Notifications
SmartMy VMS tells the right person the moment something happens: a visitor waiting, a guest arrived, a gate pass approved, a round missed, an emergency. Each event has its own recipients and channels: app notification, in-app, email, SMS and WhatsApp.
The problem it solves
- A host learns their guest arrived when reception walks up to their desk.
- A visitor never gets the pass code because the email went to spam.
- Reception hears about a missed patrol round the next morning.
- When a host says they never got the message, nobody can check what was sent.
How it works
- Something happens: a walk-in waits for approval, a gate pass is approved, a round is missed, an emergency is sent.
- The event finds its recipients: the host and alternate host, who raised the pass, reception, the guards of the route, or everyone in the area.
- Most events go as an app notification and to the in-app inbox, plus the first of WhatsApp, SMS or email that reaches the person. Emergencies and panic alerts go on every channel at once.
- Every VMS event is a work message: it goes out at once, at any hour. A person can switch off a channel such as email for themselves, never the event; in-app always arrives.
- Every message leaves a line in the Delivery Log, with the reason when it could not be sent. An administrator can change channels per Entity and the wording.
Everything it does
Visitors and hosts
- Visitor Waiting for Approval: to the host and alternate host
- Visitor Approval Escalated: to reception when the host did not answer in time
- Visitor Arrived: to the host when an invited visitor, or a type without approval, comes in
- Visitor Pass: the code and validity to the visitor, by the first of WhatsApp or SMS; the pass is also emailed with its QR
- Visit Request (Public Page): to the host, the alternate host, or reception
- Visitor Asks for a Call (kiosk): to the gate's guards and reception; app notification, in-app and SMS
- Host: Gate News, Host: Site News, Host: Named Alternate Host, Host: Parcel Collected: to hosts. Not if they switch off Visitors Leaving, Office Notices or Parcels Collected in their profile
- Parcel at the Gate: to the recipient
- Meeting Requested (app notification, email, in-app, all at once), Meeting Scheduled, Declined, Handed Over; Visitor Asked to Wait (first of WhatsApp, SMS or app notification)
Goods, gate passes and permits
- Goods Vehicle Arrived and Goods Vehicle Overstay: to the department (and managers for overstays)
- Gate Pass to Approve, Approved (with the code), Rejected, Held at the Gate, Items Back, Returnables Overdue
- Work Permit to Approve, Extension Asked, Crew Change, Documents Added, Crew Inside After Hours: to the office
- Work Permit Approved, Rejected, Extended, Extension Refused, Crew Approved, Crew Refused, Closed, Expired, Gate Pass: to the host who asked
- Exit Pass Code, Went Out, Came Back, Not Back in Time: to the person and the contacts to tell
Security
- Emergency Broadcast and its all clear: everyone chosen and the visitors inside, on every channel at once
- Security Alert (Panic): to guards and reception; app notification, SMS and in-app, all at once; Security Alert Answered to the guard who raised it
- Patrol Round Due (10 minutes before) and Patrol Round Assigned: to the guard; app notification and in-app
- Patrol Round Missed / Incomplete and Patrol Issue Reported: to reception
- Serious Incident: high or critical, to the managers at once; Incident Update to the person who reported it
- Lost Item Reported, Found Item Claimed, Lost Item Found, Lost Item Handed Over
Channels and delivery
- Channels: app notification (push), in-app inbox, email, SMS and WhatsApp, only where the event has that channel
- App notifications reach people signed in to the Guard, Host or SmartMy VMS staff apps
- Email: 1,000 a month through our service, or unlimited through your own mail server
- SMS and WhatsApp need message credits and set-up; without them app, in-app and email still go
- Templates per event, channel and language, with your own wording
- Delivery Log: every message with its status and, when not sent, why; Retry and Cancel for administrators
Own WhatsApp number (Enterprise)
- Messages go out from your organisation's own WhatsApp number instead of ours: a WhatsApp provider set for your Entity
- Meta bills you directly for that number; your WhatsApp templates are approved on your account
- Limits and terms are agreed for your group
Who uses it
HostGets visitors waiting, arrivals, parcels and gate pass news, and chooses their channels and host alerts.
GuardGets panic alerts, kiosk call requests and patrol rounds due.
ReceptionGets escalations, missed rounds, serious incidents and work permits to approve.
VisitorGets the pass code by WhatsApp or SMS and the pass by email, and emergency messages while inside.
AdministratorSwitches events and channels per Entity, edits the wording and checks the Delivery Log.
Where you use it
- Web: each user's inbox, and Notifications > Delivery Log, Analysis and Configuration (Events, Entity Settings, Templates, Providers)
- The Guard app, the Host app and the SmartMy VMS staff app: app notifications that open the visit, pass or round. Built and in testing, not in the app stores yet
- Host portal: notices and the host's own alert switches; email, SMS and WhatsApp for visitors without a login
What you control
Settings
- Per event: on or off, and its channels, for everyone or per Entity
- Host alert switches: Visitors Leaving, Office Notices, Parcels Collected (all on)
- Host approval timeout before escalation: 10 minutes
- Patrol reminder: 10 minutes before a planned round
- Quiet hours: no VMS event waits for them; all are sent at once
- Templates per channel and language; a WhatsApp or SMS provider per Entity
Works with
SmartMy HRMSWith employees as hosts, visitor notices reach the host picked from the employee list, and their manager as the alternate host.
Questions
Can a host stop the emails but keep app notices?
Yes. Each person can switch the email channel off for themselves. In-app notices always arrive.Do messages wait until morning?
No. Every VMS event is a work message and goes out at once, at any hour.Can a visitor get the pass code on WhatsApp?
Yes, once WhatsApp is set up with message credits. The code goes by WhatsApp, or SMS if WhatsApp cannot reach them, and the pass is emailed too.Can messages come from our own WhatsApp number?
Yes, in Enterprise. Your number is set as the WhatsApp provider for your Entity, and Meta bills you for it.How do I check whether a host was told?
Open Notifications > Delivery Log. Each message shows its status, and the reason when it was not sent, such as no mobile number.Related features
ACROSS SMARTMY VMSApproval chainsVisitors at the gate, visit requests, exit passes, meeting requests, gate passes and work permits each go to the right people. You set the order, without code. Every decision is kept with who made it, when and why.HOST APPROVALHost approval from the phoneA visitor without a pass waits at the gate while the host is asked on the phone. The host approves or rejects from the link, the app or the back office. If nobody answers in time, reception or the guard decides, and an alternate host covers for anyone away.SECURITY OPERATIONSEmergency broadcast and muster listSend one emergency message to staff, guards, hosts and the visitors inside, on every channel at once. It shows on the apps, the gate screen and the kiosk until the all clear. Print a muster list of everyone inside for the roll call.GATE, KIOSK AND GUARD TOOLSGuard panic alertA guard holds one button for panic, medical, fire, intruder or other help. Every guard of the site and reception are alerted at once. Another guard presses I am responding, so the sender knows help is coming.SECURITY OPERATIONSGuard patrol rounds with QR and NFC checkpointsGuards walk set routes and scan a QR label or NFC tag at each checkpoint, with the phone's position, even without signal. Rounds are planned by schedule and duty rota, and missed, late or half-done rounds reach reception at once.PASSESVisitor passes with a code and QRReception issues a pass for an expected visitor: a six-digit code and a QR, for one entry or several, valid between two times. The visitor gets it by email with the QR inside and an Open your pass page. They are let in at the gate by code, QR or mobile number without anyone phoning the host.
See it on your own gate.
Tell us how many gates you have, who comes through them and how visitors are approved today. We will show you SmartMy VMS set up that way.