Need a super-intrusive notification system for mobile-centric website

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Need a super-intrusive notification system for mobile-centric website

Yes, our users want it that way.

mwDev

10:00 pm on Aug 12, 2020 (gmt 0)

I'm helping with a web-based console for business owners that will primarily be accessed from mobile devices. One important feature is "push notifications" (possibly not the correct technical term for what we need) to alert users of certain events relative to their business.

Prompt notification of these events is very important to the end-users. They want these notifications to be as intrusive as possible. A blaring foghorn sound that wouldn't shut off until the notification is viewed would not be overkill.

We've looked into a few options but all seem lacking in one or more ways. If you had to really get someone's attention from a website on a mobile device (bearing in mind the device might be in a pocket with the screen off, etc.), what are some of the best ways to do it?

tangor

1:39 am on Aug 13, 2020 (gmt 0)

Prompt notification of these events is very important to the end-users. They want these notifications to be as intrusive as possible.

You're sure the users want that "in your face" notification, even if their phones are off?

Different class of users than any of my experience. :)

lammert

2:13 am on Aug 13, 2020 (gmt 0)

Every modern mobile phone has emergency alerts which are triggered through broadcast messages on the cell network. You should be able to trigger these alerts with a custom made app, but I doubt it will be possible to trigger them through an ordinary browser.

NickMNS

3:11 am on Aug 13, 2020 (gmt 0)

You can use javascript's Push API
[developer.mozilla.org...]
This will provide a notification exactly like native mobile app. You can also, make it play a sound. The downside is that currently there is no support for IOs (Safari). Which forces you to create a native app for Iphone users.

Alternatively you can program your app to send a text message, or even make an automated call the user's mobile phone number. Obviously, the user would need to provide you with their number.

But even with js push it requires the user's opt in.

mwDev

5:50 pm on Aug 13, 2020 (gmt 0)

You're sure the users want that "in your face" notification, even if their phones are off?

Different class of users than any of my experience. :)

Yes, they want that. These notifications are money in their pockets if they respond quickly, so these are very high priority for them.

You can use javascript's Push API
[developer.mozilla.org...]
This will provide a notification exactly like native mobile app. You can also, make it play a sound. The downside is that currently there is no support for IOs (Safari). Which forces you to create a native app for Iphone users.

Is this a different animal than "Web Push Notifications," such as [developers.google.com...] It sounds like the Push API might allow greater control over the notifications being sent. It would be ideal if we could select our own notification sound (eventually to be a user preference). The point is that our notifications have to be distinct from other notifications the users are receiving, and very noticeable.

Alternatively you can program your app to send a text message, or even make an automated call the user's mobile phone number. Obviously, the user would need to provide you with their number.

All good ideas. Over time we'll likely implement several of these and users can choose which one(s) to use.

NickMNS

6:27 pm on Aug 13, 2020 (gmt 0)

@mwDev the Push api is what is described in the link you included.

As for the sound notification, it is not part of the PUSH api, my post was not clear and written quickly. I coded the sound myself but it requires that the user have the app running in a browser tab. It may be possible to implement this within the service worker and thus should be callable without the app running but with the service worker installed. I'm not sure, I haven't tried it.