3 Reasons Why Your Small Business Needs an Access Control System

Unless you’re selling top-secret products for spies, it’s hard for the average small business owner to picture why she’d need an access control system installed at her place of business. However, you’d be making a mistake if you chose not to ask a professional to install and maintain an access control system at your store, warehouse, factory or office. There are few exceptions to the types of business that could benefit from this level of security in conjunction with the typical surveillance camera and fire alarm systems. Both businesses with a thousand employees and businesses with half a dozen staff are suitable for this type of surveillance system.

Access control systems can be tweaked to offer the most convenient and safe types of access for your business. Entry is done through technology such as bar codes, magnetic strips, cards, and biometrics, which means there’s a system that’s well within the range of your company’s budget. If you’re not sure which system to go with, simply ask a professional for his recommendation. Opting for access control may require an investment at the start, but the benefits it provides could save your company thousands of dollars by preventing catastrophe. It’s a small investment for the long-term financial health of your company.

It Makes It Harder to Break In

Most businesses protect their doors with a simple lock – or perhaps a padlock and a gate if they’re extra cautious. Thieves easily get around these protections. Yes, you may have surveillance cameras in place to deter criminals, but they may wear disguises to protect their identities, so that alone won’t stop them. Similarly, you might have a silent alarm, but professional thieves can be in and out in under a minute, so they’re not intimidated by the fact that police will soon be on the way. Only access control systems can truly keep criminals out because there’s no simple way for the thieves to get what they want quickly and go.

You Can Easily Pinpoint Suspicious Staff

Thieves can have access to your business with access control if someone on the inside lets them in – or disgruntled staff could prove thieves themselves. However, instead of the bad employee disguising himself and unlocking the door, he has to use his own unique code, biometric or other required access item. If something is damaged or goes missing, all you need to do is have your security company pull up a list of which staff member accessed which building during the time in question and you’ll have someone to investigate. Knowing they could be tracked this way could deter staff members from even considering pulling off such a heist to begin with.

You’ll Have an Easier Time Making an Insurance Claim

In the event of a robbery even despite your precautions, asking your insurance company to reimburse the value of the stolen or damaged items can take a notoriously long time. If you can prove you took extra precautions to prevent such a disaster by installing an access control system, your insurance company may look more favorably on your case. It’ll also help that you have a list of suspects thanks to the record of the people who accessed the business during the time of the robbery, as this will speed along both the police investigation and the insurance investigation.

Surveillance cameras should be the first thing on your security checklist, besides maybe a more comprehensive fire alarm system. But right after that should be access control. When you get both from the same provider, you can link them for maximum protection of your business.

About the Author: Brian Sungenis owns several small businesses in the Indianapolis area. He recommends circlecityalarm.com to every small business owner in need of access control.

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