Visitor Management Software Advice and Ratings
Do some research before you choose a visitor management software provider
To find visitor management software that works for your facility, you'll need to review both technical and logistic concerns. Security personnel use this type of software to identify visitors, perhaps run a background check on them, and print ID cards that give them access to certain parts of the facility. You may need to set up multiple access points to effectively screen visitors, and make sure the screening system you have in place is effective.Visitor management software is often closely related to, or a part of, identity management access control software that limits who has access to a building or electronic network. Therefore, you may need to think about how a program will integrate with any software system you currently have in place. When reading visitor management software advice and ratings, be on the lookout for:
1. Programs that provide accurate background checks -- what databases, if any, do they access?
2. The benefits of software that requires a government issued ID to make a temporary pass, vs. having security personnel enter information into the system.
3. Visitor management software that is easy and quick to use, and still effective.
Read security industry trade publications to get visitor management software information
Perhaps the most in-depth visitor management software advice and ratings come from independent trade publications geared to the security industry. With the many, many types of security software on the market, these reviews are a good starting point as you determine the types of features available and which are necessary to manage access to your facility.
Try: SC Magazine, a resource for security professionals, publishes in-depth reviews of many access control and ID management software programs. Security Management has reviews of new access control and visitor management programs, and runs articles that feature security visitor management success stories and best practices.
Review articles that discuss visitor management software features and best practices
Reading about visitor management software can give you a lot of background information. You'll discover who is implementing these programs and why. You'll also discover the pitfalls of bad access control systems and the features that made other systems successful. Often, the advice you'll find is as much about implementation and security practices as it is choosing the right software.
Try: Security Magazine has a great article on implementing a comprehensive visitor management system. Government Security, a magazine for security professionals who serve local, state and federal facilities, features many articles on visitor management, including this article on speedy ID registration.
Mine information from a visitor management software directory
To avoid being overwhelmed by the options, you should make a list of the features you need from a visitor management software. Must it integrate with your current access control software? Do you need a program that searches national databases? How about a software that lets visitors register appointments online? By knowing what you need, you can easily cut the time you spend browsing a visitor management software list.
Try: Forbes has an extensive list of companies that provide visitor management software. You can narrow the field by looking for programs with specific features, and submit information requests to multiple vendors. SecurityInfoWatch.com also has contact information for many companies that provide identity management software. NexTag lets you compare prices between products and vendors.
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