Need a way for workers to be notified in a new email comes in from a specific sender

[timeshifter]

Need a way for workers to be notified in a new email comes in from a specific sender. The workers aren't always sitting at their desk watching their computer screen and can't be relied upon to check email continuously. There is one outside service that may send an email message that must be dealt with immediately.

They are using Google Workspace and Windows PCs using Chrome or Firefox. The urgent emails can be identified easily with a Gmail rule.

I've been able to mark those as important and have a Desktop Notification play for only important emails using the standard settings in Gmail. This would work fine but the notification sounds are very brief and I can't find a way to change the sound. Thought I could replace the sound somewhere but haven't been able to find it.

Also tried setting up Thunderbird and changing the notification sound to a WAV file that can be a whole song, and that works, but it plays a notification for EVERY incoming email. No way I can see to only notify on specific messages. This could work by setting up another account just for this purpose, but might prefer not to do that.

Any other creative ideas? Does someone make a IoT light or something that flashes when new email comes in? Sound would work too. Maybe I'm close with Chrome and or Thunderbird?

 

[tek9]

Maybe create a new email account and set only that account up in Thunderbird with the wav notification. Then set a Gmail rule to forward emails from this sender to the new email account which should come into Thunderbird and play the wav file? They'll need to reply from the original account in Outlook or Gmail, though.

 

[timeshifter]

Maybe create a new email account and set only that account up in Thunderbird with the wav notification. Then set a Gmail rule to forward emails from this sender to the new email account which should come into Thunderbird and play the wav file? They'll need to reply from the original account in Outlook or Gmail, though.

That might be the solution. Might be better it we could prevent getting another account and separate software that has to run continously.

 

[Markverhyden]

I've used email to sms bridge before. But you do have to look up all the providers and they do need their smart devices with them. Talking about IoT I'm sure someone could rig something like the below up to get their attention.

 

[dannyict]

maybe have a look here https://www.lifewire.com/how-to-change-the-new-mail-sound-for-gmail-1171986

 

[nlinecomputers]

If they use outlook you can create a rule that can send a text message alerting you of the emails

How to Use an Outlook Rule to Send Email To SMS

You can use an MS Outlook Rule to Send Email to SMS text messages. Certain types of messages such as urgent can automatically be sent to your cell phone.

www.thebalancesmb.com

 

[NJW]

Also tried setting up Thunderbird and changing the notification sound to a WAV file that can be a whole song, and that works, but it plays a notification for EVERY incoming email. No way I can see to only notify on specific messages.

Add-ons may help:

• Mailbox Alert is a folder-level message monitor. Filter the critical messages into a specific folder, then set an alert on that folder. Alerts can be on-screen message, sound file or execute a command (with parameters from the mail message).
• FiltaQuilla is a filter-level monitor which can play alert sounds or execute a command, triggered directly by email message parameters.

I've used both and either can be set up to do what you mention.

 

[HCHTech]

The workers...can't be relied upon to check email continuously.

I can't help thinking this is an HR problem and not a computer problem...

 

[timeshifter]

I can't help thinking this is an HR problem and not a computer problem...

It's truly not. To fully explain why I'd have to give a lot more confidential details about the client's business operations than I'm comfortable giving out in a public forum.

 

[nlinecomputers]

I can't help thinking this is an HR problem and not a computer problem...

Not necessarily. You can be busy working in Excel and not NEED to check your email every time outlook dings at you like a Pavlovian dog. And some jobs require you to be away from your desk. Now I suppose that you could HIRE someone to sit and watch email but that is way more expensive than what computer automation can provide.

I'll also mention as I have had before that this sounds like something a ticketing system can address.

 

[mikeroq]

Without much details, assuming this is important comparable to an on call tech getting an alert at 3am. Maybe they need to use a service (PagerDuty?). I know I've read about alerting systems that will text your phone, call you, cycle through other people, etc.

Or maybe there is some specialized box you can plug in that can receive an alert, and attach to an alarm or something.

 

[nlinecomputers]

It's truly not. To fully explain why I'd have to give a lot more confidential details about the client's business operations than I'm comfortable giving out in a public forum.

Somehow I doubt that. You can mention industries of all sorts without any name-dropping. There are plenty of "I have a client that is a: lawyer, bricklayer, auto dealer, doctor, realtor, etc."

 

[NJW]

Somehow I doubt that.

That's fine, but it's not up to you.

"I have a client who's a mob hitman and he needs to react immediately to contract requests." See?

 

[HCHTech]

"I have a client who's a mob hitman

Didn't see that one coming - haha.

 

[nlinecomputers]

That's fine, but it's not up to you.

"I have a client who's a mob hitman and he needs to react immediately to contract requests." See?

See no names are being mentioned. We are just talking about an industry. What business doesn’t need rapid contact with its clients or vendors.

 

[nlinecomputers]

Didn't see that one coming - haha.

In that line of business that is the point….

 

[nlinecomputers]

 

[putz]

Not necessarily. You can be busy working in Excel and not NEED to check your email every time outlook dings at you like a Pavlovian dog. And some jobs require you to be away from your desk. Now I suppose that you could HIRE someone to sit and watch email but that is way more expensive than what computer automation can provide.

I'll also mention as I have had before that this sounds like something a ticketing system can address.

I disagree. If your business model revolves around responding to these email alerts and you have a guaranteed SLA tied to it, and if you could lose clients or revenue if you fail, then I would say you need someone monitoring it at all times. A hire doesn't need to solely just monitor the emails, they could work at their desk on other stuff as long as they are checking the emails within the given timeframe. Even if a ticketing system was implemented, someone has to monitor that just as they did the emails.

Any other creative ideas? Does someone make a IoT light or something that flashes when new email comes in? Sound would work too. Maybe I'm close with Chrome and or Thunderbird?

The alternative that I like the best because its seems like its the easiest to implement, is what @Markverhyden suggested about Email/SMS gateway. I don't know what google supports but if you can setup mail flow rules, you could create a group of contacts with employees mobile email address - usually something like phonenumber@tmomail.net - https://www.lifewire.com/sms-gateway-from-email-to-sms-text-message-2495456. Then have emails get copied to this group when they are received. That will give notification on a mobile device which mostly everyone has.

If they use something like slack, you could search for some Google to Slack integrations for notifications so that multiple people using slack can get notified.

Otherwise get them on M365 and use something like Power Automate to create some sort of automation workflow when an email received like a voice call.

Voice Calls Triggered by Email Alerts Using Power Automate and Plivo

If someone isn't able to triage and respond to an alert in a reasonable amount of time, the outcome can be less than desirable. Say you are part of a small team and don't have a set of eyes on alerts 24/7 and something happens overnight when the team

mrclixit.com

You could try piecemealing together an IoT solution but then you need something to monitor that to make sure the scripts are running, its connected and online... just adding more complexity. The more pieces you add to the puzzle, the more points of failure there are so if the process is that important to the business I would keep it as simple as possible.

 

[nlinecomputers]

@putz with respect you are contradicting yourself. You say hire an email babysitter and the proposed methods that eliminate the need. So long as the person who needs to be notified gets instant notifications and can act on them you have satisfied the OP's request.

 

[putz]

@putz with respect you are contradicting yourself. You say hire an email babysitter and the proposed methods that eliminate the need. So long as the person who needs to be notified gets instant notifications and can act on them you have satisfied the OP's request.

Not necessarily. I know what I would do in the situation, but it's not my situation to make the call. OP is requesting ideas so I am trying to help them. I can still disagree with a point and at the same time offer ideas.