Are you using visitor sign-in log books to process visitors into your building? Signing visitors in is a common approach to ensure building security, yet easily overlooked that put businesses at multiple risks.
In this article, we will cover the challenges and crucial aspects you need to consider to sign in visitors, and how digital visitor book benefits organisations in the long term.
What is a Visitor Signing in Book?
A visitor signing in book is a method of manually collecting visitor data when people enter your building. Visitor sign-in books collect certain details such as name, date & time of visit, car registration number and name of the host.
Visitor logs are used to track the visitors to the building, ensuring the building’s safety.
For many organisations, visitor log books are primarily used for signing visitors in before they digitalise the process. Academic research pointed out that using a paper-based visitor sign in log book has the following drawbacks:
- Visitors don’t always remember to sign the book
- Books and pens could be stolen or damaged
- Entries could be falsified
- Regular check to ensure the visitor book’s effective functionality is problematic
- Paper visitor logs cannot offer greater traceability as they cannot be archived or efficiently retrieved after a period
Visitor sign-in books are outdated and out of touch with new visitor management practices. However, the intangible risks of using a visitor book must be considered. Let’s explain why.
4 areas you are putting your organisation at risk with Visitor Signing in Book
1. Visitor experience
Two out of every five people claim that their perceptions of a company are affected by their experience at the reception. A visitor signing in book is usually the first thing your visitor will see when they arrive at your building.
If your visitor has never met their host and there is no reception available, they’ll be left to figure out the process themselves. Should they fill in the book? What happens after, how do they let someone know that they have arrived?
Your visitors will be able to see who has recently visited in the book; did a competitor drop by the day before? Did you recently hold multiple job interviews and your visitor is the last to be seen?
The reception usually faces huge visitor traffic fluctuations, visitors waiting in the queues to sign in is putting your business’ first impression at risk. A visitor signing in the book could lead to a cold and unwelcome experience for visitors.
Read more about 5 best practices to improve the visitor experience.
2. Efficient Processes
The main problem with visitor signing in books is that once data has been recorded on paper it is difficult to manage it efficiently. You know who is coming to the office, but how efficient is the process? How much extra work are you putting in to handle your visitor’s data?
Consider a digitalised visitor book that creates digital visitor logs, enabling repeating visitors to avoid multiple sign-ins. It allows blacklisted individuals to be flagged if they attempt to enter the building, allows easy contact in the event of an emergency and ultimately provides visitors with a seamless check-in experience.
3. Workplace Safety
As Covid-19 can be transferred via surfaces and close contact, visitor signing in books are an inefficient way to process visitors. During a time when people are limiting their contact with people and surfaces, they don’t want to risk touching communal pens and other stationery items.
In addition to surface contact, visitor signing in books cause queues during peak times. Crowds of people indoors are an unacceptable way to manage a workplace during a pandemic.
4. GDPR Compliance
Organisations can be fined €20 million or 4% of a company’s global revenue due to the lack of data security compliance.
Since the introduction of GDPR in 2018, paper-based visitor signing in books poses a huge risk for businesses. The strictest law of its kind in the world, GDPR dictates the way that all data is collected, processed and stored in the European Union.
Visitor signing in books poses problems for GDPR because of how the data is collected: it is difficult for visitors to consent for their data to be stored with the business. In addition, visitor signing in books are usually left in reception areas; it is easy to steal this data should it be left unattended.
Read more about how a visitor management system can help you stay GDPR compliant.
Digital Visitor Book
When it comes to visitor management, we should consider the whole visitor journey before arriving at your office.
Digitalise your visitor log book, and start considering creating a workplace that not only improves a great first experience but also improves your workplace productivity, safety, and efficiency.
Vgreet digital visitor sign-in system delivers more services beyond visitor signing in books, enhancing the visitor experience with features such as:
- Send a branded meeting invite with a google map
- And any pre-registration details or surveys are sent with the invite before their arrival
- A contamination-free reception with temperature screening, voice activation, and facial recognition during a visitor’s check-in
- Automatic host notification that saves time waiting at the reception.
- Internal wayfinding
- Add digital receptionist service so the help is always one touch away,
- Leave feedback while leaving the building
- See live traffic information or book a cap
Learn how to choose the best visitor sign in the system: App, iPad, or Kiosk?
DOWNLOAD THE BROCHURE
Summary
Using visitor signing-in books could lead to four risks in your business: lack of visitor experience, poor efficiency and workplace safety, as well as the failure of GDPR compliance. The consequences of compromising these four elements are much more expensive than saving money on buying a paper visitor book.
By digitising your visitor book, organisations will be able to:
- Reduce costs
- Increase efficiency
- Improve productivity
- Create a safer workplace
- Enhance visitor experience
Further Reading
- 5 simple steps to a digital reception
- The Ultimate Guide – What is a visitor management system and how can it benefit my business
- Download FREE visitor management guides tailored for your persona
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