How do I register to try out the system?
Contact us to arrange for a free trial or demo. We offer complimentary trials of the Voyent Alert! system. We will provide you with links to register and create a test region for your community, as well as links for end users.
Is extensive training required to use the system?
No. While we do provide training materials and support contacts, the system itself very intuitive and simple to use. Tool tip assistance is built into the product to guide you along. If you do run into troubles, just give us a shout. We are always happy to assist.
How do our community members register?
End users can register either by downloading the Voyent Alert! mobile app accessible through the various app stores or by clicking on a link that we will provide to you for web-based registration. Registration is simple and anonymous. End users register for our account by way of postal code entry (a code from your community), or by selecting your region on a map.
Can visitors to the community register for Voyent Alert?
Yes. A visitor to the municipality can register with a local postal code just like local residents. They will be notified if any alerts are sent out that pertain to any of the “My Locations” they may have set. They will receive those notifications even if they are outside the region of interest.
Can users register their children?
Yes. If their children have a smart device you can assist them with installing from an app store or via the web-interface to receive SMS alerts.
Some of our residents may not have cell phones or internet access, how do they register for Text to Land Line service?
Good Question. Voyent Alert! requires registration either via mobile app or through a web interface. Users would have to utilize access points either at a library, city administration services, or through a friend or family member.
Yes. Smart device users can uninstall the Voyent Alert! app from the device or unregister through the user options icon. Users with Web-based accounts can follow a similar procedure.
Is there a cost to the end user?
No. End users are never charged a fee to use the service. There is no charge to download the app from Google Play or Apple App Store.
What is the cost to the region or the municipality?
Pricing details can be viewed here. In general costs will vary depending on product tier, number of users, and frequency / type of messages sent. Contact us if you have questions. We would be happy to provide you with a quote, or a sample calculator to estimate your costs.
Where can I find a sample Voyent Alert! Terms of Agreement?
Click here to view a sample Voyent Alert! Terms of Agreement.
Do end users need to remember usernames and passwords?
No. We have done away with complex, hard-to-remember usernames and passwords. Instead, we use a simple yet highly secure Two-Factor Authentication scheme. When users want to log into their web-based account they simply enter the email or SMS phone number that they registered with. A 4-digit login code is then transmitted to them via that channel, which they enter to complete the login process.
How do end users get alerted?
Voyent Alert! supports mobile apps on iPhones and Android, email-based notifications, SMS, posting via social media channels, and will soon be offering text-to-voice services through autodialers to cell and land-line phones.
What user locations get tracked for alert notifications?
End users have the option to designate up to 10 separate locations for the system to track against in addition to their own location via the mobile app. When accessing the system either through the mobile app or through the web-based interface users are provided access to a “My Locations” feature. This allows them to utilize a map-based interface to mark and label locations they wish to monitor for any alerts. For example “Kid’s School”, “Office”, “Mom’s House” etc.
What is personalized messaging and why is it useful?
Voyent Alert! uses advanced geospatial technology to personalize alerts sent out to end users. Rather than receive a generic message about an incident that might be occurring in their region, users receive much more detailed information about where they, or their tracked locations are, relative to an incident. They can be advised as to the distance, direction, time to intercept (if they or the incident is moving), turn-by-turn evacuation instructions etc. The information is customized to each recipient’s personal circumstance. The more context provided in a message, the greater value it is to the end user.
How is this different from other regional alert systems like Alberta Alerts, Sask Alerts etc.?
ICEsoft is actively works with the relevant government agencies to stream their content, and augment it where appropriate or useful. In general these services work at a macro level advising users about issues that might be going on at a provincial, county, or district level. How they might impact and end user might not always be immediately apparent.
Voyent Alert! works at a much more refined level, providing users with greater context as to where they are relative to the alert incident and customizing the relevant data for the end user. Alert notifications are engineered to accommodate moving incidents as well as moving users, so notifications can be triggered proximity to a given alert event.
Voyent Alert! is also administered at the community level and can be used for general day to day communications and local services (i.e. 311 features) as well as for sending out critical incident advisories.
Does Voyent Alert! collect user personal information?
If users close the app on their device, will they still receive notifications?
Yes. Voyent Alert! utilizes a “silent notification” mode on smart devices so the app can be closed at anytime.
Won’t Voyent Alert! use up a lot of device battery power?
In creating the Voyent Alert! mobile app, ICEsoft developed proprietary algorithms engineered to reduce the load on mobile appliances. Impact on battery life should be negligible.
As a municipal government we have certain privacy issues we must comply with. Where is the service operated from?
Voyent Alert! is a cloud-based service utilizing Canadian-based resources for operations and storage. ICEsoft undertakes measures to ensure that Voyent Alert! is compliance with the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act of Canada (PIPEDA).
How do we get the word out to our community? Is there available collateral we can use?
ICEsoft will provide a community marketing kit to registered subscribers. This provides access to customizable / brandable collateral that you can use during a planned service rollout. It includes sample videos, mail out inserts, end user FAQ’s, web pages etc.
We’re happy to provide more information and answer your questions. Call us today.