Studies show that around two-thirds of U.S. adults believe the most important thing a company can do is value their time. With this in mind, the last thing you want is people waiting around your reception or lobby area for someone to resolve their issue. So, how can you speed up your visitor management process to make the whole thing much more respectful?

Below, we evaluate several different lobby management systems you can put in place to make the experience faster. As you check each one out, think about what a system would be like if they were all in the same package and ready to use.

Streamline Your Check-Ins and Check-Outs

One of the easiest wins you can find is by increasing the speed at which people check in and out of your lobby. Instead of asking people to sign in with a physical journal or getting a person to sign them in, you could instead use check-in software. This allows them to perform this action without the need to take time or use other people.

By using a simple UI panel, you could ask for people’s names and organizations, who they want to contact, and whether they have appointments. These can then be passed to a receptionist who will handle the individual or to the person expecting the appointment. If the survey reveals information about the person that flags them as unwelcome, security staff can then escort them off of the premises.

In some cases, if a person is pre-vetted or approved, the system can then print them off a badge to allow them entry to the building. While the system prints this badge, high-quality software can even offer the visitor induction documents, such as an NDA, to speed up entry.

Scan and Screen

Asking a human to check each person who enters the building for both their ID and whether they are COVID-safe, if necessary, can be tedious. It can eat into the valuable time of both the visitor and the employee checking their identity.

Instead, by using lobby management software, you can perform specific checks as you need them without involving others.

For example, a high-quality system can start by scanning someone’s ID, such as a driver’s license. This can then provide all the information someone needs to know if a visitor is who they say they are without needing manual checks.

In such a situation, you can even then compare the ID’d individual with a screening list. If you do not want the person to enter, the system will deny them entry; otherwise, they will receive permission to enter.

After this, if your building is COVID-safe, you can perform extra checks without the need for extra people. For example, an automated lobby management system could scan for if people are wearing facemasks and do not have a raised temperature. It can also ask for verification from the visitor as to whether they feel safe to enter.

This can sometimes mean the difference between fast and effective safety for your employees and whole teams going home ill.

Ensure You Can Pre-Schedule Visitors

If you know someone who might visit, a high-quality lobby management system should be able to register such visitors ahead of time. It can then offer them a QR code with which to scan in, removing the need for any printing of visitor cards or asking for any checks at the entrance. The person can receive this QR code via email or any other form of digital communication.

Any visitor can also then receive all the information they need upon visit via email. This might include the COVID safety steps as above or might include unique safety precautions for specific days.

If you still wish to use a visitor badge and not only a QR code, you can ask for a photo via email. This will allow the person to submit a picture ahead of time, meaning you can have their badge ready when they turn up instead of asking them to wait.

Visitor registration does not only need to be related to individuals, either. If you want to check in a larger group, you can do so with similar QR codes. This way, only one person needs the code, and you can process the whole group in one go.

If you do not wish to use QR codes, you do have other options. These might include unique passcodes for visitor codes or scanning drivers’ licenses instead.

Automated Employee Notifications

It is not only the visitor that needs a good system to speed up their visitor processing. Your lobby management software also needs to inform your employees of when they have a visitor, they must chaperone.

When people check in, you could use a piece of software that notifies your employees by any number of online systems. A simple option is via email, though if you have the employee’s mobile number or a Slack integration, you could choose to use these instead. This helps the employee stay on top of who might be there and want to talk to them.

If you want to go the extra mile, you could even integrate an employee directory with your check-in system. To avoid the need for a worker to come down to reception, you could instead allow people to make a video call directly to the employee. A lot of the time, this will resolve any issues without needing people to even leave their desks.

The Perfect Visitor Management System

The above systems will all make your customers’ experience the smoothest it can be. The best thing is, though, that these visitor management features all exist in a single piece of software. So, if you want to use them, what are you waiting for?

Our lobby management software can help you give visitors an experience where they feel appreciated. They can breeze from the entrance to where they need to be in seconds without much more than a simple automated sign-in. With that in mind, give us a call and find out what we can do for your lobby today.

When at all possible, it’s important that you make your company a well-oiled machine. Few things hamper your company, like inefficiency and wasted time.

According to studies, about 89% of employees admit to wasting time. While people waste time with office chit-chat, social media, and other distractions, built-in flaws in your company can also lead to time waste.

An ineffective system for getting visitors in and out is one of the main ways that companies waste time. Investing in the right visitor check-in software can help you.

Here are some features that you should look for when you need visitor check-in software that can help make your company more productive and streamlined.

Photo Capture for Your Visitors

Any visitor management software needs to have photo capture. Capturing and logging visuals of your visitors lets you put a face with a name. This helps you get acquainted with strangers, helps you remember them, and builds a stronger rapport.

Being able to photo-capture your visitors is crucial no matter what industry you’re in. For instance, a manufacturing company might match this feature with reminders to confirm things like parking location, estimated time of arrival (ETA), and other features. The photos can be easily routed via Slack, e-mail, and other forms of communication so that everyone on your team is on the same page.

A Solid Pre-Booking Setup

When you run a front desk or visitor kiosk, having a pre-booking setup is crucial. This way, your guests can carve out a slot of time that works best for them. You are more likely to avoid scheduling conflicts and can be more diligent over everyone’s time.

Pre-booking is great both for the guest and your team. Internally, your team will be able to carve out meeting room space without double booking. Everyone in the building will have a stronger grasp on their schedules each week. Pre-booking will help make your meetings more productive and effective as a whole.

Printable Badges for Visitors

Even when embracing technology, few things are as valuable as a good old-fashioned visitor’s pass. It lets you identify a person’s name, the business of their visit, and who they’re checking in to see.

Including printable badges with your visitor sign-in system lets you customize it however you’d like. You can include things like an interviewee’s alma mater, a visitor’s fun fact, or color and code systems. Many visitor management systems will let you print badges on the spot.

A Logbook Archive

In addition to effectively welcoming visitors, you’ll need to also keep detailed archives. With today’s software, you can keep a cloud-based log book that you can reference whenever you need to.

Having a logbook this extensive lets you scroll through any date to find out when someone was in your office. When you’re diligent about checking in every visitor, this logbook can help you keep your company more secure.

For instance, if you’ve experienced a theft, break-in, or other incident, you can always go back and consult your logbook to get an exact count of who and how many people were in your office at any given time of the day. This logbook, when combined with a sophisticated lobby management system, will let you provide better records and access control.

E-Signing Systems That Are Seamless

Bringing visitors in often requires some forms to be signed. In addition to standard visitor registration sign-in sheets, you may also need guests to sign documents like non-disclosure agreements (NDAs), employment contracts, legal documents, and other forms.

The ability to e-sign documents helps you get people in and out. They won’t need to worry about finding a pen or finding a surface to bear down onto. Digital signing lets you immediately archive your documents and prevents you from wasting paper. This is an eco-friendly measure that lowers your company’s carbon footprint. Companies today are pushing for sustainability, so e-signing systems are a quality addition.

Touchless Features When Possible

In a post-COVID world, you need to remain mindful of sanitary options. The best way to do this is by incorporating touchless features whenever possible. This reduces the amount of cleaning you have to do and limits the spread of germs and bacteria.

Your visitors will be able to check in with things like voice commands, QR codes, badge scanning, smartphone tapping, and other measures. Many of these systems will also allow you to scan people’s foreheads to take their temperatures before they can enter your building.

Instant Host Notifications

This feature also lets you give people a heads-up whenever a host’s guest has arrived. For instance, an interviewer can get an immediate alert via Slack, text, e-mail, or other means. This gives them the chance to shift gears, prepare, or contact the visitor personally.

Hosts can also customize these notifications in whichever way makes sense to them.

Cost and Easy Upgrades

Finally, always make sure that your software platform is cost-effective and easily upgradeable. Shop around for a price that suits you and compare it with competitors. Any visitor management software that you choose should have extensive upgrades that make it perform better.

You’ll be able to beta test and adopt new features as they come about. The upgrades will also work out bugs and kinks.

Invest in a Visitor Check-In Software

Having access to quality visitor check-in software revolutionizes the way that you do business. You’ll appreciate having these features in your software regardless of how many visitors you welcome each day, week, and year.

ALICE Receptionist is a leading, award-winning platform that can revolutionize your business. You can contact us for more information on pricing and the types of services that we offer. Use our website or call us at (702)284-7377 to speak to an expert.