The face of business access control services has changed rapidly over the years from traditional keys to keyless systems. This transformation is driven not just by technological advances but also the evolving demands of businesses to protect, enable and activate security in a convenient way. The journey that businesses have undertaken to understand the importance of reliance and adaptability in access control systems as they continue to grow and flourish can help us anticipate what is next on the horizon for business security.

Keys And Locks

The original access control solution, basic keys and locks were the common way of securing a business as recently as just 20 years ago. These were basic, concrete and relatively efficient. This key was designated to different sections of a building, with each employee required this single key as well. But this was far from an ideal approach. This way keys could be lost, stolen, or even duplicated without the owner knowing, once again allowing safety breaches to happen. In addition, as the business began to grow, some of their earlier challenges became unmanageable due to meeting dual constraints at scale (particularly managing a large number of keys as employees left or changed roles).

Anyway, this being the basic system, it was a far cry from perfect. Because key and lock systems were manual, if a breach was made in the system, then it could occur without knowledge until afterward. And the time and expense of rekeying locks when keys were lost or employees moved on was an extra bit of inconvenience. Companies, of course, quickly discovered that they required a more secure and efficient way to restrict access – thus the evolution towards increasingly sophisticated systems commenced.

Towards The Electronic Systems

The evolution to electronic security control systems was a change in insight by businesses. Businesses started to move away from traditional keys and on the acceptance of electronic keycards or fobs. Those systems had a few advantages compared to traditional keys. One, they are easily programmed (or disabled or resent), Hedcut said in a wireless message because of concern that someone else had the key. And electronic systems would allow businesses to track when employees come and go in the workplace — making it invaluable for both security and common workforce management.

Biometric access control systems — this was the era when biometric methods were starting to be used as a means of confirming identity (fingerprints, retina scanning, and voice) This type of system took security to the next higher plane by allowing access only for personnel who were authorized into specific rooms. This even increased its security, with access for only those individuals recorded within the biometric system — making it a greater challenge for unauthorized accesses having been made.

Soon, as these systems evolved, businesses realized they could also add on to them with additional security and management layers. For example, employee databases and time and attendance systems can now be tied in with access control systems to restrict or enable admittance according to the status of an individual within a company. Not only did the integration improve security, but it also made business operations more efficient and much easier to manage large teams across hundreds of buildings.

Keyless Entry Systems On The Rise

Nowadays, business access control services are primarily being led by keyless entry systems. In short, opt for a solidified key system that eliminates the need for physical keys or cards altogether. For instance, keyless systems operate remotely via smartphones or computers enabling business owners and managers to provide access within a few clicks. If you have several locations or work 24 hours a day, this flexibility can be especially helpful.

Keyless entry systems bring a lot to the table. Some of them also come with enhanced security features such as two-level authentication where users would need to verify their credentials using more than one method before they could open it. However, it is the perfect way to add an extra layer of security, increasingly important in today’s digitally dangerous world. Additionally, keyless systems can mesh with smart home features like security cameras and alarm systems to provide an all-encompassing real-time monitoring solution.

Conclusion

As technology grows, so too will business access control services. These systems are continuing to evolve, and we can only imagine what the future will bring in terms of automated security networks that utilize predictive analytics, enhanced through machine Learning and even faster real-time response. These systems will leverage the lessons of past events to recognize patterns and even foresee potential threats before they can occur.

In addition to all this, the introduction of Internet of Things (IoT) devices into access control systems will enable a system that is more connected and responsive. For instance, smart lock systems can increase security measures when potential threats are detected in real-time (unauthorized people or environmental changes) due to the IoT network imposed.