Must-haves for an effective visitor management system in 2024

An image of a reception or lobby area with a visitor management system on the front desk

In today’s world, the way staff use work offices is in a constant state of change. Employees want to work flexibly, and many employers are doing what they can to encourage their teams to work from the office.

Each workplace is setting their own standards, which are ever-evolving as industry norms shift. Some organisations have full flexibility with hybrid working, others may have different rules for different departments. As a result , there’s very little certainty over who is and isn’t at work at any given time. On top of that, guests from outside the workplace are also coming and going.

With this in mind, it’s more critical than ever for employers to maintain a secure and accurate headcount of people on site, which is where a visitor management system (VMS) comes into its own. 

A VMS allows organisations to keep up with the evolving use of the office in a way that still makes coming and going seamless. 

But what does that involve, and what does a good Visitor Management System (VMS) look like?

These are the 7 must-haves for an effective visitor management system today:

1. Advanced security features

Enhancing safety and security should always be the top priority when planning to implement any visitor management system. A VMS that meets basic safety and security standards should include:

  • Pre-registrations - Pre-registering visitors before they arrive can significantly enhance security. Allowing visitors to submit their details and purpose of visit ahead of time, means you know exactly who is going to be on site and when, and can effectively plan ahead. This also gives you the opportunity to share important safety information with guests before they arrive.
  • Blocklists - Your visitor management system should give you full control over who is allowed to enter onto your premises. Automated blocklists help to identify and prevent further entry to individuals who pose a security risk, such as known opponents of your workplace or disgruntled ex-employees.
  • Visitor badges and identification - Visitor badges help to distinguish visitors from employees. A VMS should offer automatic ID badge printing that can be customised to include information such as visitor photos, names and who they’re visiting. 
  • Real-time tracking - Knowing who is in the building at any given time is essential for safety and security. A modern VMS will provide real-time tracking of visitor and employee movements within the premises, which is important for ensuring everyone is accounted for in an emergency evacuation.
  • Background checks - A modern VMS makes it easy to manage security checks for those that need them. Prevent visitors from further entry if they do not have the required documents and security checks and streamline new employee onboarding, uploading the relevant information such as right to work documents and checks.

2. Contactless check-in options

Improving efficiency is always a top priority for organisations and a visitor management system is the perfect way to do this. Having different contactless check-in options allows workplaces to streamline entry and exits for different types of visitors, without compromising on security.

  • Employee check in - Ensuring employees also sign in and out on your visitor management systems enables you to know exactly who is on site in the event of an emergency. An effective VMS will offer multiple ways for your team to check in to work seamlessly with their workday.
  • Touchless sign in - Touchless check in options through QR codes or smartphones make it quick and convenient for visitors and employees to sign in.
  • Reducing lobby queues - Congestion in high-traffic areas holds up the whole process for everyone, is a burden on administration staff and even a safety risk. By streamlining the check-in process, you can reduce wait times and make coming and going much easier.
  • Cloud-based flexibility - A cloud-based VMS offers unparalleled flexibility and scalability. They allow for remote sign in, real-time updates, and seamless deployment across multiple locations, so they can grow and adapt with your business.
  • Secure data storage - By leveraging the cloud, organisations can ensure their visitor and employee data is securely stored. Cloud-based storage also makes data easily accessible from anywhere, improving management and reporting.

3. Customisable user experience

Different workplaces have different needs for a VMS, and it should be able to tailor the visitor experience to your specific organisation.

  • User-friendly interface - A VMS should be intuitive and easy to use for both visitors and staff. A user-friendly interface with easy navigation ensures smooth operation for all users, without impacting security and systems.
  • Multi-language support - this is one way a VMS enhances inclusivity and accessibility. It should also include usability options for all levels of ability. This is particularly beneficial for global enterprises, or businesses with ambitions to expand internationally.

4. Solve more than one business process

In today’s working world, a visitor management system should not operate in isolation - it should work with other processes to streamline your business operations and continue to elevate experiences in different areas.

  • Appointment scheduling - Having a visitor management system that includes appointment scheduling starts the visitor experience long before they visit and enables automatic pre-registrations. Allow guests to select their appointment slot and they’ll automatically be pre-registered as a visitor in your VMS.
  • Employee time tracking - Time tracking takes employee management with your VMS to the next level. The rise of remote work means it can be difficult to know when someone is and isn’t working, but a VMS can help to manage working hours and make absence management easy, with exportable CSV reports that are compatible with your payroll system.
  • Desk & room management - Desk and room booking can be overlooked when looking for a visitor management system. However, in the hybrid world that many organisations now work in, it can be invaluable. Users can see real-time availability of desks and rooms, making it easier to find and reserve spaces. You can also plan ahead to book spaces when a visitor is coming in. No more running around to find a meeting area with your guests when rooms are occupied!

5. Real-time reporting and analytics

A VMS has the potential to be a rich source of information if it has the functionality to utilise the data.

  • Data-driven insights - By understanding visitor numbers and tracking data, you’ll be able to make informed decisions for the organisation on a range of topics; from security and facilities, to operations.
  • Compliance reporting - For businesses with compliance obligations, reporting can involve exhausting manual processes that take time and are error-prone. However, a VMS that can export data in seconds makes these processes much simpler and more reliable.

6. Scalability for growing businesses

If your business is growing rapidly or you have multiple locations, it’s crucial that your visitor management system can scale according to business requirements. Here’s what to look for:

  • Multi-site management - An effective visitor management system makes it easy to manage multiple locations. Your VMS should enable you to monitor multiple sites from one portal, allowing for a global staff list and giving you the option to manage visitors and employees at each location.
  • Seamless integrations - In addition to solving multiple business processes, an effective VMS will also integrate with your existing systems. For example, an integration with Google Workspace or Azure AD can help manage a global staff list, while one with Slack or Microsoft Teams keeps notifications within a single platform.

A VMS is about much more than recording entrances and exits. By understanding the capabilities of visitor management systems, together with your business’ needs, you can effectively optimise the value of these technologies; enhancing security while streamlining the experience for visitors and admins alike.

These seven must-haves all help to make businesses more efficient, and should be a staple part of any visitor management system. 

Sign In App is the smart and flexible visitor management and employee check in solution, built for the modern workplace and used by more than 36,000 workplaces all over the world 

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