Customer Success Story

Challenge

As General Manager at Alvarez & Marsal Property Solutions, George Pehr manages about 400,000 square feet in the Chicago office commercial real estate market. Before using Prism Visitor Access, his buildings faced security and operational issues with their visitor access process. 

The existing process to enter the building was slow and frustrating for both visitors and tenants. Worse, unauthorized visitors could gain entry to the building – a major security risk. Property management staff had to waste time on an ineffective system that didn’t control building access.  

Beyond security issues, the inefficient visitor management process created a bad tenant experience, took up staff time, and created bottlenecks that impacted the entire property team. Pehr needed to improve security, make the check-in process quicker, and reduce the burden on his team. 

Solution

Pehr’s team was already using Prism by Building Engines for work orders, tenant communications, and preventive maintenance for engineering staff. Prism’s visitor access solution stood out as it lived within the current platform they trusted, eliminating the need for multiple platforms. The Visitor Access module was deployed at approximately 280,000 square feet of property, specifically those with onsite security teams who manage guest check-ins. 

The transformation was immediate. Tenants could now register guests directly in the system, creating a digital paper trail. Security teams could now verify visitors with a simple ID check and allow access with the click of a button. The platform eliminated a slow, outdated process and created a smooth, secure, check-in experience. 

Pehr found the system incredibly easy to use: “Anyone can literally click on the visitor portal and figure out how to register a guest. It’s easy for management to use, easy for the security team to use, and easy for the tenants.” 

Now, the security team and tenants can vet guests and visitors much more easily. The improved experience reinforces Alvarez & Marsal Property Solutions’ commitment to providing best-in-class property management services. 

Pehr also credits Building Engines’ customer service team for making implementation smooth: “Building Engines has been easy to work with. Their customer service team has been easy when we’ve had any issues.” 

Pehr would enthusiastically recommend his experience to property managers: “I think it’s been a great tool that has made my office a lot more efficient.”