    wrote on last edited by
                                    #67

                                    Looks good. I'll check that out. Thanks!

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                                    • U User 3398932

                                      try bulksms.com No voice option, but great for bulk sms text messaging - international coverage.

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                                      milo xml
                                      wrote on last edited by
                                      #68

                                      I'll check it out. Thanks!

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                                      • A ajhampson

                                        We just started using Everbridge at work for inclement weather and emergency notifications. I can't speak to the set up by the owning office, but the UI for configuring how you want to receive messages was very simple to use. It sends to voice, email, and text and you can choose which of these to get messages on and in what order. The Safety folks set it up with work phone and email, and each user gets to register and add any other numbers/addresses they want information on. Very easy. Good luck!

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                                        milo xml
                                        wrote on last edited by
                                        #69

                                        Thanks for the info!

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                                        • M milo xml

                                          Does anyone have any experience with systems or companies that can send mass voice or text messages? We're looking to contact selected employees with info relating to work. Ideally, I think we would set up the contacts and whether or not they want voice or text messages. The interface needs to be user friendly with a small learning curve if possible.

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                                          James VT
                                          wrote on last edited by
                                          #70

                                          Do you want an API, or a web interface that a non-programmer can use? I looked into this a bit for my son's school, and there was a big difference between A) a turnkey solution where the school's reception could just log in & send a voicemail or text to all the parents, and B) an API that you could control with code. As you can imagine the API is much cheaper. I just played around with one of the sandbox API's (I forget which one) and it was very easy. It made me realize you could develop a web interface pretty easily, and I was planning to do this for them to save them some money over the turnkey solution. To send a text message, you just provide the text string and phone number to the API as you'd expect. For a voice message, as I recall you provide a MP3 or WAV file along with the phone number to the API. For APIs, there's Twilio and Plivo; Amazon Web Services (AWS) also has these services available. To give you an idea of AWS pricing: Pricing[^] The first 100 text messages per month are free, and then it's $0.00645 per message after that. It's hard to gauge a price like that in the abstract (is that cheap? or a lot?), so I did some ballpark estimating. The school has about 1,000 parents, so that's $6.45 each time the school sends a text message. It's not necessarily a lot, but it's not something you want to be sending 5 times a day either, or even every day, because it can start to add up. If you're just sending one a week, that's $25.80 per month. This is still radically cheaper than the turnkey solutions. I think the secretary told me they were quoted $3,000/yr for a ready-made web solution? I'm sure that had restrictions or additional fees if you went over a texting limit.

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