November 7, 2019
We’ve all been in a situation where we’ve arrived at a business premises and there is no sign of the security guard who is meant to let you through the door, or you have to wait your turn to take down your details in their little visitor log book before scanning their security access card for the elevator that will take you to your destination.
Sadly the reality of the inconvenience of such an arrival is not the only negative aspect of this situation. The darker aspects are that it puts your, and your staff’s safety at a possible risk.
People signing in on these visitor books could be using any information to get to the other side. How often is any of this information checked, or even referred back to? The visitor book is seen as a possible deterrent to thieves, or unauthorised persons, due to the inconvenience, but it is definitely not a guaranteed precaution.
With the wonderful world of technology advancements at our fingertips, why do so many companies still opt for the security guard with the sign-in visitor book, or the receptionist at the company's front door?
Some companies may think that having a visitor log book is faster than a digital visitor log, and possibly may save you money, due to training time and running costs, but does it?
With the right system, the visitor management process can be completely customised to the workflow you require. Forcing the guard or receptionist to capture the relevant information by scanning a driver's license, the vehicle disc, taking note of the number of people requesting access etc. In case of health and safety you know who is onsite and how many additional people there are on the premises besides your own staff count.
Biometric access systems make this process even more foolproof by taking record of the visitors finger prints, voice (by asking to record phone number & name as example), etcetera, alongside perhaps driver’s license or other form of identity. All information is of course also digitally stored in a secure offsite data centre, so you have a complete record of who entered the premises, down to the time-stamp of entry.
This type of access procedure is a conscious effort to ensure the security and safety of your business premises, your data, employees and visitors. Individuals that are unauthorised, or perhaps have been banned from your premises can not access it as they are unable to spoof identity. And, should an important document be stolen, there is indisputable proof of access - if for example you have user access controlled rooms where such data is stored.
Depending on the system you implement, there are massive upsides to convenience for returning visitors. Having previously gone through the biometric enrolment procedure (biometric details were captured before) they could either scan their drivers license, or fingerprint to gain access to the premises instead of having to re-sign in. Some well integrated businesses have also replaced the reception area with smart reception points consisting of kiosk tablets where you can scan yourself in to announce that you have arrived for a meeting, collection or delivery etc.
A higher security protocol might also contain a ‘watchlist’ of individuals where the system triggers an alarm or notification based on flagged individuals.
The creation of detailed visitor reports provide employees with visual insights that help improve role functions inside organisations. Search criteria such as; Visitor Type, Entry Time, Departure Time, Visitor Name and Access Authorisation is provided in real-time to help security teams, receptionists and other employees identify data trends. For example, facility managers can identify peak visitor traffic hours to identify facility areas that may require more resources during certain times of the day and can allocate the associated costs to relevant cost centres.
Managing contractors entering and exiting facilities is vital to security and compliance. A visitor management solution can create a portal where contractors can take ownership of their compliance responsibilities (for example fire hydrant testing or carbon monoxide detectors) to ensure organisations remain updated on contractor activity and reporting.
All in all a digital or biometric visitor management system is a safer system for all on your premises. Learn more benefits of integrated access management systems from this article.
