Registering visitors when they enter a building lobby or office’s reception area is often a time-consuming, tedious process that can cause bottlenecks and unnecessary delays. Long lines of people waiting to write down their information and receive their visitor badges can quickly clog these busy areas, making your organization seem unprepared and less than welcoming.
An effective visitor registration system can handle data collection, scheduling, pre-approvals, and workflow automation before a guest reaches the front desk. This makes it ideal for high-security workplaces and coworking spaces, as well as any organization that wants to manage visitor identity, timing, and compliance in advance.
Visitors draw conclusions about businesses long before they step foot inside, and visitor registration establishes your competence and efficiency. This guide explores how this type of solution affects the pre-arrival experience, what you can expect from a typical system, and why digitizing the registration funnel is worthwhile.
What is a visitor registration system? #
A visitor registration system is a visitor management tool organizations can use to collect data and schedule appointments with guests before they come to the property. It’s often part of a larger sign-in system, but it’s specifically designed to address the pre-arrival experience.
The purpose of visitor registration in modern workplaces #
Managing visitor traffic doesn’t always start when a guest walks through the door. For many organizations, it begins much earlier. Rather than waiting to collect a visitor’s details when they come to your property, you can instead gather that information in advance. This approach gives you a better understanding of who is visiting and when, while also streamlining visitor arrivals.
Core functions of visitor registration solutions #
Visitor registration systems have different capabilities based on their design, but many digital solutions share a few central functions. More specifically, a system typically enables these tasks:
- Online pre-registration: With an online visitor registration system, guests can enter their personal details, including their names, contact information, and visit date, before their visit. Because the process is online, they can complete it at whatever time and place is most convenient for them.
- User verification: Organizations with security concerns can verify user identities during their initial registration. This might involve scanning their driver’s license and screening their names against a database of individuals who have been deemed unsafe or unwelcome on the property.
- Host notifications: When someone pre-registers, the system can automatically alert the organization about their upcoming visit. These notifications ensure hosts know when they need to be available to greet their guests and gives them the opportunity to prepare any documents or materials they might need during the visit or issue them visitor access.
- NDA signing: High-security organizations or those that handle sensitive information often require people to sign non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) before visiting. Visitor registration software can prompt future guests to sign and securely submit these documents when they register.
In addition to these essentials, some visitor registration systems have expanded functions incorporating advanced technology. For example, some systems use artificial intelligence (AI) for analytics and scheduling.
Comparing digital and traditional registration methods #
Pre-arrival visitor registration isn’t a new concept, but it has become more automated and advanced in recent years. While some businesses continue to use traditional sign-in sheets, many others are transitioning to fully digital solutions because of the distinct differences between the two.
In the past, registration generally involved an employee speaking to a visitor to collect their information. In many cases, they would speak on the phone, ask the visitor questions, and record their answers in visitor log or on a digital spreadsheet. In some cases, organizations might ask visitors to pre-register by submitting paperwork through the mail, or they might have email exchanges to collect personal details.
Unfortunately, all these approaches to visitor registration have serious flaws. Registration via phone, mail, and email is vulnerable to security breaches, making it easy for someone to gain unauthorized access to another person’s private information. In addition, it’s more likely for visitor information to contain errors if employees are taking details over the phone or trying to decipher a handwritten form.
As a result of these weaknesses, many organizations have moved away from traditional approaches in favor of visitor registration software. It doesn’t require direct interaction with staff prior to arrival, saving time for both the guest and your employees. The visitor also has full control over the information they enter, so it should contain fewer errors. Your team doesn’t have to worry about interpreting unclear handwriting or downloading unknown files attached to visitor emails.
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Key features of visitor registration systems #
Today’s visitor registration systems are capable of much more than simply recording a future guest’s name and phone number. They have a wide range of features addressing virtually every aspect of the initial visitor experience.
Visitor analytics #
Understanding your visitor traffic allows you to make better decisions about many aspects of your operations. As a result, visitor registration systems often include analytics features you can use to examine trends in your visitor traffic. For example, you can see what times are most popular for visits, which employees are visited most often, and why different kinds of guests are visiting your property.
Automated access #
When a visitor registers prior to their visit, the visitor management system can auto-generate access credentials they can use when they arrive. They’re often produced in the form of QR codes or emailed links. Rather than having to check in with a staff member when they reach the front office or reception area, they simply have to use the temporary code or link they received.
Data encryption #
Data security is vital for organizations collecting visitor information through a registration system. As a result, high-quality software options use measures such as encryption to protect those details and prevent unauthorized parties from viewing them. Encrypting data also reassures visitors that their information is safe and that your organization takes their privacy seriously.
Integrations #
Another common feature of visitor registration software is the ability to connect it with other essential systems, including access control and video surveillance. Tying these solutions together gives you a more comprehensive view of on-premise activity and further enhances security for your property. For example, integrating visitor registration with access control allows you to simultaneously manage visitor and employee traffic and issue both temporary and long-term access credentials.
Benefits #
Implementing a visitor registration system has a number of advantages from an operational and visitor perspective. It can enhance your decision-making, make the property safer, and eliminate manual tasks.
Security #
Visitor registration systems contribute to greater building security by allowing you to vet guests before they reach the site. Without this type of system, employees have to quickly confirm an individual’s identity, purpose, and background when they enter the front door.
Visitor registration software gives you ample time to screen their information and confirm they have a legitimate reason for coming to your facility. Because it automates these checks, a digital visitor management system also reduces errors.
Efficiency #
A system with pre-registration capabilities saves employees substantial time and allows them to focus on other priorities. Instead of tasking staff with walking every individual through your organization’s check-in process, including getting their details, printing a badge, and calling or texting their host, all these tasks are completed ahead of time. Employees can be available to visitors who need last-minute support or have questions, but they won’t have to dedicate all their time and energy to overseeing guest arrivals.
Visitor registration is also faster from the visitor’s perspective. Allowing them to use a visitor registration app or website prior to their arrival means they can enter their information on their own time and don’t have to go through a lengthy on-site check-in process. When they arrive, all they have to do is quickly check in using a visitor management kiosk or scan a QR code that leads them to a visitor management app.
Compliance #
Many organizations use visitor management systems because they have to meet strict regulatory requirements related to access, security, and privacy. A system that collects vital visitor information and conducts checks before they arrive is particularly important in high-security facilities. In these types of environments, you may need to perform background checks, verify identities, and obtain signatures on paperwork before visitors can enter.
A visitor management system helps ensure only authorized individuals with the proper credentials enter the building. It also allows you to maintain a clear and detailed audit trail if regulators or stakeholders have questions about who has entered the property.
Use cases for visitor registration systems #
Visitor registration software can benefit organizations across multiple industries and of various sizes. However, it’s especially crucial for these types of organizations:
- High-security offices: Visitor registration is an asset if security is a top priority for your organization. You’ll have advance notice of who will be on the property and can screen visitors for potential risks by checking their names against lists of banned individuals.
- Hybrid workplaces: Employee schedules in hybrid workplaces are generally more difficult to predict and track. A visitor registration system can prevent guests from arriving at times when employees are working from home, inconveniencing them and potentially tarnishing their perception of the organization.
- Multi-tenant buildings: If your organization operates in a building with multiple businesses, a visitor registration system can create a smoother arrival experience for your employees and guests. For example, you’ll know if you need to meet a visitor in the building’s lobby or grant them access to a primary door.
Visitor pre-registration is most helpful in these types of scenarios, but it’s also an excellent solution for any business hoping to increase security and streamline the check-in process.
Kisi’s visitor registration system is well-suited to these and other organizations in search of a reliable, user-friendly solution. In addition, integrating visitor registration with access control allows you to automate the entire visitor management workflow. If you’re ready to digitize visitor registration, reach out to explore Kisi’s free plan or sign up for a free trial of a paid plan.