05 Aug Eradicate human error – with integrated visitor management

Visitor management systems (VMS) provide visibility of your organisation’s visitors and their whereabouts.

And they’re rapidly gaining popularity.

It’s no wonder too – given that they integrate seamlessly with other security solutions, like Genetec or Torus, creating an end-to-end security strategy.

Let’s examine the ways that integrated visitor management can transform any workplace – including yours.

Visitor management systems explained

Establishments once had their visitors speak to a receptionist and fill out a paper form on arrival.

They’d have to scribble down their name, host’s name, contact details and time of arrival (at the very least).

But this process – much like any manual process – leaves a wide margin for human error. Visitors might approximate their time of arrival or forget to leave their full names.

Or they fill in the form correctly, but their handwriting is all but illegible.

Inaccuracies of even minutes make it challenging to track visitors and their whereabouts if a security breach occurs.

And contact tracing is also difficult with only paper-based data to go on. (Some visitor management systems can even screen for COVID-19 vaccination certificates before someone enters the building.)

Manual, paper-based processes are frustratingly slow – which creates big problems at peak times.

Visitor management systems digitise this process at scale. Visitors fill out a digital form on arrival (often on smart tablet such as an iPad) and their data is automatically recorded and stored in a secure database.

They only have to do this once – not for return visits.

The benefits of integrated visitor management

According to a report by Markets and Markets, the global visitor-management-system market is set to expand to USD $2.3 billion by 2026.

Burgeoning changes within workplaces – like a growing interest in paperless administration and tightening safety and security regulations – are driving this rapid expansion.

In isolation, visitor management systems address these issues with ease. But it’s when they are integrated with existing software and security solutions that they truly shine.

Let’s look at the key benefits of a fully integrated VMS:

• Boosted safety and security: When a VMS is integrated with a physical access control solution (such as a security gate), you can ensure only authorised visitors are able to enter specific sites – giving even more certainty to your security strategy.
• Smoother remote management: Remote work is now a fact of life. Visitor management systems champion this new way of working, by letting security and facility managers assign and deny permissions from one central platform (no matter where they are in the world).
• Easier data-storage compliance: Data privacy is a growing concern. The EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) demands strict data-control processes – which means storing visitor information in a paper logbook won’t cut it. Visitor management systems make adhering to regulations easier across sectors. And their ability to integrate with everything from database control software to video surveillance gives them an edge that manual processes can’t offer.

Integrate with Torus for cohesive key control

When integrated with Torus, visitor management systems like Sine and RapidGlobal create an airtight security strategy.

Let’s say for example that a contractor arrives onsite and needs a particular key – for which they can request access via Sine. With your workplace keys stored in a Torus cabinet, approved visitors can then access the key (or keys) they need – without a separate approval process.

Once permission is granted, the Torus software will send the contractor or visitor a User ID and secure PIN via an automated text or email. They then use this to access the keys in the Torus cabinet.

If the contractor tries to leave the site without returning their key, they’ll receive a ‘Key Overdue’ text message. You and your staff will also be alerted when keys haven’t been returned on time.

To go a step further, you can even block that contractor’s check-out entirely until they’ve returned each and every key.

The bottom line

When fully integrated, a VMS will streamline the processes surrounding your people – including staff, contractors and site visitors.

They reduce the room for human error to the smallest possible degree. And thanks to their simple interface, they’re also a breeze to use.

People are messy. Visitor management systems are precise.

Want to solidify your security? We’d be happy to walk you through Torus’s installation and integration process.