The THERMS Dispatch module allows security organizations who receive incoming calls to be logged, assigned, and linked to other system information like Locations and Reports.
Dispatch Types
There are currently 2 types of Dispatch types that can be used in THERMS. Duty Status and Service Call.
Duty Status
This Dispatch type is used to log User (employees, staff, etc.) calls to a dispatch center/line and document the "Duty Status". If your organization requires employees or staff to call a central line so their status can be logged, this is a great feature to pair with your dispatchers or the person/people taking the in-coming calls.
A "Duty Status" can optionally be assigned a Location. This is useful for associating a check-in/out for a specific Location.
There are predefined statuses "Check-In" and "Check-Out" because they're the most commonly used, however, the "other" field can be selected to enter text to describe the status.
Service Call
A "service call" in THERMS context is a call requesting service. Dispatch "Service Call" types are intended to be used by/for organizations that receive in-coming calls to be logged and/or dispatched for a response or some action by a security team member. Service Call Dispatch records can be associated to a specific Location, caller phone number, caller name, time, call summary, Activity Types, and files.
Service Call "Action Needed"
When creating a Dispatch Service Call the User logging the Record can select the "Action Needed" option. This will expand more options to select. When assigning "Action Needed" a priority can be selected as well as optional "Action Notes" to be passed on as information or instructions to the security officer who responds to the Action Needed Service Call. The "User" field is optional and a User does not need to be assigned when creating the Dispatch Service Call, it can be unassigned and later assigned or claimed by Users.
Assignment of Service Calls
When a Service Call is "pending" then it means it was created with the "Action Needed" field selected. If a Service Call is not assigned to a specific User, it can be assigned or claimed by Users.
If a Service Call was assigned by one User to another User, then the assigned-to User must acknowledge the assignment. Another User can acknowledge the assignment for the User that the Service Call is assigned; this might be the case where a dispatch center operator receives a call, logs and assigns it to a User, then contacts the User over a PTT radio to inform them of the assignment, then acknowledges it for the User to document the time they were made aware of the assignment.
Clearing Service Calls
A Service Call that is pending in a "Action Needed" state needs to be cleared. Usually some action was taken such as responding to a party late in the night that was reported by a resident at an apartment complex. Depending on the organization settings, a Dispatch Service Call can be cleared by attaching to a Report or optionally prompted for some information:
If your organization relies on information being attached/added to Reports then you can turn on the Dispatch settings for "Require Service Calls to be cleared with a Report Entry" which will require the User to select or create a Report for the Location the Dispatch record is associated. The User will then enter information or action taken in response to the "action needed service call".
Dispatch Settings
A User with the appropriate permissions can change region Dispatch settings. The settings page can be found in the Dispatch module page in the top right menu dropdown.
