Using the LobbyGuard Instant Background Check Feature

LobbyGuard can screen your visitors to keep unwanted individuals out of your building or facility.  This article will walk you through the important things you need to know - and the policies you need to establish - to make the most effective use of this important security feature.

How to set up LobbyGuard to screen visitors:  workflows, driver license scanning and configuring your background sources

Follow these steps to set up your LobbyGuard product to screen your visitors:

1. Log in to LobbyGuard FrontDesk at frontdesk.lobbyguard.com and click on the "Administration" section on the left side of the screen, then click on "Workflows" to show your workflow settings.
2. Click on a visitor type then a "reason for visit" as shown below to show the workflow settings for this particular type of visitor.  In the example below the visitor type "Visitor" is selected and the reason for visit "Meeting" is selected, showing the workflow on the far right for "visitors" who are in the building for a "meeting":
   
   
   
3. In the Workflow column on the right click the option labeled "Perform Background Check" as shown below.  Scroll to the bottom of the Workflow column and click "Save Workflow" to save these settings.  Repeat these steps for any other visitor types / reasons for visit that you wish to perform instant background checks.
   
   
4. It is recommended that you enable driver license scanning in this workflow.  Click the checkbox to the left of "Request Visitor's drivers license" then check the boxes for "Save drivers license info" and "Scan back of drivers license".  You should understand and review the policies for your building before choosing to require a license scan or allowing visitors to bypass the license scan:
   
   
5. LobbyGuard can instantly notify any person(s) via email and / or text message in the event of a background failure.  When you have determined who should be notified click on the Administration section in LobbyGuard FrontDesk then click on the Rules section.  Click the "Add" button in the top right section of the Rules screen and you will see the Edit Rule screen as shown below:
   
   
   
   
   
6. In the Name field enter "Background Failure" and in the Description field enter "Notifications to send for visitor background failure".
7. Click the Trigger field and choose "Failed Background Check" from the list provided.
8. Select the kiosk(s) for which this rule should apply.  If you have only one kiosk you will only see one selection and you should check the box to the left of that kiosk name.  If you have more than one kiosk you can choose all kiosks in your group or you can set up a separate rule to send notifications to each individual kiosk.  This feature allows you to set up a rule that notifies one group of people for some kiosk and another group of people for another kiosk.
9. If you wish to notify one or more persons by email click the "Email" checkbox in the "Actions" list and click the "show" link that appears.
10. Enter the email address of the first recipient in the NEW field and click the ADD button.  The address will appear below.  Add any other email addresses you wish to have notified and you will see the new addresses added to the list of recipients:
    
    
    
    
11. If you wish to notify one or more persons by text message click the "Text Message" checkbox in the "Actions" list and click the "Show" link that appears.
12. Enter the 10-digit phone number to which you wish to send text message notifications.  The format for the phone number is xxxxxxxxxx and does not include any spaces, dashes, parentheses or other characters.  Click the ADD button and the phone number will appear below.  Add any other phone numbers you wish to notify and you will see the new phone numbers added to the list of recipients:
    
13. Scroll to the bottom of the Rules area and click the SAVE button.  You will see a message indicating that your new rule has been created.  On the left side of the screen click ADMINISTRATION then click RULES and you will see your new rule listed.
    
    
    
    
14. Determine what sources of data you wish to check when performing background checks.  Click ADMINISTRATION on the left side of the screen then click "Background Checks" and "Sources".  You will see the following screen:
    
    
    
15. Click the box in the "Enabled" column for each source of background data that you wish to check.  If you do not wish to check for a certain type of background you can leave the box unchecked.  
16. Red Flag checks against a list of visitors you maintain whom you do not wish to have in your building or facility.  If you wish to check the Red Flag List you will need to create the list of visitors you wish to have flagged.  Check the box to enable Red Flag under the Enabled column then click the blue icon (the "eye" on the far right side of the screen for Red Flag.  You will see the Red Flag list as shown below:
    
    
17. Click the "+" button in the top right portion of the Red Flag List to create an entry and you will see the following screen.  Enter all the information you know about the person you wish to add to Red Flag.  IMPORTANT:  You must enter at minimum a First Name and Last Name.  In the Notes field you should enter a note detailing why this person is in the Red Flag List.  Click the SAVE button when complete.
    
    
    
18. You can also create a Red Flag Entry by moving a visitor from your SIGNED IN or SIGNED OUT visitor log.  Click VISITORS on the left side of your screen and click SIGNED IN to access your visitor log.  Click the blue View icon (eye) on the row of the visitor you wish to copy to your Red Flag list:
    
19. You will see the Visitor Detail view.  Scroll to the bottom of the screen and you will see the ADD TO RED FLAG LIST button.  Click this button and this visitor record will be moved to your Red Flag List. 
    
    

Your LobbyGuard product is now set up for background checking.  The next step is to understand what happens when a visitor fails a background check in LobbyGuard.  This will also involve setting appropriate policies and guidelines that best fit your environment.

Understanding what happens when a visitor fails the background check

Three things happen when a visitor signs in to your LobbyGuard kiosk and closely matches the information on file for an offender or unwanted visitor:

1. The visitor is informed on the kiosk screen that an error has occurred during sign-in.
   
   
   
   
   The visitor also receives a visitor badge with the same message.  The visitor will need to speak to an employee in order to complete the sign-in process:
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. LobbyGuard instantly notifies the person(s) set up for email and/or text message notification in the event of a background failure (see Step 5 above).  These individuals should be fully aware they are on the notification list and should also be familiar with the policies and processes for what action to take when they receive this notification (ie respond to a certain area of the building, call the front office, etc)
   
   
3. A designated person at your facility will need to execute the Verification process.  Log in to LobbyGuard FrontDesk from any PC.  When logged in click the VISITORS section on the left side of the screen then click the DENIED section.  You will see the Denied list containing the names of visitors who have failed the background check and have not yet been verified:
   
   
   
   Click the VIEW icon on the far right side of the Denied record (the "eye" icon) and you will see the Verification page as shown below:
   
   
   
   This screen provides a view of the visitor at the top and the offender to whom this visitor was matched directly below.  Use the information on this screen - including the photo, the facial recognition, address and physical characteristics such as height, hair and eye color - to determine if the visitor is a match to the offender.  Click on the MATCH or NOT A MATCH button located on the offender row to indicate your decision.
   
   IF THIS IS NOT A MATCH - If the information on the visitor does not match the offender e.g. photos don't look similar, physical characteristics aren't similar, etc then you should click the red "NOT A MATCH" button located on the same row as the offender detail.  Three things will happen when you click the "NOT A MATCH" button:  the visitor will receive a visitor badge from the kiosk badge printer, the visitor will be moved from your "Denied" visitor log to your "Signed In" visitor log, and LobbyGuard will remember this visitor for future visits and will not match this visitor to this particular offender record.
   
   IF THIS IS A MATCH - if the offender and visitor are the same person click on the MATCH button.  At this time you should follow the policies and procedures you have established for dealing with an unwanted individual in your building.
   
   

Follow these steps to set up your LobbyGuard product to Simulate a Failed Background Scenario:

1. Log in to LobbyGuard FrontDesk at frontdesk.lobbyguard.com and click Administration, Background Checks, then Sources
   
2. Make sure Red Flag is enabled then click the View button to access the Red Flag list.
3. Click the '+' button to Add to Red Flag List.
4. First and Last name are the only required fields to add a visitor to the Red Flag List, click Save when finished.
5. Your visitor should now display in the Red Flag List as shown below:
6. From the LobbyGuard kiosk press the START button then press the visitor type and reason for visit for which you have enabled "Allow the visitor to bypass the license scan". During the sign-in you will be presented with the driver license scan screen video. Select the option "I do not have a license" and enter the name and DOB for which the Red Flag was created during Step 4.
   
7. After completing the workflow you will be informed on the kiosk screen that an error has occurred during sign-in, and you should receive a visitor badge with the same error:
8. When logged in FrontDesk click the VISITORS section on the left side of the screen then click the DENIED section.  You will see the Denied list containing the names of visitors who have failed the background check and have not yet been verified:
9. This screen provides a view of the visitor at the top and the offender to whom this visitor was matched directly below.  Use the information on this screen - including the name, address, and physical characteristics such as height, hair and eye color - to determine if the visitor is a match to the Red Flag.