AlertFind® Frequently Asked Questions
What methods of notification are available?
Notifications can be received through more than a dozen devices including email, voice calls to home or office, text messages, pagers, BlackBerries® devices, fax and other communication channels.
How do you send a notification?
There are four basic ways to send notifications:
- Web based browser - Authorized personnel log on and complete an easy to use form denoting recipients and message. Recipients can be predefined user groups, escalation groups or the message can be broadcast to the entire user database.
- 24/7 support – Authorized personnel call a dedicated Dell MessageOne™ notification line and dictate a message and select recipient groups. Dell MessageOne then sends the notification.
- Interactive Voice Response (IVR) lines – Predefined templates for notifications can be created with quick launch codes and distribution lists. Authorized personnel call in the IVR line, enter the launch code, and the notification is sent.
- Application Programming Interface (API) – Automated notifications can be integrated with other enterprise applications. For example, a call to a help desk automatically sends a service order to repair personnel.
What can be done with the Application Programming Interface (API)?
In addition to automated notifications triggered through integration with other software systems, the API can be used to integrate with directory and other enterprise software solutions to maintain current contact information for users.
How do you confirm contacts have received your message?
AlertFind offers unlimited two-way polling, secure PIN message delivery, acknowledgement via voice, web, or email, automatic conference call bridging, and easily conducted virtual “roll calls.”
How are notifications escalated?
AlertFind enables you to easily specify device-to-device escalation rules and user-to-user escalations.
How many users can you reach?
100,000 or more users can be reached anytime, anywhere via voice or text-enabled devices.
What security access measures are in place?
AlertFind allows delegation of permissions to control who initiates notifications and whom they can contact, as well as controlling who can access sensitive personnel data. EMS customers can authenticate users using information from Active Directory® using Windows Authentication®.
How are contacts grouped?
AlertFind access control enables teams of users to be created around business units, departments, crisis response teams, geographies, and roles as well as to control which data and functionality each user can access.
Can you survey contacts?
Unlimited two-way polling is available and AlertFind can even poll users directly to prompt them to update their contact information.
Who handles data management?
AlertFind integrates with a wide variety of directory, HR, and administrative systems to ensure accurate, up-to-date contact information is maintained.
How do you ensure contact information is accurate?
AlertFind can be automated for data synchronization with email, HR systems, corporate directories, and databases to ensure contact information is always accurate.
How do you ensure systems don’t crash during large-scale communications?
AlertFind is hosted at top-tier disaster recovery data centers on redundant infrastructure to provide secure, highly available, global communications capabilities.
What reports and audits are available?
AlertFind features a real-time audit trail with a detailed transactional log, reporting on pending and sent notifications. Reports offer simple summaries and detailed descriptions of the notification process on a user, by user or device-by-device basis.
