Visitor management used to consist of a paper logbook at the reception desk. While this is still the case for many, particularly smaller facilities, more and more end users are entering the digital age when it comes to their visitors.

“More end users are looking to automate,” says Rick Focke, senior product manager, access control, building technologies and solutions, Johnson Controls, Westford, Mass. “There is more of a self-service mentality. It comes down to cost. They want to trim budgets while maintaining a good visitor experience, consolidate reception areas and do more things ahead of time. There may still be a person there, but there used to be three.”