Organizational business models are constantly changing to adapt to the needs of their target audience. These changes have increased as the world has entered this technologically driven era, forcing organizations to leave behind traditional sign-in methods and adopt a web-based visitor management system.
What is a Visitor Management System?
A visitor management system refers to any tool used by organizations to keep track of the people visiting their facilities. For example, when you enter a school or medical office, you’re asked to sign in through a logbook or a clipboard gathering specific information. But with an electronic visitor management system, all that information is digitized and stored for easier access.
Types of Visitor Management Systems
Visitor management systems can range from collecting basic information to fulfilling higher security requirements. Some types of visitor management systems include:
- Visitor management software. This software has become popular with many companies for collecting information. One type of software is on-premise software, which uses your company’s networks and stores all data on on-site equipment. On the other hand, cloud visitor management system software allows you to access visitor data on all types of devices.
- Integrated visitor management systems. This system will allow you to integrate your ideal visitor management system with access control systems at your facility.
- Visitor registration kiosks. Take your experience up a notch with self-serving check-in and check-out kiosks that can be placed at key locations around the premises.
Reasons Why Visitor Management is Important
Gathering information isn’t enough anymore for any business. So welcoming a new web-based visitor management system, you’ll have the power at your fingertips to:
- Provide an upgraded visitor and employee “check-in” experience
- Transform your workplace into a more modern facility
- Identify all of your visitors and employees inside your facility
- Protect the people inside from dangerous and unwanted visitors
The Disadvantage of Traditional Sign-In Methods
Some of the traditional methods that your workplace might use to manage your employees and visitors include a physical logbook and a receptionist. Unfortunately, these methods aren’t only outdated but also come with their disadvantages.
The Impact of Traditional Visitor Sign-In Book
A visitor sign-in book can create a negative first impression for your business and increase the risk of office security threats. Your logbook will most likely suffer from wear and tear, making it aesthetically unpleasing. A physical sign-in book doesn’t guarantee that everyone will provide the required information. It’s more likely for someone to take the only pen available, forcing those who follow to enter without giving their details.
The increased risk of security threats results from:
- Not having a guarantee the person will sign-in
- Not being able to prove that visitors are who they say they are
- Not having control of who looks at your logbook information
Problems That Arise From a Receptionist
Combining a visitor sign-in book with a receptionist is not necessarily a full-proof solution for your workplace. As a business, it isn’t financially efficient to have a receptionist that just greets visitors. So their job description includes other duties to fulfill, leading to various issues that can arise, such as:
- Having an empty front desk. Some tasks will require the receptionist to leave the front desk resulting in visitors waiting around, perplexed about what they must do when they arrive.
- Assisting only one person at a time. If your visitors have to fill out any paperwork as part of their visit, your receptionist can only help one person at a time. During those busy hours, this can lead to long wait times and impatient visitors.
The Top 3 Benefits of Switching to a Visitor Management System
With so many unknowns regarding having control of those who visit your workplace, what’s the ideal solution? Switch to a visitor authentication and management system! Doing so will allow you to overcome the problems associated with traditional sign-in methods and enjoy these benefits.
Provide a Safe Workplace
A visitor management system, like the one provided by EASEVisitor, will enhance the check-in experience of all your visitors and ensure that your facilities are safe. In addition, your business will enjoy such features as:
- Instant visitor screening. A visitor management system for schools, for example, will ensure that the name of each visitor is immediately checked against our Watchlist Screening database, sex offenders lists, and other unique databases. Once they’re clear of any red flags, they’re allowed to complete the check-in process.
- Health-based screening. Amongst this Covid-19 pandemic, a visitor management system for health care facilities can be vital for keeping your workplace safe from illness. Your company can send out daily health screenings that will check the health of all staff members. The answers they provide on the questionnaire will determine if they’re told to stay home or be cleared to come to work.
Know Exactly Who’s on the Premises
Identifying any unwanted visitors isn’t the only reason you want to integrate a visitor management system. Your staff will have complete control by gathering all the information you need about your visitors, including their name, address, phone number, and details about the purpose of their visit.
Along with providing the necessary information, other advantages of visitor management systems include:
- Image capture. Snap a picture of each visitor and store it with all their additional information.
- Secure ID Badge Printing. Each visitor receives a printed ID badge for security and identification within the facility.
- Notifications. Each host is notified, either through SMS or email, when their guests arrive and sign in.
- Visitor tracking system. Enjoy live visitor tracking so you’ll know each visitor’s exact location and receive alerts if they enter an area where they shouldn’t.
Reduces Overhead Costs
Visitor management systems aid in making the day-to-day tasks associated with visitors more efficient. An electronic visitor management system will eliminate the waste of paper, ink, and other office supplies. Additionally, if there’s no need to store thousands of physical records, you can look for a smaller workspace.
Eliminating manual processes with your web-based visitor management system will also allow your staff to work more efficiently, saving you time and money on business activities.
EASEVisitor is Your Ideal, Contactless Visitor Management System
EASEVisitor is much more than a digital visitor sign-in system. We’ve created an enhanced check-in process for all visitors with customizable kiosks, an automated identification process, and the ability to enforce security and regulatory policies critical to successful business operations.
If a visitor management system is just what you need, contact EASEVisitor for your 30-day free trial.
