Visitor management refers to a set of practices or hardware additions that administrators can use to monitor the usage of a building or site. By gathering this information, a visitor management system can record the usage of facilities by specific visitors and provide documentation of visitor's whereabouts.
Proponents of an information-rich visitor management system point to increased security, particularly in schools, as one benefit. As more parents demand action from schools that will protect children from sexual predators, some school districts are turning to modern visitor management systems that not only track a visitor's stay, but also check the visitor's information against national and local criminal databases.
Visitor management technologies
Computer visitor management systems
Basic computer or electronic visitor management systems use a computer network to monitor and record visitor information and are commonly hosted on an iPad or a touchless kiosk.
An electronic visitor management system improves upon most of the negative points of a pen and paper system. Visitor ID can be checked against national and local databases, as well as in-house databases for potential security problems.
Visitor management software as a service
Another alternative to visitor management software is an on-line, web based visitor management system offered as a service. SaaS visitor management software for schools allows administrators to screen visitors upon entrance, often checking for sex offender status, and restrict access to unauthorized entrants. SaaS visitor management software for the real estate industry allows landlords and managers to remotely control and monitor access rights without the need to pass physical keys and keycards to new tenants. SaaS visitor management software for commercial offices allows facilities managers to automate their building's reception area with advocates of this type of system claiming a variety of benefits, including both security and privacy. Many modern SaaS visitor management systems are tablet-based apps, and are
thin client
In computer networking, a thin client is a simple (low-performance) computer that has been optimized for establishing a remote connection with a server-based computing environment. They are sometimes known as ''network computers'', or in th ...
solutions operating software as a service in
the cloud.
Visitor management systems on smart phones
Smart phone
A smartphone is a portable computer device that combines mobile telephone and computing functions into one unit. They are distinguished from feature phones by their stronger hardware capabilities and extensive mobile operating systems, which ...
based visitor management system work similar to a web based system, but hosts can get real-time notifications or alerts on their device. Hosts can allow or deny visit to guest based on their interest or availability.
Smart phone based visitor management systems also enable features like automatic and touchless sign-in using technologies that include QR codes and geofencing.
Integrations with other systems
Visitor management systems offer integration with other workplace management systems, such as access control and Wi-Fi credentials.
Types of Visitor Management Systems
* Pen and Paper-based system
* On-Premise Software
* Cloud-based software
See also
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Access control
In the fields of physical security and information security, access control (AC) is the selective restriction of access to a place or other resource, while access management describes the process. The act of ''accessing'' may mean consuming ...
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Optical turnstile
An optical turnstile is a physical security device designed to restrict or control access to a building or secure area. Optical turnstiles are usually a part of an access control system, which also consists of software, card readers, and controlle ...
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Identity document
An identity document (also called ID or colloquially as papers) is any documentation, document that may be used to prove a person's identity. If issued in a small, standard credit card size form, it is usually called an identity card (IC, ID c ...
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Proximity card
A proximity card or prox card also known as a key card or keycard is a contactless smart card which can be read without inserting it into a reader device, as required by earlier magnetic stripe cards such as credit cards and contact type sma ...
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Boom barrier
A boom barrier, also known as a boom gate, is a bar, or pole pivoted to allow the boom to block vehicular or pedestrian access through a controlled point. Typically the tip of a boom gate rises in a vertical arc to a near vertical position. Boo ...
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Cross-device tracking
Cross-device tracking refers to technology which enables the tracking of users across multiple devices such as smartphones, television sets, smart TVs, and personal computers.
More specifically, cross-device tracking is a technique in which techno ...
References
External links
*{{curlie, Business/Business_Services/Fire_and_Security/Security/Access_Control/, Access Control
Access control
Security