App-based sign-in solutions may seem like a compelling proposition, but they fall down in several key areas. Here’s why a dedicated hardware and software solution is much more secure and user-friendly than app-based sign-in solutions could ever be!
Don’t get us wrong, we can see why standalone sign-in applications can be a compelling proposition for many organisations. They’re relatively affordable and run on the hardware you may already have around your premises, but they come with a number of downsides and outright risks.
From security to diagnosing and fixing problems and more, let’s take a look at some of the reasons why we don’t recommend an app-based solution for visitor management and sign-in.
1. Security risks are more prevalent
One of the major risks with app-based sign-in solutions is that, while the applications themselves may be secure, the third party hardware they run on may not be. The primary risk here is that the hardware you use to run your sign-in application ceases to be supported by the original manufacturer. If this happens, there’s a significant possibility that the hardware is now open to security vulnerabilities.
A dedicated sign-in solution which combines hardware and software is designed with security as a priority first and foremost and will always be kept up to date.
2. Customer support isn’t as comprehensive
Again, a sign-in solution which is app-based does not offer the same level of customer support that you receive with a purpose-built sign-in system. If your sign-in system provider doesn’t know the hardware and software inside out it’s likely that they won’t be able to accurately diagnose and issues you may be having.
With an integrated hardware and software solution, you can be sure that you’ll receive support for hardware and software together. Not only that, but an integrated solution is designed so that both hardware and software run seamlessly together, mitigating many of the issues that come with app-based solutions.
3. The hardware is not purpose-built and is much less durable
A huge disadvantage with app-based sign-in solutions is that they tend to rely on consumer-grade hardware to run on. While this can be an appealing proposition, the disadvantages will become obvious over time. Consumer-grade technology is – as the name implies – intended for typical day-to-day use by individuals as opposed to constant operation by potentially hundreds of people each day.
With a purpose-built sign-in solution, you’ll benefit from industrial-grade hardware that’s built to last and designed to be used 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
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Want to discover why an iPad-based visitor management and sign-in solution just isn’t up to scratch? Check out our blog post on 6 Reasons You Shouldn’t Use an iPad Visitor Registration System
4. Integration with other hardware and software can be lacking
We hear from customers all the time that an essential feature of a visitor management and sign-in system is the ability to integrate with systems – both hardware and software – that they already use.
A great example of this is a school that wants to pair its existing access control technology with their sign-in system. Because most app-based sign-in solutions are designed to run on consumer-grade hardware, they often do not allow for this type of integration.
With purpose-built sign-in hardware, this functionality is already built right into the system. In the case that a system needs to pair with other forms of access control technology, this can easily be hot-swapped.
5. Diagnosing and fixing problems is much more difficult
One of the most prominent issues with using a sign-in system in conjunction with a third-party piece of hardware is diagnosing problems. This ties into the issue of software being provided by one supplier and hardware by another.
By picking a made-for-purpose sign-in solution that combines hardware and software you can be sure that every aspect of your sign-in solution has been designed with the purpose of working together seamlessly.
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We hope this post has convinced you of the benefits of picking a sign-in system that’s built for purpose as opposed to an application loaded onto consumer-grade hardware. If you would like to learn more about our dedicated, purpose-built sign-in solution, get in touch with a member of our expert team on +44 (0) 191 341 0016 or using our contact page!