Beyond having an emergency plan in place, teams need to be able to communicate with one another quickly and know where an incident has happened. Many paging and overhead systems only pass along information one-way and broadcasting messages to everyone within earshot can escalate high-stress situations. You may also find it difficult to get in contact with the right people using radios and cell phones.

Many of our existing customers chose Relay as their two-way communication tool because of Relay’s additional safety features. To enable our customers to handle emergency situations as quickly and efficiently as possible, in a way that works best for their specific business needs, we upgraded our incident response capabilities. 

What are Relay’s Advanced Incident Response Capabilities?

Our advanced incident response capabilities allow you to further customize who needs to be aware of emergency situations and how they can respond. Now you’ll be able to:

• Dispatch incident alerts directly from the Relay dashboard or mobile app*
• Create and name custom codes based on your phrasing preference*
• Customize responder roles by choosing who receives an alert about the incident versus those who receive an alert and can communicate in the incident channel
• Configure emails that are automatically sent when incidents are created 

*Incident Dispatch and Custom Phrases are only available for certain plans

These additional capabilities are especially useful for properties with sophisticated security teams, as well as those within the education or healthcare industries.

By setting up these workflows BEFORE an incident takes place, employees will be better prepared to deal with emergency situations. 

Setting Up Relay’s Incident Workflows

Incident workflows are triggered by voice on Relay devices or may be dispatched from the app or dashboard.

To set up incident workflows in your Relay dashboard, navigate to the Incident Setup page and then follow the steps below.

1. Click Configure Incident Phrase or Incident Dispatch* 
2. Type in a custom phrase or choose from the preset codes provided.* 
3. Select who you would like to have the ability to trigger each workflow.
4. Select your responders

Following setup, you’ll be able to view all your workflows in the dashboard.

*Incident Dispatch and Custom Phrases are only available for certain plans

How to Initiate an Incident Phrase Workflow

To initiate an incident, hold the assistant button and say the code name assigned to that workflow. If you would like to add additional context to the incident, say that after the code word, e.g. “Code Red fire in the kitchen”.

Any assigned responders to that code will hear the notification “Code Red fire in the kitchen by Scott. Tap the talk button to continue”. A communications channel will then be created with the person who triggered the incident and any responders. 

Dash (web) or Relay App users may see the Incident Details, including timestamps for who triggered the incident and responded, all messages transcribed and any location changes for the person who triggered the incident. This can be referenced after the fact in the incident history as well. Message history and transcriptions are only available for 7 days.

See Relay’s Advanced Incident Response Capabilities in Action

Here’s a demo of Relay’s advanced incident response capabilities from our recent webinar.

Click here to learn more about Relay Incidents.

The post Advanced Incident Response: Custom Workflows With Relay appeared first on Relay.

In this list of walkie talkie alternatives, we’ll examine the pros and cons of various options, including cellphones, smart radios, PTT devices, and software solutions like Microsoft Teams and Slack. We’ll also consider factors like cost, ease of use, security, and specific features such as language translation and AI capabilities. By the end, you’ll have a clearer understanding of which communication tools best suit your team’s needs and how to overcome those communication hurdles.

6 Walkie Talkies Alternatives

One thing is for sure; there is no shortage of workplace communication tools. Of course, having tools available and being able to actually use them are two different things. Let’s find out which walkie talkie alternative works best. 

1. Cellphones 

Cellphones definitely have a big advantage in that almost everyone has one in their pocket. These smart devices make it simple to fire off a quick text. Alternatively, you could call a coworker if you have a question. 

On the downside, not everyone wants to use their personal phone for work and providing phones can be very expensive, both upfront and monthly. Cellphones also rely on only one cellular provider and if connectivity is lacking in your work environment, calls and messages may get delayed. There are also other downsides to using cellphones for work, including them being a distraction, looking unprofessional, and their lack of durability.  

Pros:  

• Easy to use 
• 1:1 communications
• Nationwide range
• Better mobility 

Cons:

• Can hinder productivity 
• Security risks 
• Privacy concerns
• Expensive to provide
• Reduced work-life balance

2. Smart Radios 

Smart radios can be a wise alternative to walkie talkie technology. One of the main perks of adopting smart radios is that your team can talk on the top private LTE networks and WiFi rather than relying on radio waves. In other words, no one outside of your network will be able to interrupt your workforce and you’ll get nationwide range. Additionally, smart radios are better suited for harsh environments than cell phones, and you won’t have to worry about your team using them for personal uses.

With smart radios, you also unlock a fleet of capabilities that don’t come with traditional walkie talkies, such as 1:1 calling, real-time language translation, a built-in panic button, GPS tracking, message transcriptions, and more. Of course, you may have a higher initial investment, though this is often offset over time with the warranty and trade-in programs smart radio providers like Relay offer.

Pros:   

• All-in-one communications and safety device 
• Redundant nationwide connectivity 
• Easy to use
• Built for tough environments
• 1:1 and group communications
• Customizable cloud-based features such as AI-powered language translation

Cons: 

• Initial investment cost 
• Workers may experience radio fatigue

3. Slack or Microsoft Teams

Slack or Microsoft Teams can be good choices for coworkers who want to remain in constant contact with each other, but this walkie talkie alternative is best for an office setting. In other words, if your business is an office environment, they will work fine for non-urgent real-time communications. However, if you run a manufacturing plant, it will be too difficult for your line workers to stay up to date.

The downsides of choosing Slack or Microsoft Teams include lots of potential distractions and information overload. They also come with a rather steep learning curve, and messages can easily get lost in the shuffle.

Some companies may choose to utilize these desktop messaging apps for their office staff, while providing an alternative communication method for those on the line. If you choose not to do this, everyone may need 10-15 minutes each day to check out what’s been posted.

Pros: 

• Mobile accessibility 
• Integrates seamlessly with other services and apps
• Remote collaborations
• Provides a centralized communication tool 
• Enables voice calls and video conferencing 

Cons: 

• Not designed for time-sensitive communications 
• Steep learning curve 
• Number of groups and messages can be distracting 
• Not ideal for deskless workers

4. Push-to-Talk Apps 

Push-to-talk (PTT) apps allow hands-free communication. Although this is similar to the way walkie talkies work, PTT is much cheaper as it relies solely on Wi-Fi and cellular networks. Instant communication makes PTT apps an easy way to stay in touch too. 

However, you’ll face many of the same issues as using cellphones to communicate. For instance, relying on a singular cellular network means you can expect occasional outages. Additionally, using PTT can drain your workers’ cellphone battery. And, of course, they’ll need a smartphone to take advantage of PTT technology. 

Pros: 

• Nationwide connectivity 
• Compatible with multiple devices 
• Cost-effective if employees are using personal devices
• Easy to use 

Cons: 

• Occasionally drops or delays calls 
• Internet dependency
• Data usage costs 

5. Collaboration Tools

Google Workspace

Google Workspace has been around since 2006. Although Google Workspace can be accessed for free, it also offers enterprise features. As an example, you could pay a fee to receive your own custom email addresses, along with unlimited storage. 

Small-to-medium sized businesses will get the most out of Google Workspace, followed by freelancers and anyone who primarily works in the cloud. Using it does require the internet, though, so when you suffer an outage, you’ll be unable to access Google Workspace. 

Zoom Workplace

Zoom Workplace is a recent addition to the many walkie talkie alternatives you can use. Launched in 2024, it primarily relies on AI-powered capabilities and collaboration. You can use this feature to summarize meetings, compose a chat message, etc.

On the other hand, Zoom Workplace can support large audiences for meetings and webinars. Plus, many workers are already familiar with Zoom’s features and setup, due to the pandemic. 

Pros: 

• Easy to use
• Scalable
• Robust integrations 
• Good collaboration features

Cons: 

• Not designed for deskless workers
• Requires the internet 
• Paid accounts are expensive, especially with add-ons and subscriptions
• Not ideal for urgent communications

6. Company Intranet 

Setting up a business-specific intranet enables your team to have secure, internal conversations. Your employees will have access to company news, documents, and resources, which they won’t have to browse the internet to find. 

Unfortunately, many people still think of their company’s intranet as being clunky and difficult to use. Intranet access has come a long way from its earlier predecessors, though, so it might work great if your team works exclusively in an office environment. 

Pros: 

• Boosts employee engagement 
• Encourages knowledge sharing 
• Makes employee onboarding easier 
• Improves internal communication 

Cons: 

• Navigation is complex 
• Might cause information overload 
• Not meant for urgent messages
• Time-consuming and costly 

Choosing the Best Walkie Talkie Alternative

Which walkie talkie alternatives will work best for you? It really depends on what type of business you run, along with your work environment. For example, if you run an office, tools such as Microsoft Teams or Slack might be best. However, if your team isn’t tethered to desks, a push-to-talk device like a smart radio is by far the better option. 

Smart radios such as those offered by Relay make it easy for your team to stay connected, even if they’re not within sight of each other. Relay enables you to speak to many people at once, or 1:1. Their smaller size is a plus, as is their built-in ability to instantly translate more than 30 languages. 

Are you interested in building stronger communication between your employees? Unlock Relay’s pricing today.

The post Walkie Talkie Alternatives: Choosing the Best Communication Tool for Your Team appeared first on Relay.

In IT, one of the biggest frustrations is when technology doesn’t work as expected, especially during critical moments. Whether it’s overly complex systems, delayed support, or tools that fail when you need them most, IT leaders don’t have time for unreliable tech. That’s why more teams are switching to Relay. The smart radio solution that delivers the reliability, simplicity, and control they need, even during routine shifts or emergency scenarios.

1. Carrier Redundancy That Just Works

Relay devices come with a built-in eSIM that holds profiles for all major carriers. If one network goes down due to a localized outage or infrastructure failure, Relay can automatically switch to another carrier without any action required from the user. This built-in redundancy ensures continuous connectivity and eliminates the risk of total communication loss when one provider fails.

2. Ready for Disaster Recovery

Relay’s redundant connectivity is designed to keep devices working even if a cellular network or WiFi drops. Many of our customers use Relay in disaster recovery scenarios where service may be compromised. Those customers often have battery backups, generators, and Starlink set up to maintain connectivity. With Relay working in tandem with the backup infrastructure, teams can continue communicating through the chaos, which is critical for evacuations or managing a reduced emergency crew.

3. Minimal Bandwidth, Maximum Impact

Despite supporting real-time voice communication, Relay is incredibly bandwidth efficient. A fleet of 100 active Relay devices uses less bandwidth than a single person watching a YouTube video. The system is optimized for connection stability and low latency, making it a great fit even in environments where bandwidth is limited or inconsistent.

4. Simple, Cloud-Based Management

Setting up Relay doesn’t require a mess of wires or on-site configuration. IT teams can manage everything through a centralized web portal—from adding Wi-Fi credentials to assigning users and creating channels. These settings are pushed to the device over cellular, so Relay is ready to go as soon as it’s out of the box. It’s a faster, easier way to deploy and manage communication tools across teams.

5. Enterprise-Grade Security Built In

Relay prioritizes security rigorously. The company maintains SOC 2 Type 2 compliance, executes frequent security audits and penetration testing, and employs encryption protocols for all data both in transit and at rest. Access is strictly managed, and in the event of device loss or theft, remote disablement is immediate. Relay communication permits access solely to authorized users, thereby providing a fundamental level of safeguarding for confidential operations.

6. Dedicated Customer Support

Relay has a dedicated customer support team based in the U.S. They provide the support, training, guidance, and resources needed to learn, implement, and use Relay across your organization. It’s one more way Relay stands out from typical tech vendors.

Bottom line: Relay offers IT teams a reliable, secure, and easy-to-manage communication solution that performs when it matters most. If you’re looking for a smarter, more resilient way to keep your team connected, it might be time to switch to Relay.

The post 6 Reasons Why IT Leaders Are Making the Switch to Relay appeared first on Relay.

If you’ve ever had a radio cut out mid-sentence or found yourself waving your phone in the air trying to catch a signal, you know how quickly unreliable communication can bring your operations to a halt. It isn’t just frustrating; it’s disruptive, and in the moments that matter most, it can even be dangerous.

That’s why more and more teams are turning to Relay—a modern, cloud-based communication platform designed to keep frontline teams connected, whether they’re in a basement, behind thick walls, or miles apart. With redundant connectivity across Wi-Fi and all major cellular networks, Relay goes beyond what radios and smartphones can offer, delivering reliable communication where it matters most.

The Power Behind Relay’s Connectivity

Relay is built to go beyond the limitations of radios and smartphones, and keep your team connected without limits. Radios only reach so far, and extending that range often means investing in expensive repeaters. Smartphones, on the other hand, typically rely on a single carrier and can be just as unreliable in certain environments.

Relay solves both problems by combining Wi-Fi with all three major U.S. cellular networks. It automatically switches to the strongest available signal, whether that’s Wi-Fi in one area or cellular in another. You don’t have to do a thing. The result is smooth, uninterrupted communication—even across long distances and in challenging environments.

Connectivity That Keeps the Team Safe

Reliable communication plays a critical role in keeping people safe. At one of the oldest zoos in the country, staff once struggled with radio blackouts in the very areas where they were closest to the animals. After switching to Relay, those same areas now have clear, dependable communication—giving teams the ability to respond faster and more confidently.

In another case, a behavioral health facility faced an overnight incident that quickly escalated into a medical emergency. Even though the manager was off-site, they were able to see what was happening, confirm that help was on the way, and offer real-time guidance through Relay. In situations like these, being able to stay connected can make all the difference.

Why Cloud Connectivity Matters

With radios, once a message is sent, it disappears. There’s no record, no context, and no visibility into what was communicated or when. Relay changes that. Its cloud-connected system gives you access to a web dashboard where you can view past messages, track team locations, and stay informed in real time.

This added visibility helps teams stay in sync, monitor activity, and even look back on conversations to improve how things are done moving forward.

One Platform, Multiple Ways to Connect

Relay can send messages over both Wi-Fi and cellular and automatically selects the strongest available connection to maintain uninterrupted communication, even if one network experiences issues. 

There’s no need to switch carriers or wait for a better signal. Whether you’re in a basement, on a city street, or at the edge of a large property, Relay keeps you connected without any extra effort.

Reliable Communication, Even in Tough Spots

Because Relay is designed specifically for team communication, not for apps, videos, or social media, it doesn’t require much bandwidth to work effectively. Even in areas with a weak 4G signal, Relay continues to perform reliably.

Its larger antenna and ability to access multiple networks at once give it a clear advantage over both radios and smartphones, especially in challenging environments where other devices often fall short.

Why Relay Outperforms Radios and Phones

Radios often fall short in buildings with concrete walls, basements, or metal structures. Their signals can easily be blocked, and even with repeaters in place, there always seem to be areas where communication just doesn’t reach.

Smartphones have their own challenges. Most rely on a single carrier, so coverage can be inconsistent depending on where you are. And while they’re great for many things, they’re not designed for fast, reliable communication between teams.

Relay offers a better way. It connects over Wi-Fi and all major cellular networks, automatically choosing the strongest signal to keep messages moving. Whether you’re indoors, outdoors, or somewhere in between, Relay keeps the conversation going.

Try Relay for Yourself

If your current communication tools aren’t cutting it, it might be time to try something new. Relay is built to go where traditional radios can’t and to work even when your phone doesn’t.

Try it out in the places where you usually lose signal or struggle to connect. Whether you’re running a business, managing a team, or just looking for a better way to stay in touch, you might be surprised by how well Relay performs.

The post Why Relay’s Connectivity Beats Radios and Smartphones appeared first on Relay.

It can also be useful for saving time locating lost devices, identifying an employee’s last-known location (especially in remote areas), and deterring theft.

How Does Powered-Off Location Tracking Work?

RelayX has bluetooth sensors that are activated when a device is powered down. A device can then be detected by nearby online Relay devices (up to 50-75 feet away), and its location will be reported to the user’s Relay Dashboard or App every 60 minutes. The reported location will be the online device’s location, whether indoors or outdoors.

Learn more about indoor location tracking.

How Long Can the Device Be Located?

Once a device reaches 4% battery life, it should automatically power down. The powered-off location tracking is expected to last up to 90 days for RelayX.

Location Tracking in Relay’s Dashboard

To locate a powered-off device in Relay’s Dashboard, navigate to the Indoor or Outdoor Location screen and filter for Show Offline Devices. The device will be represented by a cloud icon and will say “Seen at Location”.

The powered-off device’s location will also be present in the location history. In the example below, you can see the device was in the Celebration room, went offline for 15 seconds, and then was seen at 4616 Reedy Creek Rd.

Location Tracking in Relay’s App

To see the location of a powered-off device in Relay’s App, navigate to the Location Tab, select Filters, and select Offline Users. Offline users will display “Seen at Location”.

The post How to Locate Powered-Off Relay Devices appeared first on Relay.

In this buying guide, we’ll answer the common question, ‘how does a panic button work’, explain the key features of a duress alarm, uncover the benefits of duress alarms for workplaces, and share a buying guide of the best duress alarms for businesses.

What is a Duress Alarm?

A duress alarm, also known as a panic button or distress alarm, is a safety device an employee can use to call for assistance in an emergency. It’s primarily used in workplaces, like healthcare or hospitality, and can be combined with a two-way communication device, like a smart radio or walkie-talkie.

How Does a Panic Button Work?

A panic button, usually triggered by pressing a button once or multiple times, works by notifying primary responders that help is needed during an emergency. Once the alarm is triggered by an employee, the responder receives their location.

With two-way communication solutions, the responder can talk to the employee to ensure the right assistance is delivered quickly and (if needed) discreetly.

Read more about how panic buttons such as Relay’s work below.

Triggering a panic alert

To trigger the duress alarm on a Relay, press the push-to-talk button (located in the center of the device) quickly and at least five times. This is discreet, quick to perform, and an easy emergency procedure for staff to remember. Even better, it’s built into a device staff already use and carry around daily. Other panic buttons’ triggers may be set up differently.

Responders are notified

A duress alarm is preconfigured to notify certain people during an emergency. This is customizable. When an employee presses a panic button, responders should receive an instant notification with the employee’s name and exact location.

Push to talk

Relay’s duress alarms are built into our smart two-way communication devices, enabling responders to talk to the employee to better understand the problem. This way they can know what supplies may be needed and acknowledge when help is on the way. With cellular or Wi-Fi connectivity, communication between devices is clear, crisp, and reliable – no matter where you are.

Benefits of Duress Alarms For Businesses

An employee panic button can benefit businesses and staff by making the workplace safer and more efficient for customers and employees. The top benefits of an employee panic button include:

Improved safety

Duress alarms can make a workplace safer by enabling quick assistance to employees in an emergency and de-escalating potentially dangerous situations. It’s particularly beneficial for improving the safety of lone workers such as housekeepers.

Panic buttons are frequently built into two-way communication devices carried by employees, making it easy for staff to activate the alarms and receive help.

For example, staff working in a warehouse, hotel, or healthcare facility already using a radio device to communicate daily may benefit from having a panic button built in. Especially when it comes to feeling safe, confident, and protected while at work.

Rapid emergency response

Panic buttons can significantly improve a workplace’s response time to emergencies. Solutions should send instant alerts in less than one second to designated responders, so employees can access the help they need without delay.

Read how Fairfield and TownePlace Suites of Norfolk relies on Relay’s panic solution to handle staff and guest emergencies with intention and speed.

Better customer service

In client-facing environments (like healthcare or hospitality) duress alarms can also improve customer services by enabling quick support to reach a customer.

For example, if a guest is unwell or requires fast support from another professional, a panic button can ensure they get the help they need quickly.

Discreet activation

When an employee faces a situation where they need help, such as when alone in a room with a patient or guest, they can activate a duress alarm discreetly to receive assistance.

This prevents the need for staff to call for help or sound an alarm, which can cause a disturbance or distress among guests and other employees.

When to Use a Duress Alarm

Duress alarms can be used in a workplace any time an employee needs to report an emergency or receive fast assistance. This can include alerting staff to fires, falls, or any situation where an employee feels unsafe and needs assistance.

Common situations that can cause an employee to use a duress alarm include:

• Medical emergencies – If a customer or member of staff falls ill
• Feeling unsafe – If an employee feels unsafe due to a workplace problem
• Immediate assistance – If an employee needs instant assistance, such as during a machine malfunction or accident
• Workplace accidents – If an accident occurs in a workplace, such as an employee falling over or injuring themselves
• Reporting emergencies – In the event of a fire, flood, or other emergency to enable fast action and evacuation
• De-escalation of threatening situations – If a customer displays threatening behavior, an employee can discreetly notify responders to help de-escalate a situation
• Robbery or break-in – During a robbery or break-in, staff can use the panic button to notify management or the authorities discreetly

Buying Guide: How to Choose the Best Panic Button For Businesses

When choosing a duress alarm for your business, it’s important to consider the practicality of the device and how it can best benefit your employees.

With Relay, a duress alarm is built into our two-way radios, allowing employers to enjoy the full benefits of a smart radio along with improved workplace safety.

This type of duress alarm is particularly beneficial for staff working in large businesses where effective communication technology is key to operations, including:

• Casinos
• Hotels
• Golf courses
• Entertainment venues
• Food services
• Education
• Warehouses
• Healthcare

With Relay’s duress alarm, employers receive:

• Instant alerts – Panic alerts are sent to responders in less than one second, minimizing delays and offering improved safety
• Accurate location – Relay provides responders with an accurate location indoors and outdoors, with the ability to pinpoint the exact room
• Reliable connectivity – Triple redundancy and long-lasting Bluetooth beacons ensure continuous connectivity with minimal maintenance
• Real-time communication – With push-to-talk built in, responders can quickly talk to the employee to ensure the right help reaches them
• Live language translation – In a critical situation, our live language translation removes language barriers and ensures clear communication between parties

Other key features of Relay’s smart radios include:

• Nationwide range – Teams can communicate from other buildings and locations nationwide
• Better connectivity – Relay offers redundant connectivity with Wi-Fi and multiple 4G service providers
• Location tracking – Managers can track employee locations with GPS and Bluetooth to improve safety and workplace productivity

FAQs

Are Duress Alarms Silent?

Generally, duress alarms are silent for the person pressing the alarm, but sounded for the responder receiving the alert. This is intentional as duress alarms are designed to be discreet and not cause unnecessary panic in a workplace.

For example, in a hospitality venue, an employee can discreetly activate the panic button to notify the responder that they need assistance, without causing concern among guests or other staff.

What are the Types of Duress Alarm Buttons?

There are three main types of duress alarms, including wearable radio devices, pendants, and fixed buttons. Here’s a quick explanation of each type of employee panic button for the workplace:

• Wearable radio devices – A wearable radio device (like Relay) is a modern solution for warehouse, hospitality, casino, or healthcare employees. It works as a two-way radio and a panic button for emergencies.
• Emergency pendants – These pendants are typically worn around an employee’s neck and are specifically designed to send a distress signal. They are ideal for lone workers, like social workers.
• Wall-mounted buttons – These are fixed buttons mostly used to activate a discreet alarm during a dangerous situation. They are ideal for under the desks of banks or beneath supermarket registers.

What is an Example of a Duress Alarm?

An example of a duress alarm is Relay’s smart radio – a two-in-one device that enables employees to communicate effectively with team members and send a distress signal in an emergency.

How Relay Can Improve Your Workplace Safety

Relay can improve productivity and enhance worker safety, particularly for lone workers or staff working in customer-facing environments.

Clear communication is a necessary part of every workplace, especially when you’re using radios to send vital messages to your team.

Replacing your walkie talkies with Relay can help you maximize efficiency and improve the safety of your staff and customers. With nationwide range, Relay operates effectively in large premises and even different buildings.Ready to uncover if Relay is right for your business? Book a one-on-one demo today – or check out our customer stories to see how Relay has helped deliver over 2.5 billion messages across the world.

The post Choosing the Best Duress Alarm For Your Team: A Buyer’s Guide appeared first on Relay.

Relay’s Dashboard gives you total control over communication, location tracking, and device management in a simple, web-based platform. Here are five powerful ways Relay’s dashboard transforms the way your team stays connected.

1. Seamless User & Channel Management

Managing users and channels has never been this effortless. With Relay’s Dashboard, you’re in complete control—no technical skills required, no complex programming, just a few clicks to get everything set up. Need to add or remove users? Done in seconds. Adjust permissions? Easy. Change home channels or switch language settings to accommodate a multilingual team? It’s all right at your fingertips, ensuring seamless communication across your entire workforce.

But where Relay really shines is in channel management. Unlike traditional radio systems that limit teams to a handful of channels—leading to cross-talk confusion and communication bottlenecks—Relay gives you the freedom to create and customize hundreds of channels. This means every department, team, or special project gets its own dedicated space, keeping conversations organized, clear, and efficient.

With Relay, you’re not just managing communication—you’re mastering it, ensuring that the right people are always in the right conversations, without any distractions.

2. Advanced Voice & Messaging Capabilities

Relay isn’t just a push-to-talk radio, it’s a next-generation communication hub that keeps teams connected, accountable, and efficient in ways traditional radios never could. Good communication means making sure everyone can communicate efficiently. That’s where text-to-speech messaging comes in. 

Need to send a message but can’t speak out loud? Whether you’re in a quiet office, a crowded event, or a high-stakes situation where discretion is key, simply type your message in the Dashboard, and Relay will convert it into speech for the recipient. This also makes Relay a useful tool for deaf and hard-of-hearing employees, ensuring that communication is accessible, inclusive, and effective.

For those moments when you need everyone on the same page—immediately, Relay’s Summon feature is a game-changer. With one click, team leaders can pull users from different channels into a single conversation, eliminating delays and ensuring that critical updates, emergency alerts, or fast-moving situations are handled in real-time.

3. Location Tracking & Geofencing

Knowing where your team is and what’s happening in real-time is critical to keeping operations running smoothly and safely. With Relay’s built-in GPS tracking and indoor location capabilities, you’ll never be in the dark. 

Relay’s Dashboard gives managers a real-time view of team members, allowing them to make faster decisions, improve coordination, and enhance overall efficiency. Meanwhile, location history gives managers valuable insights into where employees and devices have been, making it an essential tool for security patrols, delivery tracking, and operational oversight.

One of the most game-changing features is Geofencing. Imagine setting up a virtual boundary around your workplace, job site, or designated area. If a device moves beyond that boundary, an automatic alert is triggered, helping businesses prevent lost or stolen equipment and reduce unnecessary replacement costs. 

Relay also helps ensure that critical tasks are completed efficiently with Rounds. Managers can set up designated checkpoints for employees to visit during their shifts, whether it’s security personnel patrolling a property, maintenance teams checking equipment, or housekeeping verifying room inspections. This ensures accountability, improves workflow visibility, and helps businesses maintain high operational standards.

Relay’s location tracking also enhances safety and efficiency in real-time. The Stationary User Report flags employees who have been in the same place for too long, helping managers quickly identify potential safety risks or workflow inefficiencies. 

Learn more about how a Los Angeles airport hotel used this feature to discover a team member had passed out, allowing them to send help.

Whether it’s ensuring security personnel are actively patrolling or identifying when a worker might need assistance, Relay’s Dashboard provides the visibility needed to take action before small issues become big problems.

4. Recording & Transcription for Business Records

One of the most powerful features of Relay’s Dashboard is its ability to record and transcribe conversations, giving businesses an unmatched level of insights, training support, and dispute resolution capabilities. Whether for internal record-keeping, operational transparency or other business needs, having a factual, time-stamped record of conversations removes ambiguity and ensures clarity in decision-making.

Recorded communications help provide verifiable evidence of what was said, ensuring that policies and procedures are properly followed. This feature also enhances training and quality assurance by allowing managers to review past conversations or incidents, provide coaching, and identify areas for improvement. When conflicts arise, the ability to quickly access accurate records helps resolve disputes efficiently and confidently.

With Relay’s Dashboard, teams no longer have to rely on memory or second-hand reports. Instant access to recorded and transcribed conversations enables organizations to maintain accountability, enhance transparency, and operate with greater efficiency and confidence.

5. Device Health Monitoring

Relay’s Dashboard doesn’t just keep you connected—it keeps your devices running at peak performance when you need them most. More than just a map of device locations, the dashboard provides real-time insights into battery levels, network connectivity, and overall device health, helping ensure that communication doesn’t fail at a critical moment.

For example, imagine your team is in the middle of a busy shift, and suddenly, a key device dies mid-task. With Relay’s battery monitoring, managers can track battery levels across all devices in real-time, allowing them to proactively charge and replace devices before they run out of power. No more unexpected downtime or communication failures—just a seamless, uninterrupted workflow.

Connectivity is just as important as battery life. Relay’s dashboard gives managers full visibility into network status, allowing them to proactively monitor and manage device connectivity. If any network issues arise, they can be quickly identified and resolved to keep operations running smoothly. This ensures that every device stays online, functional, and ready for action at all times.

Relay is Future-Proofed for Growth

Relay isn’t just a radio replacement—it’s a next-generation communication platform built to grow and evolve with your business. Unlike traditional systems that become outdated or require costly upgrades, Relay continuously improves, delivering regular updates, new features, and AI-powered enhancements, like TeamTranslate, that help teams work smarter, faster, and safer.

As your business expands, so do your communication needs. Whether you’re adding new locations, increasing your workforce, or adapting to industry changes, Relay’s Dashboard is designed to scale effortlessly. Businesses can customize features, configure workflows, and optimize settings to fit their unique requirements, ensuring that operations remain efficient, streamlined, and secure.

“The Dashboard is awesome. I use it to send out messages to our team, whether it’s ‘hey, we got lunch today coming at 11:00’ or ‘remember to turn in your timesheets’ and that goes out to the group. It also enables us to track the location of a specific technician and see if they’re close to a job or what’s going on.” 

– Tai Davis, the Director of Facility Operations at Fayetteville State University

From automated reporting that delivers critical insights to smart communication tools that enhance team coordination, Relay isn’t just keeping up with the future—it’s helping you stay ahead of it. Whether your focus is improving response times, optimizing daily operations, or strengthening team collaboration, Relay provides a future-proof solution that evolves alongside your business, not behind it.

See Relay’s Dashboard in Action

These five capabilities are just the beginning. Whether you manage a hotel, security team, or event venue, Relay’s Dashboard can help you communicate better, improve safety, and streamline workflows. The combination of seamless management, powerful communication tools, real-time location tracking, device health monitoring, and continuous innovation makes Relay a must-have solution for modern frontline teams.

Impressed with Relay’s Dashboard? Contact us today for a personalized demo!

The post The 5 Most Powerful Capabilities of Relay’s Dashboard appeared first on Relay.

On the Exhibit Floor

Over 40 Relay team members made the 2.5 hour trek to catch up with existing customers and greet new faces. Attendees who stopped by the booth got a first look at our new features like TeamTranslate™, as well as our next generation of Relay devices 🤫.

The Thank You Squad

If you attended HITEC, you probably saw Relay’s Thank You Squad outside of Charlotte Convention Center or at Charlotte Douglas International Airport. They were pretty hard to miss, spreading positive cheer throughout the duration of the event. 

Relay’s Thank You Squad handed out surprises to current customers and cheered attendees on as they entered and exited HITEC. Fun fact: some of their favorite sayings are “We 🩵Hotels” and “Radios are Dead”.

Customer Appreciation Happy Hour

At Relay, we believe that building relationships is incredibly important. That’s why current and future customers who stopped by the booth scored an exclusive invite to our Customer Appreciation Event at Caroline’s Oyster Bar where we had live music, raffles, and delicious food.

Being able to gather together, share a meal, and swap stories meant the world to us. We couldn’t have gotten to where we are today without the continuous support of our customers. 🫶

See you Next Year!

It’s safe to say, the Relay team had a blast! If you said hello at HITEC, we appreciate your support and thank you for stopping by. If you couldn’t make it, we look forward to seeing everyone next year in Indianapolis!

The post Relay at HITEC: The 2024 Highlights appeared first on Relay.

Today, I have the pleasure of sharing some exciting news that marks a significant milestone in our company’s journey. We are thrilled to announce that Relay has successfully raised $35 million in Series B funding. This round was led by G2 Venture Partners, with continued support from our existing investors including Wind River Ventures and Sovereign’s Capital. You can read our full press release here.

We have taken on this additional funding because we see tremendous opportunities to help you further in new and innovative ways. You have continuously asked more of us, provided us with candid and invaluable feedback, and opened our eyes to exciting new possibilities to help you increase productivity and safety for your teams. Recent enhancements to our platform like TeamTranslate™, Rounds, and more were inspired by, then built, with your feedback in mind.

We pride ourselves in having a customer-obsessed culture and we are deeply grateful for your  trust and insights, which have been instrumental in shaping our growth and development. This funding will allow us to invest further in research and development, enhance our product offerings, enter new markets, better service existing markets, and ultimately deliver even more value to you. We recognize and are grateful that your early trust in Relay has now opened the doors for other customers to also transform their frontline operations.

As we look towards the future, our goal is clear: connect millions of frontline workers and give them access to the transformative power of the cloud, making their work safer and more productive. This new round of funding allows us to accelerate our vision and continue pushing the boundaries of what is possible for frontline operations.

Thank you for being an integral part of our journey, we can not do it without you. 

Chris Chuang – CEO

The post An Open Letter to Our Customers: Investing in Your Future with Us appeared first on Relay.

In this guide, we’ll share general emergency preparedness tips and discuss how Relay can enhance any existing emergency plan. As many of the capabilities within Relay have not been possible before with legacy radio systems, we will share best practices and stories to illustrate the possibilities to augment your emergency preparedness plan.

Relay’s internal experts, customers, and data, as well as external experts were consulted in the creation of this guide. This aims to offer useful ideas, but we always recommend consulting with your trusted experts and adapting your plan to fit the unique needs of your organization and property.

The Rule of Redundancy in Communication Systems

In an emergency situation, clear and fast communication is the key. Every communication system can fail, but having appropriate amounts of redundancy can give you confidence to continue operations in the face of system failures. Relay devices have four built-in redundancies: connection to three different major US cell carriers and WiFi.

Earlier this year, when a telecommunications company had a nationwide outage, Relay users were not impacted because the devices automatically switched to other cell carriers or WiFi. Depending on your situation, going beyond the built in redundancy may be advisable. Major cell carriers and towers will also have built in redundancies, which can increase the resilience of your communication through Relay, but those are typically managed directly by the carriers. 

Should all cell and WiFi systems fail, internet backups are also crucial. 90% of organizations are relying on cloud based applications to run their business. Any downtime will drastically impact the overall guest experience, even in non-emergency situations. A best practice is to have key internet systems connected to emergency or backup power to ensure internet continuity during power outages. Experts also recommend having a backup internet provider when possible. 

Additionally, keeping some two-way radios around and maintaining landlines can add more layers of redundancy for maintaining communication in scenarios where internet, cell service, WiFi, and power are unavailable. For the most destructive scenarios, like hurricanes and fires, we recommend some level of satellite based backup solutions for internet and phone.

What You Carry with You

In emergency situations, the most effective communication devices are those that individuals already have on their person. We consistently find that our small, lightweight and discrete devices are much more likely to be carried or worn than larger bulkier radios.

The built in panic button means that everyone carrying a Relay device has the ability to raise the alarm in an emergency. Panic buttons can raise the alarm for a personal emergency situation or warn of a broader threat.

In an emergency, speed matters and having more staff able to raise the alarm improves your ability to address emergency situations before they get worse.

Emergency response also tends to need to involve a much broader group of individuals than those who might typically carry a work communication device. Relay’s app and nationwide range means that someone far from the emergency can be part of the communications. 

For example, Fairfield and TownePlace Suites of Norfolk’s GM was at home without her Relay when a night shift employee had a medical emergency. The employee triggered a panic alert with their Relay device, which alerted Sara on her phone and allowed her to help resolve the incident.

Location: A New Dimension of Communication Safety

Knowing where an emergency is occurring is half the battle won. Relay’s indoor and outdoor GPS location tracking technology gives responders a significant advantage, enabling a quicker and safer resolution. This pinpoint accuracy in locating individuals and their movements in real-time means you can spend less time figuring out where someone is or who is the closest to help and more time resolving the issue. 

Emergency medical services on average take 7 minutes to respond in a urban setting and 14 minutes on average in a rural setting in the US. The FCC “estimated that as many as 10,000 lives could be saved each year, if the 911 emergency dispatching system were able to reach callers just one minute faster.” In all emergency scenarios, speed matters.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Every organization, from corporate offices and hotels to casinos and education institutions, has specialized needs dictated by their unique environments and the nature of potential threats. Relay’s code-based and custom incident response capabilities allow for tailored emergency plans that synchronize seamlessly with an organization’s operating procedures. 

You can read more here, but you have the ability to trigger incidents through color based codes or custom phrases and set up the work flow of who is pulled into those conversations.

For example, in a hospitality setting you can have a “code red” that represents a fire or flood emergency and it will automatically pull in all the right people. That response team assigned could be different from a “code blue”, which could represent an emergency where the police need to be involved and require different personnel to respond. 

Automating these processes simplifies and reduces part of the human error potential of your response. Now you never have to wonder who needs to be part of the communication for a specific kind of incident because you pre-designated it and it happens automatically when that kind of incident is triggered.

Are you there?

One of the biggest challenges with legacy radio technology is getting a hold of the person you need to, which can have terrible consequences in an emergency. The reasons for this are varied, it could be a dead spot because you’re back of house without built-in redundancies, or because you’re offsite getting lunch and your radio has a short range. It can also be the classic “I switched channels and forgot to go back to the one I needed to”. 

Regardless of the reason, Relay’s redundant connectivity improves connectivity and our incident response automatically pulls the right people into emergency channels regardless of what channel they were on. With Relay, you also have the ability to call someone directly 1×1, create as many channels as you want, and the nationwide coverage means you can easily reach someone who has gone off site.

Immediate, Ubiquitous Alerts

Emergencies are rarely scheduled. They arise suddenly and demand an immediate, all-hands-on-deck response. Relay’s broadcast capabilities ensure that, during rapidly escalating situations such as severe weather, alerts are received by all staff without delay. There are many scenarios that you might want to communicate with just your employees broadly, but not use a PA system that anyone within earshot will hear. 

One Relay customer that has a 3,000+ acre property with horseback riding trails uses the broadcast ability to notify internal teams of severe weather alerts and how storms are progressing throughout the day.

Connecting with emergency services

Many of our customers are fortunate enough to have close relationships and work directly with their local emergency services, including having the ability to contact them directly on their radio frequencies. The Relay platform does not communicate over radio frequencies used by emergency services since it relies on cell and Wifi. Commonly, access to emergency services channels is limited to dispatch centers or security operations centers. This is often the case regardless of whether or not Relay is being used because those channels get busy quickly during an emergency between all the different agencies responding. Having a large amount of employees communicating on those channels often ends up being counter productive.

A best practice that many of our customers use is to make sure there is easy access to both Relay and traditional radio channels in your security operations center, or wherever comms are monitored. Typically we see security teams having a physical Relay device, the app, or our dashboard pulled up at all times, alongside a phone or traditional radio used to coordinate with emergency services. This enables your team to reach emergency services while monitoring real-time communications and locations with Relay.

Practice Makes Perfect: The Importance of Drills

It’s not enough to just have communication tools and plans – they must be wielded with proficiency and precision. Simulation drills and consistent practice create a culture of preparedness that is as essential as the means of communication themselves. Relay not only enhances these drills by allowing live communication and tracking, but it also empowers organizations to simulate and fine-tune their emergency responses to an unprecedented level of authenticity. 

Furthermore, because Relay can automatically record, transcribe, and keep detailed location history records, you can evaluate your drills with a high level of accuracy of what was actually said and done. This also means that when you do have an incident and are doing an after-incident report, there is less ambiguity and more clarity on what happened, which can help for risk and compliance reasons, while enabling the organization to improve future responses.

The Limits of Technology

Technology alone cannot solve every challenge that emergencies present, but it is our hope that this guide has provided you with valuable insights on how to enhance your preparedness plans through planning, technology and creating a culture of preparedness.

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