MEMPHIS, Tennessee — The City of Memphis promised changes are coming, after the first test of the new mass communication system Wednesday caused confusion and complaints from Memphians.
Thousands received a text and voice message - but thousands of others did not - as the city adjusts how it communicates ahead of the next test.
"Usually when we are involving change, the first step is often the one most criticized,' City of Memphis Chief Communication Officer Allison Fouche said.
Thursday, Fouche accepted the heat and promised better results the next time it sends out a mass communication test alert.
"We are realizing in this test that we have some work to do," Fouche added. "I think it just threw people off guard because this is a new way that we are communicating."
Wednesday's first test went out to more than 300,000 Memphians. The system was jumpstarted following September's shooting rampage as a way to inform more people quicker and improve communication in a major crisis.
After Wednesday's text message test, the city said its vendor will make two adjustments the next time.
One, the text will be from a 901 and not an outside area code. And two, it will include the city's website, memphistn.gov, as a link inside the text.
"We thank the citizens for all their feedback because it's able to make us service you better," Fouche said.
In a few weeks, the City of Memphis will update how more Memphians who didn't get a text or message on their phone Wednesday can sign up for future alerts. It's not clear when the city will roll out its second test.
The city is paying its vendor Everbridge roughly $125,000 for the mass communication system.