Data privacy & GDPR in visitor management: a practical guide

The current state of data privacy

Data compliance is one of the most important topics in the visitor management space (and in business in general). 

With global regulations such as GDPR and CCPA now well established and understood, compliance is non-negotiable. 

Businesses must ensure their systems and technologies adhere to the highest data privacy standards, not only to reduce their own risks, but to satisfy customers. 92% of consumers say that they believe companies should be proactive about data privacy, which shows there is no tolerance for non-compliance.

In visitor management specifically, there are key challenges around where sensitive data is kept, who has access to it and how (and when) it’s disposed of. These and other aspects of visitor data management need to be considered when adopting any visitor management solution. 

Paper vs digital: privacy risks & solutions

Manual visitor sign-in books can make it very difficult to keep visitor data private. Anyone signing in can see previous entries, which, as innocent as it may seem, is an immediate data privacy breach.

A visitor management app allows you to keep an accurate record of visitor data without compromising their privacy. 

Visitors' information is kept secure from subsequent users and organizations can limit access to the data so only authorized individuals can view it and also set a limit on how long it’s stored for.

This allows organizations to maintain data privacy compliance, but the benefits don’t stop there. Digital solutions have a range of other advantages that can benefit businesses in financial and non-financial ways: 

  • Efficient visitor management
  • Streamlined resource allocation
  • Visitor analysis and optimization 
  • Reputation and branding
  • Allowing cost reduction options

Essential privacy controls

The way data is collected and stored needs to be a core consideration in a data privacy strategy. 

This includes: 

  • The technology used to collect data
  • The type of data being collected 
  • How long it is stored for
  • Where it’s stored (i.e. on site, in the cloud)

Businesses should only ask for the information you need. Sometimes, you may need different information from different types of guests, so your VMS will need to be customizable to enable that.

All data you keep on record should be kept secure. Any personal data you hold on file should only be accessed by appointed individuals with valid reasons. 

You should be able to erase data easily upon request, or after the data is no longer required. With a visitor management app, you should have access to a secure online portal which will allow you to set automated data retention periods, ensuring you only keep the data for as long as necessary.

Consent and visitor rights to information should also be managed in a clear, consistent manner. 

Implementing privacy-first visitor management

Transitioning from a paper sign in process to a digital solution is the first step in achieving data compliance in visitor management. 

Compliance features may come as standard with your new solution, which makes it a straightforward switch. It’s vital to ask the right questions and set up compliant processes from the very beginning to ensure this critical aspect of VMS technology is satisfied.

If data is ever shown, you should have tools to protect any sensitive data such as staff lists or student names. For example, you may opt for the staff list on your visitor management system to only show first names if this can be seen by all people signing in.

It’s important to provide adequate staff training, both in how to use visitor management systems and the implications of data privacy laws, so they can stick to best practice while embracing the benefits of the technology.

Maintaining ongoing compliance

In any organization, compliance shouldn't be seen as a one-time thing. Regulations may change or staff may adopt non-compliant practices, so it’s important to conduct regular privacy audits to ensure systems are fit for purpose.

If laws do change, it helps to have a system that can adapt to any new data privacy requirements. In assessing your VMS options, be sure to ask providers about how they might update if data regulations changed.

One way to ensure consistent compliance is to use an automated, cloud-based system. As well as being more efficient, these allow organizations to repeat tasks or processes the same way, every time. By setting compliant, automated processes, you can be safe in the knowledge that your VMS is routinely satisfying all requirements. 

If you’d like to find out more, give us a call on 0333 016 3551 or drop us an email on info@signinapp.com and one of the team will be happy to help.