Is Your Commercial Access Control System Showing Its Age?

Your System Relies on Outdated Access Cards or Physical Keys

Traditional keys and older access cards may still function, but they can be difficult to manage securely.

When a physical key is lost, copied or not returned by a former employee, the business may need to replace locks or rekey multiple doors. Older card technologies may also provide fewer credential-management and identity-verification options.

A modern system may support:

• Smart access cards
• Mobile credentials
• PIN-based authentication
• Multi-factor access
• Biometric readers where appropriate
• Temporary visitor and contractor credentials

Your System Does Not Support Mobile Access Control

Mobile access control allows an authorized smartphone to function as a secure digital credential.

Instead of issuing and replacing physical cards for every user, an organization may be able to assign, update or deactivate compatible mobile credentials through its access-control platform.

Mobile credentials may help provide:

• Faster credential distribution
• Fewer replacement-card requests
• Easier removal of former users
• Convenient employee access
• Temporary contractor access
• Reduced dependence on shared cards or keys

You Cannot Manage the System Remotely

Facility managers and security administrators should not always need to be physically present at a specific workstation to make an urgent access change.

Modern cloud-managed or securely remote-accessible systems may allow authorized administrators to:

• Add or deactivate users
• Change door permissions
• Review access events
• Update schedules
• Manage approved doors
• Support multiple locations
• Investigate unusual activity

Remote access should always be configured with appropriate authentication, permissions, cybersecurity controls and administrative oversight.

Your Reporting and Audit Trails Are Limited

When a security incident occurs, your team may need to know which credential was used, when the door was accessed, whether access was granted or denied and whether related camera footage is available.

Modern access-control reporting may help identify:

• Access attempts outside approved hours
• Repeated denied-access events
• Doors that are forced or held open
• Credentials that are no longer being used
• Employees with unnecessary permissions
• Temporary credentials that remain active
• Differences between job roles and assigned access

Your Access Control Does Not Integrate with Video Surveillance

Access control identifies the credential presented at a door. Video surveillance helps show what physically occurred at that location.

An integrated security solution may connect:

• Access-granted events
• Access-denied events
• Forced-door alarms
• Door-held-open events
• Intrusion alarms
• Intercom activity
• Relevant camera footage

Connecting door events with camera footage can provide more context and help security personnel respond faster.

Managing Employee and Visitor Access Is Complicated

Adding a new employee should not require multiple manual steps across disconnected systems.

An outdated process may involve:

• Shared spreadsheets
• Manually programmed cards
• Separate databases for different buildings
• Limited role-based permissions
• Credentials remaining active unnecessarily
• Difficulty managing temporary workers
• No structured contractor or visitor process

Modern systems can organize access according to roles, departments, locations, schedules or access groups.

Your Business Has Grown, but Your Security System Has Not

Businesses change over time, but their security systems are not always reviewed when operations change.

Your organization may have added:

• New employees
• Additional operating shifts
• More warehouse space
• New loading docks
• Additional entrances
• Restricted storage areas
• Multiple facilities
• New tenants or contractors

A system installed for a small office may not be suitable for a manufacturing facility, warehouse or multi-location organization.