Johannesburg, 30 Jan 2023
When a company considers the safety of their workforce, topics like cyber security and network security are often top of mind. But what about personal safety? How can a business today safeguard their employees, no matter their location? For Cathrine Van Straten, Cellfind’s Marketing Manager and VAS Product Owner, a mobile panic button is an easy-to-integrate solution that offers tangible value for remote employees, staff on the road or those working in a high-risk environment.
“When your staff members are in the office, you are liable for their safety, but when they’re not in the workplace, what safety do they have?” she asks. According to Statista, the number of mobile internet users in South Africa amounted to almost 47.8 million in 2021. This device penetration is projected to grow to over 90% in the next three years. That said, mobile phones are a critical part of day-to-day life, which is why it’s time to rethink the concept of a panic button.
“It’s a reverse-billed mobile app,” elaborates Van Straten. “Typically, you would be looking at three panic buttons and four assist buttons. Panic buttons would be medical emergency, home invasion and hijacking. Your assist buttons include roadside assist, drive me home assist, home assist and legal assist.” And with a white label mobile panic solution, a business can choose what the different buttons link to. “It’s a question of identifying what the needs are for that particular industry or end-user. Whatever panic you’re in or whatever assist you require, the alert goes to a (vetted) service provider and, two or three seconds later, you’re getting a phone call. Because it is done through an app, they’ve already got all of your details,” says Van Straten.
Even though there are a number of panic apps already available, Van Straten is hesitant about simply choosing one to download off an app store without first understanding its value. “Read the terms and conditions – the fine print. Often you’ll be paying for the service and addition to that, every time you get a service provider or assistance, you’ll be forking the bill,” she says. Compared to a white label mobile panic solution where expenses are part of a monthly subscription fee and an employee’s details (such as a medical aid plan) are already on file, there are many benefits to consider. “A lot of insurance companies do offer this service, but they’re not promoting it because they’re scared of utilisation,” adds Van Straten. “It’s in the fine print; most people already have two or three panic buttons that they’re not even aware of.” Van Straten brings up a well-known healthcare and insurance provider that offers a panic button solution but, according to Cellfind’s research, 90% of the users don’t know it exists. “But if a company gives a panic button to its staff and isn’t afraid of its customers or employees using the service, now you’re giving them value,” she says. “It’s about customer retention and giving your employees something beneficial, but it’s more than that – it’s for the whole family.”
Van Straten explains that even those people who do not use smartphones can access a mobile panic button through a USSD string. “It’s a very straightforward registration process. The USSD number is saved on speed dial and it will trigger a panic service provider. The only thing is that through USSD, you’re unable to pick up the direct location and so, in this situation, an agent will call before dispatching whatever is needed,” she says.
In South Africa, the crime situation remains high. Personal security has never been more important, so why not take a device that an employee already uses to the next level – to bring peace of mind.
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