Tensor SSVM

The challenge

Company receptions are the first point of contact for visitors, and the sign-in experience sets the tone. Tensor’s workforce management platform already handled employee time and attendance, but visitor management was stuck in the era of paper logbooks and handwritten badges.

This created problems across security, compliance, and first impressions:

Paper logbooks were a security risk. Visitors could see the names and details of everyone who had signed in before them. Handwritten entries were often illegible, and there was no reliable way to search historical visitor records when needed.

The reception bottleneck was real. During busy periods — board meetings, interview days, multi-party deliveries — a single receptionist trying to manually process visitors created queues, delays, and a poor first impression for the business.

Compliance requirements were tightening. Health and safety questionnaires, NDA acknowledgements, photo ID capture, and GDPR-compliant data handling were all becoming standard requirements. Paper systems couldn’t handle this complexity reliably.

The approach

I built the Tensor SSVM app using Angular and Ionic with Capacitor, optimised for tablet devices mounted in reception areas. The app connects directly to Tensor’s visitor management backend, providing a self-service kiosk experience that handles the entire sign-in process without receptionist involvement.

Key design principles:

1. Kiosk-mode design — The interface is built for unattended use on a mounted tablet. Large touch targets, clear instructions, and a guided step-by-step flow ensure visitors can sign themselves in without assistance
2. Camera integration — Capacitor’s native camera access enables photograph capture for visitor badges and security records
3. Customisable workflows — Different visitor types can follow different sign-in flows, with configurable questionnaires and document acknowledgements

The solution

Visitor sign-in flow

The self-service sign-in process guides visitors through a series of clear steps:

• Visitor identification — Name, company, and who they are visiting, with auto-complete suggestions for frequent visitors and known hosts
• Appointment matching — If the visitor has a pre-booked appointment, the system automatically pulls their details and pre-fills the form
• Photograph capture — The tablet’s camera captures a visitor photo for the badge and security records
• Badge printing — Automatic generation and printing of a visitor badge with name, photo, host, and visit purpose

Questionnaires and compliance

The app supports fully customisable questionnaires that visitors complete during sign-in:

• Health and safety — Site-specific safety briefings and acknowledgements before entry
• NDA and confidentiality — Digital signature capture for non-disclosure agreements
• Induction materials — Short videos or presentations that visitors must view before proceeding
• Custom questions — Configurable per site to meet specific compliance or security requirements

Appointment management

The app integrates with the broader Tensor system for pre-arranged visits:

• Pre-registration — Hosts can register expected visitors in advance, speeding up the sign-in process on arrival
• Host notification — Automatic email or push notification to the host when their visitor signs in
• Meeting room integration — Optionally display meeting room location and directions on the visitor badge
• Recurring visitors — Frequent visitors are recognised and offered an expedited sign-in flow

Sign-out and visitor tracking

The visitor management cycle is complete:

• Self-service sign-out — Visitors tap to sign out on the same tablet when leaving, updating the building’s visitor log in real time
• Overstay alerts — Automatic notifications if a visitor hasn’t signed out within the expected duration
• Fire roll call integration — All signed-in visitors are included in the Tensor FRC evacuation headcount, ensuring accountability during emergencies
• Historical records — Complete, searchable visitor history for compliance audits and security reviews

The results

The Tensor SSVM app was published on the App Store and Google Play, transforming reception visitor management for Tensor’s customers:

• Self-service sign-in — Visitors manage their own sign-in on a reception tablet, reducing the load on reception staff and eliminating queues during busy periods
• Professional first impression — A modern, branded sign-in experience that reflects well on the business from the very first interaction
• Compliance by default — Questionnaires, NDA capture, and photo ID are built into the flow, ensuring every visitor meets site requirements before entry
• Complete visitor accountability — Real-time visibility of who is in the building, with integration into the Tensor FRC fire roll call system for emergency situations
• GDPR-compliant records — Digital visitor records with configurable retention policies, replacing paper logbooks that were both insecure and impractical to manage