The Pros and Cons of Commercial Access Control

Access control has seen a major increase in popularity for businesses across Woodstock, GA, for good reason. A sophisticated access control system can prevent unauthorized access to your business, as well as specific areas of your property. For instance, if you need to have an area with confidential documents or security technology prohibited by everyone at your business except for management, an access control system can make that easy. Access control takes the guesswork out of protecting your business .

Business owners and managers looking to protect their hard work and assets should consider outfitting the property with a state-of-the-art access control system. While it is an investment up front, the vast majority of businesses consider the cost worth it to have their assets, employees, and hard work protected from unlawful threats. When assessing your security system, take in the following benefits and drawbacks of access control systems.

If you’re ready to outfit your commercial property with the latest in access control, a locksmith company, such as Woodstock Locksmith GA, is the perfect place to turn. Today’s locksmiths are not merely restricted to traditional locks and keys. They offer

The Pros

• The Ability to Track Entrances and Exits: With an access control system, you will be able to track every time the door in question is accessed and whose credentials are used to open the door. The system will also track when unsuccessful attempts are made to open the door. This is especially helpful if you have many employees or a large turnover of employees. Card key reader systems are a system that is currently popular with hotels and retail establishments all over Georgia for this reason.
• Eliminates the Hassle of Keys: Lost or stolen keys can present not only a hassle for the owner, but also a security risk depending on whose hands those keys wind up in. A lost could could put your business at risk if it falls in the hands of a criminal. With an access control system, the need for keys is eliminated, thereby closing this security gap. It also eliminates the inconvenient dance you may have to do at the start of the day to find the right key while your hands are full of work folders and your morning coffee. With an access control system, all you have to do is tap in the appropriate pin code, swipe a card, or place your fingerprint on a biometric scanner.
• Protection of Off-Limits Areas: Whether you store confidential documents, cash, or costly retail items on your property, these assets will be fully protected with an access control system. No one will be able to “borrow” your key and sneak into the off-limits parts of your business. Access to these areas can be granted to whomever you need it to be.
• Easy to Grant and Revoke Privileges: An access control system makes it easy to program new people into the system or to revoke access, for instance if someone is let go from the company. This can be especially helpful when you have a large staff or a frequent turnover of employees, such as with many retail establishments.
• Excellent Integration with Other Security Measures: Pairing an access control system with security cameras can create a strong security net that will catch 99% of criminal threats, both internal and external. Even if your problem boils down to an issue with a corrupt employee, access control combined with a security system can create a trail of evidence to catch the culprit. Alarm systems can also integrate with access control, such as with emergency exits.
• Protect Your Confidential Records While Still Keeping Them Close: An access control system can allow you to keep your records room or private offices with access to the secure data involving your company physical protected from any kind of unauthorized access. This allows you to keep your records close at hand and easily accessed whenever you need to, but protects this important information from falling into the wrong hands.
• Different Access Control Systems to Choose From: There are many types of electronic access control systems on the market today to appeal to a variety of business types and manager preferences. These systems include key card readers, which feature heavily at medical facilities and hotels; keypad locks, which involve putting in a special pin number, and biometric entry systems, which involve scanning your fingerprint or eye for your physical data. Each is available at different price points. A locksmiths can help you decide which one will fit most with the workflow of your company.
• Restrict Access After Hours: Many access control systems offer the ability to prevent anyone from accessing the property after a set time, and even to restrict any access on holidays. There is always an emergency way for business owners to override this technology. However, it can be a valuable way to increase protection of your business at times of higher vulnerability.

The Cons

There aren’t many cons to an access control system, especially in comparison to physical lock hardware. One potential con is very rare, but does sometimes happen, and that involves the possibility of a manufacturer’s defect. This could cause a bug in your access control system that prevents you from being able to open your doors and may necessitate a call to a locksmith.

Cost may be another prohibitive factor when considering an access control system, depending on the size of your business and the foot traffic that it sees every day. If you own a small office with only a few employees, an access control system might not be worth the investment. However, if you own a store or a larger business, an access control system can be an extremely worthwhile investment.

If you need to restrict areas of your commercial property, or need a better lock and security system to protect your entire business, contact a professional locksmith. A locksmith will be able to upgrade your business’s current locks to a modern access control system that fits the way that you do business.