Blackline Safety is a technology leader driving innovation in the industrial workforce through IoT (Internet of Things). With connected safety devices and predictive analytics, Blackline enables companies to drive towards zero safety incidents and improved operational performance. Blackline provides wearable devices, personal and area gas monitoring, cloud-connected software and data analytics to meet demanding safety challenges and enhance overall productivity for organizations with coverage in more than 100 countries. Armed with cellular and satellite connectivity, Blackline provides a lifeline to tens of thousands of people, having reported over 200 billion data-points and initiated over seven million emergency alerts. For more information, visit BlacklineSafety.com and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.
When choosing a technology provider for your safety program, there's so much more to think about than just the equipment. Comprehensive services are equally essential otherwise the costs can be high. A lack of customer support can contribute to a poor user experience and adoption challenges. Limited scalability might hamper your growth.
The right partner beside you, offering change management and best practices expertise, can set your safety technology program up for long-term success. In turn, your time is freed up to focus on the insights from the technology usage to drive safety, efficiency and bottom-line impact.
We’ve laid out the top six services your safety provider needs to deliver on to help you in selecting the right partner.
1. Flexible/Contract Purchase Options
Whether it's renting, leasing, or purchasing outright — or a blend of all three — flexible purchasing options ensure your safety technology can fit into any budget.
You’ll want to know:
- If they offer a rental program for short-term projects like shutdowns, turnarounds or temporary construction projects
- If their technology can be applied against your OPEX budget with a pay-as-you-go lease with payments amortized over the warranty period
- Whether a rebate, trade-in or upgrade program is available to exchange the devices you have for the ones you want
- Whether they offer a free evaluation or paid pilot so you can try before you buy
2. Onboarding and Implementation Services
As with any technology, your people’s initial impression and experience are key indicators for how much—or how little—they’ll use it. First impressions matter. You’ll want to work with a provider who can set you up for a smooth smart and pave the way for ongoing success.
You’ll want to know:
- If they provide a dedicated Client Implementations Coordinator to offer you end-to-end onboarding and implementation support—from account design to go live to measuring results
- Whether they have experience in change management best practices for technology adoption, including data-driven insights into which groups, areas or people are experiencing challenges
- If a mix of training options for your people—on-site, virtual, train-the-trainer, self-serve training etc.—is offered
3. Round-The-Clock Customer Care and Technical Support
Most industrial operations are 24/7 and so too should be the customer care and technical support from your vendor.You’ll want to know:
- If they provide a dedicated Client Success Manager to support your ongoing customer needs post-implementation
- Whether customer care and technical support are accessible anytime, anywhere
- Whether a replacement device is offered if a technical issue can’t be resolved or requires further evaluation
4. 24/7 Live Monitoring
Connected safety technology paired with professional real-time monitoring leads to a swifter emergency response, saving lives when seconds can make all the difference.
You’ll want to know:
- If your vendor has an in-house or third-party Safety Operations Center (SOC) to provide round-the-clock safety monitoring and how many workers they protect
- If SOC agents are professionally trained to handle any situation
- If the SOC is five-diamond certified (a globally recognized standard for excellence in real-time safety monitoring)
- The average response time to alerts and how many they can handle daily
- Whether they are certified to escalate responses to local emergency personnel if needed
- If they periodically conduct drills and tabletop exercise to test your emergency response protocols
5. Global Connectivity Reach
Safety doesn’t stop at the border. If you have operations across multiple countries or regions, you’ll need to ensure that your safety provider can work wherever you do and provides the same level support regardless of geography.
You’ll want to know:
- How many countries they operate in and the extent of their cellular and/or satellite network coverage
- Whether their devices require connection into your IT network or can be deployed out of the box
- How many languages their technology and services support
- Whether they understand the regulatory nuances and cultural considerations in your jurisdiction
6. In-Depth Data Analysis
To get a clear view of how your safety program is performing, you’ll need to be able to measure all aspects of it. Data services can help you get the deep intel you need to manage compliance, get ahead of incidents before they happen, and remove roadblocks to efficiency—saving you the hassle of doing it yourself.
You’ll want to know:
- If they offer customized data services to help unlock insights from your safety technology to identify actionable ways to improve
- If reports can be emailed straight to your inbox at whatever frequency you need—daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly
- Whether reporting dashboards can be tailored to elevate the metrics that matter most to you
- If external data (like work orders and contractors’ site schedules) can be integrated into your safety technology to uncover multi-dimensional insights and enable a more holistic view of your operations
Ready to Partner with the Best?
Discover how Blackline Safety can help take your safety program to the next level.