Envoy on Thursday launched Virtual Front Desk Mobile, an app which can provide access control and “concierge-level assistance” to employees and visitors from a smartphone, the company said.
The mobile application of Envoy’s VFD product ensures a company can provide access to a workplace and its resources and live support remotely, even across multiple locations. This reduces the need for dedicated personnel at every site and creates a more adaptable, people-centric workplace assistance model, the company says.
VFD Mobile aims to help organizations navigate the balance among enhancing employee experience, office security and managing operational costs, according to the release.
Access control is a top priority in 2025 for those who buy, manage and use physical security technology, according to an industry survey released in December by security technology provider Genetec. Visitor management was named as the top access control investment that respondents plan for this year, alongside biometrics, identity management, intelligent locks and keys and mobile credentials, per the report.
The mobile version of Envoy’s VFD software can be used to give employees, visitors and vendors access to company or shared spaces, either on site or remotely, and to share resources — like floor maps, seating charts, on-site schedules, simplified workplace navigation and remote receptionists — through a smartphone, Envoy says. Thus, front desk workers and office managers are not stuck at a desk while fielding calls and providing assistance.
The app can alert the operator to incoming visitor calls via text message or through integrations with Slack or Teams. The company plans to add live video support during visitor registration, it says on its website.
