People love bundles, especially when it comes to apps. And for good reason – different software solutions all packaged together with one price sounds pretty appealing. You get multiple functionalities and only have to pay one provider.
But if you’ve ever been to a restaurant with a 30-page menu filled with dishes from various cultures, you know that trying to please everyone doesn’t always result in the highest quality or the best experience. Some of the dishes are poorly made or lack essential ingredients. Some of them don’t even make sense! Not to mention you’d need 10-15 different chefs on staff just to keep up with the orders.
Some software companies seem to offer everything you might need to run your business. But like our restaurant with the 30-page menu, it’s nearly impossible to dedicate the right resources to each dish (solution).
Your tech stack — the different types of software you use to run your business — often dictates how smoothly your operations run. The more solutions you purchase from the same vendor, the more likely you’ll experience different challenges.
This is why it’s best to purchase your visitor management system (VMS) from a dedicated provider.
Problems with All-in-one Solutions
While the prevalence of all-in-one B2B software bundles is at an all-time high, that’s not always the right path for your business. Many different companies are starting to offer new types of solutions. Often, the new products are related to their current offerings, even if only tangentially. From a business perspective, this makes sense — constantly finding new revenue streams to support market changes is how businesses grow.
However, when software providers branch out too far and offer solutions that don’t really complement their existing products, they run into issues. Here are some problems you might encounter with an all-in-one solution.
- Unnecessary features: Bundled solutions often contain features that your business doesn’t need and may never use, yet you pay for them anyway.
- Cost: Small-to-medium-sized businesses focus on keeping overhead costs low, and all-in-one packages can be very expensive. Not to mention the more a single company’s product is intertwined with your business, the more you are at the whim of that company’s pricing decisions.
- Integration: If you are already using a product you really like, you may not be able to integrate it with a new bundle, especially if the bundle provider offers a solution with the same or similar capabilities.
- Single point of contact: It may seem like a perk to have the opportunity to speak to just one company about your tech stack. However, if customer service isn’t a priority for them, it can be more frustrating than convenient.
Benefits of Partnering with a Dedicated Visitor Management System Vendor
Visitor management systems (VMSs) integrate well into the operations of many different types of businesses, regardless of whether or not the front desk is staffed. They help improve customer service, allow visitors to move through your office easily, and ensure deliveries are placed in the right hands, among other uses.
While there are many different VMS solutions out there, only a small percentage of them fit the following criteria, which ultimately helps you avoid the issues listed in the previous section.
Features
A company that only offers visitor management solutions is always hard at work, responding to feedback and consistently honing its offerings in order to address your business’s specific front desk needs.
All of the features we offer with The Receptionist for iPad are designed with our users’ needs in mind. Some of our most popular new features, such as broadcast notifications or single sign-on (SSO), were created and developed to solve specific visitor management challenges brought to our attention by our customers. We are constantly updating, innovating, and streamlining our features to create the best user experience possible.
Cost
Because a dedicated VMS company focuses on only one product, its services are often less expensive. This potentially helps businesses reduce spending and decrease operating costs.
Our competitive pricing model allows customers to choose from plans that range from one employee contact to over 100.
Integration
If you’re not purchasing an all-in-one solution, you’ll inevitably need to integrate your VMS with other systems.
The Receptionist for iPad is enabled through Zapier integrations to work with over 4,000 different apps. Our system also works with Slack and Microsoft Teams to alert users to new visitors.
Radical Support®
A dedicated VMS company doesn’t field calls and support requests for a dozen different solutions on any given day. Its customer service team is well-versed in one offering and able to handle anything that comes their way.
The Receptionist for iPad offers Radical Support®, which ensures that we’re here when you need us. No matter your challenge, we work tirelessly to find a solution.
While a dedicated VMS company doesn’t have a 30-page menu of options for your business, they specialize in one thing. And they’re committed to doing that one thing right, so you have the best experience possible.
To learn more, join our next product tour.
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