In the world of visitor management, there are often dark and very real scenarios that highlight the critical importance of security protocols. Consider a visitor entering a children’s hospital and accessing rooms where vulnerable children might be alone. Or someone wandering unaccompanied through the halls of a school. In a bank headquarters, where critical customer information is stored, the presence of unauthorized individuals poses significant risks.
In all three of these cases: What types of checks are run on the individual visitors? Is the safety of all three buildings—and everyone and everything in it—now compromised? These are the questions we are discussing with our partners and prospects alike.
ISC West is more than just another conference in Las Vegas. It is a critical conference that helps create physical security in a modern world. Over two days, we engaged with more than 50 companies, uncovering common themes and challenges in the industry.
Our conversations centered around challenges faced across several verticals and how Checkr Trust’s risk intelligence platform helps organizations “Know Your Visitor” (KYV). This concept is the physical counterpart to the well-established “Know Your Customer” (KYC) protocols in the digital world. As we learned from our conversations, the need for standardized KYV practices is becoming increasingly evident.
Key Takeaways from ISC West 2025
- Regulatory Compliance and Gaps: While some industries are diligently following regulatory compliance and regulations, many others are lagging. The inconsistency in adherence highlights the need for more uniform standards across sectors to ensure comprehensive security measures.
- Global Watch List Checks: Some corporations are implementing global watch list checks on individuals. However, questions remain about the effectiveness of these measures. For instance, if you are a bank, wouldn’t you also want to know if someone has committed crimes such as bank fraud or wire fraud? The scope of these checks needs to be broadened to address specific industry risks.
- Data Quality and Accuracy: Not all data is equal. One of the exciting aspects of ISC West was the opportunity to demo various Visitor Management platforms. We conducted searches for individuals and compared our data, revealing significant discrepancies. In some cases, records were not found at all. Matching records accurately is a complex challenge, and one that Checkr Trust spends considerable time innovating around.
- Quality vs. Cost: Like any industry, there are solutions that prioritize price over quality and those that truly prioritize security. We are proud to partner with companies like Envoy, Verkada, and Alert Enterprise, who are committed to high standards of security.
- Criminal Data in Screening: Criminal data is becoming a standard component in instant screening checks for hospitals, schools, high-security facilities, and banks. We are increasingly hearing that it is being requested in RFPs, underscoring its importance in comprehensive security protocols.
As we reflect on our time at ISC West, it’s clear that the physical security landscape is at a pivotal moment. The need for robust, standardized visitor management systems is more pressing than ever. By adopting KYV practices, we’re building safer and more secure environments for children in hospitals, kids in schools, customers of banks, and more.
