How to Choose the Right Access Control System for Your Business

Every business is built out of a unique combination of its people, services, and location. So when you’re trying to determine the best access control solution for your team, it’s important to consider the question from every angle. The business size and number of team members, the facility layout, its current technological capabilities, and any industry-specific requirements will all influence your decision.

Starting with a site review and needs analysis with your access control systems provider can help you narrow down the options. To help guide that discussion, be sure to keep these details in mind! Your company is distinct. But there are still some general rules and guidelines that you can follow to get a truly comprehensive solution.

Consider Your Company Size and Access Control Usage

Scalable solutions tend to be the preferred choice for business owners. After all, you never know how well your company will take off! You could see major growth in just a few years, so you want to make sure your investments stand the test of time.

For small businesses, cost-effectiveness is usually the name of the game. It’s best to look for access control systems that are streamlined, easy to manage, and come with minimal hardware requirements. Going with a cloud-based access control system with remote management functions can be smart. These are often more affordable in terms of upfront costs and maintenance. Plus, you won’t need to be onsite to adjust the controls. The system can grow with your business, and you can add features as needed.

If you’re running a medium-sized company, though, you might require a more robust system or additional features right out of the gate. Maybe you’ve already invested in other security measures, like a CCTV surveillance system or an alarm system. In that case, you’d probably want to look at access control solutions that can integrate with your current setup. Going with an experienced telecommunications team can help make sure the integration is seamless, so you get a cohesive security strategy, along with options to increase your employee numbers and access points down the road as your company grows.

Then again, maybe you’re not looking for a new installation, but an access control upgrade. Plenty of large enterprises already have some type of access control system in place. But that doesn’t mean they’re meeting all of your needs. Without detailed access control policies and an efficient way to onboard and adjust employee and visitor permissions, you can run into trouble quickly. When you have thousands of users to manage, you obviously need a system that can keep up.

What Does Your Industry Require for Access Control?

Today’s new access control systems give companies a solid way to mitigate risks and keep everything working smoothly around your site. So whether it’s time to install a system for the first time, or to scale up from your current access control model, be sure to ask your solutions provider about the types of advanced security measures they can offer you. Depending on your industry, these capabilities can make all the difference.

For example, in healthcare, compliance with regulations like HIPAA is crucial. Your access control systems need to protect patient privacy and secure sensitive areas, like the pharmacy or records rooms. In which case, you might be interested in new biometric access control systems, which use fingerprint or facial recognition. These systems help deliver the highest level of security. This is often the best route for companies dealing with sensitive information, as well as larger facilities.

Biometric systems can enhance security by ensuring that only authorized personnel can access these areas. Of course, they aren’t just for healthcare. Financial institutions and even manufacturing facilities utilize robust access control systems to protect intellectual property and private personal data. You can always opt for multi-factor authentication. These systems work to combine something the user knows (like a PIN) with something they have (like a card) or something they are (like a fingerprint). Developing a custom access control solution is a great way to provide an extra layer of security that makes sense for how your team works. It can be as basic or robust as you want!

Get a Custom Solution with the Enhanced Telecommunications Team!

Are you a small business looking for scalable solutions, or a company that needs to comply with stringent regulations? Or are you running an organization that’s ready for some completely customized solutions? No matter the situation, our team can help.

We’re always eager to help clients design solutions that are cost-effective and practical for their mode of operations. We can help you design a hybrid access control system that combines multiple technologies, or just stick with the basic features. The choice is yours! Maybe you want a system that uses biometric scanners for high-security areas, but then card access for general areas. Or perhaps you want customizable settings for each user that you can adjust in a cloud-based platform. We’ll show you all the options. Just send us a message to get started.