Blog

VISITOR MANAGEMENT!

Key Link has proven to be a hugely practical solution for guest or visitor access. However, that alone is not yet a full, proper visitor management system. Yes, it can suffice for a small number of visits in a less formal environment, but it’s not enough to call it proper visitor management system (VMS).

Due to its disctinct and much more diverse feature set, VMS is normally seen as a separate solution and not an integral part of an access control solution. However, after doing some research, we have decided to do just that, develop VMS inside Door Cloud. We have realized that there is a great potential in Key Link as a primary access control method for visitors because it is purely mobile-based and does not require cards or special (or any) readers. Nonetheless, it provides very tight, seamless integration with access control. So our first VMS incarnation focuses exactly on that – doing visitor access control using Key Link.

We will add support for visitor badges a bit later, when there is enough feedback from pure Key Link use.

HOW WE DO IT

We did not attempt to cover every feature required by every user. If nothing else, that would be very hard to achieve. Instead, we have identified use cases which to us, seem to be the best match for Door Cloud. At the same time, we expect these use cases to be the quite common. Here they are:

• By Invitation – The resident user (the “host”) initiates the visit by sending an email invitation to the visitor. The visitor confirms by providing necessary information online. The host or security officer checks and confirms once more by sending the Key Link programmed for a certain time and set of doors. The visitor comes and checks in automatically at the first door or at the reception desk. Upon departing, they check out at the reception desk or automatically at a designated door.
• Ad-hoc – The visitor appears at the reception desk without prior invitation or announcement. The receptionist collects and checks the information and the visitor’s identity, verifies the availability of the host, and initiates the visit. The receptionist may or may not issue Key Link, depending on the access control regime. Upon departing, the visitor checks out at the reception desk.

WAYS TO USE IT

Although the VMS is built-in, that does not mean that Door Cloud users are locked into using it. Door Cloud can be still integrated with any other VMS. Vice versa is also possible: Door Cloud VMS can be integrated with 3rd party access control systems.

In addition to that, Door Cloud VMS can be used stand-alone, without access control. Two such use cases are well known:

• sites that keep certain spaces open for visitors, yet they still want to keep visits on record
• sites that escort visitors around, their hosts open doors for them

So there are plenty of ways to use our brand new VMS. From this point on, it all depends on user feedback, so we are very much looking forward to it!