In the last few months I have been talking to a lot of people about physical access control. The common theme that is raised is how to choose the right access control system for my business. A lot of people seem to be very confused about the capabilities and benefits and what is absolutely necessary for them to include in their evaluations. So I decided to write this quick post to further explain.
First let me begin by defining access control. According to Wikipedia access control refers to the practice of restricting entrance to a property, a building, or a room to authorized persons. Physical access control can be achieved by a human (a guard, bouncer, or receptionist), through mechanical means such as locks and keys, or through technological means such as access control systems.” In this specific article I will focus on the technological means of access control.
When selecting an access control system, some consideration to take into account include an access control solution that is best suited for your needs, one that is affordable, simple to manage, secure, and scalable. An effective access control system will prevent loss and increase the security of your building. But now what? Where do you go from here? How do you select a system and adapt it to your needs? How do you choose from the options available?
I can help you pick an access control solution that fits your business needs. First, you have to evaluate the concerns you have. Identify the following areas:
1. The external threats you want to avoid
2. The internal threats that need protection
3. The critical assets you need to protect
For example, does your business have confidential documents you needs to protect? Would a potential theft disrupt the integrity of this information, in addition to cause possible loss of sales? In addition to external threats, you have internal threats to consider such as loss of inventory by employees. Surprisingly 42% of the inventory shrinkage today is caused by employee theft. These basic losses could be eliminated by selecting an effective physical access security system.
If you are looking to adopt an access control system, read our guide: A Step By Step Guide – How To Pick The Right Access Control Features That Work For Your Business to better prepare yourself for the decision-making process.