While effective communication is important in all industries and organizations, it is especially crucial in the education sector, which continues to face unprecedented challenges and pressures in the age of coronavirus. Below, we highlight four ways to dramatically yet cost-effectively improve your school communications:
#1: Improve School Communications with a Cloud Phone System
A cloud phone system is vastly superior to a conventional landline phone system. Key advantages include:
- Significant cost savings: minimal up-front CapEx costs, no ongoing maintenance or technical support expenses, no domestic long-distance fees, and no need to replace the phone system every few years.
- Mobile apps that enable teachers, administrators, and other staff to keep communication at their fingertips at all times — whether they travel between one school or 100.
- A geographically dispersed cloud infrastructure that keeps the phone system operational even in the event of a local power outage caused by a hurricane, flood, or any other disaster or emergency.
- A range of advanced calling features that dramatically improve school communications, such as Auto-Attendant, Voicemail-to-Email, Dial-by-Name Directory, and more.
#2: Improve School Communications with Video Conferencing
Video conferencing enables your staff to instantly connect with colleagues. This is regardless of whether they are working in the same school or different locations. They can also participate in video conferences from anywhere using their smartphone.
#3: Improve School Communications with SMS Alerts
SMS alerts (a.k.a. text messages) significantly improve school communications for students, staff, and parents alike. Some ways that your school can benefit from SMS alerts include:
- Provide real-time updates during emergencies.
- Remind parents of upcoming interviews.
- Promote school events and fundraising . Thisis a top priority in the aftermath of COVID-19. Many school boards grapple with historic budget cuts due to an unprecedented drop in enrollment.
- Make field trips better and safer.
- Provide internal staff with important updates (e.g. meetings, room assignment changes, etc.).
#4: Improve School Communications with IP Paging
There are times when multiple teachers or other staff members need to be contacted. Phoning each one is tedious and time-consuming. That is where IP paging enters the picture!
IP Paging uses special speakers that connect to a cloud phone system. Each speaker has a unique extension. Whenever a Principal, Vice Principal, or any other staff member wants to broadcast an announcement, they simply:
- Log into a simple-to-use web interface.
- Identify the extension of the speaker that they want to use (and if they are not sure of the extension, they can use a handy speaker locator and find it in seconds).
- Dial the extension from any phone on the network. The speaker automatically answers the call and plays a special tone.
- The staff member announces their message.
It is also possible to simultaneously broadcast a message over two or more speakers (a.k.a. “multicast paging”), target a specific area that has two or more speakers (a.k.a. “zone paging”), or schedule pre-recorded messages to broadcast at a certain time/day.
In addition, your school can use IP paging to install emergency push buttons at various locations, such as parking lots. When these buttons are pressed, the IP paging system either launches two-way communication with security staff, or broadcasts a pre-recorded message through one or more speakers (e.g. “security staff required in parking lot A — code 9”). IP paging can also be integrated with surveillance cameras and door access networks.
Learn More With Carolina Digital Phone
At Carolina Digital Phone, our affordable all-in-one cloud phone system includes built-in video conferencing, SMS alerts, and IP paging — which is why it is trusted and recommended by schools throughout North Carolina and the Southeast to improve school communications. Some of our satisfied customers include Bertie County Schools, Graham County Schools, Moore County Schools, Yadkin County Schools, Tandem Friends Schools, Noble Academy, and many others.
Call us now at (336) 544-4000, or chat with us by clicking the icon on the lower-left of your screen.