Advice for Security Companies: When to Change Locks

In today's world, security is more important than ever. As a result, many homeowners and business owners are turning to dedicated security companies to keep their properties safe. The security professionals of decades past certainly had it easy in comparison to their modern equivalents, at least when it came to keeping up with the times. However, since only limited mechanical options were available until recently, they were also less effective and received less patronage. After all, there was only so much that could be accomplished with deadbolts and security guards.

Past Advances in the Field

Not long ago at all, the most substantial upgrade that could be made to an existing security system involved the installation of a master-key system. Master-keys allowed administrators to have more control over who had access rights to their buildings. When combined with limitations on key duplication, they changed the way that customers thought about home and commercial security. However, ultimately these mechanical locks functioned in more or less the same way as their less advanced counterparts.

It's Time to Embrace Change

In comparison, these days it seems like there is some new revolutionary technological breakthrough every day. Simple mechanical locks are quickly being replaced by much more complicated, and much more effective, electronic alternatives. Companies in today's ever-growing security industry must learn to embrace change or be left behind. For anyone in the security industry wondering when to change locks over from mechanical to electronic models, the answer is “now.”

Increase Administrative Control

The U.L. And ANSI rated key systems of yesteryear may have provided an added level of security, but they were child's play in comparison to today's systems. Electronic locks don't just allow much greater flexibility in the way that access to buildings, or specific areas of buildings, is controlled. They also provide customers with the ability to review access logs retroactively, allowing for a greater level of accountability.

Unfortunately, while changing commercial locks over to electronic systems is a great idea in theory, in practice it can be quite a complex and expensive process. Often older doors and frames must be modified to accommodate these new technologies, and not all openings are compatible.

The Best of Both Worlds

Perhaps the most convenient and efficient solution to the problem of retrofitting existing security systems is the intelligent key system. The cylinders for these electronic keys are much easier to retrofit into existing doors, yet they offer the same advantages as a full-scale electronic system. This allows more buildings to be successfully retrofitted, giving security companies a selling point and customers the increased satisfaction of knowing their properties are safe and secure.

Increase Accountability

As they have become more popular, commercial customers have begun to discover a secondary benefit of intelligent key systems: increased employee accountability. With advanced data analytics, it's easy to analyze employee trends. This can help business owners avoid undesirable incidents and product losses in advance, and help to identify those responsible should anything go wrong. Security companies should ensure that their customers understand the incredible value this adds to intelligent key systems.

A History of Innovation

Medeco is a market leader in terms of high-security locks. After all, they have been in the industry for almost five decades. However, the technological advances that have led to the development of intelligent key systems have only been around since 1991. The original system lacked the software sophistication of today's products, of course. It did, however, constitute one of the more substantial recent changes to the security industry.

Today's Products

Today's intelligent key systems can be tailored to customer's needs, making it a perfect addition to any security company's product line. Its enhanced accountability and vandalism-resistant design make the intelligent key system ideal for commercial environments. Homeowners also love having the option of including a traditional mechanical key-way without giving up the advantages of electronic data collection and analytics.

The information from both CLIQ and XT electronic keys can be accessed through traditional online devices or linked directly to a smartphone via Bluetooth LE. This allows customers to change access restrictions, update the system, and audit information from almost any device.

Try to Keep Up

This incredible technology is currently at the forefront of innovation. Security companies that ponder too long on the questions of when to change locks and whether to offer more advanced options can easily miss their chance and fall behind. Failing to provide customers with the up-to-date and technologically advanced products that they expect can only have one final result: they will turn elsewhere for what they need.

Advanced Data Analytics

Intelligent key systems collect digital data about who enters protected areas, and when. In order to prevent unwanted access, the data can only be viewed and analyzed through the use of Visual Audit, a powerful data analytics tool that comes with the XT Web Manager software. This tool allows authorized personnel to quickly identify potential problems or unusual events. The program itself provides a visual audit feature, which specifically highlights changes in data trends that may indicate attempts at unauthorized access.

Visual Audit can also identify access trends, allowing business owners to better understand employee behaviors and the work environment. This information can be used to increase efficiency in addition to preventing unauthorized access and subsequent losses. Although the software itself is already an invaluable tool in providing a safe and secure commercial environment, it is also updated frequently to accommodate customer feedback. The result? An intelligent key system that only grows smarter over time. When it comes to providing the most up-to-date security technologies, there's nothing like it.