Leverage Mobility in Crisis Communications

Communication mobility is now the norm in today’s society. As more people search for ways to receive the latest news, the number of smartphone and tablet users is likely to increase.   In the Cisco Visual Networking Index Global Mobile Data Traffic Forecast Update, released in Feb. 2013, researchers predicted that the number of mobile-connected devices would exceed the world’s population by the end of the year. Mobile devices improve communication between an organization and its target audience. In addition, these gadgets help an organization prevent message failure during a crisis, and increase the likelihood that individuals receive an emergency notification and confirm receipt.   When it comes to crisis communications, however, technology is only part of the solution. An organization must consider how it constructs its emergency notifications, and send clear, concise updates that ensure mobile device users understand the message. Mobile device users are also important resources in a crisis, and an organization that leverages real-time updates provided by resilient citizens can gather and share critical information throughout the lifecycle of an incident.   Mobile devices enable users to provide on-the-scene information, such as photos and videos. This content can be sent directly to an organization, or posted to social media. With a mobility-oriented communication system, an organization can inform its target audience, provide instructions, and collect situational intelligence it can use to effectively manage a crisis.   Improve crisis response for your organization – check out the following tips to leverage mobility in crisis communications:   1. Focus on message construction. Use message construction for mobile consumption. An organization that plans messages accordingly, and understands the limits of message length on a mobile device, can provide fast, accurate updates.   2. Incorporate social media into your emergency preparedness strategy. Social media is valuable for collecting on-the-scene information, including photos and videos uploaded by mobile device users. Social media is also a great source of geographic information about a crisis. Use keywords and hashtags to filter, qualify, and analyze information from social media users. By doing so, an organization can share up-to-the-minute details about a crisis with its target audience.   3. Listen to your audience. Communication is a two-way street – receiving and listening can be as important as sending and broadcasting. Develop a two-way communication plan to ensure that your organization can deliver and receive information throughout an incident.   An organization can foster collaboration and enhance its crisis response by leveraging the mobility of crisis communications. To learn more about the benefits of mobility, check out this white paper.