How QR Codes Enable Touchless Visitor Management

Executive Summary

• The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of many touchless technologies. This is especially true for contactless workplace visitor management.
• Touchless visitor management allows guests to self-check in without interacting with reception or security personnel, or a kiosk in the lobby of your premises.
• QR codes are a feasible and easy-to-implement way of enabling contactless visitor management giving your visitors the flexibility, efficiency, and security to sign in from their own smartphones.

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Can you recall the times when you hurried to the reception, trying not to be late for your appointment? You arrived there only to see the queue of other visitors waiting to be checked in. When it was finally your turn, you hastily wrote down your name, your host’s name, and the time of your visit in a flimsy-looking paper guestbook. 

This was the typical pre-digital situation at most corporate, hotel, school, and restaurant receptions. You definitely wouldn’t like to give your visitors such a greeting. 

The digitalization of the workspace started as early as the 1970s with the dawn of office automation, computerized word processing, and sending of the first email. Automated reception systems burst onto the scene at the end of the first decade of this century as a way to improve front-desk efficiency, relieve the personnel from part of the non-value workload, and provide a better visitor experience. 

However, it was the Coronavirus outbreak that drove breakthrough visitor management developments, such as the QR code sign-in system, and its global adoption. Reception software offered the capacity to effectively respond to the increased health concerns among visitors and employees alike.

In this article, we’ll discuss the major concepts and technologies behind contactless visitor sign-in. We’ll walk you through the principles of using QR codes in one-time and repeated visitor preregistration and registration. You’ll also find out how adopting receptionist software will benefit your guests and will ultimately help you establish an impeccable brand reputation. 

Let’s dive right in and clarify the concept of visitor management.

What Is Visitor Management?

Many visitors walk in and out of your business premises every day. These guests might include important customers, vendors, interview candidates, friends, and multiple mail, package, and food deliveries. Keeping track of who they are, whom they want to see, and where they want to go is a challenging exercise that would conceivably require multiple administrative staff members. 

That’s where a visitor management system comes in. It is a digital receptionist that automates the visitor welcoming process and lets guests enter the information themselves using a self-service kiosk. A modern cloud-based system records visitor check-in information and instantly notifies the employee that is responsible for taking the visitor.

A full-fledged digital receptionist, however, can do much more than simply welcoming your guest and notifying the host. It can scan driver's licenses, take visitor photos, and capture electronic signatures on legal documents. It can also show safety videos, have guests answer healthy and safety questionnaires, and collect feedback about their experience at your workplace. 

An outstanding solution, such as Greetly's sign-in system, can also enhance your emergency preparedness and response. It sends emergency evacuation notifications, tracks who’s safe and unaccounted for, and delivers important messages to visitors like evacuation maps. A superior solution like this goes even further by providing your visitors with a touchless sign-in option.

What Is Contactless Visitor Management?

Contactless or touchless check-in systems work from a mobile web browser without the need for the visitor to interact with human staff or a shared kiosk. Instead of keying in the details, visitors can access the reception software from a customer check-in app installed on their smartphone.

A QR code check-in system offers greater convenience for guests by eliminating the need for additional installation of a dedicated app. This allows you to ensure streamlined and hassle-free experiences for your visitors with your brand.

With the option for contactless check-in, a top-notch QR code sign-in system can ensure compliance with all newly established requirements, guidelines on frequently touched surfaces, and GDPR regulations. 

You may be wondering how QR code contactless visitor management works. Let’s take a closer look now.

How QR Codes Enable Touchless Visitor Management

A modern digital receptionist can give your visitors two options for no-touch QR code sign-in from their smartphones. With Greetly’s solution, for example, your guest can opt for scanning a QR code or texting a code. Both actions will initiate the check-in process, which your guests can complete on their own smartphone with no app download or WiFi required.

In addition, the visitor preregistration feature allows you to speed up the sign-in process and let your guests register in a matter of seconds once they arrive at your premises. All you need to do is initiate a visit directly from your calendar, which will trigger an automatic invitation sent to your visitor. 

You can add any customizations by including directions to your offices, details about entering procedures, and many more. Your visitor can complete the information required, such as their name, their host’s name, the reason for visiting, etc in advance. When they walk into your offices, they only have to scan the QR code with their smartphones. 

Another option you have is generating a unique QR code and sending it to your visitor. All they have to do is print or download the QR code to their phone and scan it when they reach your office. 

Robust receptionist software can help facilitate the check-in process for repeat visitors. When they arrive, they only need to scan a QR code on their smartphone and confirm the pre-entered information. What’s next? A highly customizable solution like Greetly will give your frequent visitors a personalized welcome back and will complete the rest of the sign-in process.

Why Is Offering Contactless QR Sign-in Important to Your Visitors?

With the highly competitive today’s business landscape, going the extra mile for your guests can be critical for your organization’s success and well-being. In addition, increasing your front-desk efficiency and preventing your employees from frequent visitor-related interruptions translates into better overall efficiency, productivity, and cost-effectiveness, which can reach an average of 40%, according to a Deloitte report.

What are the benefits a touchless QR check-in system brings to your first-time, one-time, and repeat visitors?

No-Touch QR Sign-In Creates Outstanding and Lasting Positive Impressions

Did you know that 59% of Americans will decide not to cooperate with or buy from a firm they’ve had repeated unpleasant encounters with? What’s more, the same study indicates that 17% of people will leave a company after their first bad experience. So, you’ll never get a second chance with two in ten of your visitors.

Therefore, the way you welcome your guests is particularly important for creating memorable first impressions, whether they are existing or potential clients, vendors, partners, or suppliers. Implementing a first-rate visitor management solution with contactless QR code sign-in functionalities will allow you to establish your company as a good partner, and your offices as an excellent place to visit. 

You Can Properly Address All Health, Data-Privacy, and Security Concerns of Your Visitors

With the entire sign-in process requiring no touching of any surfaces, the QR code contactless check-in helps you take all possible measures to limit the spread of diseases. A customizable digital reception will allow you to integrate temperature scanning and visitor screening, so you can be sure that visitors imposing a healthy risk on others are not let into your office. 

Also, the QR code will typically update periodically to ensure you stay compliant with data privacy laws, such as GDPR or CCPA. What’s more, the sign-in system will secure your personal information to make it available to people with the legal right to view them.

Visitor management software enhances security by personalizing your visitor access and improves the emergency response in your organization. You can further authenticate the visitors’ information using ID scanning. In addition, you can check if they are on any watchlist and minimize the risk of letting unwanted visitors into your premises.

All these features of a QR code sign-in system can enable you to create an environment that is safe for both your visitors and employees. 

Gone Are the Days of the Overcrowded Reception, Queuing, and Waiting for Somebody to Notify Their Host

The QR code receptionist software makes visitor registration fast, seamless, and intuitive, particularly when using the preregistration option. The sign-in solution can automatically provide your guests with directions so they can easily find their host’s location or the area they have to visit.  

The instant host notifications prevent visitors from queuing at the front desk or waiting in your lobby unattended. All interactions with receptionists and employees are eliminated. This is a win-win situation that saves valuable time for your visitors and staff and makes your guests feel taken care of. 

All these benefits for your visitors indirectly help your business build trust and attract potential clients and partners.

Conclusion –  QR Codes Are Vital for Touchless Visitor Management and for Your Brand Image

The dynamic business landscape calls for innovative approaches. QR code sign-in technology is among the relative newcomers that are quickly gaining momentum and popularity. Most premises have embraced touchless check-in for the whole range of benefits it offers for businesses, employees, and visitors.

If you want to take your visitor experience to the next level, implementing a QR code contactless sign-in solution will help you exceed your visitor expectations, all the while reducing the stress for guests and front-desk professionals and enhancing your productivity.