You are visiting an office building for a client meeting. Folio in hand, dressed up and ready to work. When you arrive to the building, there is a shared iPad waiting for you to sign in. You are hesitant to touch it, especially given COVID-19 and the focus on the elimination of germs.

It is normal to see an iPad, or some sort of touchpoint visitor management system in a busy office building. The system is typically implemented as a security measure to keep track of who is coming in and out. However, touchpoint methods present problems and can be unhygienic, unsecure and inconvenient. Biometric technology can help change that.

What are the challenges with touchpoint technology?

There are a few challenges when it comes to current visitor management systems that use touchpoint technology. The first challenge is that they are unhygienic—in fact, 80% of consumers believe that touchscreens are unhygienic. In the wake of COVID-19, many people are hesitant to touch shared screens. Germs are transmitted onto the shared surface of a touchscreen when used by one user, potentially exposing subsequent users to viruses (including COVID-19).

Additionally, some touchscreen devices are unsecure and can lead to fraud. When visitors sign-in, there is a possibility that someone could enter information under a false identity to gain access to that building. This person could be dangerous, cause harm to others in the building, and even gain access or release private company information.

The next challenge is that current touchpoint devices are often inconvenient. Unfamiliar interfaces increase the potential for long lines. When going to a building, the sign-in process should be quick so that a visitor or employee can be on their way. If touchscreen interfaces are not easy to follow, the person may need to stay at the touchscreen for a prolonged period of time. The resulting long lines can hold up the process causing unnecessary delays for visitors or employees and increasing the crowd size in the lobby.

Biometric technology could be the touchless solution to these challenges.

What is touchless technology?

Touchless technology applications have been on the rise in recent years, especially due to the pandemic. So, what is it? Industry Analysts define it as “any device that you can use or operate without needing to touch it.”

Some examples of this technology are motion-sensing technology and Bluetooth. Biometric technology can also be used as a touchless solution. An example of motion-sensing technology can be found in devices like soap and sanitizer dispensers. The device detects the motion of placing a hand under the device and in turn dispenses the soap or sanitizer.

Another example is when an employee uses Bluetooth technology to access their office building. A number of applications available for smartphones use Bluetooth to communicate with a sensor at the door. Once there is motion in front of the sensor, the sensor sends a Bluetooth signal, which is then returned by the mobile application and the door unlocks.

Lastly, biometric technology is another type of touchless technology suitable for an access management solution. For example, facial verification can be used to gain access to a building by reading the unique characteristics of a face and comparing it to a database of whitelisted images.

Biometrics is the solution for touchless access management

Facial authentication can be the solution to challenges with traditional access management by eliminating the need for physical touchpoints. By using a device with integrated biometric technology, a visitor or employee only needs to use their face to gain access. By enrolling on their personal device once, prior to entering the building, the only action required upon arrival is to position their face in front of the camera—thus eliminating touchpoints altogether. Each subsequent visit then only requires positioning their face in front of the camera.

There are benefits to eliminating the touchpoint and implementing biometrics, including increased hygiene, security and convenience.

Increased hygiene

Facial authentication can remove the risk of picking up germs due to shared touchpoints.

Security

Since biometrics rely on something that someone is, rather than something that someone has, there is no longer a risk of unauthorized access due to theft.

Convenience

Facial authentication is as easy and convenient as taking a selfie.

Biometrics and touchless access management are a great match

When visiting an office building, visitors and employees are usually required to sign-in with an access management system, which involves touchpoints such as an iPad. A shared touchscreen device can cause problems by being unhygienic, unsecure, and have difficult user interfaces. Touchless visitor access management with biometrics can help eliminate these problems by increasing hygiene, and being highly secure and convenient. It is an easy and secure way to identify visitors and employees, while eliminating various touchpoints and improving overall safety.

So, back to the scenario from the beginning of this post: You are no longer hesitant about signing into the building with the iPad, because you know the building’s new system is a touchless biometric solution. It’s time to be on your way and knock that meeting out of the park.

If you want to learn about Knomi, our touchless visitor management solution for your workplace, please visit our webpage or contact us.