Digital transformation (DX) has become top-of-mind for organizations as they look to eliminate paper and streamline workflows. More and more, the desire to be paperless has extended to managing visitors coming and going at the front door.
Typically, when a guest or a vendor comes into an office, they often have to sign a logbook by hand and get a badge. Offices, hospitals, care facilities and even real estate agents tracking visitors to an open house want to know who is coming and going.
“With the growing digital transformation, organizations are increasingly adopting digitalized and automated solutions to streamline their business processes and enhance business productivity, which has resulted in the highest adoption of automated visitor management systems.” —MarketsandMarkets.com Visitor Management System Market with COVID-19 Impact Analysis-Global Forecast to 2026
According to a research study by Market and Markets titled “Visitor Management System Market with COVID-19 Impact Analysis – Global Forecast to 2023,” the visitor management (VM) system market is projected to reach $2.3 billion by 2026. Several factors drive this trend towards digital solutions, including companies’ growing interest in digitization and automation, such as digitizing files, processing invoices and submitting forms.
The Role of COVID
Hand-in-hand with DX initiatives, when the COVID pandemic plagued the globe with the potential for deadly results, everyone dealt with the unknown by minimizing touch points. Early on, we did not know how the virus was transmitted. We all became cautious and minimized our interaction with people, replacing what we could with self-service actions such as self-check-outs at stores or home delivery.
Out of this “person-less” trend, there is greater interest in self-check-ins at reception. Greater interest drives greater demand, and thus, we see an uptick in the VM market. “The global visitor management system market size is projected to… [grow] at a CAGR of 13.7% from 2023 to 2028,” according to the Market and Markets study.
Transitioning Away from the Three-ring Binder for Enhanced Privacy
Another important point that has prompted more companies toward a digital VM solution is the greater level of security a digital system provides. A paper-based program lets a visitor see who has entered the building by simply reading the names on the paper sheets. There is no privacy. A digital system is a one-on-one system, so there is no option to review other visitor’s data.
And, with digital records, the company can more easily review the visitor information versus deciphering (because of illegible handwriting) visitors’ names and saving hard copy for manual review of the information. A software solution enables security and ease of review, reporting, storage and future access.
Reduce workplace security threat by utilizing AI-based Facial Recognition
The implementation of VM with facial recognition offers transformative advantages for workplace security. By instantly identifying and verifying individuals entering the building, VM minimizes unauthorized access, effectively reducing potential security threats. This technology ensures that only recognized individuals or pre-authorized guests gain entry, eliminating the chances of impersonation or unauthorized breaches. Moreover, with real-time logging and tracking, security personnel can immediately be alerted to any discrepancies, thus enhancing the overall safety and security protocols of a workplace.
Automating the Name Tag
In fact, with a software solution, there is the opportunity for valuable integrations. For instance, VM systems that include facial recognition can record the image of the visitor and make subsequent log-ins go more quickly. With the capture of the person’s image, a system can integrate to a badge printer, thus automating printing of the visitor’s name tag. This makes that part of the visitor check-in process seamless, with only the visitor handling their own badge and placing it on their pocket.
Expediting Knowledge in Tenuous Situations
Companies that utilize VM for both check-in and check-out have important knowledge about the visitors in their facility. If there is an emergency due to a fire or an intruder, the company will know who is in the building in addition to their staff. Accounting for missing people during a fire can help an emergency team look for them in the right area where they were signed in.
Further, with an intruder a company can account for who made it out and who may still be in the building, sheltering in place. An effective VM system can provide additional information that – along with an effective Video Security System – gives emergency and law enforcement personnel helpful information to do their jobs.
Providing a Superior Customer Experience Right at the Front Door
If the company’s goal is to be ‘visitor-centric’ so visitors can come and go easily, then a digital experience provides the technology to make that happen. It simplifies what is needed, accelerates the process and gives the business the information it needs.
Digital transformation initiatives that eliminate the use of paper, in the immediate term, provide organizations with more insight into their operations and often expedite processes that create greater efficiencies. Learn more.
