Free vs. Paid Visitor Management Software [A Guide]

It’s safe to say that in our current situation, visitor management has become more crucial than ever. For businesses to safely operate, and by extension, remain open at all, proper visitor management measures need to be taken.

The problem is that running a business is already taxing enough without the extra restrictions. Businesses are having to delegate extra staff and resources to comply with many of the new requirements. For those who are stretched thin as it is, this can quickly spell trouble.

So what steps can you take to help alleviate some of the pressure? Surely there must be a solution to this common problem?

Enter visitor management software. 

Now, the visitor management software market is flooded with different options to choose from. Having to pick the perfect one for your specific business or industry would almost certainly add an unwanted task to your already long to-do list.

Thankfully, we’ve compiled a list of some of the best visitor management software out there, both free and paid options.

Some of you might be thinking: “Whoa, back up. What on earth is visitor management software?”

Relax. Before we get into our picks for the best visitor management software, let’s go over what that entails. However, for those who are already well-informed about visitor management software, don’t worry. We’ll let you skip to our top picks.

Skip to the List

We get it. You’re busy and looking for a quick solution without having to read up on all of the benefits of visitor management software.

Here’s our list of the best free and paid visitor management software:

Free:

1. Envoy
2. LobbyTrack
3. VisitDesk

Paid:

1. Skiplino Appointments
2. Sign In App
3. SwipedOn

What is Visitor Management Software?

In order to understand the benefits, and more importantly, what exactly visitor management software is, first we’ll need to get a fundamental understanding of what visitor management means.

“Visitor management” is essentially the practice of tracking the people who enter and exit your premises.

We’re not just talking about customers here, either. Other common visitor types include:

• Contractors
• Delivery people
• Meeting attendees (interviews, business proposals, etc.)
• Business auditors
• Employees not scheduled to work or coming in at odd hours

The information you collect from these visitors will likely vary based on the industry you’re in. For example, the airline and travel industry would likely require vastly different credentials as part of their visitor management systems than, say, a hospital waiting room.

So where does visitor management software fit into all of this?

Well, before the advent of technology, businesses would rely on an old fashioned pen and paper visitor management system. Visitors would have to manually record their names alongside any other pertinent information required by the business.

It goes without saying that in today’s digital age, relying on pen-and-paper systems for just about anything is unreliable. From appointment scheduling to visitor management, ditching the physical booklets in favor of digital alternatives should be at the top of anyone’s priority list, given all the issues they can cause.

But why is the pen-and-paper visitor management system so hated?

• It’s inefficient
• It creates long line-ups of people waiting to sign in
• It causes privacy issues, with people being able to read all of the information from other visitors before them

While the physical sign-in book is certainly a cost-effective solution, when you factor in all of the issues associated with its usage, it seems like a no-brainer to try and find a new method for visitor management.

This is where visitor management software comes in.

Obviously, visitor management software is fairly self-explanatory: Software that allows managing visitors. However, choosing the right visitor management software can provide you with so much more than just a digital method to record visitor data.

Visitor management software presents several benefits that not only help to remedy the aforementioned problems above but also help you go above and beyond.

The question is, what are these benefits? 

Better First Impressions

Sitting in a waiting room is bad enough as it is. However, it’s even worse when clients are meant to wait in line in order to sign in before they even make it to the waiting room. In fact, let’s just say that people despise waiting in general.

With visitor management software, you can leave a far superior first impression on your visitors. And when it comes to customer service, first impressions definitely last. In fact, up to 76% of people believe that the implementation of visitor management software increases visitor satisfaction. If that isn’t enough to help you understand the importance of first impressions regarding visitor management, we’re not sure what is.

Far More Secure

As we’ve mentioned already, visitor privacy can be an issue with pen-and-paper style visitor management systems. What’s to stop someone from reading all of the information written down by past visitors? We certainly wouldn’t blame people for being a little worried about this lack of privacy.

Thankfully, visitor management software eliminates this problem entirely. Your visitor information is stored within the cloud, meaning that it won’t be visible to anyone else. Your visitors can rest assured that their private information is completely safe and secure.

More Efficient Check-In Process

Pen-and-paper visitor management systems mean that there’s only one point of access for the information you need. All of your staff will have to reference that book in order to keep track of appointments or look up any vital information needed.

An effective visitor management app changes all of that. Since most visitor management software has some sort of dashboard accessible from desktop or mobile, the information you need is far easier to access. Therefore, improving overall efficiency.

Meeting Compliance

Being audited can be scary. How do you know if you’re prepared? Do you have all the proper logs and reports on hand to present to the auditors?

Unfortunately, with a traditional visitor management system, it can be difficult to keep track of the reports needed should you receive a compliance audit. This is to be expected from such an unorganized and inefficient system.

Visitor management software is based in the cloud, meaning your visitor information is not only secure and protected but properly logged for the occasions where you’ll need it for a compliance audit. These audits can be incredibly stressful if you aren’t prepared. Thankfully, when you implement visitor management software, you’ll no longer have to worry.

As you can see, moving from an outdated visitor management system to visitor management software comes with many benefits that make the upfront cost (should you choose a paid variety of software) completely worth it. Both your staff and your visitors will thank you for providing an effective method of managing visitors and the information needed from them.