Are You Still Using Pen and Paper for Visitor Management?

The graduation caps are being thrown into the air and that means parties are happening all over. For gated, guarded, and manned communities and condo high-rises, party season poses a problem, especially for HOAs and PMCs still relying on paper and pen for visitor management. 

“Many communities today are still manually recording guest entries,said Judy Jensen, Head of FRONTSTEPS Security Product. “This system leaves community leaders with weak guest entry records among other inefficiencies./blockquote>

Here’s a typical scenario. A resident is having a party and runs a sticky note down to the concierge with a list of guest names. The concierge enters in what little information she’s given and crosses her fingers that she read the name right was it Laurel or Yanny? #handwriting. Similarly, for guarded communities, when a resident swings by the gatehouse or phones the staff with guest requests, valuable time is wasted entering in necessary guest information.

“Residents have the best intentions when it comes to guest entry and visitor management, but unfortunately, there’s a lot more that’s required on the part of the guard staff,added Jensen. 

Consider what happens when a security breach or incident occurs. Staff need to pull detailed forensic reports on who has entered into the community, when, how many times, and who they visited. In this case, pen and paper records are wildly ineffective and time is of the essence. As the mother of two teen daughters, knowing who is coming in and out of my neighborhood is pretty important. 

Additionally, when staff can quickly glance at a week or month view schedule of visitors, planning for busy, high traffic times is easier and more efficient.

Security is complicated and requires many moving parts. Interested in learning more about how to keep your community safe? Download our checklist, 7 Tips to Properly Secure Your Community.