A visitor management system, often integrated with the access control system, grants visitor access to all or part of a facility given predetermined security criteria. A facility may require continual escort, while other facilities may only require a credential to be conspicuously displayed for full access.
Vetting Before Arrival
Your facility may be more secure when a visitor is vetted for access prior to their arrival. Potential visitors may be compared to internal, government, or public watch lists and can be denied access before they arrive at the facility. Pre-registration may also accelerate the entry process and eliminate the wait for authorization.
Visitor vehicles may be preregistered to allow secure parking entry. This is accomplished with camera verification of license plate numbers. Hosts may be notified when a visitor enters and receives credentials, eliminating staff downtime.
Vetting at the Door
Vetting at the door is required when preregistration isn’t possible or isn’t authorized by the facility. The visitor must present identification and be processed into the software system. This may take longer if they are a new visitor or their prior visitation verification has lapsed.
Not Vetting
Many facilities choose not to vet visitors or choose not to require proper identification to verified and authorized visitors. This can be a tragic decision. Without visible identification, staff members don’t know who is authorized to be on the property and who isn’t. Staff is unable to say something when they see an unauthorized visitor, because they won’t know they’ve seen one. The facility and occupants are in danger each time a door to the facility is opened.
Implementation
Visitor management systems can be quite simple. Ease of implementation depends on the desire to integrate systems, the number of entrances, and facility-specific considerations. Dedicated visitor management software and some computer hardware may be required. Policies and procedures must be updated to reflect the risk level of the facility, ability to staff entrances, and relative need for door locking hardware.
The Right Partner
The goal of a security assessment and site survey is to help understand where potential threats may exist at schools, buildings, and campuses of all sizes. Ultimately, these solutions can help integrate a variety of technologies as part of a plan that works in unison to help secure occupants, protect valuable assets, and assist in preventing physical access to sensitive areas.