Who's that knockin' at the door? If you are a business owner, or if you manage an IT department, Human Resources, Accounting, Payroll, Shipping and Receiving, Quality Control, Loss Prevention…heck, if you are the head of any department in a company you’ve seen cause for concern when it comes to the data, stock, equipment, and people you manage. Sometimes issues come from visitors and customers, but sometimes the concerns are closer to home. So, you may need to consider...“who has access to my assets”? Card access controls was created to address a specific need. In the past, keys were given to everyone who required entry into a building. While keys are still a necessary part of our everyday life, we discovered a few inherent flaws to this single solution.
Who has the keys? Initially, keys were a great idea. Maybe an owner and a business partner needed one. Then a secretary and a couple of service techs. But as the business grows and personnel changes, more keys are handed out. Now so many people have them that you don’t even remember who has access to your showroom, stockroom, network room, or file room.
Someone loses a key (if they bother to tell you)
Quick! Call the locksmith! You have no idea where that key is and your people, data and equipment are too valuable to leave vulnerable. Rekeying is a very expensive and time-consuming process.
Who is using the keys?
It could be anyone. Keys can be easily passed from person to person and they have no identifiable or traceable characteristics, so if something happens there is no way to tell who used the key last for entry (unless you have cameras, but that’s a blog for another day).
The Key?
So, what is the solution to these everyday key-born illnesses? Card access controls is a great start. Card access addresses each of the issues the key system presents. You know who a card is issued to and they become responsible for it. If the card is lost, not only can you deactivate it in the card access system, you can also trace it to find out if the card is presented again (and denied entry). What’s more, when an incident occurs (when...not if), you are able to effectively determine who the card was issued to. Today, card access is available in a variety of easy-to-use formats. A PVC card the size of a credit card slides easily into your wallet or purse (or smart-phone case). A keyfob can be attached to your keychain for easy access, a sticker the size of a quarter may be applied to the back of your smart-phone case. Or for gated entries, long-range readers are available to keep you from having to roll down the window in the rain to enter your parking garage or lot. You can secure almost anything with access controls. Whether it’s a door, gate, drawer, or network cabinet, an electronic lock can be installed and a reader added so that you can keep track of your most important assets.
Be Secure...
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