Frequently Asked Questions
Q. How can our community acquire your software?
A. Talk to your city officials and have them contact Xstream mobile solutions for a demonstration.
Q. What type of cell phone will I need to receive your alert service?
A. Any current cellular phone or email/text messaging device should be capable of receiving text messages, you'll just need to make sure the service is available.
Q. How can I test my phone?
A. Easily by going to our web site and testing your cell phone with our DBM1.
Q. Can I also receive e-mail alerts?
A. Yes XSM uses e-mails to test the system and to inform users of any changes in the system.
Q. Can I invest in Xstream Mobile Solutions?
A. Yes Xstream Mobile Solutions is a publicly traded company (xmsc.ob).
Q. HOW IS DATA OBTAINED TO SEND THE MESSAGES/EMAILS AND HOW OFTEN IS THE DATA UPDATED?
A. Data is obtained through a number of avenues:
a. Our patent-pending DBM-1 ™ creates all the databases for you. Residents sign up, test their phones and select alerts of which they choose to be notified. The alert list is one in which your community has the final decision. Residents have the ability to opt in or opt out at any time.
b. Any existing databases you may have could be imported to our system
c. Names and numbers could be manually typed in by your personnel
d.All of this information is updated by your residents, for example, whenever they get a new phone or email address or by your office personnel at a time when your office policy dictates.
Q. WHAT ARE THE TARGETING CAPABILITES OF XSM FOR NOTIFICATION PUPOSES? FOR EXAMPLE, CAN A SPECIFIC SECTION OF MY COMMUNITY BE NOTIFIED OR ONLY THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY? CAN OUR VILLAGE ADD IT’S OWN DATA LIST TO YOUR SYSTEM?
A. Our product has the ability to target specific groups, subdivisions, streets, boundaries, etc. as you determine. The system comes with a mapping feature that is customized to your community making specific communication effortless and immediate. Messages can be sent to one person, the entire population or any specified groups in between.
For example, you may want to notify all people who are wheelchair bound or have diminished ambulatory ability that help is on the way to them or that they can contact a specific number for help. Additionally, there is a mapping feature that will break down your community however you determine. The village can also add its own data list to the system.
Q. WHAT ARE THE REPORTING CAPABILITIES OF YOUR SYSTEM? WILL IT REPORT SUCCESSFUL AND NON-SUCCESSFUL MESSAGES/EMAILS SENT?
A. Our system is unique in that we not only generate reports to establish successful or non-successful communication, but additionally give you the ability to see which people have a potential problem, giving you the opportunity to act preemptively. As part of our CARE (Certify, Activate, Register, Educate) program, both the administration and the residents know that they have successfully become a part of your notification system. There are several helpful programs (I-WATCH, STAR, REM, etc.) that will be outlined should your community decide to purchase one of our systems.
Q. HOW DOES YOUR NOTIFICATION SYSTEM WORK? MOST COMMUNITIES DON’T WANT TO PURCHASE HARDWARE BUT PREFER RENTAL/SERVICE FEE BASED CONTRACTS?
A. XSM SAFE works as a client side/server side application and has offline capabilities. All information is stored on and accessible from your own servers so your resident base and community leadership has the satisfaction of knowing that your community is protecting itself from the inside, not from the outside. The only purchase is software as your existing computers and servers will be more than adequate to meet the software demands. We offer extended services (i.e. N.O.C) for redundancy and load balancing at additional charges.
Q. DOES THIS SYSTEM SEND EMAILS, TEXT MESSAGES, PHONE CALLS, ETC.? CAN EMAILS AND TEXT MESSAGES BE SENT SIMULTANEOUSLY?
A. Our system sends emails, text messages or both. Messages can be sent independent of each other or sent to both email addresses and data devices (Cell phones, PDA’s, Blackberries, etc.) simultaneously. While we can offer the ability to reach landlines, we discourage it for reasons which will be outlined in subsequent responses.
Q. WHAT ARE THE REDUNDANCIES OF YOUR SYSTEM TO AVOID SYSTEM FAILURES?
A. Redundancies and load balancing is determined by our tech team interacting with your IT personnel to determine the best course for your specific needs. It is customizable and malleable to your specifications.
Q. WHAT SECURITY MEASURES TO AVOID UNAUTHORIZED OR STOLEN DATA ARE EMBRACED BY XSM?
A. With all information being stored on your servers, security is accomplished in whatever way you determine that is best handled. Our tech team is there for assistance or consultation whenever you need it
Q. WHAT TYPE OF TRAINING IS PROVIDED BY XSM?
A. Training is available on a group/personal basis after installation, through customer support and through a downloadable manual
Q. WHY IS IT YOU BELIEVE HOME PHONE LINES SHOULD NOT BE USED FOR NOTIFICATION?
A. We don’t believe your community should be protected by 19 th century technology in the 21 st century (standard home telephone lines). However, we can make that available to you at an additional cost. Our products were created with the assumption that you want to be able to reach the largest number of people possible in the shortest amount of time. How many people are home at any given time to receive phone calls? The cost/notification effectiveness of auto-dialers has been discussed at length. Our company policy is to embrace emerging rather than dated technology but we will work with you.
Q. HOW DO EMPLOYEES OR AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ACTIVATE THE NOTIFICATION SYSTEM?
A. Village employees and authorized personnel have access, through protected passwords, to activation of the system. It requires a web connection, which can be accomplished through a computer, OR through WAP capability, which is done through pre-determined messages you create and save. These are then accessed from your cell phone.
Q. WHAT ARE YOUR HOURS FOR CUSTOMER SUPPORT?
A. Customer support service is available through email 24/7 and through support personnel available 9-5 Monday through Friday via telephone.
Q. WHY DO YOU BELIEVE XSM’S SYSTEM IS BETTER THAN OTHERS ON THE MARKET?
A. We’re sure you are aware that in true emergencies such as 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, etc., text messaging has been proven to be the ONLY way to communicate with people and inform them of what to do next. Communication with your residents is critical to their perception of how efficiently the community responds to their individual needs. Phone lines are capable of being downed (from tree limbs, etc.) by winds as low 47 mph. How many people might you not be able to get in touch with if just one line goes down, let alone several? (Again, however, we will accommodate you if you decide your community has to have landline ability in addition to our system.) Our belief is that, with over 70% of the population nationally using data devices, (Cell phones, PDAS, Alpha-numeric pagers, Blackberries, email, etc.) it is THE way to alert people to stay in or stay out of an area. Even for such casual things as community events, road closures, water main breaks, hydrant flushing, etc., a portion of your community wants to be informed. The strength of our system is that residents select the alerts of which they choose to be notified. And, they are much more comfortable knowing their information is securely held in their own community, not on a server in another state or country. Additionally, we are client side/ server side and have offline capabilities, which separates us substantially competition.
Q. HOW LONG HAS XSM BEEN IN EXISTENCE AND WHO IS USING YOUR SYSTEM NOW?
A. While we are a relatively new company (going public earlier this year), our products have been in development for over three years. We presently have contracts with the Will County Emergency Management Agency (Bill Ferguson, Director and Harold Damron, Deputy Director http://willcountyema.org/ , )New Lenox Police Department (Chief Dan Martin), Lemont EMA (Director Tom Ballard) and have been advised that the city of Aurora has requested funding for our product in it’s upcoming budget. The village of Manteno, Kankakee County Sheriff’s Dept. and Kankakee County EMA have recently inquired about XSM SAFE. Our initial conversations with these entities have been tremendous and we fully expect to add them to our list of satisfied customers. We also have potential contracts with Clark County (Las Vegas, NV) and are in talks with the city of Chicago through our IBM affiliates.
Q. WHAT IS THE TIME FRAME FROM PURCHASE TO IMPLEMENTATION
A. From signing of contract to implementation, depending on the degree of customization and potential schedule conflicts, we estimate between 30-90 days.
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