By 2019, it’s estimated that the electronic security access control market in the U.S. is going to reach the $4.47 billion mark. This is an increase of $1.32 billion from 214.
What does this mean? That not only are access control systems popular today, but their growth is expected to continue to rise.
However, if you are a commercial property owner, you may wonder what the big deal of access control really is? Isn’t a traditional lock and key setup enough to protect your business and assets?
Unfortunately, the answer is, probably not.
Here, you can learn more about why access control systems are so important for commercial office buildings and the many benefits they offer.
Mitigating Risk with Access Control
When you install access control systems, they can help mitigate security risks. They also allow departments to avoid a number of frustrating situations and headaches. Even the majority of retail buildings have certain parts of their building where restricted access is necessary.
With access control, you will find there are a wide array of system options. As a result, you can choose one that fits your specific needs.
Some of the specific benefits offered by these systems are highlighted here.
Simplify the Employee Turnover Process
What happens when an employee is fired or if they quit? If they aren’t a “key holder,” this may not be a big deal. However, if they had a key (even if they turned it in) there’s always the question of if they made a copy.
With access control systems in place, this is a non-issue. The card or code they used to access the building or certain areas, can be changed with ease. There’s no having to re-key locks, distribute new keys to everyone or other hassles that often accompany this process.
Have Remote Access to Areas
Modern systems make it possible for you to control the locks in your building via a smart device (i.e. tablet, phone, etc.) or remote client station. With this type of system in place, you can easily lock down the building if an emergency occurs.
This technology also allows you to add or remove credentials (as discussed earlier) as needed. This is beneficial and will help you save time along the way.
Ability to Restrict Certain Areas
For most businesses, every employee isn’t given the ability to enter every office, floor of the building or closet. For example, a business’s HR department may have sensitive documents or information that employees should not have access to.
In this case, an access control system is invaluable. It allows the managers or owners to restrict access to those who should not be able to enter these areas.
Creation of an Audit Trail
With access control systems, you have a full report of every door that opens for all areas throughout your building. Now, you can see what’s going on, who is accessing certain parts of the commercial office building, when they do it and more.
If there is ever a dispute about something, you can easily pull up this information and figure out what happened.
Save Money and Energy
Believe it or not, an access control system can be integrated with your other building systems, such as the heating and cooling unit and your lights. More advanced systems can even let you know what parts of the building need light or temperature adjustments at any given time.
In the long run, this type of real-time information can prove invaluable and help you save a significant amount of money.
Lost or Stolen Keys
It’s is pretty expensive for you to rekey every door when someone loses their keys or when they are stone. Also, it’s a security risk of the locks aren’t rekeyed.
With an access control system, you can deactivate various I.D. badges or credentials, which will allow you to prevent access as needed. This will help you prevent losses and save time.
Protect Valuables
Does your business have valuables on-site? This is especially important if the items have a street value. With access keycards, you can identify who enters the space after regular business hours.
This information can help you catch a guilty individual or help to prevent items from going missing. If you are still using regular keys, there is no way to know which employee unlocked the door after business hours.
Time or Day Restrictions
It is pretty common to have specific employees, such as your building’s janitorial staff, that are coming to the building at certain times and on certain days. You can program your access control system to restrict their access times to when they are scheduled to be there.
This will ensure that those who aren’t supposed to be in the building can’t access it at any other time.
Multi-Location Access
If you have several different business locations or a campus with many businesses, an access control system can help make sure workers and managers can move from one building to another with ease. This isn’t possible if every building has different keys.
Access Control Systems – A Smart Investment
As you can see, investing in an access control system is a smart move. It can help keep your building secure and safe.
If you are interested in having an access control system installed, reach out to our team. Or, if you just want more information about how to secure your office building, check out our blog. We offer a wide array of resources, including the hidden costs of poor facility security.