Hidden costs of poor access control systems for commercial buildings

These days, businesses think about strengthening their security the most. And the reasons are quite obvious. Thefts, burglary, vandalism, and whatnot. When it comes to security, security systems like security cameras, access control for commercial buildings, and burglar alarm systems turn out to be the best. 

But here’s the thing. When installing the access control system, the businesses install any random access control system and think it is more than enough and has got them covered. But this is not so. 

Choosing the wrong or outdated access control system fails to secure your office and instead puts it at greater risk. This is the reason we have come up with this blog. 

Read this blog till the end to find out about the hidden costs of poor access control systems for a business, and the significance of investing in the right one. 

Signs Your Access Control System is Poor 

Admit it or not, but not many businesses know what makes the access control system poor, and this is the reason they end up choosing the wrong one. So, have a look at the signs indicating that your access control system is poor and needs an upgrade. 

Outdated technology

The foremost sign of a poor access control system is outdated technology. The access control systems that make use of keys or lack the modern security features are easier to bypass, break, and fail to offer real-time monitoring. 

Downtime 

The frequent downtime also shows that your access control system needs fixing. The frequent glitches, denying valid users, and failure to lock and unlock slow down your routine operations. Not only this, but it also makes your security unpredictable.

Lack of scalability

The workplaces now do not stay the same for years as they used to. With time, the workplaces expand, grow teams, and require flexible configurations. But the poor access control system cannot adapt to the changing requirements and growing needs. 

Weak user management 

The next sign to take note of to see if your access control system is poor is weak user management. The access control becomes a liability rather than an asset if you find it hard to add/remove users, manage permissions, or generate access logs.

Lack of integration

The strong access control system is the one that integrates well with the other security systems, like security cameras and burglar alarm systems. The poor systems fail to integrate and result in blind spots, leaving your facility vulnerable. 

Hidden Costs of Poor Access Control Systems

Many continue with poor access control for commercial buildings without even realizing it until the theft takes place. But not anymore. Check out what the poor access control system costs you. 

Break-ins and thefts

Your goal in installing the access control for commercial buildings is to increase security. But will it happen with the poor access control systems in place? Never. In fact, this will increase the risk of break-ins and thefts taking place. 

The weak access control systems leave room for unauthorized people to enter your office, which in turn results in theft and financial loss. The worst, you can lose your laptops, equipment, and other tools. 

Security personnel 

Not many businesses know this, but continuing with the poor or weak access control systems means spending more on hiring security personnel. And relying on manual supervision instead of door access control systems for a business will only add to your expenses. 

It’ll cost you thousands of dollars annually, which is too much, even more than upgrading an access control system. 

Frequent repairs and maintenance

The next hidden costs of the weak access system are frequent repairs and maintenance. The systems that are outdated break down more often and require technicians to fix them and make them work, which will cost you huge. 

You might need to replace cards, fobs, or physical keys, which only adds to the costs. This is why modern cloud-based access control systems are considered more reliable. 

Lost productivity

Your business productivity also takes a hit when employees face issues or take too long to enter the office. Even if it is just a few minutes, it might cost you big annually. The delays result in disruptions during meetings, delayed project timelines, and customer interactions. 

Burden of manual key management

Another hidden cost that most business owners miss is the burden of manual key management. You can lose the keys anytime, and moreover, it is time-consuming to enter the facility using the keys. Not only this, but you also have to replace the lock if the key gets lost, adding to the expense. 

The modern door access control systems for a business have digital credentials that can be easily issued or revoked. 

Compliance Failures and Penalties

Then come the compliance failures and penalties. This is especially for industries like healthcare, finance, education, government, and manufacturing. All these industries require strict access control documentation. 

It is difficult to secure compliance with the poor access control systems, as these lack audit trails. 

Cybersecurity 

Most businesses think that the poor access control system only causes physical risks. The reality is that it exposes businesses to cyberattacks and security risks as well. The weak access control systems have: 

• Weak passwords
• Unencrypted credentials
• Missing cybersecurity integration 

This makes you an easy target for the cybercriminals to get access to your office and cause a data breach. 

Emergency response failure

Then comes the emergency response failure. The malfunctioning doors can result in delays and trapped personnel during fire alarms or lockdowns. And every second matters when it’s an emergency. 

The faulty access control systems make you prone to such risks and also increase the risk of injury. 

Internal threats 

Most businesses feel that the threats come from outside only, but this is not true. Not all threats come from outside. Some come from inside, too. But you cannot track the internal movements with the poor access control systems.

This slows down the investigation whenever any incident takes place. This is why modern access control systems are key to mitigating the risk of internal threats and providing you with detailed logging. 

Reputation damage

The weak access control systems make your business facility prone to security incidents, compliance failures, and safety lapses, which impact your brand negatively. If not upgraded on time, then this can result in the following consequences. 

Lose client trust

Reduce employee confidence

Ruin your market reputation

Decreased customer retention

The credibility that you built over all the years can be lost in an instant. 

How Modern Access Control Systems Eliminate These Hidden Costs?

The good news is that you can save yourself from the hidden costs by upgrading to modern access control systems. The modern access control systems come with advanced and latest features to provide 360-degree security to your business. 

Here are the features that make modern access control systems the best. 

Mobile credentials- You no longer need to carry physical cards or keys with you. Instead, you can use your smartphones to get access to the facility, which in turn saves time and money. 

Biometric authentication- Modern access control systems have the option of biometric authentication. The biometrics are more secure and eliminate the lost key issues. 

Real-time monitoring and alerts- There’s a feature in modern door access control systems for business that, you can monitor your office in real-time. This enables you to detect threats right away and prevent the incidents from taking place. 

Seamless integration- The integration is the best feature of the access control systems. It allows you to integrate the access control system with the existing security systems or with the security cameras and burglar alarm systems. 

Cloud-based management- Then comes the cloud-based management. This feature centralizes the control without on-site servers or costly maintenance. 

Scalability- Scalability matters the most as your demands increase as your business grows. But the modern access control systems enable you to add floors, users, or doors anytime without any upgrades. 

How Much Does Modern Access Control for Commercial Buildings Cost?

Admit it or not, but many businesses don’t have the budget and wonder about the cost of modern access control systems before getting one. The access control systems cost is not the same and varies. 

Check out the factors that go into determining the cost of access control systems. 

• Access control system type
• Number of doors and entry points
• Installation complexity
• Credential Type & Quantity
• Security & Compliance Requirements
• Integration With Existing Systems
• Ongoing Maintenance & Support

Final Say 

These are the hidden costs of continuing with the poor or weak access control systems. This no longer safeguards you but makes you even more prone to security incidents. The next best way forward is to invest in modern access control systems for your business and see the difference yourself. 

FAQs

What to see while choosing the access control system installer?

The following factors need to be considered while choosing the access control installer. 

• Knowledge of placement and compliance 
• Years of expertise
• Proven track record
• Market reputation
• Pricing 

Which factors decide the access control system cost?

The access control system installation cost takes into account the following factors. 

• The type of access control system
• Number of users and doors 
• Installation complexity 
• Credential used

Which access control systems to choose?

The best access control systems to choose from are as follows. 

• Keycards or readers
• Door access control systems
• Biometric access control systems

Which features should to look at when choosing the access control systems? 

The worth noting features in access control systems are as follows. 

• Remote access
• Integration capabilities
• Real-time monitoring 
• Scalability