In the mission to combat homelessness and support those in need, The Housing Network has been making a profound impact across England and Scotland for over 11 years. Working with multiple councils and even the Ministry of Justice, this growing organization offers guidance and support to help individuals get back on their feet and build better futures.
But as their team expanded and their office welcomed more visitors, The Housing Network faced a common yet critical challenge: how to efficiently and securely manage the flow of people through their building.
When visitor books fall short
For Chloe Williams, Facilities Manager at The Housing Network, building security and visitor management were becoming increasingly problematic.
"Before, we just kind of had no structure," Williams explains. "Some people would sign our visitor book, some people wouldn't. We wouldn't necessarily know who was in the building."
This inconsistency created real concerns, particularly around health and safety. In the event of an emergency evacuation, they couldn't be certain who was still inside. As the organization continued to grow, constantly recruiting and welcoming new faces, the limitations of their manual approach became increasingly apparent.
Besides the practical safety concerns, there was also the matter of GDPR compliance.
"We also wanted to make sure we're GDPR compliant," Williams notes. Their traditional visitor book exposed personal information to anyone who flipped through it, a particular issue when interviewing multiple candidates who could inadvertently see who else was being considered for positions.
When one solution leads to another
The decision to implement Joan's Visitor Management solution was a natural progression for The Housing Network. They had already been using Joan Room booking for two years, experiencing how it had "massively streamlined" their processes.
"It makes us, as we're growing more, much more professional," Williams says of their existing Joan technology. The ability to instantly see meeting room availability and make on-the-spot bookings had already transformed their office dynamics.
Extending this digital approach to visitor management made perfect sense, especially since the two systems work seamlessly together.
Safety simplified at first contact
Today, The Housing Network's office entrance features an iPad with their company logo, offering visitors a sleek digital sign-in experience. The upgrade has been remarkable:
"Since Joan, we've been able to track who comes in, who comes out, what their name was, who they were here to see," Williams explains.
For a facilities manager constantly on the move, this visibility is invaluable. In an emergency situation, she can quickly generate a report showing exactly which visitors are in the building - crucial information that could potentially save lives.
The professional appearance hasn't gone unnoticed either. "It's more professional, rather than scribbling in a little booklet," Williams notes. Regular contractors have quickly adapted to the new system, often announcing they've already signed in and just need their visitor lanyard.
The unexpected parking solution
One particularly innovative use of the system came as a pleasant surprise. The Housing Network experiences occasional parking issues at their head office, and they've configured their Joan Visitor Management system to capture vehicle registration numbers.
"If someone's blocked someone in or parked where they shouldn't have," Williams explains, "I can always cross-reference Joan. I can see that visitor should be in meeting room two, for example."
This integration between their visitor management and meeting room booking systems creates a seamless experience. When parking issues arise, they can quickly locate the vehicle owner within the building.
Simple setup, strong adoption
Implementing Joan Visitor was refreshingly straightforward. "Setting it up was really easy," Williams shares. "There weren't so many questions. It was nice and sort of flow."
She particularly appreciates the ability to customize questions to match their specific needs. While every organization has different requirements, Joan's flexibility allowed The Housing Network to tailor the experience perfectly.
The transition from paper to digital was smooth, partly because they had already been pushing for more consistent visitor sign-ins. Adding visitor ID tags completed their security approach, making it easy to identify who belongs where in the building.
"People have sort of gone, 'Oh, okay, this is how we do it now,'" Williams notes about the adoption process. The time-saving aspect has been particularly welcome - visitors can complete the digital form far more quickly than writing everything by hand, especially those with longer names.
Prepared for what's next
As The Housing Network continues to expand, their Joan Visitor Management system will scale with them, complementing their thoughtfully designed workplace environment.
"We're growing. We need something that can grow with us," Williams explains.
This growth mindset extends to how they've designed their entire workplace. With an open office plan featuring planters to break up the space, cozy seating areas, and a dedicated breakout area, The Housing Network creates an environment where both employees and visitors feel welcome and valued.
"We try to make it as pleasant and comfortable an environment for people to work in as possible," Williams notes, reflecting the same care that went into selecting their visitor management solution.
For an organization dedicated to helping others rebuild their lives, creating a secure, professional, and efficient workplace environment is just another way they're living their values. With Joan, they've found a partner that understands the importance of first impressions, security, and adaptability in today's evolving workplace.
Want to change the way you manage your visitors? Contact us to learn how Joan can enhance your workplace security while creating a professional first impression for every visitor.