In a world that necessitates strict security policies, most workplaces opt for iron-clad physical security solutions. This rings especially true for corporations responsible for managing potentially hundreds of thousands of people across multiple campuses. Large corporations such as these cannot afford to not know and not control who is moving through their facilities.
And while strict access control procedures offer numerous security advantages, these solutions can be off-putting to visitors, making them feel like they need to run through a security gauntlet just to get to where they need to be. Conversely, a friendly face at reception certainly creates a positive first impression, however, if there is no formal visitor management process to match, it is reasonable to believe this one person could easily miss an incoming security risk.
This begs the question: How do organizations promote security alongside a positive visitor experience?
Enter Enterprise Visitor Management
Visitor management solutions are nothing new. Evolved from paper logs and Excel sheets, today’s enterprise level visitor management solutions offer numerous advantages to deploying organizations. For example, visitor management software can help enterprise organizations better adhere to strict compliance standards such as ISO 27001, which requires that visitors be properly logged, copies of visitor check-in/out be maintained, and visitors be routinely escorted throughout a facility. For large-scale corporations, such momentous tasks can be easily streamlined and completed using automated visitor management solutions. This level of automation also offers the opportunity to reallocate labor resources away from front-desk operations toward more mission-critical tasks.
But not all visitor management solutions are created equal. Many visitor management solutions on the market today tout their ability to simplify tasks on the back end while paying little attention to the front-end guest experience. If security processes and operational efficiencies are achieved, this is good news for organizations, however, that is just half the battle. Visitor management solutions are often the first experience most guests have with an organization. If the processes put in place are confusing, cumbersome, or ineffective for visitors, the consequences can quickly and easily damage a brand.
Furthermore, many visitor management software and solutions are only designed for small to medium businesses. These solutions do not account for larger organizations that see many visitors across multiple locations, often the same visitors. Auditors, contractors, vendors, and even traveling salespeople may have the need to visit many campuses under the same organization throughout the year. It would therefore be useful in these situations to control these identities and their associated access permissions and receive a holistic picture of their traveling journey. With groundbreaking enterprise-level visitor management solutions, this level of service and oversight is possible.
Visitor Management Solutions for a Secure, Welcoming Workplace
Everyone knows that you never get a second chance to make a first impression. And when it comes to visitor management, the first impression often starts before a guest even walks through the door. Large corporations can often give off an air of elitism and coldness. The right visitor management solutions can change that. Given that visitor management solutions either make or break a first impression, it is imperative organizations select solutions that accommodate both their visitors and security.
Pre-Registration Options
There are two ways to designate visitors: expected or unexpected. A good visitor management system caters to both visitor types with a number of options available for guests to register and request access. Smart software solutions allow provisioning for expected visitors with various pre-registration options. Prior to entering a facility, a visitor can either request a visit or receive an invitation to visit via email. It is during this pre-registration process that expected visitors supply all relevant information to the organization so the level and areas of approved access can be determined prior to visitor entry.
Pre-registration may also require visitors to complete applicable tasks such as health questionnaires, non-disclosure agreements, or off-site clearance requirements. Furthermore, pre-registration offers organizations the opportunity to both extend their brand as well as ease the visitor arrival process. The entire process is customizable so visitors can receive branded invitations with facility maps, directions, and host information that eliminate pre-arrival confusion. Even parking can be seamlessly allocated and assigned to guests, vendors, and VIPs – all before they even arrive on-site.
Large groups and audiences can also be seamlessly pre-registered and inducted in advance of their visit. Every guest in a group would be provided with an automated email advising of their entry location with a QR code attached. Once on site, each visitor would then scan the provided QR code and their government ID at a kiosk. Authentication and admittance then take only seconds. For facilities where tours and large groups are constant, group pre-registration significantly cuts down on lobby traffic and wait times.
Efficient On-Site Solutions
Guests appreciate the ability to submit their information and receive valuable communications prior to entering a facility, but often pre-registration is not an option. Unexpected guests also require simple registration processes that can be conducted upon arrival. In this case, kiosks and other peripheral devices installed at entry points offer registration and check-in options for both expected and unexpected guests. Here, unexpected guests can register, complete questionnaires, and request access without personnel assistance. Expected guests can use the same kiosks to complete their arrival process with options for identity scanners and badge provisioning.
All on-site devices can be further personalized to meet the needs of each visitor type with video introductions, interactive maps, and step-by-step introductions. Pre-registration and self-service kiosks reduce administrative burdens, leaving hosts to focus on the guests themselves rather than their associated processes. Lobby lines and wait times are similarly reduced, giving visitors the impression that your organization is efficient and values their time.
Integrating visitor management and access control is also key to ensuring smooth on-site operations. Once integrated, administrators are able to limit visitor access to approved areas and specifically manage compliance requirements based on information provided during on-site or pre-registration. From a security perspective, this allows for greater visibility and situational awareness, providing a single view of every employee, contractor and visitor on-site. Security and facility management teams can now leverage enhanced reporting and analytics for use across audit and compliance, service and resource planning, business intelligence, and budget development. Visitors feel comfortable knowing the exact access they are provided with at the time they needed it.
Physical Security Wearables
Visitor management integration with a physical access control system also enables the use of innovative physical security wearables for the immediate identification and management of guests. Digital badge holders allow deploying organizations to leverage existing building access cards into a digital security wearable that continuously makes safety and security permissions visible to everyone present. For example, suppose a visitor enters a secured area using their provided access card. In that case, the digital badge holder indicates a specific color to identify that the individual is a visitor with the appropriate access authorizations. If a visitor gains unauthorized access to a prohibited area, via piggybacking or otherwise, the badge holder will flash a different color to everyone else present. In this way, everyone inside a facility will be able to instantly identify a visitor that is not in compliance with their provided access and company safety policies.
This unique solution also creates new, physical visitor management processes that would be otherwise impossible to implement using simple visitor management software. With this kind of wearable solution, visitors can be effectively ‘tethered’ to their host. If a visitor wanders off, their digital badge holder will give a visual and/or audible signal, the host will receive a mobile notification, and a security event will be logged for audit purposes. Hosts can immediately know whether they have lost someone, or someone is in a restricted area - but most importantly, the system proves how long a visitor was absent from their host, which is a "must have" for highly regulated industries. Additionally, if a visitor is scheduled to be on-site for a predetermined amount of time, the wearable emits a visual and/or audible signal that indicates the end of the visit time.
Such features both enhance physical security as well as the visitor experience. Visitors are now playing an active role in both their visit, security, and the security of others. Visible access authorizations instantly establish trust between visitors, contractors, and employees without them actually having to know each other. Involving visitors in company policies and procedures promotes a sense of camaraderie that cannot be bought.
Sustainable Growth
Visitor management, even on a small scale, is difficult enough. A large company consistently scaling for growth will have no trouble doing the same with its enterprise level visitor management system. These solutions are easy to deploy in the cloud and policies can be quickly applied to new locations. Furthermore, with more growth, higher levels of analytics become available, including attribute-based access and deeper integrations with other business systems for business intelligence applications beyond simply security.
As the volume of visitors, contractors, and vendors increases alongside physical security threats, legacy visitor management solutions struggle to meet the needs of both the organization and guests. Too much security and the facility come across as a cold, unwelcoming fortress. Too much emphasis on the visitor experience and physical security processes falls by the wayside. The right balance is achieved through a thoughtful combination of modern hardware and software solutions that offer provisioning for every type of visitor, improved efficiencies, and frictionless access.
