In the wake of COVID-19 everyone is hyperaware of the spread of germs through shared touchpoints. In the UK one of the first steps on this journey was people abandoning the traditional handshake, later on the contactless card payment limit was increased from £30 to £45 to avoid the need to touch surfaces.
Many schools and businesses have installed touchscreen based visitor management systems in their receptions. The user-friendly touchscreen interface is a great way to check visitors into your building BUT obviously having people from many different places all touching the same surface is problematic when trying to stop the spread of COVID. Increased hygiene is one option, where hand sanitisation points are made available in the reception area and the screens are regularly cleaned. However, a more popular solution is the adoption of contactless visitor check-in technology.
How it works
A contactless Visitor Management system can use the visitor’s own phone to check-in and out without them having to download a supporting app. The visitor is given a URL or QR code which accesses check-in webpages on their phone. This can be done upon arrival via the visitor reception screen or in advance of the visit via an email.
By using a QR code you can direct the visitor to a one-time link, which, once visited, changes to a new link/QR code for the next visitor. This ensures that visitors must be physically present in order to sign in as a link cannot be re-used or shared. Alternatively, if there’s a concern that your visitor might not be familiar with QR codes, they can link to a generic check-in web page to enter their details. Upon submitting their details the website on their phone displays a QR code, which the visitor can then show to the customer-facing tablet. The tablet scans the code and confirms the visitor is physically present.
Using either of these implementations, the visitor’s smartphone replicates the visitor touchscreen check-in experience, including ID pass print, any important visitor information, health screening questionnaires or even a video. Any data they input will upload back to the central visitor database for a realtime view of which employees, guests, contractors, or vendors are in your building.
Using this contactless system, visitors and staff can sign in and out electronically in a safe and efficient way which fulfils contact tracing requirements. Going contactless also communicates that your business or school is proactively taking measures to keep visitors and staff safe during the COVID global health crisis.
