WHY USE AN ACCESS CONTROL SYSTEM INSTEAD OF KEYS?

By Joress BADIENGUISSAGeneral

Using a physical key is the easiest way to control access to a door, and the most common method used by many small organizations. However, even for a small business, using mechanical keys has several flaws and limitations, especially for growing businesses:

  • People lose their keys: If someone loses a key, then you need to replace the entire lock to ensure that the lost key cannot be misused.
  • Keys leave no trace in a registry: You can’t tell if and when someone used a key. Therefore, you don’t know who entered a location and at what time.
  • Keys are difficult to manage: If a person needs to enter multiple buildings and rooms, they will need a large number of keys, which are inconvenient to carry and use. It can be difficult to remember which key corresponds to which door, and it is too risky to label them.

By using an electronic access control system, you can avoid the inconvenience of using mechanical keys and improve access control

An electronic access control system will be able to handle the following:

  1. Who has access to a location?

For example, you can allow automatic access only to employees, while visitors and contractors will have to go to the reception desk upon arrival.

  1. What doors do they have access to?

You may want only certain people to enter certain areas. For example, only technicians should be allowed in technical rooms.

  1. At what time is it possible to access a location?

Subcontractors and junior staff may only have access to a location during their normal working hours, while more senior staff may enter the buildings at any time.

  1. Under what conditions is it possible to access a place?

For example, you can configure your system so that contractors are only allowed to access a location if accompanied by a pre-approved member

A good access control system allows you to define these settings on an individual basis, or on a group basis. You can update them quickly and easily at your convenience. It will also tell you who accessed where and when, so that if an incident occurs, it’s easier to determine who might be involved.