Securing a building is a common concern for businesses of all sizes. More and more businesses are turning to electronic access control to secure the building. While electronic access control systems provide many benefits over keys, a business needs to determine if a commercial access control system is right for you. This guide will help you with that assessment.
Two fundamental options for controlling access to the building:
- Keys
- Electronic Access
Although keys may seem to be the most cost-effective method for door control, and in some instances they are, but there is some hidden factors that can make keys more expensive than electronic access control.
To determine if a commercial access control system is the right solution for you, consider the following benefits and see if they apply to your use:
- Simplified Management: An electronic access control system simplifies management of access to the building. Physical keys do not need to be made and distributed to employees or contractors. Instead, access control credentials (key cards, mobile phones, key fobs, pin numbers, and tags) are issued and can be permanent or temporary and revoked at any time. This drastically reduces the risk associated with a misplaced or stolen key. Re-keying of locks is expensive, and it can (and does) happen frequently.
- Audit Trail: With keys, there is not any record associated with who or when someone came through any door. With an access control system, you can see who, where, when anyone came through any door at any time.
- Employee Protection: An electronic access control system allows for buildings and areas to be better controlled so unwelcomed visitors do not have free egress to a facility. In addition, with an access control system you can remotely unlock doors allowing someone without a credential to enter a building or room until a valid credential can be issued.
- Reduce Employee Theft: Although implementing a electronic solution doesn’t completely prevent theft, it does hinder it by prohibiting employees from accessing certain areas or from entering the building during off hours or outside of their shifts.
- No Touch Access: Electronic access control can be a touchless process. You could present a credential to the door reader and the door can automatically open with a door operator like the SDC Auto EntryControl operator.
- Video Integration: Access control systems can be integrated into video management systems linking door access to video surveillance. The access control system will bookmark every card read with an associated camera at the door so you can verify the valid entry against surveillance video.
- Emergency Lock Down: In the event of an emergency, an access control system could automatically lock all doors at the push of a button effectively locking a facility down in seconds.
- Remote Access Control: An access control system can allow you to remotely unlock doors and grant access to individuals at any time and from anywhere. A great solution for after hours.
Considerations for access control at your business:
- The number of entrances and exits in the facility?
- How many users or credential holders?
- Are there areas of your business that only certain employees are allowed to access?
- Who will manage your access control such as a receptionist or a security guard or will you outsource to a managed service provider?
In conclusion
Electronic access control can be an easy, cost-effective way to increase the security and manageability of people going in and out of your business. At IP Integrators, we specialize in commercial access control and can provide you with a free, no-obligation quote for your business. Give us a call or use our handy access control quote tool to get started.
