Now that Hurricane Sandy has been properly smeared across our Web search pages (and towns, depending on your East Coast location), it’s time to discuss what precautions were properly taken and which may surprisingly have made a better difference in preserving efficient communications. While my area’s connectivity was relatively unaffected, millions of individuals across the coast were far from being so lucky. For consumers and businesses alike, this information can be vital.

We all know landline phones often work well in these types of situations. Plum Voice highlights an article via the Discovery Channel, which explains the reason for this is largely in part because “they don’t use much power, the wires for the landline telephone usually are buried underground and safe from most storms, and the telephone company has installed both a backup generator and a large array of batteries in case of disaster.”

Did you know though that interactive voice response (IVR) technology is equally critical in preserving communication in the event of a crisis?

“IVR systems can relay prerecorded, geo-coded messages to residents based on physical location,” writes Plum. “Since landlines often still work long after the power has gone out, utilizing interactive voice response technology in combination with landline phone systems can offer the best way to communicate during a disaster, and can help in keeping people safe and sound.”

You may be asking yourself, “But the storm is over, why is this important now?” Think about it though; the aftermath of the storm can potentially be worse than the actual storm itself. It was predicted that Sandy would far outweigh the $16 million in damage costs that Hurricane Irene created.

Take the image below, a screenshot of Seaside Heights, New Jersey as reported by a local NJ station.

If you happen to be in a highly affected area, you could be without power for potentially up to 10 to 14 days as reflected by past disasters. Ensuring that communications are intact during this restoration period is equally critical as transportation services, roads and highways remain closed.

To learn more about Plum Voice’s IVR offerings, visit www.plumvoice.com and be sure to follow the company on Twitter (News - Alert) @PlumVoice for all of the latest on IVR technology.