Rave Alert Reviews

Pros

Using it has been very simple. Our agency created templates where users only need to enter the location and time which has made the notification process quicker and more efficient for our department.

Cons

From an administrator's perspective, I'd really like the option to archive templates that are no longer in use. Some of them aren't currently needed but might have to be reactivated later. It would also be helpful if archived reports could be organized into categories within the reporting section.

Pros

Sending an alert is very simple which matters a lot when time is critical and a message needs to go out fast. One of the things I appreciate most is how user-friendly the platform is overall. I also really value the support it has shown by bringing on Deron Lord. It genuinely feels like they are trying to do right by their customers and whenever I have a question or need to raise a concern, Deron always follows up with an answer.

Cons

The biggest frustration for me is not having access to our subscribers. We have lost customers who wanted to work directly with us to make changes or get things set up but instead we have to send them to a support email address and wait up to 24 hours for help. That issue alone made me lower my recommendation significantly. I also wish Rave would update its character limits. Twitter allows 280 characters now and most mobile phones can handle longer messages without any problem so keeping short or Twitter-style messages capped at 160 feels outdated. On top of that, I'm not a fan of the side menu replacing the tabs across the top because it makes system settings and other items much harder to locate.

Pros

It connects to our domain in no time so adding new users and removing old ones happens right away.

Cons

You have to keep training regularly so you can use it properly when the time comes.

Pros

Very simple to send out alerts even for someone using the software for the first time. Creating alert templates on the spot is also very practical and simple when the need comes up.

Cons

The Automatic SmartLoader can be a bit difficult to figure out initially. There are also some features that feel counteruser-friendly like the system being able to detect when a call is answered by an answering machine but not offering a way to automatically retry those contacts.

Pros

Accessing and using it is very easy. The process for sending mass communications is clear and uncomplicated.

Cons

There aren't many customizable email design features when putting together mass emails.

Pros

One thing that works well is how quickly the notifications come through.

Cons

The biggest frustration is the system timing out on its own. During my shift, I have to keep logging back in over and over which gets old fast. The reporting side also falls short. I need to be able to pull reports or stats on how often we send emergency maintenance and the current reports just are not good enough.

Pros

Getting everything set up and rolled out was very simple. The technical support team was extremely responsive and really stayed focused on helping us resolve the issue.

Cons

A few features aren't very user-friendly so we sometimes have to poke around the website a bit to find the right sections.

Pros

It's very simple to use, doesn't require much upkeep and it's always available whenever I need it.

Cons

At this point I really don't have any complaints. I actually prefer that you have to sign in through the website to access it.

Pros

Our campus selected it as the main emergency notification system because it gives us a simple way to send email and text alerts extremely fast, with very little delay from the time a message is created to when it goes out. Another big plus is the ability to customize and save message templates. That made it possible for us to prepare a library of likely emergency communications in advance so staff can just fill in a few details and send them instead of writing a full message from scratch every time.

Cons

The biggest downside is the price since using both Rave Alert and Rave Guardian together can be quite expensive.

Pros

There's a lot to appreciate with this software, the features are well-rounded and everything is very simple to use.

Cons

I really don't have any complaints about the system at this point.

Pros

Right from the start, the app feels user-friendly and it offers plenty of features that are easy to locate in both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.

Cons

The mapping could use a bit of refinement and having more color scheme options would be a nice addition.

Pros

Pretty easy to handle and it's been really helpful for communication.

Cons

Uploading contact lists to send alerts can be difficult.

Pros

It is truly unmatched. The leadership team and product engineers genuinely pay attention to what end-users are saying and turn customer feedback into real improvements within the platform.

Cons

I understand that the interface needs an occasional update but rolling it out in organizations with a large number of end-users (alert senders) can be challenging and often demands a lot of extra guidance from the System Administrator. The new design is appealing and having the "classic view" available is definitely appreciated, still, gradual updates over time are much easier to adapt to than having the entire interface suddenly look completely different.

Pros

The software is user-friendly and simple to navigate. Moving over to it was a smooth transition and since then we really haven't run into any issues. We rely on it regularly for internal communication as well as emergency notifications and it has worked well for both.

Cons

Voice calling isn't included by default and comes as an additional option, while our previous vendor already provided voice calls as part of the service.

Pros

Even when I'm away from a computer, I can still call in and use my quick templates to send mass messages which is really convenient.

Cons

Going through templates that are shared with other departments can be a bit difficult.

Pros

Being able to send mass communications in different formats to multiple users is really valuable.

Cons

Entering several cell numbers takes a bit more effort than it should and feels somewhat complex.

Pros

Between the multitasking features, support for working across multiple platforms and how user-friendly it is, those are the three things I value most in this software. That said, the strongest part is probably the solid support system Rave has built around it. I've had the chance to work with the Rave team from sales through implementation and they've been outstanding, responsive, helpful and quick to collaborate with us on solutions.

Cons

There really isn't much to complain about with the software, most of my concerns come down to personal accessibility preferences.

Pros

Sending notifications is simple and there are solid options available when alerts need to be distributed across multiple venues.

Cons

Interface has the necessary look and feel but it still comes across as fairly basic. Creating templates could be more user-friendly and managing everything takes a bit more technical knowledge than expected.

Pros

The updated site has become even more useful for sending notifications to our sites which is something I really appreciate.

Cons

The older version was simple once we got used to using it regularly although we never fully took advantage of everything it could do. Hopefully, we'll be able to use this version more often and get the most out of it going forward.