Relay Adds Panic Button Feature
Relay, a communications disrupter known for displacing traditional walkie-talkies, announced the launch of a panic button feature available for the company’s enterprise model Relay+ device. Relay is establishing a benchmark for the next technological revolution that focuses on innovative, durable, and highly adaptive voice-first technology for deskless workers. The panic button feature is an added security measure driven by companies complying with the increased number of state and local panic-button mandates promoting worker protections. Relay’s push-to-talk, hockey-puck-sized device has been widely adopted by thousands of U.S. service workers for its cellular range two-way communication, GPS tracking, and cloud-connected dashboard.
The panic button feature adheres to evolving employee safety protections for essential, deskless workers on the frontlines of hospitality, facilities, and manufacturing arenas. Unlike other single-function panic solutions currently on the market, Relay is building the foundation for a new wave of technology specifically intended for workers who require eyes-up communications and that can be integrated into existing, sophisticated operations systems.
States which have passed legislation that enforces the use of panic-button devices include Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Washington. The recent Washington state law mandates that panic button devices be provided to employees at hotels and motels with more than 60 rooms. This month, Illinois will require hotels and casinos to equip any employee who works in a guest room, restroom, or casino floor, under circumstances where no other employee is present, with a safety device or notification device.
A new report compiled by Relay provides a thorough review of U.S. panic button legislation that has either passed or is pending. The full report can be accessed here.
“In the past year we witnessed a surge of interest in Relay+ as hotels looked to leverage technology to streamline operations,” said Barbara Sharnak, Senior Director Brand & Product Marketing for Relay. “We’ve been experiencing a spike in demand for advanced communication solutions from the hospitality, food services and facilities management industries. Analysts are forecasting that mobile workers will account for nearly 60 percent of the total U.S. workforce by 2024. We are listening to the demand by rapidly developing voice-first technology that is made especially for this growing segment of the labor market.”
A recent Relay survey led by market research firm Upwave underscores the strong sentiment the hospitality industry feels towards implementing technology that offers more than one single purpose to streamline operations, including the use of a panic button feature. Among 250 hospitality leaders working in the hotel or facilities management areas, nearly 70 percent indicated they would prefer a panic button device that also offers two-way communication. More than 60 percent of the same respondents also specified they would be willing to spend more money on a solution that offers greater functionality than just a panic button feature.
National hotel chains are leading the charge in demand for more industry innovation with the adoption of Relay’s next-generation voice-first technology. Radisson Hotels recently selected Relay as a preferred vendor throughout their U.S. operations, which include Radisson Blu, Radisson RED, Radisson Collection, Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, and Park Inn by Radisson to provide both on-the-job worker safety protections and other communication connectivity for operational efficiency.
“We understand that hotel team members work around the clock and in locations of the hotel where they may find themselves alone,” said Kyle Loven, Director of Safety & Security, Americas, Radisson Hotel Group. “It is our priority to provide both a safe environment and peace of mind for these employees. We selected Relay as a national preferred vendor to continue enhancing our safety measures while also complying with important local and state regulations.”
Acclaimed as a “walkie-talkie killer,” Relay’s slim push-to-talk device has created a new market category in enterprise communications with custom solutions in voice-first technology. The product’s combination of smartphone range in a simple form factor led to rapid adoption in hotels, resorts, theme parks and entertainment venues. Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, Relay has been the preferred choice among the essential, deskless workforce with company revenue growing exponentially in 2020.
For more information about the panic button feature, visit here.