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From bustling office receptions to vital school open days and jam-packed events, managing visitors can feel like a constant juggling act. Not only do you need to know who’s who, and where each person is meant to be, but you also need to keep people moving, maintain tight security, and make sure everyone feels welcome… all at once. It’s a lot for anyone to handle, especially when first impressions count.
Which is why the small details matter. Clearly displayed signage, an easy-to-follow sign-in process, or even a colour-coded lanyard – each of these things creates an organised environment, signalling that your space is prepared, and that visitors are more than welcome. So, if you’ve been given the task of ensuring smooth visitor management, you’re in the right place. In this blog, we’ll take you through all you need to know, including:
What Is Visitor Management?
To put it simply, visitor management is the process of welcoming and tracking people who enter a building or event. They could be clients, contractors, interviewees, or even the postman or curious members of the public.
It goes beyond scribbling their name on a sheet of paper and calling it a day. Visitor management is all about making sure visitors feel comfortable, keeping your space and regular staff safe and secure, and helping your team understand who is on-site and why they are there.
Who Uses Visitor Management?
Visitor management isn’t just for busy office spaces though. It is useful for any situation where people come and go throughout the day, including:
- Educational settings like schools and universities – to safeguard students and staff.
- Construction sites – to protect visitors from entering hazardous zones.
- Hospitals – to help staff keep patient areas organised and flowing properly.
- Prisons – to reduce the risk of breaches.
- Public events – to help with crowd control and monitor capacity.
- Professional conferences – to identify speakers and organisers from attendees.
- Government buildings – to protect sensitive information and promote a professional atmosphere.
Why Is Visitor Management Important?
Imagine this: you’re manning the reception of a large office. A delivery driver walks into your building looking lost. At the exact same moment, a job candidate arrives for an interview, enquiring as to where they should be, and a plumber turns up to carry out maintenance. Without a clear process, staff can get overwhelmed, and visitors can leave feeling unsure, unimportant, or even unnoticed.
That’s why visitor management matters. It helps to create a safe and professional environment where everyone knows who’s who and what’s going on.
Making a Good First Impression
What first impression do you want to make? If visitors feel neglected, not only can it reflect badly on you, but also the organisation or event at large. A smooth and welcoming process can make all the difference, setting the tone for their entire visit.
Better Functionality and Efficiency
Have you ever been in a waiting room and someone’s name has been called, only for the staff member to walk around aimlessly trying to locate said person? A transparent and well-organised visitor management system can avoid that chaos.
Enhanced Safety and Security
Knowing exactly who is on-site, where they are, and why they are there at all helps to prevent unauthorised access, support emergency planning, and protects people and important items. Particularly essential in schools, for example, where vulnerable children could be at risk, visitor management is a key line of defence.
Improved Visitor Experience
A streamlined visit positions your team as professional and prepared, which is enough to improve – or negatively affect – the reputation of your brand.
Accounting for Accessibility
Visitor management can also support individuals with different needs – whether that be wheelchair access, communication preferences, or additional assistance. It’s a great opportunity to show consideration and adapt where required, making the experience welcoming and inclusive for everyone.
Steps of Visitor Management
Whichever of the above categories you fall into, there are several steps that generally apply to any attempt at managing visitors. They tend to be reducible to 9 key points:
1. Pre-Arrival
Managing visitors begins before they even enter the space, especially for large-scale events or specific appointments. Visitors can sign up or confirm their details online, making their arrival more efficient, and providing enough notice of any specific requirements.
2. Welcome and Briefing
When visitors do make it, they should be warmly greeted – as simple as a ‘Hi! How can I help?’ – and given any important information such as where to go or what to expect next.
3. Signing In
Visitors should provide their details such as their name, contact details, and the purpose of their visit. The specifics will vary depending on the needs of your specific situation.
4. Identification and Access
To ensure that visitors are recognisable, it can help to ask them to wear a colour-coded lanyard and identity badge. It can also help to choose lanyards that clearly have ‘visitor’ printed on them to show who they are and, therefore, where they can access.
5. Security Checks
Depending on the location, it can be very beneficial to conduct a security screening before visitors enter the space. Especially for festivals or large public events, a respectful security check ensures a safe and enjoyable experience for everyone.
6. Reminder of Policies
If there are any specific rules visitors are required to follow, such as fire escape routes or confidentiality agreements, now is the time to give them a friendly reminder so that everything runs smoothly.
7. Creating a Positive Experience
From the moment they walk through the door to the moment they say goodbye, visitors should feel comfortable and supported.
8. Checking Out
Keeping track of when visitors leave is essential for health and safety purposes (such as in the case of a fire), as well as so you can keep track of who is in the building and when they were there for future records.
9. Handling Emergencies
Not to mention, having a clear and organised visitor management process ensures that everyone can be accounted for quickly should there be an unexpected emergency.
5 Actionable Methods For Managing Visitors
Now that you’re well equipped with what visitor management is all about, why it’s important, and the key steps involved, it’s time for the star of this post: simple and effective ways of managing visitors. Below, we explore five actionable methods you can use – plus why lanyards play a crucial role in making it all work.
1. Lanyards
Lanyards are one of the simplest yet most important tools at your disposal. With options for colour-coding, custom branding, or even eco-friendly materials, they make it instantly visible who is a student, who is a member of staff, who is a visitor, and who is not meant to be there at all. Give them to each visitor on arrival and take them back in when they leave for a visible identifier that doubles as a quick indication of capacity. Or, if brand advertising is a key goal, allow visitors to take the lanyards home with them as a practical keepsake that displays your branding loud and proud.
A practical example: In a busy venue, blue event lanyards are given out for general attendees, green for VIPs, and red for staff, making it easy for team members to manage access and tailor the guidance they offer efficiently. Additionally, the front desk has now ran out of the 500 blue lanyards they assigned to the event and are now aware that the event is at capacity.
2. Signage
Well-designed signage prevents confusion and encourages visitors to solve their own enquiries. Different prints for different purposes will have slightly different tones and content. For instance, a welcome sign may be very upbeat and simple, whereas directional arrows may be colour-coded for easy visibility.
A practical example: At a university open day, colour-coded signs that guide prospective students to subject-specific areas match the colour of their lanyards, also specific to their subject: pink for art degrees, yellow for humanities degrees, and blue for science and maths related degrees.
3. Manned Reception
The reception – whether that’s an entire room, or a singular person – is the face of your organisation. Investing in consistent staff members that are dedicated to warmly answering questions and directing visitors can provide a welcoming point of reference for visitors. Plus, as a space to address smaller concerns (think the toilet or cafeteria location), a manned reception can free up time for team members later in the visitor experience.
A practical example: In a corporate office, reception staff greet each guest, assign them the relevant identification badge, and answer any initial queries. When looking for a new room later, the visitor (having met the receptionist before) feels comfortable to enquire with them again.
4. Visitor Log
Whether a good old fashioned paper logbook or a digital system, the purpose of a visitor log remains the same: to know who has come through the doors and to have their information ready if and when it’s needed. In fact, in many situations such as visitors to schools, maintenance of a visitor log may be a requirement to ensure compliance with safeguarding guidance. A visitor log can also serve another useful purpose, especially when it comes to appointments, as it can provide a time for when the visitor arrived, therefore monitoring wait times.
A practical example: At a secondary school, visitors are required to sign it at reception, stating their purpose (such as a parent-teacher meeting or working on facilities). The log is then kept both on paper and digitally reproduced so that it can quickly be checked in case of a fire drill or other emergency.
5. Visitor Management Technology
From touchscreen sign-in kiosks to barcode check-ins, specialist technology can make visitor management much faster, easier, and more secure. Not only can it provide benefits at specific points of the visitor management system, but certain technologies – such as Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems and check-in mobile apps – can offer comprehensive solutions to cover all aspects, saving the front-of-house team time and hassle.
A practical example: On a large construction site, visitors sign in using a tablet at the site office. They are prompted to complete a health and safety form before their photo is taken and a badge is printed there and then, attached to a high-vis lanyard. Site managers receive a notification to their work mobile phone when a guest arrives, and a full digital log is accessible for future reference.
Wrapping Up: Managing Visitors
So, there we have it. Managing visitors is all about balance. Whether you’re greeting a parent at reception, signing in a contractor, or hosting hundreds at a professional conference, well-thought-out processes can make a world of difference.
And lanyards? We might be a touch biased, but they just might be the simplest and most effective tool you never knew you needed. You can learn all about them in our other blog posts. Plus, if you’re reviewing your current setup, our range of lanyards and accessories are designed to make managing visitors easier – whatever your environment.