The vendor-client relationship is crucial in every industry. If this relationship breaks, business will likely follow. This is particularly true in the public safety industry.
Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) and vendors share a unique dynamic. While vendors provide critical technology and resources, PSAPs are on the frontlines responding to emergencies and saving lives. Cultivating a compassionate partnership built on understanding and trust is essential and can generate tremendous results.
Partnerships go beyond transactions. They require genuine care for the mission and the people involved. Vendors can support 9-1-1 centers in meaningful ways that transcend their products. With dedicated marketing teams and resources, vendors can help strategize and create content to inform the communities where centers operate about the technology and operations, enhancing public safety through awareness.
For instance, when emergency communications centers face staffing shortages, vendors can step in with additional support and solutions. Carbyne has collaborated with several partner PSAPs on successful marketing campaigns, alleviating the burden on agencies and significantly improving community communication. For example, the Orleans Parish Communication District wanted to prepare for the 2024 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival and help keep its community and tourists safe. Carbyne created a short video encouraging the community to call 9-1-1 if needed and explaining how Carbyne APEX works to locate, view, and assist the caller. You can view the full video that New Orleans used for Jazzfest 2024 here. OPCD confirmed that producing this video in-house would have been challenging.
Similarly, the Guernsey County Sheriff’s Office in Ohio adopted Carbyne Citizen Connect for its residents and needed an easy-to-share guide with a clear call-to-action. (view here) This guide aimed to encourage community members to sign up, ensuring their data is available when they call 9-1-1. The Guernsey County Sheriff’s Office reported significant community engagement as a result (half of its population to be exact!).
Knowledge sharing around best practices enriches both parties. These measures allow emergency communications centers to better focus on response. With customers’ permission, Carbyne has shared successful strategies and campaigns with other emergency communications centers, allowing them to adapt these strategies to their own needs.
Providing recognized training certifications at no cost shows commitment to PSAPs’ professional development. Even small acts of compassion make a difference. When vendors show they truly care, they become partners, not just service providers.
The foundation of these relationships is trust. Understanding 911 center challenges and being consistently available, with the shared mission of saving lives, builds rapport. While stressful situations still arise, having a solid foundation based on trust helps navigate difficult times.
At the end of the day, PSAPs and vendors share a vital mission: serving their communities. Cultivating compassionate partnerships recognizes their interconnected goals. With technology and dedication combined, they can provide the best possible emergency response. When vendors and PSAPs collaborate with care, everyone benefits.