How Can a Visitor Management System Enhance Visitor Experience?

Editorial Team

Visitor Management System

Software and automation help businesses in several ways. This can be increasing efficiency, facilitating quicker decision-making, boosting workplace productivity, etc. In 2023, it’s not just about using technology to deliver better services or products anymore.

A Visitor Management System (VMS) revolutionizes visitor interactions and can be a significant component in workplace safety and security. Studies suggest that the VMS market could be valued at $2.3 billion by 2026. The growing need for software-based security solutions is the prime driver.

But how does a VMS achieve the feat of impressing visitors?

Visitor Management System and Its Role in Improving Visitor Experience

Today, a paperless visitor entry system can benefit numerous industries and workplaces. From schools and educational institutions to banks and hospitals, here’s how a VMS helps businesses achieve the most desirable visitor experience:

Smoother Check-ins

In the past, visitor check-ins used to be time-consuming and tedious. A visitor would enter the premises, go through security checks, provide the receptionist with their host’s information, and be assigned a card, among other things. This resulted in unnecessary time consumption for both visitors and businesses.

With the implementation of VMS software, the check-in process starts before a visitor even reaches the gate for entry. Modern systems now allow pre-registrations, enabling visitors to skip waiting at the front desk. Integration with other software, such as Google Calendar, further streamlines the process.

Improved Control Over Security and Safety

A business has numerous visitors checking in and out throughout the day, raising security concerns that a VMS can address. It achieves this by collecting and recording visitor data, sending real-time notifications to employees, implementing access controls, and more.

This not only helps monitor visits but also keeps unwanted individuals away from specific sections of the workplace. A visitor management system simplifies the process of assigning visitors a digital ID badge, which businesses can control or revoke. 

This eliminates the need for physical badges, hence the risks of losing them. Businesses can also avoid situations like badge tampering or unauthorized reuse.

However, it’s not just the entry or exit that poses security threats but also what a visitor does inside the premises. This is particularly problematic in large buildings with insufficient staff or CCTV coverage to track every step a visitor takes.

Compared to the traditional way of escorting a guest to their host, Greetly, a visitor management system, proposes a better alternative. To ensure a guest does not stray from their path, a VMS can provide accurate directions or a map leading them to their host.

With the tracking features offered by some systems, security personnel can promptly address suspicious movements. Also, with insights about visitor movements, potential threat scenarios can be averted. 

Personalized Visitor Experience

Using a visitor check-in system, businesses can integrate features such as self-check-ins via smartphones or kiosks. This has been especially useful during the pandemic, a time when touchless interactions were of the essence. There’s no need to allocate employees to collect information or have visitors sign documents. But it doesn’t end there.

With a visitor manager, hosts can send their visitor’s customized welcome greetings, special messages, and more. It can also be used to communicate with specific guests before and after the check-in procedure. The need for physical interaction is thus minimized. And yet, a VMS provides businesses with opportunities to personalize their approach to visitors.

Since employees (both hosts and those at the front desk) are notified of a visitor’s arrival, they can take special measures. For instance, when a VIP arrives at the office, a business treats them better than an average visitor. With prior notification, appropriate arrangements can be made. 

A centralized system further eliminates the chances of a communication error between the host and the reception employees.

Perpetual Improvements in Visitor Experience

Businesses aim to achieve a superior visitor experience but often fail to realize that it’s a continuous process. It is wrong for a business to expect that achieving a certain degree of visitor satisfaction and staying at that level would be enough.

Continuously improving the visitor experience is important, and a visitor check-in system can help with that through insightful data and analytics. This may include:

  • Tracking wait times during check-in 
  • Understanding visitor preferences
  • Collecting feedback on their experience

A business and its employees can use this data to refine their visitor experience strategies and enhance existing ones. This opens up possibilities for introducing new changes in everything from staff training to facility layout.

Does Your Business Have the Right Visitor Management System?

The quote, “Two things remain irretrievable: Time and a first impression,” by Cynthia Ozick, is highly relevant for businesses. Thus, business owners need to shift to an efficient way of visitor management.

A VMS offers a myriad of benefits fundamental to a modern workplace that focuses on the customer journey. From reinforcing the brand to increasing security, a VMS provides much more value than one realizes. Businesses can use the data and features of a visitor manager to improve customer interactions continuously.