Are Visitor Bookings Really Worth It for Residential Estate Visitor Management?

Visitor showing they VisitMe visitor booking on their mobile phone.

If you live in or manage a residential estate, this situation probably sounds familiar.

A visitor arrives at the gate.

They say they’re expected.

Details get written down quickly.

A call is made to confirm.

It works… but it’s far from ideal. 

There’s room for mistakes, delays, and miscommunication. That’s why more estates are moving towards visitor bookings combined with licence and vehicle disc scanning, using a visitor management system like IntelliGuard or VisitMe. Not to complicate access, but to make it smoother, safer, and more reliable for everyone.

You know who’s coming before they arrive

Visitor bookings shift access control & visitor management from reactive to planned.

Using a resident mobile app, residents create a booking for their visitor ahead of time. They can specify:

• Who the visitor is

• Who they are visiting

• The exact time period the visitor is allowed access (from–to)

  
  

Once the booking is created, it’s shared instantly with the visitor via WhatsApp, SMS, or email. The visitor receives a message containing a QR code and a PIN code, which they simply present at the gate.

When the visitor arrives, the guard scans the QR code or enters the PIN. The system immediately confirms that the visitor is expected and authorised, no phone calls, no guesswork.

This alone removes uncertainty at the gate. But the real value comes from what happens next.

Why scanning a driver’s licence and vehicle disc makes such a difference?

After the booking is validated, the guard scans the visitor’s driver’s licence and vehicle disc. This step is crucial.

Instead of relying on handwritten details or verbal information, the system captures accurate, verified data directly from the documents. The booking is now linked to:

• The actual person arriving

• The actual vehicle entering the estate

This makes it far harder for someone to gain access using someone else’s name or incorrect vehicle details.

For estate management, it also means visitor and vehicle information is clear, complete, and reliable… not rushed or inconsistent.

Scanning is faster than manual sign-ins (and far more accurate)

It might sound like scanning adds an extra step, but in reality, it does the opposite.

Manual sign-ins involve questions, writing, checking spelling, and often correcting mistakes later, especially during busy periods.

Estate manager looking at the IntelliGuard portal on their laptop

Scanning a licence and disc takes seconds. The details are captured instantly, correctly, and consistently.

The result?

Faster access, shorter queues, and less pressure on guards, without sacrificing security.

Entry and exit records that actually tell the full story

The same process is followed when the visitor exits the estate.

The system records that: 

• The same visitor

• In the same vehicle

• Exited at a specific time and date

This creates a complete access record from entry to exit, clearly showing who was on-site and when.

If there’s ever a question, concern, or incident, estate management doesn’t need to rely on memory or paper records, the information is already there.

A smoother experience for residents, visitors, and guards

Residents receive fewer gate calls and can manage visitor access remotely. Visitors experience quicker, more professional access. Guards work with a clear, structured process instead of constant interruptions. It’s not just about tighter security, it’s about reducing frustration and improving the overall experience.

So, are visitor bookings worth it?

When visitor bookings are combined with QR or PIN-based access and licence and vehicle disc scanning, they become a powerful tool for residential estate visitor management.

Resident creating a visitor booking on the IntelliGuard Mobile App

They help estates:

• Speed up access at the gate

• Improve security and accountability

• Capture accurate visitor and vehicle data

• Reduce admin and unnecessary disruptions

• Create a more modern, well-managed environment

That’s why visitor management systems like IntelliGuard and VisitMe are no longer seen as “nice to have”, but as a practical, everyday solution for residential estates.

 Making visitor management easier and easier

Written by SA Technologies