At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, many businesses had to quickly adjust to an entirely new work atmosphere. It was necessary to implement social distancing protocols in order to slow the spread of the virus, which meant that many offices closed and employees had to start working from home. The transition into the pandemic was abrupt, but returning to the office is shaping up to be a much slower and more deliberative process. This presents organizations with an excellent opportunity to update their offices into an intelligent workplace, not only to be more efficient and convenient, but also to support the increasing number of workers who are interested in remaining remote or adopting hybrid work schedule.
Even as vaccinations rise and case counts fall in many parts of the world, people remain more conscious of health risks and sanitation. As they begin to reopen their physical locations, businesses may want to invest in innovative solutions that will reassure their workers and customers that they are taking serious precautions to protect the health and safety of their employees.
Here are some of the new technologies and services that can help businesses provide a safe working environment while also creating an intelligent workplace with new conveniences and cost saving opportunities.
Contactless Lobbies
Many words and phrases became commonplace during 2020, including “contactless.” In order to avoid the potential spread of germs, people weren’t just trying to keep their distance from one another, but were also eager for ways to avoid touching potentially contaminated surfaces. The pandemic may be on its last legs in much of the world, but habits like this will likely persist, and having contactless options will be a welcome convenience for many visitors and employees.
Exela’s Intelligent Kiosks enable guests to check in on their own in a simple, user-friendly interface- which many guests will find convenient even post-pandemic. Greet guests with a pre-recorded message and allow them to self-register, confirm their arrival, get directions, and print their guest badges.
If a guest requires assistance with the check-in process, the Intelligent Kiosk allows them to summon a Virtual Lobby Ambassador at any time via text, audio, or video chat. A Virtual Lobby Ambassador will assist your guests with their needs or answer any questions they may have. This intelligent workplace solution allows guests the convenience of checking themselves in while having immediate assistance if required.
Mobile Facility Passes
Smartphones have become a handy tool in many situations, and a great resource for avoiding unnecessary contact while adding more convenience. Visiting a business empowered by Mobile Facility Passes is a prime example of using the versatility of smartphones to create a better experience. A Mobile Facility Pass, stored on a visitor’s smartphone, allows both employees and guests a contactless solution for displaying security clearance. It can also be used to share useful information like maps of the building or WiFi login information.
Intelligent Lockers
Contactless delivery has become a major trend during the COVID-19 pandemic as a way for individuals to make purchases and support businesses without the risk of visiting potentially crowded physical stores. While the threat of contagion may be less immediate as the pandemic dies down, the convenience of secure unattended package drop-off remains. Smart lockers like Exela’s Intelligent Lockers enable contactless delivery, short-term or day storage for employees, and even BOPIS options for retail businesses creating a more intelligent workplace.
Exela’s Intelligent Lockers can be accessed through the built-in touchscreen interface, but they can just as well be integrated with RFID, QR code, or biometric recognition technologies for a fully touchless experience. Intelligent Lockers offer flexible layouts and designs, improved access controls, anytime availability, and complete chain-of-custody tracking. They provide an excellent contactless means of exchanging, shipping, receiving, or storing goods.
Digital Mailrooms
When everyone was working from a central office space, it was relatively easy to ensure that individuals had easy access to their business mail. One of the biggest drawbacks to an increasingly remote or mobile workforce is that it can complicate the delivery of physical mail. Digital Mailrooms easily solve that issue, while delivering additional benefits to boot.
With Exela’s Digital Mailroom solution, physical mail is rerouted to a secure processing facility where it can be scanned and digitized with advanced ICR and OCR technology for completely electronic delivery. This not only helps keep your workers safe and ensure delivery to the proper recipient, no matter where they are, but also centralizes communications, and makes traditional mail items searchable and easier to forward or share.
Exela Smart Office solutions like these make it easier for workers to return to the office with confidence or continue working remotely without missing a beat. The convenience and security these business solutions provide will help keep people safe, put minds at ease, and help everyone adjust to the next normal.
DrySign
Speed and simplicity are essential to an effective approvals process, and eSignature platforms like Exela’s DrySign solution deliver both, plus the ability to sign instantly, even across great distances. This not only saves time and helps create digital audit trails for improved visibility and security, but also empowers workers who choose to remain remote.
COVID-19 is impacting more than just the way businesses operate their physical offices. Learn more about how the pandemic is speeding up companies’ digital transformation.
