In the past few years, we have seen a faster adoption of automation for businesses, including receptions. Businesses have taken initiatives to create smart receptions to drive greater flexibility, efficiency, cost-benefit and security. In today’s blog, you will learn what reception challenges to be aware of, how automated visitor management systems can help, and how to choose the best solution for your organisation.
What is an Automated Reception?
An automated reception uses self-service technology to verify visitors and manage deliveries, streamlining manual reception tasks that could disrupt the workplace – such as handling deliveries and checking visitors in – while enhancing security, visitor experience, efficiency, and productivity.
The growing trend of Automated Smart Receptions: Why is it important?
With guest experience at its core, the hotel industry has adopted Smart Reception earlier than the corporate world. Have you ever used your mobile phone as your key card to check into a hotel room? Or been virtually greeted by digital concierge technology that helps you to find and book restaurants, gives you flight information, or updates on the weather?
For the corporate world, it is considered a holistic approach to building management. Organisations such as Mitie, CBRE, and Vodafone have shifted away from using paper sign in books and introduced smart reception systems as the solution to the following challenges they were facing:
- The manual processes at the reception desk
- The compliance risks of handling visitor data
- Having to employ more receptionists at peak times which leads to inefficient use of resources
- An inconsistent visitor check-in processes across multiple sites
- A visitor management system that is isolated from other building systems, which leads to more manual work for the team
- The high administrative costs involved in checking visitors in and handling deliveries
How can a Smart Visitor Management System help?
Smart visitor management systems are a crucial part of automating your receptions. They not only automate the visitor check-in process, but also enable managers to monitor, track, and record visitor information.
Vgreet is a cloud-based smart visitor management system that combines visitor sign-in software and a kiosk to deliver concierge services, preregister visitors, deliver effective communications, check visitors in and more.
Automating reception tasks
Reception management is made simpler and more efficient – with a smart visitor management system, the following tasks are streamlined for receptionists to focus on providing face-to-face customer service:
- Check-in visitors
- Visitor pass printing
- Share Wi-Fi credentials
- Photo capturing
- Handling delivery parcels
- Notifying host of guest arrivals
- Emergency roll call
With Vgreet, you can introduce further concierge services, such as:
- Wayfinding maps
- Room and desk booking
- Virtual receptionist
- Access control
- Temperature screening
Smart Reception at British Council
Benefits of Automated Reception System
Seamless, Express Check In
Vgreet’s automated reception system starts the process before the guest leaves for their commute to the building.
The personalised meeting invite is sent to the visitor which allows them to pre-register before their arrival. Once a visitor arrives on site and checks in on the Vgreet visitor management kiosk, a guest arrival notification is sent to the host and informs the visitor which meeting room to head to – with all of the wayfinding details. This means that the visitor isn’t wasting time trying to find their meeting space and can feel confident they won’t feel lost in an unfamiliar setting.
Enhance security and data compliance
Smart visitor management systems provide managers with full visibility through digital reports, while further enhancing building security with their integration with access control systems and staying GDPR compliant.
Reduced administrative costs
By driving the benefits through reduced headcount and improved processes, your front desk has 24/7 support to focus on meet-and-greet services.
Learn how VMS can impact your ROI.
Automated front desk not just for visitors
Modern automated reception system like Vgreet extends their functionality to support employees. Vgreet connects all facilities and resources for the people using the workspace to improve the digital employee experience – making them quickly visible, accessible and ready on demand.
With Vgreet, employees can:
- Book a room or desk
- Access support from their IT team
- Raise a ticket
- Check-in
- Pick up/ drop off their parcels in Vgreet’s integrated smart lockers, Vflex Lockers.
How to choose the best Automated Front Desk System?
1. Review your reception footfall and front desk service
Look into your current reception service and map out which part of it can be streamlined. How many receptionists do you have in place? Depending on the number of receptionists and your reception footfall, there are different approaches to overcoming your current challenges.
Read how digital reception systems can support each reception type.
2. Cloud-based over legacy on-site software
Cloud-based smart reception systems are SaaS-based that can be updated and modified constantly over the internet, removing the need for manual patches and updates. In the long term, they are more cost-effective and time efficient.
3. Look into software integration
Adopting new technology should make your staff’s daily life easier, not the other way around. Hence, choosing a smart visitor management system that can integrate into your current workflow and existing building systems is crucial to minimise any disruption in workflow.
4. Choose a durable hardware
One common misconception is it’s easier to download an open-source automated visitor management system on an iPad. In our recent blog about how to choose the best sign in system, we pointed out the durability issue, the lack of customer service and that iOS updates only have 3-4 software supports
A stand-alone tablet or a dedicated reception kiosk comes with a set of features that are tailored to bring your customer experience to the next level.
Customer case study: British Council
Download the full case study
The British Council acts as the UK’s leading international culture and education organisation. They build “mutually beneficial relationships between people in the UK and other countries and to increase appreciation of the UK’s creative ideas and achievements”.
The British Council is responsible for celebrating and promoting British culture, language and business around the world. Their new headquarters are located in London’s East End at 1 Redman Place, Stratford.
Vpod deployed a total of 5 Vgreets to the British Council office, custom-designed to mirror their iconic branding.
- 2 based on the ground floor for visitor use
Equipped with 6 additional languages, Vgreet for Visitors can contact reception and live travel updates to assist their commuting visitors.
- 3 based on the first floor for employee use
As a hybrid work software, Vgreet for Employees, provides full access to the facilities and support features in the workplace
