6 min
Most Visitor Management solutions in today's market come equipped with a wide range of features. To assist decision-makers in determining which ones are essential and which ones are simply nice extras, we provide an updated list of the most popular visitor management features for selecting a new digital front-of-house solution.
Since the introduction of GDPR in May 2018 and the NIS2 European Union adoption, organizations have increasingly prioritized the security and safety of their premises, data, employees, and visitors. The implementation of smart Visitor Management solutions in the front-of-house has resulted in more efficient, transparent, and secure check-in processes for both staff and visitors.
To support key decision makers in identifying critical visitor management features for their operations, we've compiled a list of the most popular features favored by our Fortune 500 customers who have upgraded their front-of-house processes to more capable and future-proof solutions.
1. Pre-Book Visitors
For organizations that frequently host on-site events and conferences, the convenient pre-booking feature enables visitors and guests to register their attendance in advance. This not only ensures a seamless check-in process but also leads to a significant reduction in waiting time. Instead of the typical 1-2 minutes it takes to complete the check-in, the pre-booking feature allows attendees to breeze through the process in a matter of seconds, maximizing their time and enhancing the overall event experience.
2. Customize Check-In Workflows
With the introduction of GDPR and CCPA, data-capturing processes have changed to enhance information requests. Traditional Visitor Management processes are impacted, leading to increased time and resource costs. Manual creation, printing, organization, and on-site storage of third-party data in physical folders pose challenges for front-of-house employees handling multiple responsibilities.
To address these challenges, modern Visitor Management solutions provide customizable check-in workflows for different visitor types. Couriers are prompted to provide company name, full name, delivery reference, contact information, and signature, while interviewees may provide position details, hostname, and complete a photo capture. These streamlined approaches ensure compliance, improve efficiency, and empower organizations to meet visitor management needs with confidence.
3. Sign Digital Forms
The implementation of GDPR and CCPA has not only brought about changes in data capturing but has also significantly impacted the data protection practices and data breach prevention measures of organizations worldwide. Large enterprises have embraced digital transformation by evolving their traditional visitor recording and file storing methods, adopting them as effective solutions to mitigate data breaches.
To enhance data security and streamline the check-in process, organizations have integrated NDAs, legal forms, and other signing requirements into their visitor workflows, ensuring visitors sign necessary documents before accessing the premises.
4. Customize Visitor Badges
The final step in the check-in process of a Visitor Management solution is badge printing. Whether a visitor pre-registers or completes the check-in on arrival, the system can swiftly print customized ID badges as part of a modern Visitor Management solution. In cases where Access Control integrations are in place, these ID badges can be scanned at control points to gain authorized access to configured zones.
Organizations also have the possibility to customize their visitor badges with pictures and colors for events, conferences, meetings, or any other occasion. In this way, they can customize the entire check-in process from start to finish. This makes it easy for staff members to identify and distinguish visitors upon arrival.
5. Notify Hosts Instantly
A reliable Visitor Management solution ensures that hosts are promptly notified of visitor arrivals, regardless of their intended destination. When visitors complete the check-in process using a Visitor Management solution, automated notifications are sent via various channels such as SMS, email, and push notifications to inform hosts of their arrival.
Upon receiving the notification, hosts can send messages through the Visitor Management solution to inform awaiting visitors of any delays or proceed to the reception area to collect the visitors in person. By establishing direct communication channels between hosts and visitors, this feature significantly reduces waiting time at the reception and enhances the overall visitor experience with a user-focused, self-service check-in process.
6. Integrate Third Party Applications
When considering a future-proof solution, it is crucial to evaluate its compatibility with other solutions. Visitor Management solutions, for instance, offer the possibility to integrate with Access Control and Watchlists, thereby enhancing security functionality.
Furthermore, integrating with internally used applications like DocuSign and Office 365 can enhance the experience for employees, boosting the overall efficiency and effectiveness of Visitor Management solutions.
7. Design User-Friendly Experiences
While basic Visitor Management solutions offer quick check-in experiences, great Visitor Management solutions provide additional complex system functionalities without compromising the User Interface (UI). Integrating brand logos and color schemes into the front-end of a Visitor Management solution can significantly enhance the brand and make a lasting first impression on visitors.
As the first point of contact for new arrivals on-site, workflows should deliver simple, fast, and efficient User Experiences (UX). This can be achieved by integrating multiple language options for different solution deployment locations, catering to visitors of various nationalities.
8. Gain Insights from Detailed Reporting
The creation of detailed visitor reports offers employees valuable visual insights that enhance their role functions within organizations. Real-time search criteria, including Visitor Type, Entry Time, Departure Time, Visitor Name, and Access Authorization, empower security teams, receptionists, and other personnel to identify data trends. For instance, facility managers can pinpoint peak visitor traffic hours to allocate resources strategically throughout the day, ensuring optimal facility operations.
9. Achieve Health, Safety and Legal Compliance
To comply with industry-specific regulatory frameworks, organizations must select solutions that enable the digital display and capture of critical information prior to visitor check-in. In certain instances, signing forms or agreeing to terms is necessary to establish an audit trail for compliance audits and internal investigations.
10. On-site Contractor Management
Efficiently managing contractors entering and exiting facilities is crucial for ensuring security and compliance. A robust Visitor Management solution establishes a dedicated portal where contractors can take ownership of their compliance responsibilities. This enables organizations to stay updated on contractor activity and maintain accurate reporting. Key functionalities of contractor management include uploading contractor induction videos, managing qualifications and licenses, verifying insurance coverage, cross-checking contractor hours against invoices, and preventing access for contractors with expired inductions.
11. Global Scalability
Many Visitor Management providers primarily cater to the needs of small and medium enterprises. Consequently, most Visitor Management solutions available in the market lack the necessary scalability for effectively serving global organizations. To safeguard and future-proof your Visitor Management investment, we recommend decision makers opt for a solution with centralized database functions and rapid scalability capabilities. By choosing a cloud-based solution, you can enjoy remote system management and ensure compliance with global and regional data policies, whenever necessary.
Conclusion
In this information-rich era, having a robust and efficient Visitor Management system has become an absolute necessity for organizations. It empowers them with a variety of features like real-time visitor tracking, swift badge printing, instant host notifications, third-party application integrations, user-friendly experiences, detailed reporting, regulatory compliance, on-site contractor management, and global scalability. By investing in a solution with these capabilities, organizations can significantly enhance their security posture, streamline visitor reception, and most importantly, provide a seamless visitor experience.
Contact us to find out how to protect your people, premises, and data with resilient digital and physical security solutions.
