LobbyGuard proves appealing

By JONATHAN B. COX, The Raleigh News & Observer October 6, 2004

RALEIGH, NC At the headquarters of CII Associates in Raleigh, an electronic kiosk stands sentry in the lobby.
It instructs visitors to sign in using a touch screen. When they do, the machine snaps their photo and alerts, via an instant message, the employee that they've come to see. All of the submitted data are logged for future reference.

The 60-employee technology company developed the system about four years ago because it lacked a receptionist. Guests were intrigued.

"People kept saying, 'You should build this up,' " said Kevin Allen, CII's vice president. "I said, 'Who would want an automated sign-in station in their lobby?' "

More than he expected.

CII created an enhanced prototype about two years ago. In July 2003, it approached the Wake County Public School System. A month later, the company set up kiosks in three schools.

The machine, called LobbyGuard, is now in 40 schools in several North Carolina counties, including Wake, Cumberland and Brunswick. And demand keeps growing. The Wake County school system is considering installing a kiosk in every elementary school.

"We built it more as a cost-saving measure," Allen said. "As we moved forward, it became more of a security tool."

Companies and other organizations are more attentive to lobby security in an age of global terrorism, said Travis Lam, CII's sales manager. The machine can't replace guards, but it can add an extra layer of protection.

The kiosk can be equipped with a reader to scan and record information from driver's licenses. It rejects those whose names appear on a list of unwanted visitors. It snaps photos so officials can easily identify guests in their buildings.

LobbyGuard can be set to require authorization from an employee before a badge, which includes the visitor's photo, is printed. The data are stored in an electronic log, recording who visited, whom they saw and how long they stayed, in case any problems arise later.

"It provides so much more information than you would have had before with a three-ring binder" common in many offices and schools, Allen said.

The Durham Public Schools added a LobbyGuard kiosk at its central office this summer, and so far officials are impressed.

At 5 p.m., when the office closes, officials check the system to see whether any visitors are still in the building. If the computer shows that someone remains, workers can call the department the person signed in to visit. Sometimes visitors are still in the building; other times they've just forgotten to sign out.

"It adds a lot of security," said Nancy Hester, Durham's assistant superintendent for support services. "It's just a good accounting system of who enters the building."

The kiosk accounts for roughly 10 percent of CII's revenue, Allen said. The company, which doesn't have to disclose financial results because it is privately owned, expects the machine to account for half of sales within a year.

CII, which was started in 1981, is primarily a tech consulting company. It writes software to help businesses run better. It also evaluates the networks of companies to determine virus or security risks.

It is always on the hunt for applications that could serve a niche. That's how it views LobbyGuard. Others are also trying to meet demand. LobbyPass, based in Texas, and Lobby Works of Georgia are two chief rivals.

CII, which is family owned, hopes to build interest in its kiosk across the nation and world in the coming months.

And it won't stop with the LobbyGuard.

"We are always looking for opportunities to develop new products," Allen said. "We're always looking for new niches to fill."

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