American Time Blog

A student races to class as the hallway countdown timer nears zero and the bell rings. An employee meeting starts promptly because everyone is on time. Shift changes are in sync and disruptions are minimized.

Things that seem insignificant to the casual observer – like clocks, bells, and buzzers – have an outsized impact on the productivity of a building or campus. Maintenance teams, building managers, IT directors, teachers and leaders know this.

A single, go-to resource for clocks, bells, buzzers, parts, repairs and upgrades – “standardizing” your clock and bell systems – is an important way to improve the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of your operations.

Let’s look at the key considerations and factors to think about in order to standardize your systems…

High-quality clocks that stay in precise synchronization must have access to two important sources to operate successfully: A power source and a time source.

However, terms like “wireless clocks” and “wired clocks” are commonly used but often misunderstood. In this article, you’ll learn more about these terms and what they mean for synchronized clocks in your building. 

Is your internet router in a place that can be bumped by people in the office? Do you see students jump up to slap that exit sign above the door?

Guards for clocks and other pieces of vital equipment protect your investment from damage, vandalism, and theft. After all, it's not just the equipment you have to think about, but the environment that surrounds it.

• In schools, clocks, exit signs and other assets are magnets for students goofing around or the errant gym ball.
• On shop floors, debris, sprays and dust can coat your equipment and impact their ability to operate. Lots of moving people and equipment can also easily damage an asset.
• Theft or accidental damage is possible in any building. Guards keep your assets protected, clean, and optimized.

There are even more environments where protective guards can save time, money and headaches. Here’s a look at the types of equipment guards available, why they're important, and the best environments for them.

New inCloud features and enhancements make scheduling and coordinating EverAlert equipment, Wi-Fi and PoE clocks and devices easier than ever!

Accurate, synchronized clocks in your building, school or facility are more than a convenience. When clocks display the wrong time or different times from each other, major disruptions and even risks can happen, such as….

• Meetings, classes or shifts start and end at different times, causing confusion and inefficiency
• Wages or compensation are disputed
• Critical tasks like surgeries, food prep or manufacturing processes aren’t tracked or reported accurately
• Maintenance staff spend too much time on clock repairs and adjustments

The decision arises in all sorts of consumer scenarios: classic versus modern. Maybe you're remodeling your home and you have to choose between dark trim or something light and airy. Perhaps you're trying to decide where to eat dinner, and it comes down to the steakhouse that's been there forever or the trendy new restaurant you've been itching to try.

Or, maybe you were shopping for a watch and had to ponder the benefits of analog versus digital. Your evaluation process of analog versus digital when selecting a new watch probably isn't all that different from picking what kind of clocks to install in your facility. It's just that when it comes to selecting a clock, you've got the needs of potentially thousands of people to consider.

To help you make the call, we'll lay out the advantages and some considerations to make when choosing analog clocks.

When you’re searching for new technology to help students learn better or for a school to run more efficiently, there are countless options. Which technology will live up to its promises? How does a school evaluate differences?

Setting up your WI-fi and Power over ethernet (poe) network clocks is easier than ever!

The American Time Network Clock Setup App for Android users is now available. This new app allows you to configure, provision and activate American Time network clocks (Wi-Fi and PoE) without being tied to a desktop or laptop computer. 

Easy-to-use functionality allows users to:

• Scan clock QR codes on the back of either Wi-Fi or PoE clocks to easily name them
• Create clock configurations with network, time zone, and security settings
• Provision clocks with configuration settings individually or in bulk, saving time
• For inCloud subscribers, you can activate Wi-Fi and PoE clocks on the inCloud portal easily

If you're tasked with selecting a clock system for your organization, the idea might be easy at first: You just buy some clocks and hang them on the walls, right?

But synchronized clock technology offer many options, and the best decision for you depends on the needs of your organization. Here, we'll help determine which type of clock is best for you depending on your industry and the type of building you're responsible for keeping on time.

With Daylight Saving Time (DST) coming up, you may discover that some of your clocks don’t adjust properly after the change happens. As a result, you could end up dealing with employee or staff complaints, classes or shift changes that may be off, and maintenance teams that are bogged down with work orders.

To prepare, here are some quick troubleshooting tips for clocks that don’t adjust correctly for DST.