When it comes to managing visitors in your workplace, the question of cost often arises. Do you stick with the traditional paper sign-in book or switch to a more modern and efficient visitor management system like Teamgo? Let’s break down the costs and consider why making the switch might save you more than just dollars.
The Cost Breakdown
Teamgo Essential Plan:
At just $49/month (AUD) with a 20% discount if paid annually, Teamgo’s Essential Plan offers a comprehensive visitor management system that includes:
- Unlimited visitors
- 50 employees
- Unlimited sign-in points, QR codes, and records
- Visitor photos and custom workflows
- Pre-registration and emergency messaging
- Temperature checks and badge printing
- Time and attendance reports
- Email notifications and Teamgo Pass app
And much more.
Annual cost with a discount: $470.40.
Paper Sign-In Book:
A visitor register book from Officeworks costs $259, covering 250 visitors. Refills are $89 for another 250 entries.
If your workplace receives around 1,000 visitors a year, that’s already $515 in just visitor books alone.
Here’s a table comparing the costs and features of Teamgo Visitor Management and the Paper Sign-In Book:
| Feature | Teamgo Visitor Management (Essential Plan) | Paper Sign-In Book |
|---|---|---|
| Cost (Annual) | $470.40 (with 20% discount) | $515 (based on 1,000 visitors per year) |
| Visitors | Unlimited | 250 per book, $89 per 250 refill |
| Employees | 50 | N/A |
| Sign-In Points | Unlimited | 1 (per physical book) |
| QR Codes | Unlimited | Not available |
| Visitor Photos | Yes | Not available |
| Custom Visitor Workflows | Yes | Not available |
| Pre-Registration | Yes | Not available |
| Multi-Factor Authentication | Yes | Not available |
| Historical Visitor Data | Add, retrieve instantly | Difficult to retrieve, handwriting issues |
| Data Management Tools | Yes | Manual, prone to errors |
| Emergency Messaging | Yes (instant alerts to all visitors) | Manual (calling or texting visitors individually) |
| Temperature Check | Yes | Not available |
| Visitor Badge Printing | Yes (visitor and employee badges) | Manual printing, if needed |
| Notifications | Email, Teamgo Pass app | None |
| Employee Sign-In | Yes (time and attendance reports) | Not available |
| Support | Online, email chat, help videos | None |
| Security | High (with digital records, photos, authentication) | Low (easily accessible paper records) |
| Sustainability | Digital, no paper waste | Paper-based, environmentally unfriendly |
| Ease of Use | Simple, automated workflows | Manual, time-consuming |
Beyond Just Dollars
Let’s not forget the hidden costs of paper sign-in books:
- Lost or damaged books: Visitor records are vulnerable to being lost, damaged, or misplaced, leaving you without crucial data.
- Unsafe usage: Paper logs provide minimal privacy and security, exposing visitor information to anyone walking by.
- Time-consuming processes: Locating historical entries or managing contact tracing manually is a nightmare. Poor handwriting can also slow down data retrieval and cause errors.
- Manual badge printing: If your workplace requires visitor badges, you’ll need to manually print and manage them. This takes up additional resources.
- Emergency management: In the event of a fire or emergency, manually tracking down visitors or contacting them by phone is highly inefficient. With Teamgo, you can instantly send emergency alerts to all signed-in visitors.
Why Paper Should Be a Thing of the Past
The traditional paper sign-in book served its purpose, but it simply can’t keep up with today’s needs for speed, security, and efficiency. Switching to a digital system like Teamgo ensures:
- Real-time data access: All visitor information is stored securely and can be retrieved instantly when needed.
- Increased security: Visitor photos, QR codes, and multi-factor authentication provide an extra layer of safety.
- Simplified workflows: Automatically notify hosts when visitors arrive, issue digital badges, and manage data effortlessly.
- Cost-effectiveness: While the upfront cost of paper sign-in books may seem lower, the long-term costs—financially and operationally—add up quickly. A system like Teamgo not only offers more features but reduces the hidden inefficiencies of paper.
The Verdict
When you factor in the costs and inefficiencies of paper sign-in books, it’s clear that a digital visitor management system like Teamgo is the smarter choice for any workplace. For just $49/month, you’re getting far more value while ensuring a safe, secure, and seamless experience for visitors and employees alike.
It’s time to leave paper behind and embrace the future of visitor management with Teamgo.
