Midlands Entrepreneurs Launch Smart Entrance Technology Solution
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Read Full ArticleVpod is helping Vodafone to manage foot traffic across its estates, and the people behind this visitor management system will be joining ThisWeekinFM at RE:Connect, by Unissu this January.
After deploying Vpod’s Vgreet visitor management system, Vodafone can now automate the visitor management process, enabling their reception teams to become hosts and focus more on the visitor themselves and not the process.
Sam Farrant from Vpod Solutions, Simon Cohen from Condeco and Sherry Nematalla from Vodafone shared their thoughts on what the future of the workplace holds at 2021's RE:Connect event:
“We were immediately able to add an interactive questionnaire, asking about recent travel and symptoms, which meant any visitor presenting a potential risk could easily be identified, automatically notifying Vodafone’s security teams discreetly. In addition, Vgreet’s video capabilities were further leveraged so that reception teams could provide assistance face-to-face, without having to physically man a reception desk or entrance area.”
–Sam Farrant
Managing Director, Vpod
When Vodafone needed a way to enhance its visitor experience and better manage high footfall across its London and Newbury estates, it looked to streamline its visitor management.
“This is a very large building with nine floors, of which Vodafone occupies five,” says Maria Lambourne, Senior PA at Vodafone group.
“Sometimes you’d arrive, and there would already be a long line of people waiting to be registered. With the Vgreet, visitors come in, scan their code and they’re done; their host is notified and can come straight down to meet them. It just saves so much time in what is a very busy building.”
“The Vgreet provided a modern digital solution for a traditional reception service,” agrees Craig Login, Property Contract Manager at Vodafone UK.
“This solution improved the customer journey, helping to make it as frictionless as possible from check-in to host arrival.”
Being a large corporation with a high footfall, Vodafone is used to having multinational visitors. So, when the coronavirus situation began, Vodafone asked Vpod to implement a screening process to protect their staff and reduce risk.
“Vodafone was incredibly fast in recognising the importance of not only screening its visitors, but also being able to distance its reception teams from personal contact,” says Vpod Managing Director Sam Farrant.
“Vodafone’s facilities supplier and Vpod partner Mitie reached out to us, asking how Vgreet could quickly enable new processes and policies to help with the potential outbreak.
“We were immediately able to add an interactive questionnaire, asking about recent travel and symptoms, which meant any visitor presenting a potential risk could easily be identified, automatically notifying Vodafone’s security teams discreetly. In addition, Vgreet’s video capabilities were further leveraged so that reception teams could provide assistance face-to-face, without having to physically man a reception desk or entrance area.”
Picture: The Vgreet system in action
As the pandemic unfolded, further changes were implemented remotely to Vodafone’s Vgreets across all locations, so the company could rapidly update its screening process as official health and safety advice altered.
“Vpod acted very quickly to update our estate with screening and social distancing policies via its Vgreet visitor management system,” says Syreeta Stephenson, Mitie’s National Account Manager for Vodafone.
“This allowed us to keep working, but more importantly, gave us total control of who entered our offices, thus allowing us to protect our frontline staff.
“With constant remote updates also available, we can rapidly adapt our systems to reflect changing criteria as the situation evolves.
“Ultimately, we see Vgreet, and its visitor screening ability, as an integral part of our health and safety policy going forward, both during these difficult times and beyond.”
“Vpod were very pleased that we could help both Mitie and Vodafone react immediately and appropriately to the COVID-19 emergency, and also provide ongoing updates and solutions quickly and remotely so they experienced minimal disruption but could still ensure effective screening at their busy buildings,” says Sam Farrant.
“More and more companies are beginning to seriously think about the ‘contactless check-in’, not just in terms of the benefits it provides in speed and efficiency, but also in regard to health and safety.
“Vgreet is proving to be a very effective first line of defence in this crisis, and with further technologies such as facial recognition and thermo-imaging coming online, we really believe it’s a future-proof solution, whatever the post-pandemic landscape looks like.”
Picture: Vgreet at Vodafone
Article written by Ella Tansley | Published 23 December 2020
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