FRONT OF HOUSE
combining them with personal interactions that support service providers will be able to deliver maximum value for their customers.
NEW TECHNOLOGIES Like many areas of our lives, the
world of front of house is in the midst of a digital revolution. We are seeing a variety of new and exciting technologies coming to the fore that have the potential to change not only how front of house services are delivered, but how they interact with other aspects of the workplace too.
The technology shaping front of house experiences in the UK remains mostly focused around automatic visitor entrance and registration systems, such as facial recognition and fingerprint scanning software. No longer the preserve of police forces, they are increasingly being considered for use in commercial offices to improve security and process visitors more quickly. The use of fingerprint scanners, for example, allows occupiers and security teams to track the movements of a building’s users automatically and provide levels of access tailored to specific individuals. Such a system also significantly reduces the risk of security breaches through loss or theft of ID cards, as well as minimising carbon footprint by reducing the use of paper and plastic documentation.
These systems are still in their infancy and are by no means perfect. Commercial fingerprint scanners with a sensor area large enough to function reliably for a high number of visitors are prohibitively expensive, and will continue to be so until commercial use becomes more widespread.
In addition, these automated systems hold a huge amount of personal information, all of which needs to be protected. Recent cyber attacks have made us more alert as a society to the threat of breaches and many service providers have already put security protocols in place. This is a good start but data protection procedures will need to be continually reassessed and updated to withstand the growing sophistication of attacks.
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Support service providers and their customers will also need to keep in mind the additional training required to ensure the smooth functioning of these technologies. Front of house employees have always fulfilled an IT troubleshooting role, the first port of call for any meeting room malfunctions or general computer problems. Their understanding of technology will have to keep up with the increasing complexity of these new systems.
“THE USE OF FINGERPRINT
SCANNERS ALLOWS OCCUPIERS AND
SECURITY TEAMS TO TRACK BUILDING’S
USERS AUTOMATICALLY.”
resource for understanding a building and its users, and tailoring services to suit. Knowing that frequent guest, Mr Smith, always travels in on a long haul flight can help direct the focus of employees upon his arrival, offering him the use of washroom facilities or arranging his onward travel. Likewise, if database information shows that one quarter of employees on the second floor travel in by bike each morning, front of house teams can use this knowledge to make a business case for the introduction of cycle clinics for the building or that particular floor.
Owners, occupiers and service providers also need to make the right decision about which technologies to invest in. For buildings with a smaller number of users and guests, for example, installing automated fingerprint software may not offer the best return on investment. In these environments, simpler devices such as tablets may prove more cost-effective, allowing front of house employees to step out from behind their desks to personally greet visitors and guide them to where they need to be.
AN INTELLIGENT UNLOCKING THE
POTENTIAL When it comes to delivering an upgraded service for customers, front of house providers need to remember that simply installing new technologies is not enough. Human interaction remains a vital component of a good front of house experience. The real value of these new systems lies in being able to use them to free up employees to deliver a more personal, concierge-style service for occupiers and visitors.
The data held by visitor management systems does pose a security challenge, but it is also an important
SOLUTION Building occupiers and owners now have a much better appreciation of the impact a well-managed entrance space can have on their business and their bottom line. Rising corporate rents mean commercial occupiers need all aspects of a building to work harder than ever before. The need is particularly acute in London, where commercial property rents have rocketed by 70% since 2011, according to research by EY.
Technology is helping front of house teams to deliver more for their customers, making the provision of basic tasks quicker and easier. However, like any innovation its real value can only be unlocked if used intelligently by service providers; freeing up employees to deliver more complex services cost-effectively, and provide a more tailored and personal experience for guests and employees.
www.interserve.com TOMORROW’S FM | 39
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