Organizations of all types have made it a priority to better track who is coming and going inside their facilities and properties. This can include an HVAC technician who needs to be inside a building for several hours to fix a faulty air conditioning unit, or a parent who volunteers each week in their child’s school.
With considerable advancements in visitor management systems in recent years, organizations are now benefiting from technology-based visitor management solutions that integrate with an existing access control system—replacing paper logs and paper name badges. By leveraging the visitor management system capabilities in an access control system, organizations can enhance security, streamline the visitor process, and improve the visitor experience.
Increased Security
Knowing who is inside a building at any given time is the foundation for a successful security program. This goes beyond an emergency event, such as evacuating a building due to a fire or ensuring that only individuals with the proper credentials can access certain areas. When integrated with access control, a visitor management system can provide valuable information, such as the location of the visitor inside the building and whether that individual has attempted to stray from an approved access area.
Monitoring the Visitor
Just as it is important to manage which areas of a building a visitor can access it is equally important to know how long a specific visitor is on the property. A parent volunteer could be given a specific visitor badge that enables them to access certain areas of the school for a predetermined time. A visitor management system would be able to alert school personnel if the parent volunteer overstayed the allotted time. The same would be true for a contractor on site making repairs. Visitor logs can provide detailed information about the contractor, such as how many hours or days a week they are onsite.
Customized Access Levels
Not every employee or visitor inside a space, such as a hospital or a corporate office, should have complete access to all areas of the facility. This also includes visitors who should not be permitted to freely roam as they please. By giving a visitor a badge, building administrators can customize access levels, such as giving access to common areas or a specific meeting room. An employee who may be visiting a corporate office in a different geographic area can be given extended privileges, such as access to the employee break room, meeting rooms and designated workspaces.
Streamlined Visitor Management Process
By having a visitor management protocol in place, businesses can streamline their visitor management process. For visitors, this can mean the difference between an easy enrollment process, enabling them to gain access quickly and safely to the building. Reducing wait times also ensures improved staff efficiencies and helps to create a more welcoming environment for guests. Features like pre-registration and self-check-in can further enhance the convenience of the visitor experience.
With an integrated visitor management and access control system in place, organizations can better manage visitor traffic, enhance security, and create a more welcoming environment for guests.
