What Is Visitor Management Software, and How Does It Work? [Updated for 2023]

Establishing an effective way to monitor who is coming and going from your office is more important now than ever before. With businesses returning to in-office (or hybrid office) work, it’s important to have systems in place that not only streamline the employee and guest experience, but keep everyone safe. 

In this article, we’ll go over what visitor management software is and how it works, and which types of organizations can benefit from a visitor management tool.

What is visitor management software? 

Visitor management software refers to a tool that allows you to monitor who is coming and going from your office, and provide a more modern, streamlined visitor experience. 

You probably know visitor management software from visiting beautiful offices with an iPad up front, where you typically sign in, get a badge, and prepare to see your host. 

Visitor management  software includes everything from visitor registration, to check-in processes, to keeping a historical log of visitors (which, in light of COVID-19, can serve a dual-purpose for contact tracing). 

Why should you use visitor management software?

We’ve all visited an office and checked in the old-fashioned way—by signing in at the front desk and writing our names on a clipboard.

Technically, anything you’re doing in your office to keep track of who is coming and going is “visitor management.” 

That said, using a dedicated tool for visitor management will be easier and smoother for your office as well as your visitors. With many tools, you’ll be able to register your visitors in advance, get notifications when guests arrive, implement digital document signing, and more (we’ll talk more about how visitor management software works below). 

Related resources: Why Visitor Management Systems are Important

Who needs a visitor management tool? 

The type of guest who would use your visitor management system is varied. Basically, a visitor is any non-employee who comes into your space. 

Visitors could be job candidates, vendors, the FedEx delivery person, customers, your plumber, family and friends of employees—and more.

Broadly, any company that regularly has non-employees coming and going from the office would benefit from a system for tracking visitors. 

This is especially true today, when team safety is crucial. Having a system for recording who comes and goes in your office can help you keep your team safe from COVID-19, and by extension, increase employee comfort in returning to the workplace. 

How does visitor management software work?

Pre-register your guests

Imagine you are a hiring manager or recruiter and you have an interviewee coming on-site for an interview. Or, maybe you’re an account executive inviting a customer to your office to meet with you in-person. 

As the host, you want your guests to have the easiest possible experience finding your office, knowing what to expect, and checking-in at the front desk. If their initial experience is smooth, it reflects well on you and the company—and it’s one less thing to worry about. 

A visitor management tool allows your team to craft a positive experience for office guests. Employees can also easily register guests themselves, which takes the burden off your office manager or HR team. They can ensure their guests get an email about what to expect when visiting their office, which can include everything from parking instructions to directions to the office reception area. 

Modern visitor check-in

Once your guest has successfully navigated to the office reception area, they can smoothly check themselves in on a tablet or iPad that displays your company’s branding. 

This is a quick and easy way to brand the reception area, and immediately offers a smooth, enjoyable experience. Guests will visually see your brand, and also experience your brand as a tech-forward, modern company, as they are using dedicated software to facilitate the sign-in experience. It’s a welcomed change from the antiquated process of signing in on a clipboard. 

Related resources: Can You Create a Great Visitor Experience Without a Staffed Front Desk?

Sign legal documents

Visitor management software also allows visitors to sign any necessary legal documents, such as NDAs (non-disclosure agreements) before entering an office. 

This information can all be captured during the initial check-in workflow to create a seamless process for both guests and your company (who no longer has to worry about organizing files of signed pages of legal documents). Plus, your visitors will feel more comfortable knowing that any legal documentation they sign is securely stored and recorded. 

Print badges

During the last step of check-in, you can ask guests to take a photo from their smartphone or the iPad and print a badge on the spot. 

This helps provide an added level of security as visitors can be easily identified while in the office. And, you’ve removed the manual process of having to physically write out and assemble a name tag or badge, which streamlines the check-in process for both your guests and your office management staff.

Real-time employee notifications 

Visitor management software not only provides your guests with a great experience, but also helps add value to the employee experience. 

Employees will know when their guest arrives, in real-time. They can get a notification using email, Slack, or Microsoft Teams. Your guests won’t be kept waiting, since you’ll know exactly when they’re ready for you to greet them. 

Keep your team and office visitors safe

Since visitor management software serves as a log of who is coming and going in your office, you can also use it for contact tracing, should the need arise. 

This way, if anyone on your team or any visitor to your office reports that they’ve contracted COVID-19, you’ll know exactly who to notify. 

Related resources: Keep Your Office Safe With Vaccine Tracking for Visitors

Visitor management software provides smooth, modern experience for your team and for guests

Visitor management software can help streamline the lobby experience for both your team and your guests.

By using a tool to track visitors, you’ll provide a great first impression and an efficient experience from the moment a visitor has registered, until after they leave—and beyond. 

If you think your office could benefit from a visitor management tool, reach out to us today to schedule a demo of Eden's full suite of workplace software—including visitor management, desk booking, room scheduling, COVID team safety, and more.