San Antonio businesses aren’t utilizing advanced access control systems for operational integrity and efficiency as much as they could be. Security systems for businesses aren’t just about keeping your campus safe and reducing crime risks. They’re also meant to increase operational efficiency. For businesses and property owners, San Antonio access control systems put all stakeholders and employees on the same page. What should access control systems for local businesses here in San Antonio look like? Keep reading to learn about all of the components that go into a flawless, integrated system.
What Security Systems for Businesses Need: Accountability, Checks and Balances, and More
What exactly are access control systems? These systems integrate the perfect balance of technology, hardware, and protocols. They cover all bases without requiring extra steps from users. A well-designed system should include the following components.
Controlling Entry: Keycards, Fobs, or Mobile Credentials
Every access control system needs to have controlled and monitored entry and exit points. The purpose is twofold. First, keyed entry allows a building owner to control the flow of entry. Only employees or vetted parties can gain access to a campus. In addition to preventing risks for theft or vandalism, this level of gatekeeping also creates peace of mind for employees who work in a building. They can work with the confidence of knowing that every person they pass while in the building has a legitimate reason to be there. If an incident does occur within a building, the building owner and security team can track keycard records to take account of everyone who was physically present. The core benefits of key card readers for businesses include:
- 24/7 control of access to a building. A keycard or fob works as a “security guard” even when human guards may be making rounds or responding to needs elsewhere.
- Keycard entry can be controlled during a lockdown situation.
- Keycard entry can provide verification of employee arrival and departure times in the event of timecard disputes.
- In a multi-tenant building, keycards and fobs can provide residents or commercial tenants access to their specific floors only to create a greater sense of security.
Key card readers for businesses are easily integrated into larger security systems. Additionally, they can be tailored to allow for clearance to specific areas of a building based on a cardholder’s credentials. In fact, this leads us into the next topic of adding mobile credentials to a building’s security protocols.
Mobile credentials allow users to use smartphones or mobile devices as their digital keys. For companies, this can be a cost-saving and time-saving measure because employees and other vetted parties can use their personal devices to gain access to restricted areas. This can be ideal for a company with a large portion of remote employees or consultants visiting from time to time because there’s no need to mail physical badges or keys ahead of time. Additionally, companies can swiftly update security clearances of individuals without the need to update hardware.
The final component of controlled entry is an audit trail. Fobs, keys, and mobile credentials don’t just allow employees or residents into certain areas. They create a detailed blueprint for who has been where. For property owners, being able to go back months or years to track entry and exit times can be invaluable if there’s ever a need for an investigation.
The Importance of Video Surveillance Systems
San Antonio commercial security systems aren’t complete without video surveillance systems. CCTV systems and smart surveillance options offer both deterrence and after-the-fact benefits. While businesses should embrace the latest in video technology, it’s also important to understand the importance of having a system that allows for easy review of footage. For this, no option tops CCTV.
Short for closed-circuit television, CCTV is a video surveillance system that transmits video signals to internalized monitors or recorders. Unlike digital or streaming video security, CCTV is not dependent on an uninterrupted Internet connection. CCTV also generally has long-term storage of video that allows building owners to go back and review hundreds of hours of footage. Here’s why having CCTV is so essential for any business.
Reduced Risks for Theft and Vandalism
Research shows that knowledge of a camera alters human behavior. In other words, people are less likely to engage in negative behaviors when they know that their actions are being recorded. In many cases, the presence of video surveillance alone is enough to deter theft, vandalism, or other illegal actions.
Enables Recovery and Prosecution
Video surveillance systems can’t eliminate all crime. However, businesses can utilize footage after the fact to try to seek justice. Footage that is captured on camera can be used in internal investigations or handed over to police for formal investigations. In many cases, cameras are able to capture cars, license plates, or images of the perpetrators that allow for a business to actually recover lost items. In other cases, businesses can use that same footage to press charges or seek prosecution when vandalism or security breaches are involved.
Supports Human Resources Efforts
Not everything that is captured on a building’s security camera is a criminal matter. However, businesses conducting internal investigations can greatly benefit from concrete video footage that clearly shows an employee engaging in property theft, time theft, harassment, or some other activity that requires an internal investigation. Labor laws and protections make the task of investigating accusations difficult for human resources departments. There’s a legal risk in accusing an employee of something that may not be verifiable based on secondary evidence alone. Video footage provides undeniable proof with timestamps.
Business Alarm Systems
Building alarms are essential for intrusion detection. However, a “main door” alarm simply doesn’t cut it today. For example, a warehouse with multiple sectors needs area-specific alarms that allow security personnel to know exactly where a breach is occurring in real time. In retail spaces, business alarms that immediately alert the building owner and contact local law enforcement after hours put you in control of those valuable first few seconds when thousands of dollars of merchandise may become unrecoverable if the criminal gets the advantage.
Final Thoughts: The Cost of Not Upgrading San Antonio Access Control Systems Is Too High
Security systems for businesses aren’t complete unless they facilitate personal safety, asset protection, and the integrity of any future investigations that may take place. The truth is that most warehouses, retail spaces, apartment buildings, and office buildings are relying on technology from 20 to 30 years ago. Just checking boxes doesn’t work. If you’re responsible for the safety and security of a building, it’s time to consider San Antonio commercial security systems that combine real-time visibility and monitoring with verifiable audit trails. If in Houston and interested in commercial alarms & security systems, security cameras, or home security, give us a call!
