Making a good first impression is important for businesses with public or client-facing facilities. Whether you’re welcoming visitors, potential partners or registering patients, organisations rely on their ability to provide a quality experience at all times.
The challenge? Traditional visitor management systems are outdated and no longer capable of fulfilling the needs of a contemporary organisation. Fortunately, there’s a better way to manage the visitor journey.
The journey so far
Why does the visitor journey matter? Simply put, it’s how visitors — i.e. clients, patients, customers, etc. — physically experience your business. From start to finish during their visit, they’re interacting with employees, front desk staff and other personnel who represent your organisation.
And according to PwC’s global survey , experience is everything. One in three consumers say they’ll walk away from a brand they love after just one bad incident. Moreover, consumers say that speed, convenience and helpful employees are three of the most important factors for a quality experience.
However, delivering these three conditions is complicated without the right technology. Businesses that still rely on legacy visitor management solutions — pen-and-paper logbooks, for example — frequently encounter a number of challenges:
- Physical recordkeeping: Manual entry is prone to human error and is time-consuming, not to mention the fact that it requires an always-available front desk person. This process can frustrate visitors and give a poor first impression
- Lost records: Physical logbooks, sign-in sheets and paper documents can be misplaced, damaged or constantly need replacing — hindering your organisation’s ability to provide accurate information upon request by governing agencies or authorities
- Security: Physical systems only take you so far in terms of security. Without modern solutions, it’s difficult to track visitors during their stay or verify their identity
- Brand image: Modern companies risk looking old-fashioned or lacking innovation if they still rely on pen-and-paper methods. This could reflect poorly on the brand, especially in certain cutting-edge industries
Benefits of a visitor management solution
When you consider the pros and cons, it’s plain to see that the negatives of traditional visitor management significantly outweigh the positives.
In contrast, a digital visitor management solution is the ideal alternative for any modern business that operates a brick-and-mortar location. From healthcare to finance to education, deploying a visitor management solution can produce several key benefits:
- Increased productivity: Digital registration means desk staff are free to perform other duties and won’t be bogged down by cumbersome pen-and-paper sign-in sheets
- Convenience: When guests arrive, their host will be alerted of their presence and greet them right away – no need to wait. Plus, self-service sign-in devices are easy to use and require less time to complete registration. Badges and IDs can be printed on demand using a fast and reliable label printer, like Brother's QL-820NWB
- Improved security: Digital solutions allow you to check visitor information against law enforcement databases or retrieve visitor logs in a hurry. Badges empower you to identify visitors so that everyone can have peace of mind and focus on their work. Best of all, badges affixed with barcodes or QR codes allow you to track a visitor’s movement at all times during their stay
- Professionalism: Not only can you leverage branded kiosks and visitor badges, but you also demonstrate to visitors that your business is in line with current standards
Mapping the new and improved visitor journey
The advantages outlined above are made possible with a modern visitor management solution by a series of technologies and innovations that optimise the visitor experience at every stage of the journey.
- Pre-registration: Guests can register ahead of time online or over the phone to set their journey off on the right foot
- Check-in: When visitors arrive, they input their information into a tablet using an easy-to-use sign-in interface. This software will promptly alert staff of their guest’s arrival so that they can be greeted with timely service
- The visit: At the start of a visit, a guest can print an ID or name badge complete with a scannable QR code that traces them throughout their stay and provides access to areas of the facility
- Check-out: Once their visit is over, guests can return to the registration kiosk where they can complete any necessary exit paperwork before leaving the facility. This step is also important for business safety and security
- Post-visit: Visitor information is secured in digital storage and can be accessed again for compliance and reporting purposes
What to look for in a visitor management solution
If you’re looking to upgrade from your physical logbooks, it helps to know what to look for in a new system. Some of the most important qualities you should seek out in a visitor management solution include:
- Customisable check-in process: Use a branded interface and add fields for extra information as required by your business
- Real-time notifications: Leverage alerts and provide visitors with on-time professional service as soon as they arrive
- A mounted iPad or Android tablet: Provides self-service opportunities to your guests
- Reliable badge printing: Print IDs effortlessly with Brother’s range of QL label printers
- Secure visitor log: Maintain privacy and eliminate noncompliance by housing information in digital storage
When it comes to the safety, productivity and reputation of your business, you shouldn’t have to pick one feature over another. That’s why Brother has partnered with leading visitor management software providers to make all of these advantages accessible in a tailored visitor management solution.
With professional-grade badge printing, automated sign-in processes and customisable solutions, Brother empowers you to increase professionalism and efficiency across the entire visitor journey.
Contact us to learn more about how we can optimise processes across your organisation.