If you haven’t already, then chances are you’ll be pretty picky when you need to choose an office space for your business. There’ll be so many things to consider—location, square footage, furnishings, and colors, etc.
Considering a third of our lives are spent at work, the workspace is essentially our second home. So why wouldn’t we take the time and care to weigh all our options when the time comes to choose a visitor management system?
“For many of us, a large portion of our days is spent at work; in fact, the average person will spend 90,000 hours at work over a lifetime.—1/3 of your life is spent at work” Gettysburg College
Just like your carefully-chosen office space, you need a visitor management solution that fits your unique business like a glove.
Tip: You shouldn’t choose one just because your competitor is using it.
Your choice of visitor management system matters
With more than 400 million in-person business meetings happening annually across the U.S., and the meetings industry in the UK now valued at approximately £165–£190 billion per year, visitor experience is no longer something businesses can afford to overlook.
(Sources: U.S. Travel Association, 2024, UK Meetings Industry Report, 2024)
In 2018, we surveyed 2,000 business professionals across the US and UK about their experiences in corporate lobbies. What we learned was that too many businesses underestimate how crucial a visitor management system (VMS) can be.
A poorly matched one can leave a bad taste in your visitors’ mouths.
And according to updated 2024–2025 research, the problem hasn’t improved:
- 46% of workplace visitors report experiencing at least one negative check-in or lobby interaction within the past year
(Source: Security Journal Americas, 2024) - 72% of visitors say a disorganized or slow lobby check-in negatively affects their perception of the company’s professionalism and security posture
(Source: Forrester Customer Experience Index, 2024) - Nearly 1 in 3 visitors report that a poor front-desk experience made them less likely to do business with a company again
(Source: GBTA Meetings & Events Research, 2024)
Numbers like these can hurt your bottom line — not to mention your brand reputation.
Can your business afford to be making such bad impressions?
That’s why we’ll talk about the 7 critical factors to consider when shopping for a visitor management system for your business, and the questions you should be asking:
1. How long has the company been around?
Time is still one of the best indicators of a software provider’s stability and product maturity. In the SaaS world, vendors with long operational histories tend to deliver more reliable performance, stronger security practices, and more consistent feature improvements.
Research shows that over 70% of buyers prefer software providers with 5+ years of proven market presence, citing trust, security, and roadmap stability as key reasons.
(Source: Gartner Market Insights, 2024)
As a product gains years in the market, it becomes more refined, less error-prone, and better equipped to support modern workplace needs.
We recommend looking through the provider’s product update blog or release notes to see how actively they maintain and improve their system.
2. What do their customers say?
Customer feedback remains a leading influence in software selection. According to 2024 research, 84% of buyers trust reviews as much as personal recommendations when evaluating workplace and security technology.
(Source: BrightLocal Consumer Review Survey, 2024)
Check multiple review platforms (G2, Capterra, TrustRadius, Software Advice) to identify consistent themes.
Pay attention to:
- onboarding experience
- customer support responsiveness
- reliability and uptime
- ease of use for front desk and visitors
Consistent positive sentiment across platforms is a strong indicator of a mature, dependable VMS.
3. How secure is their system?
Security is a primary concern for every business. So how would a visitor management system fit into your current security arrangement?
As a base, the right solution can identify and record every person who steps foot on your premises. This is good news for your people and intellectual property, and your visitor privacy as well. But not all visitor management systems are created equal.
You’ve got to find one that provides key technologies that will help you better secure your building.
And just like you’d check under the hood of a car before buying it, it’s essential to go more than skin deep to see what a company’s security measures are made of.
For example, a SOC 1 or SOC 2 certification indicates airtight security. But a SOC 2 Type II certification benefits customers even further, as an independent audit of the systems is performed on the systems over a span of six months or more.
4. What kind of user experience (UX) does it offer?
Visitor expectations have changed dramatically. According to 2024 workplace research, 67% of visitors expect a digital, self-service, or contactless check-in experience, and 73% say lobby efficiency strongly shapes their first impression of a business.
(Source: Forrester Customer Experience Index, 2024)
A great VMS should offer:
- fast, intuitive sign-in
- optional pre-registration
- QR code or mobile check-in
- clear instructions and polished interface
- accessibility options for all visitor types
A smooth, modern check-in sets the tone for your entire workplace experience.
5. Does it help you meet your compliance objectives?
Are you already aware that your business needs to be in compliance when it comes to GDPR and visitor management?
GDPR was implemented back in 2018, but fast forward a year and only 29% of EU businesses are GDPR-compliant.
And it’s not only in Europe where data privacy regulations have been tightened. There’s also the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and Japan’s APPI you should be taking into consideration.
You need to ensure your new VMS helps and doesn’t harm your efforts during regulatory compliance audits. This includes audits related to ITAR, PCI DSS, C-TPAT, and FSMA as well.
This is especially important because whatever your organization spends on compliance initiatives, currently, is set to double over the next five years. And the rate at which fines and penalties are growing is no laughing matter.
6. Can you use your favorite tools with the VMS?
You probably already use a number of apps and software to run your day-to-day business.
Integrations are no longer optional. In 2024, over 82% of IT leaders reported that disconnected workplace systems create inefficiencies and security gaps.
(Source: IDC Workplace Technology Report, 2024)
Your VMS should integrate with:
- access control systems
- communication tools (email, SMS, Teams, Slack)
- calendar systems
- ID verification tools
- Wi-Fi provisioning
- workplace platforms or facility-management software
The more interconnected the system, the smoother your operations will run.
Your new VMS needs to play nice with your existing tools and apps for the best-of-breed strategy that your business needs.
7. Is it going to give your IT department nightmares?
A visitor management system should simplify your workplace — not add new burdens for your IT team. Older, on-premise, or legacy systems often require substantial internal support, including:
-
allocating physical space for servers or hardware
-
configuring and installing the system manually
-
performing frequent updates and security patches
-
troubleshooting issues on-site
These requirements take time and resources away from more strategic IT initiatives.
Modern organizations are moving away from legacy systems for this reason. Recent workplace-technology research shows that the majority of IT leaders now prioritize cloud-based solutions to reduce maintenance, strengthen security, and improve reliability.
(Source: IDC Workplace Technology Report, 2024)
Why cloud-based visitor management makes a difference
Cloud-delivered visitor management systems eliminate most of the traditional IT burden by offering:
- automatic updates and patches
- built-in security protections
- remote administration from a single dashboard
- minimal hardware requirements
- faster setup across multiple locations
This allows your IT team to stay focused on higher-impact work instead of routine maintenance.
Other factors to consider
Beyond IT workload, you’ll also want to evaluate:
- cost and long-term value
- installation speed
- ease of adoption for staff and visitors
- customization options
- scalability across locations
- the ability to integrate with workplace and security systems
The right visitor management system should support your workplace operations, fit seamlessly into your existing technology stack, and grow with your organization — without creating unnecessary complexity.
Choosing the right Visitor Management System
Your lobby is more than an entry point — it’s a reflection of your organization’s values, culture, and commitment to a safe, seamless visitor experience. With the right visitor management system in place, you can create a consistent, secure, and professional first impression that supports your brand and strengthens every relationship that walks through your doors.
Frequently asked questions
By Jonathan Davis
As a content creator at Eptura, Jonathan Davis covers asset management, maintenance software, and SaaS solutions, delivering thought leadership with actionable insights across industries such as fleet, manufacturing, healthcare, and hospitality. Jonathan’s writing focuses on topics to help enterprises optimize their operations, including building lifecycle management, digital twins, BIM for facility management, and preventive and predictive maintenance strategies. With a master's degree in journalism and a diverse background that includes writing textbooks, editing video game dialogue, and teaching English as a foreign language, Jonathan brings a versatile perspective to his content creation.
