5 min
In his book, Connecting the Dots, John Chambers, renowned venture capitalist and digital economy advisor to corporates and governments worldwide, urges organizations to “Treat every customer and every encounter as an opportunity to gather data and learn.”
It is this premise that has seen him transform one company’s fortunes into one of the greatest technology stories of all time, growing revenues from $1.2 billion to $47 billion during a 20-year period.
Good customer relations need a strong human connection. They are the heart of every success story. But ‘success’ is dependent on trust, and one of the most powerful ways this can be earned is by ensuring that employees and visitors feel protected in the physical environment. Not to mention the safeguarding of all assets and sensitive information in both a secure and compliant manner.
Humans vs robots?
The notion of streamlining front desk operations by replacing traditional pen-and-paper visitor registrations with an electronic access-controlled alternative leaves some organizations feeling a little uneasy.
Opponents to the use of front-of-house technology report concerns that automating visitor registrations will eliminate the human connection they have with visitors and employees on a daily basis.
It is an understandable concern that we hear, but one that is easily overcome. Replacing physical access control systems with an electronic visitor management system can actually enhance the customer experience. It does this by improving efficiency, increasing accountability, and providing data to further enhance existing organizational security.
Indeed, take the first of these points – efficiency. Traditional visitor registration processes take between two and three minutes to complete. By contrast, with a visitor management solution such as a tablet, touchless kiosk, or QR scanner, registration times are slashed by 25 to 30 seconds.
That may not sound like much, but if your organization needs to process 100 visitors through its front desk each day, for example, that’s almost an hour of processing time saved simply by using a visitor management system – or 11 whole days over the course of a working year.
This is an important point when it comes to the second and third points on accountability and security, which also include compliance.
Securing assets and data, and ensuring compliance
The media is awash with stories of organizations who have suffered a cyber-attack that has resulted in the loss of their customers’ personal data. Less talked about is the number of instances of people gaining unauthorized access to an organization’s physical environment and accessing assets and data that way.
Using a customized visitor management system, organizations can identify, track, and monitor visitor activity in real time. This enables security teams to ensure visitors do not gain access to sensitive areas.
It can also provide invaluable insight into how the organization can improve its security protocols, such as increasing the number of security personnel manning communal areas within the building.
On the flip side, such systems also serve to protect all visitors from having their personal information visible to anyone else.
Manual access control systems, such as visitor books, can leave people’s data exposed and the more information visitors are required to provide the greater the risk of the organization falling foul of General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), for instance.
NIS2, a new cybersecurity law
Nevertheless, what before it was a nice to have now it is a must. Are you aware of the impending implementation of NIS2, a new cybersecurity law? This regulation will require all European-based businesses, regardless of size, government entities, healthcare providers, financial institutions, and international companies engaged in trade with EU companies, to comply with its provisions.
The NIS2 directive includes stricter security requirements, reporting obligations, and compliance requirements. The goal of NIS2 is to safeguard the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of digital information in an increasingly interconnected world. For non-compliance companies, the fine can be up to €10 million or 2% of the company's annual worldwide turnover, whichever is greater. It is important to reiterate that companies of any size need to review their security protocols, especially in the visitor management process.
Visitor management systems help organizations to meet the various regulations and standards they must comply with simply by providing a secure – and auditable – way to manage visitor access. Organizations face continued pressure to improve enterprise safety and ensure they are compliant with the latest regulations. It can be a minefield to navigate as it prompts organizational leaders and their security teams to re-think their current access control systems as to whether they truly are capable of providing the level of security that their employees, visitors, and customers demand. Or if there is a requirement to reshape their perspective on security and the possible solutions that are needed.
It is not an easy conversation to have when existing systems have seemed to serve the organization well to date, but it is a discussion that needs to take place. Traditional methods still have merit, especially on the human connection front.
However, investing in a visitor management system delivers more than just a reduction in administrative costs achieved through greater operational efficiencies, it provides organizations with that one intangible element that can never have a price allocated to it: peace of mind.
Central to everything that we do as a business is understanding how to ensure we gain and retain our customers’ trust with every touchpoint. It is their insights that lead to better decisions, their priorities that help develop better products, and their success that determines our own.
About acre security
Acre security is a global leader in the delivery of resilient digital and physical security solutions for every business. Keeping your people, premises, and data safe is as important to us as it is to you. We protect your valuable assets with a single portfolio of cloud, on-premises, and hybrid solutions.
Acre security offers a broad array of solutions including access control, visitor management, intrusion, workplace, transmission, and connectivity solutions – all hosted in a way that suits you. Since 2012, we’ve focused on advancing security initiatives to deliver tailored, robust, and future-proof solutions to tens of thousands around the globe. Working across banking, education, healthcare, pharmaceutical, retail, and more, we give our customers peace of mind that their data, offices, and employees will stay safe.
Contact us today to discuss how we can help you on your security technology journey.
