Keyless entry systems have become increasingly popular for commercial and corporate buildings. From working, retail and banking spaces to industrial and manufacturing facilities, government and public sector installations, and airports and other transportation hubs – these systems have become a critical element of physical security.
Access control fast-tracks the digital transformation of these facilities, helping them become smarter, more secure, and more efficient. By replacing traditional metal keys with intelligent keyless systems and ID management solutions, users can access a building or office using smart credentials such as mobile digital keys, PIN codes, or face recognition.
Physical vs keyless access control
A cohesive access control system goes a long way in securing your organisation. Whether you’re onboarding new employees, admitting guests or handling temporary visitor requests, it offers a modern approach to secure access while optimising operations that address your business needs and today’s challenges.
However, the smart functionality of keyless access control systems provides many benefits for commercial, hospitality and educational facilities, residential buildings, critical infrastructures or working spaces.
First and foremost, keyless entry is convenient, eliminating the hassle of carrying and tracking physical keys. Users and visitors can enter with a keycard or smartphone through smart digital identity credentials or facial recognition technology. What’s more, access permission can be easily terminated when staff, guests, residents, or visitors leave or credentials are lost or stolen. The administrative time spent issuing, retrieving, and managing mechanical keys is greatly reduced, improving overall user experience and boosting operational efficiency.
Just as importantly, keyless entry guarantees enhanced protection. Security doesn’t stop at the door – nor should your access control. Combining access control and digital technologies delivers solutions that protect your people and assets. No need to worry about lost or stolen keys, or unauthorised copies being made. Access rights can be granted and revoked instantly, giving system administrators complete control. Many keyless systems also provide audit trails showing who entered which door and when, boosting transparency and peace of mind for not just building owners and managers, but staff and visitors too.
With keyless physical access management protocols in place, system operators enjoy the flexibility of configuring access permissions as required. Physical access control can be managed around employees’ schedules, seniority, or access needs based on their hours or specific roles.
Alternatively, keyless systems can offer blanket security for restricted areas or calendar-related events; entry can be restricted to certain days or times, for example. With the right keyless solution, administrators can design custom access control procedures, ensuring total physical access control over the premises.
Physical security and access control: what you need to know
While the keys used for traditional keyed locks can be stolen or copied without authorisation, or simply lost or poorly organised, smart keyless entry systems have no such issues:
- Access rights are configured through an all-inclusive access management software.
- Operators can grant or revoke access rights instantly to ensure only current employees, authorised visitors, and service providers have access – and only to permitted areas and periods of time.
- Expand your reach with greater visibility to all areas of your building, delivering a level of security you never thought possible.
- Prevent unwanted access from former staff or uninvited guests, providing a clear, real-time picture of who is in the building and where at any given time.
Gone are the days of losing sleep over missing keys or unauthorised copies. Keyless entry delivers robust access control overall, with integration that lets businesses manage access permissions with precision. Access can even be traced back to a specific credential to identify who entered a restricted area and at what time. Such transparency greatly improves accountability and security.
Why is access control important in physical security?
Physical access control in a smart building ecosystem provides high-level convenience. Staff members simply use keycards, fobs, or mobile credentials via their mobile phones to enter the premises securely, prompting a record of their access to be generated.
Doors equipped with smart locking technology unlock automatically when valid credentials are presented. As a result, access is fast and secure for authorised users – and considerably more difficult for unauthorised visitors.
The absence of physical keys also means there are no limitations on the number of users who can be granted entry on any day or at any given time. This means that you can manage access and physical identities easily, 24/7. New users will receive their credentials quickly through centralised access control software. And if a user leaves the building or a visitor checks out, their credentials are revoked instantly without having to retrieve physical keys – saving time and bolstering security.
The convenience factor is a major benefit of keyless entry for commercial buildings and offices, but there are many others:
Cost savings
Implementing a keyless entry system can lead to significant cost savings for office, commercial, and public buildings.
One major area of savings comes from reducing the expenses associated with copying and replacing missing physical keys. This is a common issue in traditional mechanical systems and requires taking copies from master keys or getting replacement keys for individual employees. Some keys have higher security standards, making them particularly expensive to copy; most have to come directly from the original supplier. Administrative charges associated with tracking staff keys and managing the key distribution process make it even more prohibitive.
Additional cost savings come from automating the access control system, which strengthens security policies while improving the flow of people within your facility. In the event of a security breach, smart keyless entry systems allow access permissions to be reconfigured and updated remotely, rather than having building owners change locks and keys on multiple doors.
Installing keyless access also increases efficiency. Improved workflow processes mean spending less time on provisioning and managing user credentials and access rights. Compared to traditional lock-and-key setups, keyless systems effectively pay for themselves over time through cost savings and improved operational efficiency.
Improved security
Keyless entry systems provide immense security advantages over traditional keyed locks. Some of the main benefits include:
Audit trails: The detailed audit trails created by most electronic security access control systems show who entered which doors and when. This ensures accountability and allows system controllers to investigate any security breaches. Widespread knowledge that the system logs all access attempts, successful or otherwise, also deters misconduct.
Restricted access: With a keyless system, you can restrict access to certain areas and set time-based access schedules. For example, you could allow the cleaning or part-time staff to enter only during working hours.
Less reliance on physical keys: Centralised control and access visibility is a significant security upgrade from traditional physical keys, which fail to provide the same level of security, accountability, and convenience.
Integration and smart building ecosystem
Unify access control with the rest of your security system and achieve operational efficiencies, along with a comprehensive view of your building.
Flexible system infrastructure
Whether you’re looking for an on-premise, cloud-based, or hybrid access control solution, there is a wide range of access control infrastructure and flexible deployment options to fit your needs.
Which access control should you choose?
When evaluating keyless entry systems, it's important to consider factors such as a building’s layout, operational challenges, existing infrastructure including the access or visitor management setup, and integration with other systems. Examining its security policies could be beneficial too, as is identifying new ways to improve the user experience. The holistic view will make it easier to take control of your access management and building safety.
Keyless physical access control systems for offices and commercial buildings typically utilise one of four main technologies: biometrics, keypads, smart cards/fobs, or mobile access.
Smart credentials or badges
Smart cards and fobs use proximity technology to grant access. When the card or fob is tapped or waved near a reader, it locks or unlocks doors instantly. While this option is secure and convenient, it shares some drawbacks of traditional keys as cards and fobs can be lost, stolen, or shared without permission.
Mobile access and digital keys
With mobile access systems, users unlock doors via an app on their smartphone or other mobile device. This provides both security and convenience, allowing dynamic access control and creating audit trails. However, it obligates visitors and staff to have their mobile device with them at all times when entering or moving around within access-controlled areas.
Facial recognition
Facial recognition systems identify individuals by their unique physical characteristics. This user authentication method uses facial recognition technology to create individualised and trusted facial credentials based on distinctive facial traits. By eliminating the need for traditional physical keycards, users can effortlessly gain access; this cutting-edge technology streamlines the access process and enhances security by eliminating the risk of lost or stolen credentials.
Pin and keypad door entry systems
Keypads are one of the most common forms of access control today. Keypad entry systems require users to enter a unique code or PIN to unlock doors.
Most modern access control systems use a keypad either as an additional identification method access option alongside another security layer to the access control system, or access point functionalities and two-factor authentication (2FA).
Visitors and ID management
Managing visitors in any building or security-critical environment is an essential access control task.
Traditionally, visitor management has been handled through paper forms or guestbooks. However, requiring sign-in at reception or a security control point is labour-intensive for staff and time-consuming for visitors and contractors alike. It only takes just a few minutes at a time, but this adds up considerably when large numbers of people move in and out of a building. It can also drastically impact performance, customer experience, and operational efficiency.
In today's fast-paced world, larger or high-traffic buildings can experience huge volumes of individual access incidents. Having a robust entrance management solution and an equally secure, highly functional identification process is essential. The right keyless system provides efficient, flexible, and secure visitor access, keeping people moving and buildings safe while ensuring the best user experience.
Enjoy keyless convenience
Keyless entry systems offer numerous benefits for offices and commercial buildings looking to upgrade their access control:
- Avoid expensive cabling with wire-free access control technology to secure any entry point.
- Eliminate mechanical keys and simplify operations with precise, automated access permissions.
- Increase visibility with 24/7 real-time monitoring and access control management.
- Balance security, convenience, and user experience by managing access to multiple sites on a powerful, all-in-one platform.
- An access control system can perfectly function independently, but using it in conjunction with other systems can elevate the safety, security, and building management processes to an entirely new level.
Salto’s industry-leading innovations offer a broad selection of smart solutions to suit different business needs and operational requirements, from access control to ID visitor management and facial recognition to mobile access and integration capabilities. With proper planning and implementation, and the right keyless entry system in place, operators can significantly improve safety, security, convenience, and efficiency for commercial buildings, public facilities, hotels, critical infrastructures, residential properties, and work spaces.
