Traditionally, businesses have had reception areas and reception staff to greet visitors. The visitor is normally then asked to fill out their details on a sign-in sheet and is issued with a badge before the person they are here to meet is informed of their arrival. It’s all very time-consuming, and – if the receptionist steps away from their desk or is caught on a phone call – doesn’t always leave the best first impression of a company.
General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) considerations
With the introduction of the GDPR earlier this year, this process is also one that could mean a company is non-compliant with the GDPR even before a meeting has taken place. This is because that visitor’s information is available for others to see and without their having given consent for it to be shared.
Creating a welcoming experience for visitors
Given that the average UK worker spends approximately 16% of their working week in meetings, travelling to and from other offices, it makes sense, therefore, to get your sign-in procedures right. It will make it an easier and more enjoyable experience for guests, save them time, and leave them with a positive impression of your company.
Whilst a welcoming receptionist is a huge plus, it’s not something all companies can afford in the current economic climate. And it doesn’t remove the need for a better signing-in system than the traditional paper version. Using a digital visitors staff signing in book, such as those developed by https://www.ofec.co.uk/web-and-software-development-services/digital-visitors-and-staff-signing-in-book.aspx, may offer a perfect solution.
Digital sign-in books solve the problem of non-compliance with the GDPR because it keeps all visitor information secure and accessible only to those who need it. And it provides your visitors with a streamlined process that is easy to follow. This might include entering their name, car registration and who they are here to see.
If you were expecting the visitor and have entered their information in advance, it also allows you to direct them to a specific room or automatically notifies the person they are here to see that they’ve arrived. Before they enter the main offices, the system can take a photograph of the visitor and print out a visitor pass for them, offering a streamlined process and a warm welcome for those visiting your business.
