Franklin Mint Switches to AlertMedia Overnight to Navigate Winter Storms
ReliabilityFast, reliable delivery of critical, time-sensitive communications to a dispersed workforce- Peace of MindRestored confidence that emergency communications will be sent and received
- Business ContinuityEmployees are informed and vital business operations are protected during critical events
- EfficiencyMultichannel messages are easily sent via mobile app saving time during an emergency
- IndustryFinancial Services
- Locations25
- Employees375
- ProductsEmergency Communication Software, Local Threat Monitoring
- Primary UsesInclement Weather, IT Outages, Emergency
Franklin Mint Protects Employee Safety and Business Continuity
Franklin Mint Federal Credit Union has provided financial products and services to members in the greater Philadelphia region and beyond since 1970. Housing over $1 billion in assets, it is the largest Credit Union headquartered in Delaware County and the 10th largest in Pennsylvania. With 375 employees spread across 25 locations—many of which are freestanding branch buildings—FMFCU needed a versatile and reliable way to communicate with employees during critical events such as IT outages and severe weather disturbances.
Unfortunately, FMFCU was hampered by an emergency notification system that was outdated and unreliable. After losing confidence in its existing provider’s ability to keep employees safe, informed, and connected, FMFCU switched to AlertMedia. With AlertMedia, FMFCU can now communicate critical information to employees easily and reliably to improve safety, ensure business continuity, and protect vital operations.
When It Comes to Emergency Communications, One Failure Is Too Many
“Our original provider took weeks to figure out why a subset of our users was not receiving mobile messages. During that time, several winter storms hit our area. Had we stayed with our old provider and not switched to AlertMedia, we would’ve had to go back to using a call tree to communicate with employees.”
Prior to switching to AlertMedia, FMFCU was using another emergency mass notification system to alert employees of critical events—but that system proved to be unreliable, inadvertently exposing employees to unnecessary risks. And when it comes to emergency communications, one failure is too many. “We had a situation where we sent out a mobile communication, but half of our employees didn’t receive the message because the provider had an unplanned outage. Once you lose confidence in your emergency communications solution provider, you need to find a new one,” says John Hargrove, FMFCU’s CISO and SVP of IT.
FMFCU needed a modern emergency mass notification system that it could rely on to communicate with employees during critical events. With a number of severe storms to contend with each year, FMFCU sought a system it could primarily use to inform employees of dangerous road conditions and branch closures. Given the existing provider’s undependable platform—combined with the provider’s inability to communicate and troubleshoot technical issues in a timely manner—FMFCU knew it needed to make the move to a more sophisticated emergency notification system provider.
A Reliable, Robust, and User-Friendly Platform Restores Confidence
After a thorough evaluation of the emergency mass notification system landscape, FMFCU selected AlertMedia for its robust, user-friendly platform and the world-class customer support that comes along with it. With its intuitive user experience, flexible delivery options, and easy implementation process—coupled with a knowledgeable and attentive customer success team—AlertMedia had everything FMFCU needed.
Emergency events aren’t confined to business hours, making AlertMedia’s flexible communication capabilities vital to FMFCU’s emergency communications program. “You think you’re going to be at your desk when an emergency happens and have the luxury of working off your desktop machine, but the reality is—that’s often not the case. If I get a phone call at 3:00 a.m. about a situation and I need to let employees know immediately, I need the flexibility to send out alerts using my cell phone,” says Hargrove.
The AlertMedia platform offers both a comprehensive web portal and an easy-to-use mobile app, offering administrators greater flexibility over how they communicate with employees. And for Hargrove—who will typically receive an early-morning call from FMFCU’s leadership team regarding office closures or delayed openings when severe weather hits— notifying employees is a breeze. “I simply update my existing weather template in AlertMedia with specifics and then send the communication to all employees,” he says.
AlertMedia’s two-way communication capabilities and multichannel delivery options also ensure employees stay informed and connected. “When an employee receives a message, they can respond with questions or updates. We can answer clarifying questions, get updates from the employee directly on their personal situation, or provide additional resources to help them get out of a situation. Last winter, I probably used the system 10 times to communicate with employees about severe weather closures,” Hargrove adds.
Unparalleled Customer Support Every Step of the Way
Not only did the AlertMedia platform offer greater flexibility and reliability than their previous system, but switching to AlertMedia was also a quick, painless process. With the support of AlertMedia’s sales and customer success teams, FMFCU was up and running quickly on the AlertMedia platform. “Within 15 minutes of receiving my login, I had all 375 employees uploaded, and I was sending test messages to our employee base within seconds,” says Hargrove.
Hargrove was particularly impressed with how knowledgeable and responsive the AlertMedia team was, which—after a poor service experience with FMFCU’s previous provider—he recognizes as a major contributor to the successful implementation of an emergency notification system. Adds Hargrove, “Our original provider took weeks to figure out why a subset of our users was not receiving mobile messages. During that time, several winter storms hit our area. Had we stayed with our old provider and not switched to AlertMedia, we would’ve had to go back to using a call tree to communicate with employees.”
While FMFCU has primarily used the system for inclement weather, they are now expanding their use of the platform due to its initial success. AlertMedia’s mass notification system is expected to play a large role in keeping employees informed during a large upcoming core conversion. And Hargrove has also added other administrators to the AlertMedia platform— including those responsible for risk management, building security, and facilities—so FMFCU can use the system for any critical event it may face, including severe weather, workplace violence, IT and power outages, and more.
