Keyless access control is changing the way we protect and grant access to critical infrastructure and remote sites. While the technology isn’t new—key cards and touch pads have been around for a while—it has evolved to bring benefits far beyond not needing to carry keys.
Working with customers across industries and across the globe, we’ve identified the top benefits of implementing a keyless access control solution
Cost savings
Keying and re-keying locks is expensive, and those costs can add up if re-keying takes place regularly due to numerous sites, high staff turnover, and/or lost keys. There’s also the resource cost and overhead of keeping track of physical keys. Most organizations have better things to do with their time and money, and should consider the savings they can realize with a keyless solution.
Identity control
Even with the best policies, procedures, and oversight, it’s hard to guarantee that your mechanical keys stay in the appropriate hands. Keyless access control solutions provide a link between access and identity, and it’s easy to grant and revoke access to specific individuals as needed.
Our solutions create an automated access log, so administrators can reliably identify who accessed which locks, and when.
Convenience
There’s no doubt that keyless access control solutions are more convenient than traditional mechanical keys. People who need to open doors, cabinets, gates, and other access points can do so without carrying around heavy key rings; and administrators can issue electronic keys, in real-time, to anyone who needs them, wherever they are.
Operational insights
Automated access logs allow you to gain key insights into processes and operations within your business. Through these logs, you can understand how long processes take, identify discrepancies between work completed and billing, and schedule and resource jobs and projects appropriately.
This all sounds great; where does the friction come in?
Despite the significant benefits of implementing keyless access control, not everyone will be on board right away. Moving from mechanical locks to keyless, electronic locks is a big shift, and will likely raise concerns and create friction with a few of the stakeholders in your access control strategy.
Your go-to locksmith
To your locksmith, implementing locks that don’t require keys and rekeying may be bad for business. Their business, not yours.
However, we’ve worked with a number of locksmiths who are eager to evolve with the times and round out their offering with a modern, keyless solution. Your local locksmith might be more of an ally than you think!
Your operations team (or whoever controls the keys)
As mentioned above, keeping track of mechanical keys requires a lot of oversight—and a lot of human resources. Introducing a keyless solution increases operational efficiencies, and sometimes those efficiencies are found by reducing staff and/or consolidating responsibilities. When discussing a keyless proposal with your operations team, carefully consider what this means for their roles and responsibilities, and identify areas where they can now refocus their energies and freed up time. Your
Manager/Director of Security
Introducing a keyless solution may create friction with your security team, especially if they’ve been around for a while and have gotten comfortable with traditional access control solutions. Inertia and the status quo can be a formidable opponent when considering a new solution. Even if the team is open to a keyless option, existing access points may require that they manage a hybrid solution, which isn’t ideal for either the security team or for the end users.
If your team members are agile in their thinking, they can see how they can be more effective and valuable in their job with a tool like Teleporte. If they have spent decades honing habits and processes that make them effective with lock and key infrastructure, then keyless solutions may be perceived as a threat. It’s understandable that someone might be concerned about being replaced with automation. However, it’s likely that businesses will continue to modernize and team members can either resist the change or embrace it as a new opportunity to future-proof their skills.
Technicians, site visitors, and end users
You may run into friction with people who object to installing an app on their own phones for work purposes. While this may not apply when people are given work phones or an expense credit for the phone bill, your end users will sometimes be hesitant to being tracked. However reasonable it is for companies to require reliable identification for access control, some people like their anonymity and don’t want to be identified, even if they are not doing anything wrong.
Thieves
As an example, millions of dollars’ worth of copper cables are stolen each year in Latin America, and someone is profiting. Whether it’s petty thieves selling scrap metal or looking to insulate their electricity supply against unreliable utilities, or organized crime, keyless access threatens the value that they have come to enjoy.
When it comes to keyless access control, the benefits and efficiencies gained far outweigh the potential friction with internal and external stakeholders. We’ve worked with a number of organizations to help maximize adoption of keyless solutions. If you’d like to learn more about whether Teleporte is right for you, get in touch.