What is a Visitor Management System? 7 Things to Know

Is your company struggling to cope with the influx of visitors, in a world that requires enhanced security and screening? The answer to the problem is a modern visitor management system. With the rise and affordability of digital visitor management systems, you are costing yourself time and money if you do not already have one.

Visitor management systems have a number of tiers and options, depending on your organization and what is required. Below, we discuss visitor management systems and why you should go digital.

1. It Enables an Easy Sign-in Process

Traditionally, pen and paper is the preferred method of a visitors sign in. The reception of the company keeps a sign-in sheet, that has space for the visitor’s name, the reason for the visit, time of the visit, and a sign-out time. This allows reception to identify who has been in or out of the building, making it easy to add them to roll calls in the event of a fire or evacuation.

Digital sign-in makes it easier for both the reception staff and the visitor. The sign-in sheet can be accessed any time from anywhere, meaning it is much more efficient in the event of an emergency. In addition, you are not relying on one master copy, which may get lost or thrown away by mistake.

Read Also: What Is an OHS Management System? Your Official OHS Guide

2. It Can Create Notifications

Once a visitor has arrived, the method of pen and paper requires them to sit in a waiting room or reception. A member of staff then notifies the worker that they have a guest or takes the guest to the person they are visiting. Essentially, work is required on the part of the receptionist.

With a digital virtual assistant, once signed in, a notification will be sent to the person who is being visited. This will alert them to the guest, and they can come and collect them. The onus is taken off the receptionist and they can turn their attention to other tasks.

3. Ease of Record Keeping

Arguably the greatest benefit of a digital visitor management system is its ability to keep records that are extremely easy to search. Pen and paper records require a lot of storage. If you have many visitors and need to find information such as dates and names, it can take a long time to trawl back through records to find the information you need.

Digital management systems are stored on a hard drive or in the cloud, so they do not take up spaces in bulky folders and filing cabinets. In addition, the search functions are much easier when using a computer. All you do is type in the requisite field, and the system will provide the information you need in an instant.

4. It Enhances Security

Electronic assistants and sign in can greatly enhance any security protocols. Pen and paper are usually done on one-sheet. That means that a visitor can see all the details and names of anyone else who has visited, or is visiting, the facility at that time.

In many places, such as Europe, this is now classed as a violation of data protection laws. Digital sign-in systems eliminate this exposure of data, as the guest only ever views what they have written and not the details of others.

If your company handles sensitive data and intellectual property, you may have additional security protocols. This may be non-disclosure documents that visitors have to sign on arrival. This process is made much faster and efficient with a digital system.

Finally, in the event of a fire, evacuation, or lockdown, the security team, and any police or medical staff can find out who was on the premises immediately. This negates valuable time scouring documents and checking off lists, as the assistant can do this for you.

5. It Can Quickly Create Visitor Badges

A virtual assistant on your reception has the ability to quickly create and print visitor badges if required. This allows a much faster response with more options than a traditional, one size fits all, visitor badge.

At the most basic, a badge can be printed immediately featuring the guest’s name. This can be enhanced, to include photos, e-signatures, the occupations of the persons, and other details. If your building uses electronic door systems, you can even add bar or QR codes that will allow access to certain parts of the building, depending on the security clearance of the guest.

Read Also: What Are The Benefits Of Virtual Assistants To Small Business Owners?

6. It Makes a Great Impression

First impressions count. When a visitor walks through the doors of your company, they do not know the objectives, goals, and methods your company uses. A digital visitor management system shows that you are a modern company with up to date methods and practices.

You can also tailor the sign-in process to raise your brand awareness. It can include logos, short snippets of information, and other marketing materials that are very slowly passed to the visitor as they sign in.

One excellent tactic is to employ a satisfaction survey for people to complete as they sign out. Asking their opinion and how the visit could have been made better shows that you care about the visitor and their opinions, raising brand awareness.

7. Visitor Management Systems Reduce Labor Costs

You will never be able to replace a friendly face getting guests on the reception. However, you can reduce labor costs considerably as you will no longer need as many staff on the entrance desk. They can relocate to other areas, or assigned other office duties.

In addition, online receptionist will increase productivity. Tasks that would have taken a lot of time for your staff will now take seconds.

Switching to Digital

Visitor management systems are essential to any workplace. Now we have convinced you of the effectiveness of going digital, you should look for local companies that can set up the software required. Very often, all you need is your existing systems and a tablet for sign in, then you can begin.

If you enjoyed our handy blog, then you will love the rest of our articles. We can help you with everything from starting a company to managing finance. Join us today, so we can help grow your business empire, starting immediately!