Making Your Demands

The two things you should expect from your security provider

In today’s highly competitive environment, it is extremely important that providers have both the experience to deliver the right solution and the ability to deliver strong customer service. In the security industry, one solution in high demand is the use of mobile apps for critical functions such as credentialing, remote operations and alerts.

Mobile credentialing frees the user from having to carry physical credentials such as tokens or ID badges. Further, mobile access control solutions are well-suited to applications that experience numerous spontaneous events such as lockdowns or weather related emergencies, or with a frequent need to activate/ de-activate access card holders. Key points include:

Security. Security has always been a fundamental part of mobile operating systems, and the encrypted security of smart credentials and/or door management apps makes them more secure and difficult to counterfeit. Mobile devices often require multifactor authentication while traditional access control devices do not.

Convenience. Mobile users can control their facilities and access timely information from wherever they are. This is important for emergency situations, and convenient for other scenarios such as activating or deactivating credentials.

Mobile credentialing provides even more convenience, with new readers that can accept both proximity cards and mobile credentials speeding the transition to mobile technology.

Increased integration. With mobile technology, one credential allows access to doors, data and cloud applications, with security and tracking incorporated into every user action. This high-level integration can also be used to trigger automated tasks like time and attendance recording.

Cost. Maintaining a physical and logical access control system with disparate applications can be costly, particularly when updates are implemented and integration must be performed across all systems. A physical access control system with mobile credentialing can be easily upgraded to add logical access control for network log-on. For cardbased credentialing, material costs must be considered as well; digital credentials have no material cost.

Still, users may not get the most out of their system if the provider does not have a customer-focused culture. At a minimum, providers should offer flexibility, post-sales support, availability, expertise and training.

Flexibility. Recognizing that off-the-shelf solutions are hardly sufficient for addressing the specific requirements of every installation, customer-focused providers are willing and able to accommodate customization.

Post-sales support/training. The reality of access control systems is that—like any solution—they require ongoing service, support and training to provide customers with the continuous, reliable operation they need. One true measure of a vendor is what they can—and will—do to address and accurately fix any issues in a timely manner. Post sales training is also key to assuring the customer knows how to best manage their system.

Availability. In today’s connected world, customers have a wide variety of ways to contact a provider, all of which are irrelevant if they can’t actually connect with the vendor. Delays compromise security, so customers deserve a specific person they can rely on when they need help the most, often when something goes wrong and requires immediate attention.

Expertise. The expertise and experience of customer-focused organizations can help end users make better and more confident decisions about an access control installation.

When combined, customer service and mobile technology offer tremendous potential for maintaining the safety and security of people, places and assets. Your chosen provider should be able to deliver to you the latest in mobile technology plus a commitment to the best possible customer service.

This article originally appeared in the March 2017 issue of Security Today.

About the Author

Robert Laughlin is the president of Galaxy Control Systems.

Featured

  • Gaining a Competitive Edge

    Ask most companies about their future technology plans and the answers will most likely include AI. Then ask how they plan to deploy it, and that is where the responses may start to vary. Every company has unique surveillance requirements that are based on market focus, scale, scope, risk tolerance, geographic area and, of course, budget. Those factors all play a role in deciding how to configure a surveillance system, and how to effectively implement technologies like AI. Read Now

  • 6 Ways Security Awareness Training Empowers Human Risk Management

    Organizations are realizing that their greatest vulnerability often comes from within – their own people. Human error remains a significant factor in cybersecurity breaches, making it imperative for organizations to address human risk effectively. As a result, security awareness training (SAT) has emerged as a cornerstone in this endeavor because it offers a multifaceted approach to managing human risk. Read Now

  • The Stage is Set

    The security industry spans the entire globe, with manufacturers, developers and suppliers on every continent (well, almost—sorry, Antarctica). That means when regulations pop up in one area, they often have a ripple effect that impacts the entire supply chain. Recent data privacy regulations like GDPR in Europe and CPRA in California made waves when they first went into effect, forcing businesses to change the way they approach data collection and storage to continue operating in those markets. Even highly specific regulations like the U.S.’s National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) can have international reverberations – and this growing volume of legislation has continued to affect global supply chains in a variety of different ways. Read Now

  • Access Control Technology

    As we move swiftly toward the end of 2024, the security industry is looking at the trends in play, what might be on the horizon, and how they will impact business opportunities and projections. Read Now

Featured Cybersecurity

Webinars

New Products

  • AC Nio

    AC Nio

    Aiphone, a leading international manufacturer of intercom, access control, and emergency communication products, has introduced the AC Nio, its access control management software, an important addition to its new line of access control solutions. 3

  • FEP GameChanger

    FEP GameChanger

    Paige Datacom Solutions Introduces Important and Innovative Cabling Products GameChanger Cable, a proven and patented solution that significantly exceeds the reach of traditional category cable will now have a FEP/FEP construction. 3

  • Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.

    Connect ONE®

    Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation. 3