You want to give visitors and contractors temporary access to your building and certain areas within it.
In the past, several employees were in charge of all the associated activities.
There are now self-service visitor management systems that allow you to automate these activities.
You’ll save costs and take your security to the next level.
Depending on the type of organisation, visitors and contractors (suppliers and subcontractors) visit us on a daily basis.
Managing these visitor flows is time-consuming.
Receptionists, doormen and security staff ensure that visitors are given temporary access to the premises and certain areas within it.
They check IDs and necessary certificates.
They inform about house rules and safety regulations, issue a temporary visitor’s pass, inform a colleague about the arrival and offer the visitor a drink in advance.
The more visitors there are, the more time-consuming this becomes.
And the greater the risk of errors or omissions.
There are now solutions that automate many of these processes.
Below we outline the possibilities of these solutions based on the different phases of the guest journey.
Added value with an appointment confirmation
Every scheduled visit, whether it’s a contractor or a customer, starts with an appointment that is confirmed.
If this appointment is made in a digital reception solution, a confirmation message (e.g. via e-mail, whatsapp, etc.) can be automatically sent to the visitor.
That message may also include other things, such as Google Maps for directions to your location, a guest Wi-Fi code, the house rules or safety regulations, and a QR code that can be used to access the parking lot.
If this is the case, a request for additional information (ID, certificates and/or permits) can also be added.
The visitor can upload the requested certificates, permits or his ID/passport, after which the system verifies these documents for validity.
Comfort for the visitor
On the day of the visit, the visitor is automatically granted access to the car park with the QR code received.
Depending on your wishes and the chosen solution, a visitor can also gain access with his license plate.
In that case, the visitor must register in advance with his license plate, after which license plate cameras at the entrance gate/barrier will grant him access.
Once in the building, he reports to the (digital) reception where he receives a temporary access pass with limited (temporary) access rights (a form of role-based access control).
The access pass can be issued by the host present, or by a digital host in the form of a kiosk with card printing functionality.
Host/hostess always up to date
With various digital reception solutions, it is also possible to send a notification of each process step to the host/hostess.
From sending the invitation, to arriving at the location and leaving it.
This means that as soon as the guest is present, the host will be notified and can welcome the guest quickly.
There are also possibilities to add VOIP Intercom functionality with which it is possible to build a voice connection with the visitor, for example when he reports to the entrance gate or in the entrance hall.
Compliance with safety guidelines
If your organisation wishes to do so or if this is mandatory, identity data, certificates and/or permits of your guests can be checked in advance using web services that check the uploaded documents (passport, ID, emergency response or VCA diploma, VOG or work permit) for validity and security features.
In that case, these documents will already be requested in the appointment confirmation.
If there is a high-risk location, it may be necessary to carry out an even more reliable check of someone’s identity papers.
This can be done with the help of a linked passport/ID scanner on location.
The scanner reads specific data* from the RFID chip found in each passport and ID card.
This data is then automatically entered into your organization’s system without errors.
Hospitable, safe and efficient
Experience shows that both visitors and contractors find this self-service concept friendly and welcoming.
For the receiving organization, there are many efficiency benefits to be gained from this type of solution.
The pressure on the security organization is greatly reduced.
At the same time, with this type of system, it is possible to automatically register the SLA performance of contractors, so that it can be easily assessed whether the contractor is complying with its SLA agreements.
Greater ROI with integrated solutions
There are several visitor management solutions available.
Stand-alone solutions and solutions that can be integrated with existing / other systems.
Stand-alone solutions are suitable for easy visitor management.
For organizations where visitor management is more complex (e.g. ID control and license plate registration), the solutions with integration options are more suitable.
With these types of solutions, integrations are possible with, for example: the license plate camera and barrier at the parking lot, the existing access control system, card printers, Microsoft Outlook Calendar and HR systems.
Custom
Which of the two types of solutions is best for you depends on your (integration) needs.
After that, it comes down to setting up the system and realising well-functioning links.
Depending on the procedures that apply to your organization, you can create your own workflows.
With or without verification of security documents, for example.
It is also often possible to incorporate your own corporate identity into the system.