In our everyday lives, we don’t think much about the ease of firing off a text, reading the latest in the Twittersphere, or checking the balance in our bank account. These are all rapid, easy, and practically second nature to us. Things haven’t always been this way. The days of awaiting a written letter from a faraway friend and writing checks seem long ago, and much has changed courtesy of the technology boom.

When Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast in 2005, most people had cell phones. The storm rendered cell towers inoperable, so calls via cell phones were not an option. Texting was in its early stages and not yet recognized as a reliable and ubiquitous communication channel. Most phones had limited texting capability, and then it was awkward, time-consuming, and tedious at best.

Communication availability and reliability have greatly improved since those dark days. But recent disasters, including Hurricane Ida, remind us that cell phone networks’ service interruptions remain a problem.



Such service interruptions mean your business may also be without its standard ways of operating.

This blog offers suggestions for using available technological tools when a crisis happens. Our real-life experience managing the enormity of communication challenges post-Katrina taught us to seek multiple ways to share information and target the groups receiving it.

We counsel clients to keep their people first and foremost in times of crisis. Is your team safe? Do they need any assistance? How would they ask for help? How will you let them know assistance is available? Meeting the needs of employees will help keep your institution operating during difficult times. Keeping them informed on status updates regarding operations is also a must. They will need regular updates to reassure them that the institution will weather whatever calamity has come its way.

Connecting with your employees can happen in several ways – email, text, phone calls, or intranet. Take the time to

📌 Using Technology in a Crisis (Jharsuguda)
🏢 DEVENEY
📍 Jharsuguda