3x Faster Customer Service Through a Contactless Digital Reception by Vodafone

Background and Challenge Story

Vodafone’s headquarters received numerous visitors every day and required them to sign-in before entry. The sign-in process was old-fashioned and paper-based, where the receptionist needed to manually validate the filled-in information and notify the host that their visitor had arrived.

Vodafone wanted to digitalize the sign-in process in order to free up the receptionist’s time and make the guests’ sign-in experience efficient and comfortable. They also wanted to improve building security and automate tracking and monitoring of visitors.

Why Zelusit?

Vodafone was looking for partner that would not only develop and deploy the solution for them but would also be able to suggest innovative enhancement and provide ongoing support. Zelusit had done extensive work in the telecom industry and, due to our reputation for delivering successful solutions, we were selected to drive this project.

Zelusit’s Solution: Contactless Digital Reception

Zelusit’s experts started by understanding Vodafone’s expectations and the technical requirements imposed by their IT department. We then analyzed this information and created a solution roadmap and workflows. Next, we developed the solution, designed additional connectors, configured and customized the user interface to suit the client’s needs. The solution was then rolled out, and our team continued to monitor usage and performance and provided ongoing support for bug fixes and solution enhancement.

Zelusit designed a digital reception solution that allows users to self-register their information and directly notifies the host of their arrival. Visitors can sign-in digitally via an iPad at the reception by entering their name, phone number, email address, and name of the person they are visiting. The visitor then gets QR access codes delivered straight to their mobile device and can conveniently access the company Wi-Fi during their visit.

The solution has a log of all the employees in its database and instantly notifies the host about their guest’s arrival through email. The digital reception also includes a mobile app extension to send push notifications to the hosts about their visitors.

The easy-to-use tablet-based app has several in-built functionalities to enhance the visitors’ experience and automate some of the receptionist’s tasks:

• Data validation – This serves as the first line of validation and ensures that visitors are entering information in a valid, standard format, such as an email address and phone number.
• Registration – It allows visitors to register securely, notifies the hosts, and keeps a log for administrators to track and monitor visitors to the building.
• QR code and Wi-Fi connection – This convenient feature delivers building access codes to the visitor’s mobile phone and allows them to use the company’s Wi-Fi while they wait.
• User authentication – For the purpose of data security, the solution has different levels of authentication for visitors and administrators, so that the admins can view the log while visitors can only access the entry form.
• Parameter customization – The organization can decide what visitor information they want to collect (e.g. name, email address, phone number, company name, etc.) and customize the form as needed.

Impact

• 0 paper-based check-in process
• 3x faster customer service
• No need of handwritten logs

The application is currently in use at the Vodafone HQ, which has over 3000 employees and sees hundreds of visitors each day. It replaced the manual paper-based check-in process that necessitated the receptionist’s involvement with a contactless, convenient digital solution.

• Increased Productivity

The solution allows the receptionist to work on other tasks, while keeping track of the visitor log. The receptionist no longer needs to manually call or notify employees about their visitors, since the application instantly informs them of their visitors’ arrival via email and push notifications.

• Enhanced Visitor Experience

The digital sign-in process is faster and more convenient for the visitors, compared to its paper-based predecessor. Vodafone has also been able to enhance visitor experience by automating access code delivery and offering visitors the convenience of using the company’s Wi-Fi during their visit.

• Data validation and consistency

The digital reception has in-built data validation checks, which ensures that visitor information is being filled in correctly in a standard format. This is a significant improvement over handwritten logs that were occasionally incomplete, inconsistent, and hard to read.

• Ecofriendly

The process also reduced paper consumption at the Vodafone reception, helping the organization with its environmental sustainability goals.

• Privacy and Security

The digital visitor log can only be accessed by authorized admin personnel, alleviating security and data privacy concerns associated with paper logs (where visitors could easily see the details written down by prior guests).

• Multi-language Support

The solution supports 15 different languages, making the sign-in process convenient and welcoming for foreign and non-English speaking visitors.

• Internal Directory

The application also includes an employee contact feature which allows internal personnel to find their colleagues’ basic contact information quickly and easily.

The digital reception solution has been in use at Vodafone since 2018, and continues to deliver a seamless visitor experience, while increasing productivity of the reception staff. During the present COVID-19 pandemic, this solution can enhance the organization’s social distancing and contact-tracing initiatives by making the registration process contactless and keeping meticulous records of visitors, their contact details, who they visited, and the duration of their visit.

The solution can also be scaled to include add-on features, such as tracking meeting room and visitor car parking availability, which will serve to further enhance visitor experience.