iPad platform aims to replace the receptionist

Reception Messenger hopes to deliver self-service administration, offering a way for office guests to check themselves in.

It seems that tablets are becoming increasingly effective at performing the tasks of customer facing roles, which is why companies such as The Robot Pub Group have taken to using the devices to allow patrons to help themselves. Now the Reception Messenger iPad platform is hoping to do the same for administration, offering a way for office visitors to check themselves in. After installing the tablet at the front of a company’s premises, guests will be able to use it to select the reason for their visit, enter their details, choose an employee they wish to speak to and let them know they are there. The system is connected to staff mobile phones, meaning that they are instantly alerted via text message when someone has arrived to see them. Responses can be sent directly back to the iPad to let the visitor know what they should do. Companies can customize the look of the system to match their business’s branding and add extra voice prompts to further personalize the service. The system is priced in three brackets – USD 99 per month for companies with one to 49 employees, USD 149 per month for those with 50-99 employees and USD 249 per month for those with more than 100 staff members. The following video explains a bit more about how the system works: Reception Messenger could help small business who can’t necessarily afford to hire a receptionist to manage their office effectively, but the system could also cut costs at public services such as hospitals. Could tablets be used similarly elsewhere? Spotted by: Murray Orange