Visitor management software is becoming an increasingly common sight in many businesses, as it can provide a professional way to greet customers and visitors and provide you with all of the necessary information that you might need about them. The reason that visitor management software is becoming so popular is because it is an incredibly versatile tool that can be used to solve a number of different headaches.
So, what can visitor management software do for your business? In this article, VMFree, a free visitor management system provider explores the uses for this innovative technology and identify which problems it could help you to solve.
What is visitor management software?
Visitor management software is a nifty tool that can help to streamline your reception and greeting services. Available on a tablet device, this software is available to anyone who walks through your doors. As it is fully customisable, you can decide what information you need from your visitor, and all of these questions are asked through the software as they sign in.
Once they have completed the quick and easy form, they can take a photograph and print their own personalised visitors’ badge. Whilst all this is being done, the person that they are coming to see is notified of their arrival and they will receive instructions to take a seat, or details on where they need to head to.
Cutting down queues
Having to wait a long time to be seen by a receptionist when you arrive at a business can be incredibly frustrating. Standing in a queue of people waiting to be seen can be a test of anyone’s patience, especially if you know that this is likely to make you late. By implementing visitor management software, you can cut down on this waiting time dramatically.
The sign in process is much easier and as it is possible to install it on more than one device, a number of people can sign in at once, ensuring that you are not left waiting any longer than necessary.
Reception duties
Reception areas are busy places, and it can leave your receptionists with a lot to juggle. When the process of signing in visitors and showing them to the right places has been replaced with visitor management software, receptionists can be freed up to perform other tasks. They are then able to answer the phone and deal with other enquiries without feeling as though they need to rush people in order to get through an ever-growing queue.
Cost saving
We all know how rapidly costs are rising, and most businesses are looking for areas where they can save money. Visitor management software can be a cost-effective way to reduce your cost base, as the subscription to the software is much cheaper than hiring additional receptionists.
Losing visitors
When a visitor signs in on arrival at your business, they can often go missing. An unknown site can feel like a maze, and often the person that they have come to see has no idea that their visitor is wandering up and down corridors. With visitor management software, the relevant staff member will receive an email or notification that their visitor has arrived so that they will know to expect them. In addition to this, the visitor can be provided with instructions and even a map to show them exactly where they need to go, reducing the risk of them getting lost.
Emergency procedures
Should the fire alarm ring, it can be difficult for businesses to locate visitors in the middle of an evacuation. Visitor management software means that all fire wardens will have an electronic, real-time list of who is in the building, so that they know exactly who they need to look for.
When they have been located, the list can be ticked to show all other fire wardens that the individual has been accounted for. This can make the evacuation process much quicker and safer and can help the emergency services to know exactly who might be missing and even where they could be found.
Unauthorised access
Whilst businesses will always welcome new visitors and customers, there will occasionally be a situation where there will be people that you want to keep away from your site. This can be a very difficult situation to manage, but it is vital for the security of your business and all of the people within it.
Receptionists may not be aware that a particular individual is not welcome, or they may not recognise someone, and so security breaches can occur. With visitor management software, it is much easier to put together a list of unauthorised visitors.
When these people try to sign in, they will be denied entry, and any security personnel can be informed of their presence to ensure that the situation is dealt with safely and properly.
Access requirements
When a visitor arrives at your business, they do not have the right to stay as long as they want or go where they want, and this is where visitor management software can help. This allows staff to input parameters that mean each visit will have an expiry time, helping others to know when they have outstayed their welcome.
It can also be used to show which areas of the business that they should have access to and will therefore prevent them from straying anywhere that they are not supposed to. This can all be documented on their visitor record or even printed on their visitors badge so that there can be absolutely no confusion. It also means that staff members will be able to login to the visitor management software to see if a visitor is still on site or whether they have signed out.
Visitor management software can be an essential tool in a busy working environment and can be equally helpful in a small business that does not have the budget to hire dedicated reception staff. It can handle a number of different issues relating to security, safety and convenience to make the running of every business much easier.
