Different types of visitors arrive at organizations for various reasons- interviewees looking for a job, prospective clients considering purchasing or investing, and students on fieldtrips are some common examples. It is important that visitors can be processed quickly and welcomed politely. Visitor management involves more than the interaction at a receptionist’s desk, however. Phases of the management system include: factors before the visit, the arrival of the visitor, the time spent in the organization by the visitor, and the departure of the visitor.

Add-On is a company, with its headquarters in Denmark, which seeks to improve communication and information-sharing within organizations. Add-On’s Resource Central has a visitor management feature which offers a way to automate the process. With the help of this feature, receptionists can check-in visitors and provide them with badges that have scannable barcodes. Resource Central automatically relays information to meeting organizers via email or text. It is also possible to set up a self-registration kiosk, though extra hardware will be necessary. This means of visitor management both improves the security of the organizational building and prevents the build up of lines in the entrance area.

If visitors can log themselves in, it can decrease labour cost; it will not be necessary to hire or add another receptionist to accommodate possible crowds. It is also more environmentally friendly to have a digital sign-in system, as paperwork is significantly reduced and there is no need for a manual logbook. It is much easier for people to sign in under false information if denoted by hand. Data stored in the cloud can be accessed at any time and from anywhere by employees of the organization and reception staff can focus on other tasks without distraction.

Automating visitor management in the workplace benefits the professional image of the organization. Visitors may be impressed by how they are greeted and how their information is handled at the organization. The entire process of checking in visitors does not have to be the time-consuming ordeal it has been in the past, and many businesses have recognised this and invested in visitor management solutions.

Further security measures can, of course, be implemented if there is concern about people bypassing self-check-in kiosks: cameras, security, and more locks in the organization at large that require a barcode badge are logical starting points. The system itself does offer greater security than logbooks; information in the digital system is verified and only legible visitor information is accepted.

The visitor, or guest, experience is an important point of consideration for a business- especially if prospective clients or journalists are present. Even something as simple as positive word-of-mouth commentary about the business can be helpful for operations and attracting future clients. The visitation process requires optimization, innovation, and automation to remain current and satisfactory: just as the check-in process should be smooth, quick, and secure, the tour around the premises should be planned, interesting and targeted at the particular visitor.