Why re-engineer visitor management front of house?
Updated: Apr 1
In today's blog, we will cover 10 challenges overcome with just two combined visitor management initiatives, and answer the question: why do we need a digital visitor management system?
Challenges for Front of House's Visitor Management
The list of issues facing the Front of House Manager, normally a Facilities Manager, is impressive:
Government guidelines on safe distancing for visitors that must be complied with.
The staff behind reception need to be kept safe.
Employees want to see a visibly improved workplace or why should they return?
A varied traffic flow of people coming into reception.
Legal teams would like employees to declare or self certify that they have no illnesses.
HR would prefer that the reception area does not look like a hazard area with tape, screens and signs.
The Finance Director would like costs cut to a minimum; every investment with a return in under a year.
Security wants every visitor pre-registered and vetted versus a blacklist, plus every visitor escorted through the building.
The CEO wants every customer and visitor treated like a VIP.
HR want every new member of staff to feel like they are joining a family.
That's the visitor management and front of house challenge; dealing with all those challenges, often conflicting objectives. So how does the Facilities Manager today cut through it and deliver?
Questions we'll answer are:
How do you deliver against that challenge list?
Why is it important not to plan just for today, but to fundamentally re-engineer the approach?
How do you save money, but increase the visitor experience?
How do you move a fixed staffing cost structure to a variable one to match the visitor demand?
How do you retain the receptionist personal service, yet decongest the reception area to avoid risk or contamination?
The definition of insanity is trying the same thing again and again and expecting a different result.
Vpod have a long history of delivering visitor management and looking beyond "their own product" to solve the customer's challenges.
Does the Traditional Visitor Management Approach Work?
Traditional approach
Some challenges that Facilities Managers face are the variable nature of visitor traffic, the need to demonstrate to employees and visitors, and the need to prove you have a safe workplace. Therefore, the traditional approach has drawbacks:
The fixed receptionist at front of house requires the cover of shifts for training, holidays, sickness or peak traffic
Lulls in traffic still require a headcount
Manual tasks require a labour intensive approach
Government guidelines amplify the need for more stringent processes at work; for example, self-certification and hygiene
How can we overcome these traditional challenges?
An existing digital visitor management solution
Vpod now partnered with a Virtual PA company Moneypenny
To offer a new solution to an old problem
Modern Approach: The Age of Digital Visitor Management
Vpod have always had the "help function" powered by its Video Software "Video Link" where businesses are able to route calls to any location.
Now they have partnered with Moneypenny to extend that solution; businesses may now route calls to Moneypenny's expert PA teams. Here, multiple PA are now videolink enabled.
"This service combination is a game-changer, now every reception/front of house can have a blend of services provided by digital and people based resources.
- Simon Hunt, Sales & Marketing Director, Vpod.
Because Moneypenny operate with a "per minute" model, you pay for the minutes you require. Moneypenny's service is flexible and can pick up calls during peak times or out of hours; the choice is yours.
Likewise, Vgreet's digital visitor management system can deal with the increased burden of pre-registration, self-certification in 3 seconds, decongesting the reception area and delivering a consistent VIP service to your visitors.
The Elastic Reception
The "Elastic Reception" has now arrived, capable of dealing with:
Low traffic volume reception areas delivering an enhanced service by both Vgreet Kiosk and the Moneypenny's digital receptionists
Single person reception removing staff completely or elevating them to a concierge service
Multiple reception staff teams, alleviating pressure at peak times, removing manual processes and reducing cost
Whatever the motive, the "Elastic Reception" can fit the demands of every front of house delivering VIP service, and a better experience, introducing a more efficient service, cutting cost or just improving safety.
We are very excited to launch this combined service and add it to our eco-system to fix customer challenges in the digital visitor management system space.
Read more about Vgreet's concept of elastic digital reception
Transform your first impression with Digital Visitor Management System
We move it from the reception to the invite - taking responsibility for your visitor's arrival.
Your Brand on the invite
A Google map of how to get to your address
You hosts details in case you early or late
An add to calendar quick link
A QR code for a 3-second check-in
Pre-register
Answer Self Health Certification
Answer Any service or security questionnaire
All enabling a 3-second Touchless Check-in
Motion sensors detect your arrival
Voice detection allows you to activate the QR code scanner
Scan the QR code and check you in with a visitor pass printed
Vgreet digital visitor management system is customisable, delivering the visitor journey you envisage and can easily deal with the different visitor personas:
From VIPs
To Contractors
From Suppliers
To visitors from other parts of your organisation
However, the Moneypenny partnership now delivers a different dimension. For years we have wrestled with fixed staff resources and a variable stream of visitors.
Fixed resources
Peaks and troughs in visitors
A reactive reception stance
You simply have to adapt as much as you can
The answer is, "the queue" varies
Peaks and troughs in visitors; meetings start 15 minutes late.
That is just frustrating a poor service and billions in lost productivity. The Moneypenny relationship, the ability to add PA's on demand from a simple voice instruction, transforms the dynamic when coupled with Vgreet.
Now that a PA can address any visitor need with full access to:
a) Vgreet
b) The visitor modules
Moneypenny's PA can assist with check-in; just like a normal receptionist but with a different engagement model.
You pay only for the minutes you need support.
With the rest of the visitor, journey switched to digital its engagement by exception, with a variable cost approach.
We have five simple goals
Upgrade your visitor experience
Make the journey digital and efficient
Increase Safety
Cut costs
Increase visitor and employee productivity
A Vgreet digital visitor management system costs a fraction of a full costed receptionist enabling you a range of options:
Cover peak traffic
Supplement staff that you upgrade to concierge services
Add Moneypenny's PA and pay for what you use
However, the benefits go way beyond the service and cost model:
You have if desired removed the front of house staff from direct contact
You have delivered a visibly safer front of house with no queues
A 3 second touchless VIP service
That operates 24/7
Summary
You'll not be surprised to learn the facilities companies on "glide-share" agreements that commit them to save clients money across the contract term are very keen to release the savings, experience upgrade, safety measures and repurpose staff.
Here's the top line month 1 gains that can be made in different staffing scenarios.
More Resources
Want to know more? We are here to help you to transform into digital visitor management!