Visitor management systems are increasingly integral to comprehensive security strategies, aiding organisations in regulating facility access and maintaining visitor logs efficiently.
These systems also enhance visitor experiences by streamlining check-ins and minimising the administrative workload at front desks. Traditionally, managing visitors often involved manual logging by receptionists, diverting valuable resources from core business tasks. Transitioning to an automated visitor management system poses significant challenges, especially when aligning with existing infrastructure.
Streamlined appointment management
Modern visitor management solutions centralise and automate key processes, such as pre-registering visitors, issuing QR codes or mobile credentials for building access, and notifying hosts upon guest arrivals.
Everon recently assisted a prominent lawn care provider with over 10,000 employees across North America in upgrading their visitor management system. The company's move to a new headquarters necessitated a shift from manual logs to a more effective appointment tracking method.
Enhancing the workplace experience
Sharry provides highly customisable visitor management solutions to meet the specific needs of clients
Everon's collaboration with Sharry, a cloud-based platform offering smart access and workplace management solutions, facilitated this transition.
Sharry provides highly customisable visitor management solutions to meet the specific needs of clients, allowing for secure automation of reception area operations without requiring on-site staff. The lawn care client emphasised a preference against mandating app downloads for visitors, prompting Sharry to utilise the client's existing hardware like iPads to avoid further hardware investments.
Efficient and secure visitor access
The Sharry system simplifies visitor check-ins by sending guest passes via email after appointments are confirmed. These emails feature meeting details, directions, and a QR code for temporary access credentials. Visitors utilise these QR codes to access the building, integrating seamlessly with the client's pre-existing Brivo access control system. Hosts receive immediate notifications once guests arrive.
Guest management and additional features
For unregistered visitors, a self-service kiosk app provides a convenient check-in option, verifying identities and notifying hosts of their guests' arrival.
Sharry's system offers additional features such as automated parking, visitor ID scanning, and visitor agreement management, although these were not implemented in the current project. The system's white-label capabilities allow it to maintain consistent client branding throughout, enhancing professional interactions from invitation to visit completion.
Analytics and brand integration
The deployed solution includes an Insights analytics tool that tracks visitor flow
The deployed solution includes an Insights analytics tool that tracks visitor flow, identifies peak periods, and forecasts future visits, generating reports that inform management decisions.
The project required integration with an existing Brivo access control system, ensuring cohesive operation. "The Sharry team were ready to jump in and help at any time to provide a seamless experience," said Richard Kensky, Project Manager at Everon, emphasising the successful collaboration between Sharry and Everon technicians.
Adapting to evolving needs
"Although this was not a typical use case for our integrated visitor management system, the project confirmed the flexibility and robustness of our system to adapt to the evolving needs of enterprise clients and office buildings," stated Michal Čeřovský, COO and co-founder at Sharry.
The effective cooperation with Everon enabled the implementation of the system within just three weeks, highlighting its efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and support of the client's security and compliance goals. This project underscored the advancements in modern access control technology.
Visitor management systems can be an important component of a comprehensive security program and may help organisations manage facility access and visitor tracking as part of their overall security strategy. They also play an important role in delivering a seamless visitor experience and optimising front desk operations by streamlining check-ins and reducing administrative burdens.
Many organisations have visitor management procedures in place that require a receptionist or other employee to keep written logs or manually check in visitors, which takes time and resources away from the day-to-day business. Implementing visitor management systems can be a major task for organisations – and finding a solution that can integrate with existing systems is vital.
Keeping track of appointments
Visitor management systems allow a business to centralise and automate their visitor-related processes including pre-registering guests, providing QR code or mobile credentials for building access and check-in, and notifying hosts automatically when guests arrive.
Everon was approached by a long-standing customer in the professional lawn care industry, with over 10,000 employees in locations across North America, to upgrade their visitor management system. The customer relocated to new headquarters and sought to upgrade from written logs to a more efficient means of keeping track of appointments.
Workplace experience platform
Everon worked closely with Sharry, a cloud-based smart access and workplace experience platform that provides workplace managers and security teams with reliable, easy-to-deploy access control solutions.
Sharry offers a highly customisable visitor management solution that can be tailored to each client’s specific requirements. In this case, the client was looking for a way to ensure an automated yet secure operation of their new reception area without the need for on-site front desk staff.
Temporary access credential
The customer was clear in their request that they did not want visitors to download an extra app to check in to the facility, so Sharry provided software that the customer could use on their existing compatible hardware such as iPad tablets – eliminating the need for large purchases of additional hardware.
The Sharry system is designed to provide visitors with an efficient check-in process. Once an appointment is confirmed, the host can send a standard calendar invitation via Outlook, while the Sharry system automatically issues a guest pass email to the visitor. This email includes meeting details, directions to the facility, and a QR code that serves as a temporary access credential. Upon arrival in the lobby, the visitor can use the QR code to unlock the doors, as the system is fully integrated with the customer’s existing Brivo access control infrastructure. The host is then notified in real time that their guest has arrived.
Additional features for consideration
For walk-in guests without prior registration, a self-service kiosk app on a tablet at the reception is available for a smooth check-in. The system automatically verifies each guest against a do-not-admit list and simultaneously notifies the host that a visitor has arrived to see them. The host is then responsible for escorting the guest from the lobby.
While not utilised in this particular deployment, Sharry’s robust visitor management system offers a wide array of additional features for consideration, such as automated parking reservations for guests, visitor ID scanning, or the management of visitor agreements.
Reinforcing brand consistency
Since Sharry visitor management is delivered as a white-labeled solution, it fully incorporates the customer’s brand identity across various outputs and touchpoints. Guest pass emails are not sent under the Sharry name but are instead issued on behalf of the client, reinforcing brand consistency. Similarly, the kiosk app reflects the client’s branding, contributing to a cohesive and professional visitor experience from the moment a guest is invited to a meeting.
The delivered solution also includes the Insights analytics tool, offering a clear view of visitor flow by identifying peak days and times and forecasting visits for the coming times. It can automatically generate and send data reports to support management decisions.
Separate access control system
This project was unique – the customer had already worked with Everon in implementing a separate access control system, Brivo, before the inclusion and integration of the Sharry system. Support from both the Brivo and Sharry teams were excellent, working closely with Everon technicians to ensure that the integration process went smoothly.
“The Sharry team were ready to jump in and help at any time to provide a seamless experience,” said Richard Kensky, Project Manager at Everon, “Considering that the customer had not worked with the technology of this kind before, it was important that both teams were hands on every step of the way.”
Integrated visitor management system
“Although this was not a typical use case for our integrated visitor management system, the project confirmed the flexibility and robustness of our system to adapt to the evolving needs of enterprise clients and office buildings,” said Michal Čeřovský, COO and co-founder at Sharry.
“Thanks to smooth cooperation with Everon and their hands-on approach as a trusted partner for the client, the implementation of the integrated solution—from kickoff to full deployment—was completed in just three weeks.”
The implemented visitor management solution demonstrated strong capabilities in deployment speed, cost management, and access control features, while supporting the client's security, efficiency, and compliance objectives. Modern access control technology has never been more convenient.
