Building access control has come to mean much more than simple, or even complex, locking and record-keeping systems. Experience has taught many building owners or tenants harsh lessons in access control. Keys and key cards can be copied or stolen. Entry codes are no less vulnerable, and intruders can force authorised personnel to open routes into restricted areas.
Today, building access control combines advanced electronic locking systems with IP camera technology, IP controllers, and intelligent management software. This allows for verification of access authorisations, facial recognition, video monitoring and real-time anomaly warnings.
With the right software to manage access control, it’s possible to deny access and sound alarms without human intervention if anything untoward seems to be occurring. Meanwhile, detailed records indicate who gained access to restricted areas, when they did so, and when they left. These aren’t left to you for analysis. Instead, data is evaluated as it is gathered, leading to wide-ranging benefits which this article covers.
Protecting Assets
A survey found that setup costs and scepticism about ROI are among the top reasons why many companies are still protecting their assets with outdated technologies. However, this way of thinking fails to account for the value of the assets protected
The cost of potential damages depends on the nature of your business, but in a worst-case scenario, it can easily add up to tens of thousands of pounds. Instead of wondering about ROI (which may be more significant than expected), it might be more appropriate to consider the wisdom of taking a gamble on an “It won’t happen to us” mindset.
Threat Deterrence
A person acting with bad intent is likely to take note of the access control measures you have in place before attempting an intrusion. They can then search for workarounds that help them gain entry. An outdated system could make your building an easy target. An advanced access control system, on the other hand, acts as an effective deterrent.
Enhancing Employee Safety
From a workplace safety perspective, outdated building access control systems leave much to be desired. AI-based analytics mean that you not only know where workers are at any given time but will be able to identify behaviours that could indicate they’re in some form of distress.
Additionally, people with authorised access are often targeted by would-be intruders. Being in possession of the “keys” can place your employees at risk. When you deploy IP cameras as a component of your access control system, incidents like this are less likely to occur. In the event of attempted duress, the activity can be identified, triggering a rapid emergency response.
High-Tech Access Control Reduces Security Costs
Traditional access control is labour intensive. Even if you aren’t relying on human security guards to sign personnel and visitors in and out, access control data must be analysed in order to be useful. After the fact analysis fails to realise the full range of immediacy benefits that can flow from intelligent access control systems.
There’s more to technologies like these than simply responding to presets and presenting basic reports. They use your parameters and “learn” as they go. This allows for a level of security automation that not only implies cost savings but also enhances efficiency, ensuring that no detail is overlooked.
Energy Savings for Immediate ROI
On a more mundane note, building access control software will immediately “know” when a building or a room within a building is unoccupied. When fully integrated with building management systems, it can trigger energy-saving responses. For example, it can turn off or dim lights and adjust HVAC systems. These immediate cost savings serve as a further motivation to implement building access control solutions that make use of the latest technologies.
Get a Full Assessment
Context is everything, and your context has unique features. If you’d like to know how implementing the latest access control technologies can benefit you, talk to Advantex. Our UK-based technology company can conduct a detailed assessment that allows you to reach context-appropriate conclusions.
Best of all, there’s absolutely no charge for this service. Book your access control assessment today and discover why so many leading organisations have chosen Advantex as their IP camera and access control provider.
