Why digital entry systems provide a surprisingly warm welcome

More and more professional interactions are taking place digitally. Collaboration tools, for example, keep colleagues connected while working from home, data analytics systems powered by machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) are driving personalised online customer journeys, while customer service centres routinely use automated bots to answer customer queries.
 

Against this backdrop another digital interaction is making a leap forward – this time it’s the turn of digitally secure managed workplace access. In this blog we explore how the latest digital access management offerings can support compliance-led businesses with an intelligent solution that makes managing premises access and protection for staff, contractors and visitors smart, simple, and secure

Eliminating front desk issues

In today’s new hybrid working environment employees, visitors and contractors continue to look for a seamless premises entry experience that is as welcoming, intelligent, and authentic as any traditional receptionist or doorman. However, it is not easy to automate this function across multiple locations (busy, remote, and unmanned), and diverse scenarios (employees, guests, and contractors) while keeping up to date with ever changing regulatory and health directives without losing some of the emotional response you get from dealing with real people. Front desk services at the entrance of a busy office building range widely. Some of the most frequent ones, however, include checking paperwork and logging people in and out of the building.

There are several issues with common front desk procedures. For example, visitors to many busy offices – especially serviced offices where several companies share the same building – may first be asked to sign themselves in at the front desk. At busy times there can be bottlenecks and delays. Additionally, visitor log books are a data privacy risk. Details such as visitor names, company, who they are meeting, time and date of visit and car registration may be left out for long periods for the casual observer to read. Most important of all, perhaps, is that a poor front desk experience, whether from delays, data privacy doubts or simply from bad first impressions may lead to lost business.

Automation drives positive visitor experiences

The latest advanced digital visitor management systems can help to dramatically reduce the risk of this happening. They allow companies, for instance, to make some front desk services available online so that visitors can book everything themselves in advance. This could include pre-registration thereby guaranteeing all external third parties have centrally-logged confirmed appointments. Visitor badges can be printed out at home or via on-site printer (sometimes with a QR-code for contactless scanning by an unmanned entry system), security-related instructions, digitally signed documents or required proof of health such as a negative COVID test. Having such a personal stake over all aspects of your visit can feel every bit as warm and engaging for the visitor as a receptionist’s friendly smile. Furthermore, front desk staff themselves are freed up to spend more time making guests welcome when they arrive.

Similar positive feelings are true for employees too. All personnel can be secure in the knowledge that they are in a safe working environment where visitors cannot come and go without specific authorisation from a colleague or HR. The system provides managers with real-time visibility into visitor access status, total numbers in the building as well as any compliance or health check information while maintaining a supportive and welcoming visitor experience. In summary, over the past couple of years hybrid working and the growth in digitisation have been advancing hand in hand. In this new world of work visitors, employees, and contractors must pass in and out of company offices on an irregular basis and yet, for reasons of security and compliance, always with the firm’s full knowledge and control. New digital visitor management systems can keep the experience positive and welcoming while providing managers with full real-time insight of all the comings and goings to ensure everyone present is accounted for at all times.