How Stadtwerke Osnabrück Digitized Visitor Management – 70% Faster, Fully Paperless, and Critical-Infrastructure Ready

Stadtwerke Osnabrück is much more than a utility company. For over 150 years, it has been a driving force in the region, calling itself a “StadtWIRKER” (“city worker”) — an active shaper of community life. As one of the region’s largest employers, it provides reliable energy, water, and mobility services while also developing affordable housing.

For an organization so deeply rooted in the community and responsible for essential infrastructure, security and efficiency are not just buzzwords — they are part of daily operations.

Does this sound familiar? Long queues in the lobby, confusing paper forms, and a heavy manual workload for reception staff? That was exactly the situation at Stadtwerke Osnabrück. The check-in process for numerous daily visitors and external contractors was cumbersome and completely analog.

This led to several concrete problems:

• Wasted employee time: Reception staff had to manually register each visitor, consuming valuable time.
• Error-prone processes: Safety briefings were printed, signed by hand, and manually archived — slow and unreliable.
• Lack of transparency: There was no real-time overview of who was in the building and when.
• Poor repeat-visitor experience: Returning guests had to fill out the same forms repeatedly, leading to frustration and unnecessary wait times.

For a utility operating critical sites, this also raised security and compliance concerns. It was clear that a modern, digital solution was needed to automate reception processes and strengthen overall security.

friendlyway solved these challenges with a comprehensive hardware and software solution that fully digitalizes and intelligently automates the entire visitor management process.

Smart Software as the Core

The brain of the solution is the friendlyway platform. It controls defined digital workflows perfectly tailored to different visitor types.

• Role-based workflows: Whether a scheduled guest, contractor, or ad-hoc visitor, the system automatically adjusts the check-in process.
• Digital instructions & e-signatures: Safety documents are displayed directly at the kiosk and signed digitally. Archiving is automatic — 100% traceable and legally compliant.
• Automated badge creation: Depending on the scenario, the system issues visitor badges with QR codes for quick check-outs or RFID cards. RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) enables fast, contactless identification for controlled-area access.
• Host notifications: A digital directory automatically notifies responsible employees of their visitor’s arrival.
• Enterprise security: integrated Single Sign-On (SSO) and customer-managed Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) for staff using the system. With SSO, employees can securely log in with their existing credentials, while MFA adds an extra layer of protection — such as a confirmation via app — ensuring maximum data security.

The seamless integration into Stadtwerke’s existing IT infrastructure was a key factor in the project’s success.

Tailored Hardware for Every Purpose

To optimally support these processes, two specialized kiosk terminals were installed:

• Empire 22 Pro: A robust self-service kiosk serving as the main hub for visitor and staff registration.
• Counter 12: A compact desktop device ideal for registering contractors/technicians and external service providers.

friendlyway Empire 22 Pro Kiosk

The Implementation

A project of this scale requires a clear roadmap. friendlyway applied a proven methodology combining agile practices with classic project management phases to ensure a structured yet flexible rollout.

The entire implementation took just four months from kick-off to go-live:

• Analysis & Concept: Joint workshops clarified Stadtwerke’s requirements and led to a customized solution design.
• Planning & Kick-off: A detailed project plan and milestones were defined, and technical details were discussed in a kickoff meeting.
• Content & Configuration: Stadtwerke provided relevant data; friendlyway configured workflows and integrations.
• Hardware Delivery & Setup: Kiosk terminals were installed and made fully operational on-site.
• Testing & Optimization: Rigorous testing ensured full system functionality — from software integration to hardware peripherals.
• Staff Training: Online sessions trained both end-users and administrators to ensure a smooth start.
• Go-Live & Operations: The system went live successfully and proved reliable under real-world conditions.
• Monitoring & Support: Post-launch, friendlyway continues to provide technical support and gather feedback for future enhancements.

This structured process ensured an on-time, surprise-free rollout — perfectly tailored to Stadtwerke Osnabrück’s needs.

friendlyway Empire 22 Pro Kiosk

Switching to friendlyway’s digital solution transformed operations at Stadtwerke Osnabrück from the ground up. The results are tangible and measurable:

• 70% faster check-in for visitors — waiting times are a thing of the past.
• 100% paperless process, including digital signatures for safety briefings — saving resources and ensuring automated retention.
• Significant workload reduction for reception staff, allowing them to focus more on service and personal engagement.
• Stronger security and compliance posture with complete visitor traceability.
• Full transparency through real-time visibility of all current on-site visitors.

Stadtwerke Osnabrück demonstrates impressively that digitalizing visitor management is an investment that pays off. Automated workflows not only boost transparency and security but also create a modern, professional experience for both employees and guests.