Keyless Entry Systems: How UK businesses can benefit

SECURITY in the workplace is nothing new and has always been a priority when it comes to protecting business assets, data and staff.

Keeping offices, business and commercial premises safe and secure has long meant protecting equipment, sensitive business material and in some cases, controlled or dangerous substances.

Putting people at the heart of that security has always been key, from employees, clients, customers and even the general public. Go back as little as two years and this will more than likely have been achieved by giving each employee a set of keys or even employing a security guard. But as with many areas of business and life in general, the pandemic has brought about its own changes when it comes to security.

This now encompasses other important areas like infection control, a factor that all companies are having to consider. By controlling the access rights through contactless entry systems, this gives peace of mind to both internal staff and visitors to the premises.

As the working landscape has taken on a new dimension, individuals may be spending more time alone in a once busy office, or the employment circumstances of an individual means they no longer require keys to the premises. With this in mind, security of the premises and safeguarding and/or safeguarding a member of staff can also be regarded as benefits of keyless entry systems.

These are some of the reasons why more and more keyless entry systems are being installed in offices and commercial premises across the UK – no business wants the cost and associated disruption of replacing keys or complete locking systems because of lost or stolen keys.

This now encompasses other important areas like infection control, a factor that all companies are having to consider. By controlling the access rights through contactless entry systems, this gives peace of mind to both internal staff and visitors to the premises.

As the working landscape has taken on a new dimension, individuals may be spending more time alone in a once busy office, or the employment circumstances of an individual means they no longer require keys to the premises. With this in mind, security of the premises and safeguarding and/or safeguarding a member of staff can also be regarded as benefits of keyless entry systems.

These are some of the reasons why more and more keyless entry systems are being installed in offices and commercial premises across the UK – no business wants the cost and associated disruption of replacing keys or complete locking systems because of lost or stolen keys.

As the name suggests, a keyless entry system is a modern way to open a lock without the need for a physical key. Incredibly robust and secure, keyless entry systems are also flexible and can be programmed to align with the unique daily operations and routines, and comings and goings that happen in every business.

While traditional keys are still effective for employers to give the right staff access to the right areas at the right time – they are unable to offer the level of visibility or responsiveness that is afforded with keyless systems.

Keys falling into the wrong hands, forgotten or lost keys, replacement keys, locks or whole entry systems – all of these have a direct financial impact and can create a serious dent in a business’ efficiency and/or productivity.

It’s extremely concerning to know that keys no longer need to be physically stolen and in the hands of a criminal to be used– keys can be replicated from a single photo. Keys left unattended can be photographed and replicated within minutes – meaning no other precautions are taken by the unsuspecting businesses – perhaps leaving them in an even more vulnerable position.

Keyless entry systems not only offer peace of mind but make perfect commercial sense.

Before you can decide the best keyless system, you need to identify the requirements of your business, and what you need from the system and supplier, for example:

1. How do you currently to manage your keys / locking system and how would you like to manage it in the future?

2. Are you looking at a key management solution or an enterprise system?

3. Are you managing a single building or multiple buildings on one site / multiple sites?  

4. Do you need integrations with other systems?

5. Are you looking to create zones for various departments?

6. Do you need to set restrictions on an individual level?

7. Do you want to have time restrictions on entry?

8. Do you want the ability easily block or give users access without issuing additional keys?

Whatever your keyless entry system requirements, your supplier should work with you to ensure you receive the best solution for the unique needs and nature of your business.

There are a range of keyless entry system solutions for an office; and entry mediums that can be used alongside them. For instance, our portfolio includes digital cards, fobs and/or transponders which connect with a network of digital keyless locks.

The reasons for the choice of medium can be cultural or operational. For example, our location in Germany found that transponders are the preferred medium, while in the UK, MIFARE cards are the popular choice.

In this convenient keyless world, office doors will only unlock when an authorised digital card, fob or transponder is presented to the locks it has access to.

Many businesses are under the perception that the age of a building may present a problem when it comes to installing a modern keyless system. These systems can be installed into buildings of any age – they are purposely designed to be able to retrofit into any premises. They can even be installed onto glass doors.

Digital keyless locks, such as those from SimonsVoss, can be used to replace the existing mechanical cylinders quickly and easily inside office doors. Once the keyless locks are configured to the keyless door software, authorised key holders can be added to the system.

Authorised personnel can be instantaneously added or deleted from a list of digital key holders, which helps employers and/or their security team manage the movements of new starters, leavers and visitors.

In our opinion? Yes. Keyless locks can be easily installed whenever and wherever you need an extra layer of robust, yet responsive security.

Contrary to a traditional lock and key, where entry to the building or door itself is open unless it is physically locked, keyless entry systems allow access to be locked until its actively opened – a much more secure solution, and not having to punch numbers on a keypad addresses infection control from the first point of entry.

Safer than mechanical keys, digital keys (cards, fobs or transponders) can be blocked as soon as they are reported lost or stolen, which mitigates the cost and risks associated with replacing and changing mechanical locks.

SimonsVoss keyless door locking systems also deliver when it comes to green credentials and sustainability initiatives. Being battery operated means that there is no need for cabling and constant supply of power to each door – reducing the levels of energy consumption required for hard-wired systems.

A better solution for security

Keyless entry systems can also help to strengthen safety and security in office locations where sensitive data is stored.

They can be locked remotely in the event of a serious security incident or breach. This helps to keep people (and data assets) safe in numerous contexts, whether protecting a home, office, school building, care home or hospital ward.

The many software options also allow managers to set up notifications, alerting them of security breaches or other worrying events. Compare this to physical keys, which can be easily shared or redistributed and fall into the wrong hands.

This 2018 data from the Home Office examines crime against businesses, with findings including:

• A total of 606,282 crimes against businesses in England and Wales.

• An average of 69.2 crimes were committed every hour affecting businesses.

• A total of 103,391 burglaries against commercial properties.

• 58% of business crime cases were unresolved, with no suspect identified.

Latest Home Office figures also show that thefts from businesses make up almost 90 per cent of business crime. This accounts for approximately half of the total estimated costs of crime against businesses (£4.2bn).

As we have already discussed, the benefits of keyless entry systems for office and commercial buildings are numerous from the point of:

– Security

– Safety

– Mental wellbeing

– Peace of mind

– Cost effectiveness

– The environment

– Advances in technology

– Hygiene

– Productivity

– Convenience

– Overall access control

 Let’s take a closer look:

Germ-free

Some keyless entry systems are touch-free, which means they are also germ-free. While not every keyless entry system option is going to be touch-free, there are plenty of systems available to businesses today to avoid contamination and germs in the workplace. This is especially important for businesses returning to work post-pandemic, but it can also be a health and safety precaution in the future.

No lost keys

At one stage or another, most businesses will have had an employer who has lost their keys, and along with the cost of having to re-issue them there is the worry about changing locks to avoid possible security breaches. Choosing a keyless access system means never having to worry about lost keys or reissuing keys again.

Cost savings

Keyless systems can save businesses money in a variety of ways; keeping down costs of not having to cut keys for all employers – and in some cases, multiple keys for different doors. It will also save money on maintenance and replacement costs or having to call out the locksmith.

The digital keyless locks used in keyless entry systems are powered by compact, lifelong batteries – the average lifespan of which is around eight years. As well as huge monetary savings, these batteries offer peace of mind in mains power cuts and also when working from home for extended periods. The lifespan of SimonsVoss batteries translates into approximately 300,000 individual activations (unlocks / locks) of a cable-less digital cylinder lock.

Allows temporary access

Many businesses need to be able to provide temporary access to certain users. Using keyless access systems allows managers to assign or reassign cards or fobs as required – either for staff (particularly where there may be a high turnover) or visitors.

More data and security

Keyless entry systems with software provide much more access control data compared to traditional lock and key methods. Business owners can draw up reports using the software about entry history.

We are fully aware that many businesses are still recovering in some way from the pandemic, and that employers remain under enormous pressure.

However, with infection control and hygiene now joining the list of benefits when it comes to security of commercial or business premises – including schools, universities, GP surgeries hospitals and leisure facilities – SimonsVoss can offer guaranteed peace of mind along with a cost-effective and up-to-date solution.

We work with businesses in many sectors, in buildings and premises with two doors up to as many as 20,000. Some of our clients include Cambridge University and Bayern Munich FC in Germany.