Physical Security Starts at the Front Door

European businesses have spent years strengthening their cybersecurity. Firewalls, multi-factor authentication and employee security awareness training have become standard practice.

But what about physical security?

Even with strong digital protection, people still enter company premises through the front door, a delivery entrance or the reception area.

How do you keep track of who is entering your building, why they are there and where they are allowed to go? Visitor management can be a natural part of the answer.

Physical security has moved up the agenda

Given the current security situation, physical security is getting more attention in many parts of Europe, not least in the defence industry and critical infrastructure.

In July, Germany's domestic intelligence service urged companies in the defence and security sectors to strengthen both cybersecurity and physical security. In September, the Danish Security and Intelligence Service (PET) advised defence companies and suppliers of support to Ukraine not to wait to be contacted, but to assess their own security now.

These warnings are aimed first and foremost at specific sectors, and PET is clear that the message is not that businesses should be afraid. But they are a useful reminder that security is not only digital, and a good reason for any organisation to look at how people enter its premises.

Many organisations outside these sectors also hold valuable information, technology or access to sensitive facilities.

Smaller companies are often part of larger supply chains, so good security procedures matter for them too.

Why physical security matters

Security incidents do not only happen online.

Someone with access to company premises may be able to view confidential information on screens or whiteboards, photograph documents or learn about the building's layout and daily routines.

Not every visitor represents a security risk. But without consistent procedures, it can be difficult to know who has entered, who is responsible for them and whether they have been informed of the relevant security requirements.

That is why visitor management should be part of an organisation's overall security procedures.

If your organisation is covered by NIS2 or CER, read why visitor registration is an often overlooked part of security.

Three questions every organisation should be able to answer

1. Who is in the building right now?

During a fire or another emergency, it is important to know which visitors are registered as being on-site.

An up-to-date visitor overview provides valuable information for evacuation procedures and emergency response.

2. Who invited them, and where are they allowed to go?

Every visitor should have an identified host or responsible contact person.

Visitors should also be informed of the rules that apply during their visit, including any restrictions on access to sensitive areas.

Clear responsibilities and consistent procedures help protect both the organisation and its visitors.

3. Can you document the visit afterwards?

Following a security incident or during an audit, organisations may need to establish who visited their premises, when the visit took place and which security policies were accepted.

Without reliable visitor records, answering these questions can be difficult.

Some organisations still rely on paper visitor logs. Others operate several locations or reception areas that are not always staffed.

This can make consistent registration and documentation challenging.

How digital Visitor Management makes a difference

A digital visitor management system turns visitor registration into a consistent, documented process.

These features in BmyGuest Visitor Management have a direct impact on your physical security:

• Set the rules before visitors enter. Access requirements, security rules or a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) can be presented at check-in, and visitors must accept them before they can enter. You keep a log of what each visitor has accepted.
• Connect your other systems. Visitor registration can work together with your other systems, such as access control and Wi-Fi. Visitors can get a digital key that opens a locked door, so they can wait in the lobby until their host collects them, and their Wi-Fi access can expire automatically when the visit ends.
• Give each type of visitor the right process. Guests, vendors, job candidates, technicians and couriers can each have their own check-in flow, with the questions and instructions that apply to them.
• Make visitors easy to recognise. A personal guest badge with the visitor's name and your logo can be printed at check-in.
• Be ready for an emergency. See which visitors are registered on-site, and with one click send clear, predefined evacuation instructions to employees and visitors by SMS and email.
• Look back at any visit. The visitor history shows who visited, when, who their host was and which policies they accepted, for each location or across all locations.

The same procedures can be applied across entrances and locations, regardless of whether the reception is staffed. That also goes for shared receptions, and visitor registration can be managed centrally across the organisation.

Visitor data is encrypted and stored on servers within the EU, supporting organisations in their work with GDPR and data protection.

Read about all the other features, such as pre-registration, host notification, and guest parking, on our features page.

Security and a welcoming experience can go hand in hand

Physical security does not have to mean turning your workplace into a fortress.

It starts with knowing who enters your premises, who is responsible for each visitor and which rules apply.

By making visitor registration a natural part of everyday security procedures, organisations gain better visibility, clearer responsibilities and reliable documentation.

At the same time, visitors benefit from a simple and professional check-in experience.

Good security and a welcoming visitor experience do not have to be opposites.

Is your visitor management part of your security strategy?

Discover how BmyGuest Visitor Management can help your organisation strengthen visitor procedures, improve documentation and create a safer, more welcoming workplace.

Contact us for a demonstration of BmyGuest Visitor Management.