When facing a problem — whether it’s a coming storm, a child’s lackluster report card, or a freezer that’s stopped running and is full of hamburger — it's best to know about it as soon as possible. The only thing worse than bad news is surprise bad news; and when it comes to managing complex facilities, the stakes are much higher than a few pounds of rotting meat.

Facility managers need to know about security breaches and safety threats the second they occur. This is easier said than done. If the only visitor management solution in place is a paper log book, someone must manually check the names in the log against another list of invitees. Even then, the person checking the names must assume that whoever signed the book was both honest and accurate when they filled it in. Of course, with a system like that, it's difficult to understand what exactly would warn a facility manager of a potential breach in the first place. Leaving that point aside, the thought of one person trying to manually run a single name against numerous invitee and security watchlists is both frightening and funny.

In spite of this, market research shows that 25 percent of organizations still use a paper log book. For the rest of us, there are digital tools that do a much better job. In recent years, cloud-based visitor management systems (VMS) have evolved that can alert FMs to a variety of threats such as the presence of unauthorized visitors. That's only the beginning, though. Knowing about a threat is important, but what if there were a way to prevent the threat from entering a facility in the first place?

What good is the knowledge of an approaching storm without also knowing when it’s coming and how to prepare? Does the situation call for boarding up the windows, a full evacuation or simply closing the windows? It’s good to know early on that a child is struggling with math, but only if that information comes with strategies that will ensure a better grade next time around. Being aware of that 20 pounds of quickly thawing, soon-to-be rancid hamburger meat in a malfunctioning freezer is only useful information if it comes with a plan of action (likely an impromptu barbecue).

Maintain operational integrity

Maintaining operational integrity is about controlling which people have access to which parts of a facility. It sounds simple enough, but given the size and complexity of many facilities, the task is no easy feat. Facility managers can use a VMS to efficiently and effectively preserve the security of their facilities, no matter how many entrances, buildings or campuses those facilities have. Maintaining the operational integrity of a site always starts with information. As a case in point, 89 percent of people who use a VMS say it provides valuable data and insight. However, VMS has progressed beyond simply identifying threats once they are present. They can now help prevent or neutralize those threats before they become a serious problem. This is accomplished in several ways.

The first set of solutions that visitor management can provide is what we might call “soft” controls. They shape the visitor experience in a way that encourages guests to more or less automatically follow the correct security protocols because it is the most convenient thing to do. These controls are surprisingly effective. Research shows that 93 percent of VMS users say that it increases efficiency and a third report at least a 40 percent reduction in check-in times. Greater speed and efficiency don't only mean a more pleasant experience; they suggest that visitors are more willingly (if unconsciously) complying with security protocols.

The process starts when a host sends an email invitation to a potential visitor, providing them with all the vital information for their visit, including where to park, which entrance to use, etc. Administrators start shaping the visitor experience the second a meeting is scheduled, guiding visitors toward the place they belong and away from the places they do not. However, from the visitor’s perspective, it’s all a matter of convenience.

Once guests arrive at the lobby, a tablet-based sign-in protocol is becoming the new norm. This typically includes checking in with an email address or name, signing NDAs and other legal documents, reading or viewing safety briefs, and taking a picture for a customized security badge. While the visitor completes these tasks, the host is notified. This creates a seamless experience that never leaves the visitor alone to wander; and it makes the host accountable for guiding the guest through the facility until it’s time to see them out.

Set a watchlist

Recent innovations in visitor management technology provide organizations with a golden opportunity to take security to the next level by screening visitors against watchlists. This is an instantaneous process that should be invisible to the visitor. Ideally, visitors would be screened against several different watchlists at once. Some watchlists are created by third parties and might include individuals on no-fly lists or other categories of potentially dangerous visitors. At the same time, many organizations create customized watchlists based on their own experiences with previous visitors (or shared information with colleagues and partners). Clearly, a watchlist screening procedure that takes both kinds of lists into account will be much more effective. If the system flags a watchlisted visitor, security personnel and the host are immediately notified of the threat.

At this point a facility manager might think, “That’s all well and good, but isn’t a watchlist feature a bit like getting the bad report card without a way to improve the grade?” It’s helpful to know when a security risk shows up — clearly, it’s better than not knowing — but surely it would be even better to stop those people from gaining access in the first place.

Proactive assisted check-in

Companies have been grappling with these questions, which is why many of them want to introduce what some could call “hard” controls. These go beyond simply identifying threats, instead enabling facilities and security staff to work together to physically prevent security risks from entering a facility.

Many organizations are starting to understand that the self-check-in process, whether it's done on paper or a tablet, can only do so much to mitigate security breaches and safety risks. With this in mind, one hard control that some companies employ is an assisted check-in process that allows security personnel to use high-quality ID-scanners to verify government-issued IDs while screening visitors against any combination of watchlists.

Processes like these provide new levels of safety and efficiency. It’s much better to identify security risks at an external security booth or parking kiosk that is physically distant from a site's buildings. Additionally, with a security guard present during the process, it is virtually impossible for an unwelcome visitor to sneak into a facility undetected.

Because assisted check-in processes rely on ID scanners to verify government-issued IDs, facility managers can be much more certain that every visitor is exactly who they claim to be. The same is not true of systems that rely on visitors typing their email addresses or names into a tablet, which amounts to relying on the honor system. The ID scanning process is also much faster than the self-check-in process, which makes it ideal for high-traffic access points like parking gates or busy lobbies.

Digital hands make light work

Beyond the immediate safety concerns associated with visitors, FMs need to pull every aspect of visitor management together into a more seamless and integrated experience for everyone involved. Many large organizations must meet strict compliance requirements from many regulatory bodies. With the old paper log book approach, an audit from any one of those bodies would involve a massive amount of human labor (to say nothing of human error).

However, by setting up a VMS to collect the appropriate data for each visitor as they arrive at the facility, FMs can always make their organizations audit-ready with no additional work. This is just one reason 78 percent of VMS users say that it provides them with more information about their guests.

So much talk about security threats can make the world of visitor management seem quite serious. While it’s true that security considerations loom large for many VMS users (89 percent of VMS users believe it creates a safer environment), VMS is also a great tool for celebrating guests who are welcome at the organization. The same tools that help identify and neutralize potential threats are also excellent ways to recognize, welcome and celebrate valued guests.

Watchlists, for example, can also flag special guests, VIPs or any other category of visitor, making it easy to ensure that they are remembered and welcomed. Instant notifications can remind hosts of a guest’s biographical information or their favorite drink. After signing in with a security guard, a VMS can guide visitors to the appropriate parking stall and building with SMS or email notifications, or even wayfinding technology, making sure that every person who arrives at a facility knows exactly where to go.

Facility managers face an endless list of tasks; and while that list will likely never get shorter, advances in technology make it possible to do more in less time. Visitor management technology has already moved beyond simply alerting administrators to potential security threats to giving them tools with which to neutralize many of those threats before they can gain access to a site. It seems inevitable that before long, VMS will allow FMs to guide, protect and monitor visitors (and others) through every point of interaction between people and facilities. Who doesn’t want to avoid a storm instead of weathering it, or pull up that math grade before the dreaded report card arrives? Facility managers can now expect technology to go beyond responding to danger and start preventing it.