Being the facilities manager of a commercial property means it is your responsibility to ensure that the building is secure at all times. And one of the first initiatives that should be part of your repertoire is to install the best locking systems on the various entry points of the property to minimise the potential of unauthorised access. While conventional types of locking systems, such as deadbolts, may protect your property via brute strength, there is not much else that they can provide you with.

Modern technology in the form of access control systems not only requires confidential passcodes or biodata to permit entry, but these systems also help in monitoring movements in and out of your building. But with the wide selection of access systems available, how do you know which to choose? Below is a brief guideline on essential things to consider before purchasing an access control system.

Review your specific security requirements

You may be rushing to purchase a keypad access control system, but this is not ideally suited option for all entries, even if you may consider it a secure option. There are several things that you have to bear in mind to make sure that you are not going to be inconvenienced with the new locking system. For instance, entryways that experience heavy traffic all day long would be better off with a quick access control system such as a key-card swipe, which is much faster. On the other hand, if you have areas in your property that are only accessible to a handful of personnel, then you may want to consider biometric access control for complete inaccessibility by unauthorised people.

Establish whether you require a monitoring system

Once you have determined the different kinds of access control systems you want to install around the property, you then have to decide which form of monitoring will be most suitable. The most common type of monitoring is when the access control system automatically takes a log of all entries, and this record can always be pulled up and analysed in case of any suspicious activity on the premises. However, if you need monitoring control, then you may want to consider smart wireless monitoring. Smart monitoring allows you to have live access to different locations through any wireless-enabled device. This feature is especially convenient for managers that have to monitor multiple entryways and even properties at a time.