Visitor Monitoring Software

One of the primary benefits of a visitor system is that you can monitor exactly who is  in your facilities and the reason for their visit.

Unlike a paper guest book for visitor sign in, badge software allows you to keep all visitor information confidential while being able to validate the identity of everyone entering your building and knowing the reason for their visit.

As we say in our advertising, you can know whether this person is a:

Competitor

Partner

Fired Employee

Contractor

Using our visitor software, you will be able to scan each visitor ID automatically and print customized visitor ID badges in 20 seconds or less for each visitor.

With the ability to scale from a single system to hundreds across an enterprise, our visitor registration software can be used in any type of environment, large or small.

You can use a variety of alerts that allow you to take actions based on specific visitor behavior.  For instance, you may want to know when a visitor badge has expired but that guest has not yet checked out. Or you may want to be notified when a contractor has checked in for the third time so that you can certify him to continue working in your building.

For an increased level of lobby security you can flag visitors against internal watch lists of individuals that you do not want entering your facility such as former employees, competitors, or any others. Or you can screen against external databases such as each states' sex offender database or the Government Denied Party database.

Our visitor systems are integrated with over 40 of the leading access control systems, which allow you to provide proximity card access to guests, permitting them to enter doors, turnstiles and elevators controlled by the access system.

These are a few of the many features that you can implement using visitor registration from EasyLobby.

Discover more about visitor management. Register for a free, customized online web demo.

In about 30 minutes we will show you how to create a professional visitor badge with our ID card software.

One of the benefits of using EasyLobby badge software is that the same system you use for visitor registration can also be used to track the time and attendance of employees, contractors, volunteers, or any other personnel.

It's a relatively easy process to use your visitor management software for time and attendance.
 
All you need to do is to import all the employee names into the EasyLobby visitor software. There are several ways to accomplish this step. Contact our technical support center if you need assistance with this at support@easylobby.com.

You then design an ID badge template that includes a barcode for all those you wish to record the time and attendance. The barcode will be used to scan them in and out of the facility.

Or  you can provide them with a proximity card which, when used in conjunction with EasyLobby's access control integration, will allow those individuals access to locked doors, elevators or turnstiles controlled by the access system.

The time that the employee or guest is onsite is then recorded in the EasyLobby electronic visitor management system. You are able to either access a report with the details of check in and check out times, or you can export the data using a variety of formats into other systems.

Our time and attendance feature can be used for all employees, or to record the time for temporary employees and contractors. You may be able to achieve considerable savings by documenting the time and attendance of outside contractors and to issue payments based on the actual onsite time.

One of our customers in the food transportation business has used this feature to avoid unwarranted delay fees charged by other trucking companies who in the past had claimed that it took longer to load or offload materials in their facilities.

Another EasyLobby customer, a large electric utility, realized considerable savings by closely monitoring the time and attendance of all contractors working at their generating facilities during planned and unplanned outages.

Keep in mind that the time and attendance feature is just  one of the many different capabilities that can be used in conjunction with our visitor systems. There are many others.

Discover more capabilities of our visitor registration software by signing up for a free, customized online web conference.

In about 30 minutes we will demonstrate ways to create professional visitor badges and how to use visitor management to improve security and the efficiency of your organization.

Most people who use a visitor system are familiar with the primary benefits and features of it, including the capability to:

• Scan a visitor ID such as a driver's license during check in to capture relevant visitor information automatically and to verify the identity of the visitor
• Use the electronic visitor management system to capture additional information that is pertinent to your environment
• Print professional visitor badges to identify visitors throughout the building
• Run reports to understand visitor activity and how to improve the process of managing visitors
  

But there are many additional badge software features for you to consider to add functionality, improve visitor security and enhance the professionalism of your organization.

The first thing to consider is what's most important for you and your particular environment. Because each organization is different with specific priorities, it's important to first determine what you are looking to get out of the software. EasyLobby builds a great deal of functionality into our visitor systems and allows you to tailor it to fit your needs. But the many features are only pertinent to you if they help you manage visitors better.

For instance, EasyLobby has an employee pre-registration feature that allows your employees to pre-register guests they know will be arriving. This alleviates much of the data collection that is normally done when the guest arrives.

Some organization may want to create internal watch lists to screen against unwanted visitors and also screen against visitors on each states' sex offender database or government denied party database.

Other organizations may want to operate their lobby system in a kiosk mode so that visitors can self register. This is useful in an unattended lobby or to alleviate congestion during guest sign in at busy lobbies

Some organizations may want to monitor time and attendance with their visitor software to control the time that contractors or temporary employees are on-site.

You may want to consider integrating your visitor registration system to your access control system to provide temporary proximity card access to guests. This allows them to move about the facility without the need for an employee escort.

You may have an area within your facility that is a high security area and you want to limit any outside visitors from entering. EasyLobby has a product called Satellite that is used to control and monitor entry and exit at one or more internal locations or "check points" for visitors who have already been provided with a visitor pass at a visitor registration system.

You may want to create a specific visitor badge for different categories of visitors. Our badge maker software can easily accomplish this.

The list goes on. The point is that organizations have different concerns for improving lobby management and you need a system that has the capabilities to adapt to your needs.

Find out more by registering for a free, personalized online web conference.

In about 30 minutes we will demonstrate the features of our system that are best for your specific environment.

Using visitor registration to monitor each and every guest entering your facilities is one important way to improve security and protect the assets of your organization.

Visitor software helps you better manage the flow of visitors who enter your facilities. It improves lobby management and creates an image of a well-run and professional organization.

By replacing a paper guest book and automating the entire process of guest sign in, you are able to scan a visitor ID such as a drivers license and create a professional visitor pass in seconds per visitor.

Integration of the visitor system with your access control system is recommended if you wish to provide visitors with a proximity card to allow access to locked doors, elevators or turnstiles controlled by your access system.

You are able to create alerts so that you can take certain actions based on visitor behavior. For instance, you may want to know when a person's visitor badge has expired but have not checked out.

For an increased level of security, visitor registration software can be used to flag visitors against watch lists such as each states' sex offender database or the Government Denied Parties Database to screen against unwanted visitors.

EasyLobby visitor systems have a host of features that allow you to customize the system to fit your specific needs and requirements for managing visitors and improving security.

Find out more by registering for a free, personalized online web conference.

In about 30 minutes we will demonstrate the features of our software that are most pertinent to your specific environment.

Electric utilities have specific security requirements because of the critical infrastructure nature of their facilities.

That's why many utilities have replaced their paper guest book with EasyLobby visitor registration software to comply with federal regulations requiring them to know exactly who has entered their facilities and to screen out unwanted visitors and contractors.

As an example, one large utility with more than 5 million customers uses EasyLobby visitor systems in more than a dozen office buildings and over 15 generating facilities.

This utility has designed visitor badges to have a consistent design across all facilities with distinct color coding to highlight which visitors need to be escorted and which do not.

In addition to improving lobby management and overall security, the utility also uses visitor software to control costs by better monitoring and controlling contractors working at their facilities.

With often hundreds to thousands of contractors working at these facilities during both planned and unplanned outages, the utility was able to use visitor registration to identify undesirable temporary workers and create a watch list to keep them from the facilities.

The visitor registration system also helped the utility determine the time the contractors actually spent on the site, thereby helping to dramatically control costs with more accurate time and attendance.

With an integration to their access control system, the utility was also able to provide contractors access to locked areas controlled by the access system.

The utility was able to achieve impressive results both in terms of controlling costs and improving security.

Read a case study of the use of an EasyLobby visitor system at a large electric utility.

For more information about how you can use visitor management software in your environment to create professional visitor passes, improve security, and enhance your image as a professional organization, register for a free, personalized online web conference.

In about 30 minutes we can demonstrate the badge software features that are most pertinent to your particular environment.

Organizations often focus on the main entry point or the lobby of their facilities as the place to use visitor software. But there are more locations to consider.

It may be time to review your use of visitor registration with a plan to use it to for multiple points of entry and field offices.

If your organization has many different entry points such as loading docks, delivery entrances, and other doors, you can benefit from additional visitor management stations to scan a visitor ID such as a driver's license and providing visitor passes for everyone entering the facilities.

Best practices for badge ID software include identifying and creating visitor badges for all visitors at each and every entry point to your buildings.

With multiple entry points you can create a centralized database in your visitor tracking software for monitoring, analyzing and reporting on visitor activity throughout the enterprise.

Also, although many organizations use badge software in their main facility, they often overlook using it in their field offices.

Smaller, remote locations can benefit by using visitor systems just as much as the main facility. In fact, the same watch lists can be used in remote locations to flag unwanted people, thereby highlighting their possible entry throughout company facilities.

Also, just like larger facilities, small facilities such as field offices can improve how their are perceived by visitors with the use of professional visitor registration software.

So when employing the use of ID card software to replace an outdated guest book for guest sign in, remember to use it throughout your facilities including other entry points and field offices.

The use of EasyLobby visitor badges can be used to create a professional, uniform approach to how you track and monitor visitors, contractors, temporary employees, and other guests throughout your organization.

Discover more about the benefits and best practices of using a visitor registration system in your environment by registering for a free, personalized online web conference.

In about 30 minutes we will demonstrate the visitor system features that are most appropriate for your particular requirements.

Commercial and residential multi-tenant buildings are not often viewed as prime examples of the use of visitor systems to monitor and track guest entry and exit.

Although it may seem difficult to deal with many different tenants and managing visitors for these types of facilities, the truth is that like many other types of environments it is important for organizations to understand who is entering the building and what their purpose is.

Multi-tenant facilities can definitely benefit from the use of badge software to track visitors, knowing who they are visiting, the purpose of their visit, and whether they have checked out.

EasyLobby visitor management software makes it easy to work with a variety of tenants and work smoothly in both commercial and residential multi-tenant environments, regardless of their size.

In commercial multi-tenant environments our ID badge system can be used to automatically produce unique badge templates for each tenant. Each visitor badge can have the company name and logo, floor number and any other number of customized items on the badge for guests going to their offices.

In residential multi-tenant facilities our visitor system can track the delivery of packages and monitor and assign parking spots. In combination with automatic alerts, the resident can be sent a text message that a package has arrived and is waiting for pickup in the lobby. The same type of alert can be used when a guest arrives to notify the tenant that a guest is waiting for them in the lobby.

With our pre visitor registration feature, individual tenants can pre-register guests that they know will be arriving, which can simplify guest sign in. If desired, the pre-registration can be required for all guests entering the building so that tenants only receive guests that they have invited.

The use of badge ID software greatly enhances visitor security, improves lobby management, and advances the professionalism of the facility as being well run and organized.

Read an EasyLobby success story of an installation of our visitor tracking software in a residential multi-tenant property at Plaza South Condominiums in Fort Lauderdale.

For commercial multi-tenant properties, read about our installation at One Gateway Center or The American General Center.

For more information about EasyLobby ID card software in multi-tenant properties, or other types of facilities, register for a free, personalized online web demo.

In about 30 minutes we will demonstrate the features of our solutions that are most pertinent to your particular environment and requirements.

Many organizations today are controlling access to their facilities using a visitor registration system.

The benefit of such an approach allows for better management of visitors, the ability to screen against unwanted visitors and a more professional approach to guest sign in.

By identifying and requiring all visitors to wear a visitor badge you are able to identify and track all visitors.

Visitor tracking software automates the entire process of visitor sign in. Professional lobby management begins with having a understanding of what visitor information is most important for your organization. You can quickly scan a visitor ID such as a driver's license and within seconds print a professional visitor pass.

You can create alerts so that you can take certain actions based on visitor behavior. For instance, you may want to know the first time a contractor checks in so that you can have them complete certain paperwork or take a safety test. Or you may want to do this after a select number of visits.

For an increased level of lobby security a visitor system can flag visitors against an internal watch list or external databases such as each states' sex offender database or the Government Denied Parties database.

Plus with capabilities such as visitor self-registration using a Kiosk, integration with access control systems to provide proximity card access to guests, and the ability to tailor the system for your specific requirements, badge software can result in a tremendous improvement over a paper guest book.

EasyLobby visitor registration software has a great deal of flexibility in using the system for your needs, is extremely feature rich, and is easy to use and install.

Learn more by registering for a free, personalized online web conference.

In about 30 minutes we will demonstrate the visitor registration features that are best for your particular environment.

Identifying exactly who is in your facilities and the reason why is one of the important functions of a professional visitor registration system.

Visitor software helps you better manage the flow of visitors who enter your buildings, it improves visitor security and improves lobby management.

With EasyLobby badge software you can create professional visitor passes for all guests.

ID card software allows you to quickly scan a visitor ID such as a driver's license of a guest and electronically capture the information without typing.

You can also monitor the reason for the visit, employee being visited, category of visitor, or any other information that is important to your organization.

Keeping unwanted visitors out of your facilities is also an important function of visitor registration software. You can create internal watch lists of individuals you want to flag as not being welcomed in your building. These might include disgruntled former employees, competitors, or other malicious individuals. You can also screen visitors against external databases such as each state's sex offender database or the government denied parties list.

With EasyLobby's integration to over 45 access control systems, it is easy to provide proximity card access to temporary visitors using the lobby system. During guest sign in you can allow their visitor badges to open doors, turnstiles or elevators controlled by your access system.

EasyLobby has many visitor management solutions that can be tailored to your specific requirements. Find out more by registering for a free, personalized online web conference.

In about 30 minutes we will demonstrate the visitor registration features that are most pertinent to your particular environment.

The August 2011 issue of Campus Safety Magazine highlighted the use of visitor registration at healthcare facilities.

The article, bylined by EasyLobby, focuses on the benefits that hospitals and healthcare facilities achieve by managing visitors with badge software.

"Healthcare organizations are today adapting to changing conditions and what it means to have an open facility. Like institutions in many different fields, healthcare facilities are increasingly using an electronic visitor management system to control and monitor guest access."

The article states that some of the most prestigious and largest healthcare campuses in the country are using visitor management software to screen, badge and track every visitor and vendor entering their buildings. Consequently, they are able to identify each and every guest from a driver's license scan, capture that information securely while keeping it confidential from other visitors, and provide a unique visitor badge that looks professional.

The article reviews the benefits of badge ID software integration with important healthcare systems such as HL7 for real-time patient feeds, Status Blue for approved vendors, and access control integration.

Screening visitors against either internal or external watch lists are also a key part of visitor software for hospitals.

"Healthcare facilities vary widely in their needs and requirements for visitor management. Because of the flexibility in the way it can be used, the expandability to include more entry points, and a range of features of a professional visitor system, healthcare facilities of all sizes and needs are able to adapt visitor registration software to improve overall visitor security and enhance the professionalism of their organization."

Read the entire Campus Safety article.

For more information about using an ID badge system in a healthcare environment or other type of facility, register for a free, personalized online web conference.

In about 30 minutes we will demonstrate the most pertinent features of using EasyLobby visitor badges in your facilities.

Food distribution is an important but very specialized market. Like many other specialized markets, we are often asked about the appropriateness of using a visitor system in that particular environment.

While the requirements of each type of organization will vary, we thought that a good topic of today's article would be to discuss the use of visitor registration in a very focused field such as food distribution.

Problem:  Can visitor tracking software be helpful to my requirements as a food distribution organization?

Solution:  Industries such as food distribution companies have very specific requirements to monitor and track all visitors who enter  their facilities. These requirements are the result of FDA regulations on the protection of the nation's food supply under the bio-terrorism rule.

Because of this, many food distribution companies will use EasyLobby for their badge software.

At many of these facilities visitor systems are used at both the corporate and the distribution facilities. These organizations monitor the arrival and departure of trucks and drivers in the distribution facilities.

As a result of using visitor software in their facilities, food distribution companies effectively comply with Federal regulations by recording and reporting on all guest sign in activity and tracking exactly which individuals and vehicles have entered or left a facility.

A visitor log in our software is able to track all visitors and make that data readily accessible in reports.

Food distribution companies using visitor registration software are also able to reduce costs by monitoring the exact arrival and departure of each truck. By having this exact log they are often able to dramatically reduce the detention fees typically charged by third-party shippers for drivers that were delayed at the facilities. The distribution company is able to challenge any unwarranted detention fees.

Read an EasyLobby case study about the use of visitor management at a national food distributor.

Although this article is specific to the use of visitor control software in a food distribution environment, our software can help many different types of organizations in their efforts to professionally manage visitors and improve visitor security.

Find out more by registering for a free, customized online web conference.

In about 30 minutes we will demonstrate the features of our system that are most significant to your particular requirements.

Some environments such as college and university campuses have unique challenges when using visitor software. So let's deal with the feasibility of using it in a campus environment.

Problem:  With a campus environment that encompasses many different buildings, open areas, and different school facilities, how realistic is it to consider using visitor registration software?

Solution:  The way you use a visitor system will depend greatly on the type of environment. But managing visitors professionally and securely in an open campus environment is just as important as a single-entry office.

It's important to know what you are trying to accomplish in an open campus environment and what is practical. The buildings that are more prone to theft, vandalism, or other problems from unknown guests are the locations to assign a priority to the use of badge software.

Protecting campus dormitories from unknown or unwanted guests are probably one of the highest priority areas for any college.
 
Enhancing visitor security at college and university campuses begins with knowing who is visiting buildings on campus.

By installing visitor systems in campus dormitories and other high risk buildings you have the ability to monitor and control all guests who are entering those buildings.

Visitor tracking software allows you to track students who are visiting another student's residence hall and track and provide a visitor ID badge to all non-student visitors.

Screening of visitors on each states' registered sex offender database can also be used. During a guest sign in, the lobby attendant will be notified if someone on a list tries to check in. Automatic email alerts can also be sent to security personnel.

You can also decide if you want visitors to wear a school visitor badge before entering certain other facilities such as a library or administration buildings.

Protecting students, administrators and faculty require that educational institutions develop specific processes for the use of visitor management software. As a result, you will have an environment that is secure, yet the visitor management system will not be a burden or a hardship for administrators or guests.

EasyLobby school visitor software is currently used a many leading educational facilities across the country.

For more information about using visitor management in your college or university campus, or at your specific environment, register for a free, personalized online web conference.

In about 30 minutes we will demonstrate the features of the EasyLobby system that are best for your particular requirements.

Some organizations prefer to maintain an unattended lobby. Guests either have to call the person they are visiting or buzz a notification alarm to alert someone to open a door.

So how would you handle visitor registration in that type of environment? That's the subject of today's article.

Problem:  How can you use a visitor registration system when there is no attendant to log in guests and create visitor badges?

Solution:  Visitor registration software such as EasyLobby's can easily operate in an unattended mode as a stand alone kiosk to allow visitors to self-register.

Facility managers and security professionals understand that an unattended lobby does not negate the need for greater security and knowing who has entered the facility and the reason for their visit.

Our badge software allows visitors to scan their license at a kiosk and receive a badge before entry to a facility. Many kiosks, such as the one pictured to the left, include a touch screen monitor so visitors can easily navigate through easy step-by-step instructions.

A kiosk is a great way to allow visitors to perform all the steps necessary to identify themselves by scanning their visitor ID such as a driver's license and printing a visitor pass. In some cases those visitor passes are the only way they can enter a locked door or turnstile that is able to read the barcode on the badge. Read our case study at One Gateway Center that employs just such a lobby system.

EasyLobby supports seven different languages for visitor self-registration. You decide the fields that are displayed on the kiosk screen and determine which are required for guest sign in.

Our badge ID software also includes automatic email notifications that a guest has arrived and is waiting for them in the lobby.

With our web-based employee pre-registration option you can require pre-registration of guests by employees so that a visitor cannot enter a facility unless an employee has pre-registered them prior to their arrival.

One of EasyLobby's kiosk partners - Parabit Systems - has published a white paper titled "The Benefits of Visitor Management / Self-Badging Kiosks."

It's a great white paper that delves into the benefits of using visitor management software in a kiosk. Among the many benefits of using a kiosk for guest sign in are:

• More accurate screening of visitors
• Pre-registration of visitors to more tightly control who is authorized to enter
• Detailed visitor information captured quickly and accurately
• Multiple security alerts for tighter visitor security

For more information about using ID card software in either a fully staffed or an unattended lobby, register for a free, personalized online web conference.

In about 30 minutes we can demonstrate the lobby system features that are most appropriate for your particular environment.

Healthcare facilities have their own unique set of challenges when using visitor software. In today's problems and solutions article we review ways to improve visitor security in a healthcare and hospital environment.

Problem:  Is visitor badge software really practical for hospitals and healthcare facilities? We have always considered ourselves to be an open facility that does not lend itself to this type of application.

Solution:  It's easy to understand why some people may feel that hospitals and healthcare environments are not a good fit for visitor registration software. But the truth is that most every organization today needs to monitor who is entering their buildings and the reason why.

Healthcare facilities are no exception, in spite of many of them having a high volume of visitors.

Some of the country's largest and most prominent healthcare facilities currently use EasyLobby visitor management to secure their facilities and screen, badge and track every visitor and vendor entering the building.

These organizations can process visitors in and out of the facilities quickly, screen against unwanted visitors, manage the maximum number of visitors to specific patients at any one time, and monitor all guest sign in.

A lobby attendant can scan a visitor ID such as a driver's license, capture all necessary information on the visitor, and create a professional visitor badge in less than 20 seconds per visitor.

Kiosk mode stations can also be located in a lobby so that guests can self-register.

An important aspect of EasyLobby visitor systems is that they are able to integrate with other hospital information systems. Some of the more significant integrations include:

HL7 for real-time patient feeds:  Lobby attendants are able to view real-time patient admissions and discharges, allowing them to match the patient that the visitor is seeing and include that on a visitor pass.

Status Blue:  This includes a list of the approved vendors for the healthcare facility. The lobby attendant will be ale to access this information and know whether an arriving vendor has been pre-approved by the facility.

Access Control Integration:  Contractors can be provided with access to locked doors controlled by the facility's access control system, allowing them to enter areas without the need of being escorted by an employee.

Also, with the option of sex offender screening, the healthcare facility can screen against individuals on each states' sex offender database, and to take appropriate action if an individual tries to enter the facility.

One of the visitor management techniques that healthcare facilities can use is the maximum visitor alert feature, allowing the facility to limit the number of guests to specific patients, such as those in intensive care.

Our badge ID software can be used to provide extended visitor badges for family members who may be visiting patients frequently over a long period of time. Whenever that guest arrives a simple scan of a barcode on the badge will check them in.

For more information about using visitor management software in a healthcare facility, register for a free, personalized online web conference.

In about 30 minutes we will demonstrate the features that are most helpful to a healthcare facility, or for your particular environment.

Some organizations want to capture a visitor's signature when they enter a building. But how can it be accomplished easily while also linking the signature to your visitor registration software?

That's the topic of today's problems and solutions article.

Problem:  We need to verify that certain guests entering our facilities have read and agreed to specific rules and regulations. How can we record their signature as part of the guest sign in process?

Solution:  A number of EasyLobby customers capture guest signatures when they check in at a visitor system.

This is a good option at organizations that require visitors to acknowledge or assent to something and to record their agreement with a signature.

Our visitor software includes the ability to scan a visitor ID such as a driver's license, business card, or passport, and create a professional visitor pass. This allows you to identify and monitor who is entering your facilities.

Beyond the basic visitor registration, you can perform a number of other tasks when managing visitors, such as signature capture.

When capturing visitor signatures, EasyLobby customers have the option of recording multiple signatures from a single visitor, which is helpful when designating a signature for multiple documents. You can include a copy of the documents in our visitor registration system and match the documents with the signatures.

EasyLobby uses the Topaz Signature Capture Pad, which uses electromagnetic technology with an active pen. An electronic copy of the visitor's signature is recorded in the badge ID software as part of the visitor record.

So if you want to augment your ID badge system with signature capture, be sure to investigate EasyLobby visitor management software.

Discover more by registering for a free, personalized online web conference.

In about 30 minutes we will demonstrate the visitor management features that are most applicable to your particular environment.

Customers often ask about the benefit of printing a barcode on a visitor pass. Is it a good idea? What function do they perform?

We'll examine that issue in today's article about visitor systems.

Problem:  I don't really see the point of including a barcode on a visitor badge. What purpose does it serve?

Solution:  Barcodes offer a number of advantages, and are often overlooked when designing your ID badge template.

Because the EasyLobby badge ID software allows you to easily design badge templates, the capability to include barcodes on visitor badges is an easy process.

The use of barcodes allow you to quickly scan out a visitor when they are leaving the facility. The scan automatically signs out the guest. This can be especially beneficial in a busy lobby, saving time as a guest leaves. The lobby attendant simply scans the badge and the visitor is checked out. No other action is required.

Barcodes also help in the visitor registration process by quickly checking in frequent visitors. You can grant a permanent badge that can be scanned during guest sign in when they re-enter the facility. The EasyLobby system will recognize the barcode and check them in without the need for further collection of visitor ID data since that has already taken place on their original check in.

Barcodes also help control and monitor entry and exit at one or more internal check points for visitors who have already been badged at an EasyLobby visitor system in the main lobby.

Upon arrival at an internal check point the visitor badge with a barcode is scanned and the EasyLobby Satellite™ station will display the visitor's photo, name and clearance level and immediately inform the operator whether to allow the visitor entry into that area or whether to deny entry.  The clearance level is assigned to each visitor when they are badged at the main lobby.

Because EasyLobby's visitor badge software creates a unique barcode for every visitor you don't have to be concerned about the creation of barcodes. You simply designate the inclusion of barcodes in the badge design template.

For more information register for a free, personalized online web conference.

In about 30 minutes we will demonstrate the use of barcodes and the many other visitor management software features that are most applicable to your particular environment.

Some organizations receive a large number of visitors because of the nature of their organization. Hospitals are one example, and there are many others.

Some of these organizations believe that they must maintain an "open environment" and therefore they shy away from implementing an ID badge system in their facilities.

We'll examine that issue in today's visitor registration problem and resolution article.

Problem: Our facility has too many visitors to even consider using a lobby system for visitor passes.

Solution:  The truth is that every type of organization should understand who is entering their facilities and the purpose of their visit - primarily because of security issues, liability concerns, and the professionalism of the organization.

That includes organizations that receive a large number of visitors.

Those organizations may believe that visitor registration software is cumbersome and that guests will object to it.

But that's not the case. EasyLobby visitor management is easy to use and you can check in each visitor in less than 20 seconds per guest. And both guests and employees see that your organization is concerned about security and therefore they have a more positive opinion of your establishment.

Case in point, I was recently speaking with the security director of a large hospital in the Northeast. She had been with the hospital for about three years, and when she first started working at this hospital the head of the facility told her point blank, "We're not implementing any restrictions or monitoring of visitors coming in to see patients. We're an open facility and we pride ourselves on that."

Not wanting to rock the boat in her new role, she followed his directive and didn't recommend implementing a visitor system.

But then someone was assaulted and robbed in the hospital. Fortunately the victim was not seriously injured, but a serious liability issue arose because of it. And it opened the eyes of hospital administrators to the need of better security to protect patients, visitors and staff.

This particular hospital soon pursued steps to implement professional visitor software to know exactly who was entering their facilities and to restrict persons they did not want in their buildings.

It's only one example, but it's a real situation that's probably faced by many other organizations believing it's in their best interest to remain open for anyone to freely enter.

EasyLobby badge software is used at many hospitals, as well as many other types of organizations that receive a large number of visitors. They all concur that it has made their facilities safer and has improved their standing as a well-run, professional organization.

Discover how easy it is to implement visitor badge software in your facilities by registering for a free, personalized online web conference.

In about 30 minutes we will demonstrate the features of our visitor monitoring software that's most effective for your particular organization - regardless of the number of visitors that you receive.

Register today for our free demo and let us explain how you can still be "open" and also improve security and the professionalism of your organization.

Some organizations believe that because they have an access control system installed at their facilities they don't really need visitor software.

Is that a viable premise? Let's examine it in today's article about visitor registration problems and how to solve them.

Problem:  Our access control system limits entry to our buildings so why would we want to duplicate it with badge software?

Solution:  The truth is that access control and visitor systems perform two different, but essential functions for any organization. While access control limits who can enter a locked door, elevator, or turnstile controlled by the access system, visitor control software identifies, monitors and tracks temporary visitors to your facilities.

A visitor system can work in conjunction with access control or it can be independent of it and have no integration between the two systems.

Access control systems work by allowing entry to locked doors with a proximity card or other credential. Normally an employee ID card serves as the proximity card. Depending on that employee's clearance level they are able to enter all or some of the locked doors controlled by the access system.

But what happens when a visitor arrives?

One solution is to always have the visitor escorted by an employee so they can enter those locked doors. But then you have no record of who has entered your buildings or who they are. Only the employee will be recorded by the access control system, not the visitor.

And if your employees are always escorting visitors, how do you handle contractors who may need to work in your building, or janitors, or the vending machine guy, or any number of other people who need temporary access to inside the building.

You could send them to the security office (if you have one) and have your security manager provide them with a proximity card, and hope they return it when they leave. But that can be cumbersome and time consuming.

Or you could have your lobby attendants have a bunch of live proximity cards on their desk to hand out to those needing temporary access. But again, what if one of those cards is stolen, lost, or a visitor forgets to return it?

Then you have a live proximity card out there that anyone can use to enter your building.

A better solution is to integrate visitor registration software with an access control system. This allows you provide temporary proximity card access to visitors directly from your lobby system. There's no need for your lobby attendants to interface with the access control system (something not recommended), nor do you have to send visitors to the security office to obtain credentials.

And most importantly, you have a complete record of who has entered your building and what areas they were granted access to, and when they left. Their visitor pass will serve as a proximity card, opening doors, elevators, or turnstiles controlled by the access system.

Another important point is that when a visitor leaves their access card becomes inactive. Even if they mistakenly take the visitor badge with them when they leave the access card will no longer be valid after an expiration date and time.

So don't be confused that access control systems and badge ID software serve the same purpose. They have different functions but can be integrated to work in concert with each other.

EasyLobby is integrated with nearly 40 of the leading access control systems, so no matter what access control you are using you can likely integrate with it.

Read our white paper about integrating our software with access control systems.

And for more information about our visitor registration system and its different features, register for a free, personalized online web conference.

In about 30 minutes we will demonstrate the EasyLobby features that are most applicable to your particular requirements.

If you are using visitor software to automatically badge and monitor guest sign in, you are already much more effective than using a paper guest book when managing visitors at your facilities.

But an electronic visitor management system presents its own challenges. Here is a common problem that you may encounter and ways to overcome it.

During the next couple of weeks I'll highlight other problems in this blog post and look at solutions to make your badge software more effective and efficient.

Problem:  It takes too much time to check in each visitor. Long lines form and visitors are unhappy about it.

Solution:  Use a driver's license scanner to automatically scan each visitor ID, such as their driver's license or business card rather than manually typing in the visitor's name. This will save considerable time, automate most of the process, and improve accuracy of data. For other types of questions about visitor data, use drop down menus to quickly gather data.

Another option is to have employees pre-register visitors. EasyLobby has a pre-registration software package that's called eAdvance. It's a browser-based web product that allows you to pre-determine the required fields that employees need to complete and you can even determine if the employee's supervisor needs to approve the pre-registration. You also decide if this is something available to all employees or a selected number.

Decide what visitor log data is most important to you. Just because you have the ability to collect a great deal of information about who is entering your building, doesn't mean you necessarily need all of it. Decide what is most important for you to improve visitor security and to correctly identify who is in your facilities and the purpose of their visit.

Finally, adding additional visitor systems to your lobby is an obvious solution, but one that is not always feasible because of the requirements for more lobby attendants. So another option to reduce the time for visitor sign in is to use your visitor system in a kiosk to allow visitors to self-register, much like many airlines now use to provide boarding passes. You can run EasyLobby visitor management is an unattended mode, with certain fields that are required for visitors to complete. Multiple languages are available and you can customize the look and style of the check in screen. The kiosk can include a driver's license scanner and it can even print visitor badges when the required fields have been entered by the guest.

These are a few options to reduce the time to check in a guest and provide a visitor badge with visitor registration software.

For more information about the many features of EasyLobby badge ID software, register for a free, personalized online web conference.

In about 30 minutes we will demonstrate the visitor management system features that are most applicable to your environment.

Watch this blog post for more visitor management software problems and solutions.

Our July 2011 visitor software newsletter has just been issued.

We periodically send it to customers and those interested in badge software. Every issue has a number of articles about visitor badges and about improving the guest sign in procedure at your organization.

Some of the articles in the current issue include school and campus security, a new access control integration, and controlling entry to selective areas of your facilities.

Each issue of the newsletter has information that is helpful in using a lobby system to create professional visitor passes to monitor and control entry to your facilities.

EasyLobby visitor management is used at thousands of locations around the world to improve how organizations are managing visitors.

Register to receive future issues of our newsletter.

And if you would like more information about our ID card software, register for a free, personalized online web conference.

In about 30 minutes we will demonstrate the features of our visitor system that are most applicable to your particular environment.