All The Benefits Of Providing An Improved Visitor Experience Today

Picture this – a visitor comes to meet one of the employees in the organization. As the front office is unaware of the visit, the visitor is made to wait, sometimes even until the employee receives them. Then begins the process of checking the person’s belongings, giving them a visitor pass, and letting them in. Once the meeting is over, the visitor has to submit their pass again at the gate and leave. The whole process is time-consuming and requires manual paper processing and coordination between the security guards, front office, and the employee who has invited the visitor.

Sounds frustrating, isn’t it?

Well, that’s how visitor management works in most companies currently.

Forward-thinking companies had started digitizing the process to improve the visitor experience. However, the adoption was quite slow. That has changed dramatically now.

Due to staff shortages and the need to make processes as contactless as possible due to COVID-19, companies have started to warm up to the idea of using a visitor management system.

So, how can a visitor management system benefit companies, and how will it help during and after COVID?

Let’s explore.

Benefits Of Improving Visitor Experience

• Contact-free check-in

The risk of transmission of COVID-19 has made it mandatory for companies to make their operations as contact-free as possible. Considering that visitor management calls for the folks manning the front desk to interact with visitors in close proximity, there is a need to introduce a system to minimize contact as much as possible. That’s where the visitor management system plays a role. Companies can introduce a QR-based process wherein the visitor can check-in using a QR code on their mobile device or tablet. This way, the visitor will not have to manually register themselves at the desk, avoid contact, and check-in easily without any hassle, while promoting safety. 

• Guidelines to safeguard people within the premises

To safeguard the people within the premises, companies must ensure that the visitors are aware of the guidelines to be followed while visiting. With the help of a visitor management system, companies can send an automated email or message to the visitor, informing them about the guidelines they must follow while entering the premises. Today, this could include instructions such as wearing a mask, maintaining social distance, and any specific instruction to be followed in a facility. By giving advance instructions, the front office can save time in explaining the guidelines to the visitor and minimize the need to come in close contact with them. They can use this time to record the medical and travel history of the visitor in case needed for future reference or contact tracing. This could also help make compliance-driven record-keeping easy.

• Reduce waiting time

No one likes to wait in the lobby. Besides, in the time of COVID-19, crowding the premises is a no-no. With a visitor management system, employees can pre-register the visitor. The details about the visitor such as their name, address, email id, contact details can be entered in advance, so the visitor need not waste time on entry. The visitor management system can also send an automated reminder to the employee ahead of the meeting. In the case of an unprecedented situation such as an emergency or unavailability of the employee, the visitor can be sent an automated message informing them about the situation. 

• Cost-effectiveness

The benefit of a visitor management system is that it digitizes the entire process of managing a visit. This allows them to reduce the personnel allocated to the front desk or to manage gate entry. So, companies can save costs on hiring additional resources to check and welcome the visitor, entering visitor details, and the cost of the paper-based process. 

• Ramp up security 

According to a survey, 89% of respondents have stated that a visitor management system has enabled them to create a safer environment within the company. With a visitor management system, companies can maintain a digital record of the visit as a part of compliance. They can get an NDA signed by visitors to safeguard the intellectual property of the company. There is a digital trail of every visitor recorded within the system. So, it is easy to trace a person in case a situation arises. Companies can also address physical security or breaches better. With a visitor management system, companies can stem practices such as tailgating and unapproved entry.   By mitigating any potential risks, the company will be able to comply with government regulations and industry-led standards efficiently. 

• Streamline the process

Manual visitor management can be quite disjointed and clunky. A lot of time is wasted in coordinating between visitors and employees. Sometimes there could be genuine lapses or oversight in the process that could be potentially risky for the company. Most companies become more efficient when they streamline the visitor management process. Structured visitor management solutions prevent miscommunication and confusion between employees, front desk, and visitors. The automation simplifies the process of visitor check-in. It ensures that every visitor meets the security standards set by the company and that there is no lapse in the process. A streamlined process also improves the overall experience of the visitor as everything is done seamlessly. 

Digitizing the visitor management process is not just crucial during the pandemic, but also for the future. 

Companies can transition to this new way of managing visitors by reviewing their existing visitor management processes and policies and by integrating technology to minimize manual processes. We, at SeQure, help companies become touchless, paperless, and stay secure and compliant with privacy policies. Click here for a demo of just how!