Migrating Comfortably from Deadbolt Locks to Electronic Access Control

Sept. 1, 2015
Key questions help locksmiths move into electronic access control and meet their customers’ needs

There is no doubt about it. Mechanical locks will continue to be part of a security solution for many years. Nonetheless, more and more customers are wanting - and needing - electronic access control (EAC). Future-thinking locksmiths are getting into EAC to be competitive and successful versus other locksmiths and the myriad of EAC providers in the market. Some might say that locksmiths are being dragged, kicking and screaming, into the EAC market. If you are a locksmith and leery of EAC, don't be. It's just different, that's all.

Locksmiths who have taken the leap have found that the secret to being successful with EAC are those who have operated in their comfort zones. They started out by creating simple, basic EAC systems. Then, as they have done more and more EAC projects, the systems have become more complex. In other words, if your first opportunity is to do a 128-door, three building campus needing a wireless system, find an access control integrator, "sell" them the deal, watch and learn. But, if your first EAC is going to be four standalone doors, why not just go for it on your own?

What Type of Customer Needs EAC?

Why would a customer need controlled access on a specific opening in the first place? Needs may include protecting HIPPA files at a doctor's office, securing of valuable inventory on a factory floor or providing an extra level of assurance to public housing tenants. Perhaps there is a safety issue such as providing ingress/egress to and from the electrical room. Are there theft issues in the warehouse or vandalism problems at the front door to the store? Oftentimes, local codes must be met, such as those from the National Fire Protection Association.

Remember, access control is simply controlling who can go where and when. How many people will be using the system? Do they all come at once? What kind of doors are there? Regular? Powered? Sliding? Glass? Will there be varying times when your customer wants different people entering? Do some areas call for increased levels of security compared to others?  Would it make sense to provide audits of who has been where and when?

With the answers to questions like these, let's remember the basics. To control people, they first need to be identified. Even with a key, you are saying that the bearer of this metal is authorized to enter the door with the matching lock. 

Instead of keys and their management costs, you might consider numerical codes that work with electronic keypad locks. PINs – personal ID numbers - are easily added and deleted from these locks, eliminating the high costs associated with re-keying. From a comfort zone viewpoint, selling and installing these systems is really not that different than selling and installing their purely mechanical cousins. However, for greater security, you may wish to propose that access may be limited to something the user holds that is difficult to duplicate, such as proximity cards and fobs. A quick presentation to the reader and the cardholder successfully gains access.

Now that you have determined how to identify "who," you need to control their access. Simply stated, different people need access at different times to different locations.  Perhaps regular employees can be admitted between 7a.m. and 6 p.m. but nighttime maintenance workers gain access only between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. However, managers can come and go as they please through all doors except on Sundays and holidays. And don’t lose site of the need for exit devices or panic bars. Egress control is equally important as access control. Whatever you select, be sure your system provides an override period and is code compliant. 

Regarding Software

It is most likely that your access control system will be governed by management software. The features and benefits of the particular software are equally as important as the hardware.

First, make sure the software is secure. You want to assure that unauthorized operators cannot get their fingers on the keyboard to alter it. At the very least, it must be password protected. It must also be flexible enough to manage the various user groups within your customer’s organization. As such, it must be user-friendly and easy to learn because several people must use it. And, in today’s world, what type of operating system does the software require, such as Windows or iOS?  Perhaps the solution is cloud based.

Your software must provide a management hierarchy, perhaps allowing others besides the main Security administrator to manage certain elements, such as Human Relations adding or eliminating an employee. 

Then, there’s the question of an online system versus offline or standalone systems. Do you have the budget or does the facility’s construction allow for online, hardwired systems?  It’s at original construction when such investments are at their lowest. If not, software managed offline locking systems provide most of the benefits of an online system at a fraction of the material and install cost. You might want a mixed system, one where perimeters are managed by online systems and internal openings are managed by offline systems. If the door has high frequency use, you automatically will need to review high quality magnetic locking systems which can handle constant locking and unlocking.

Key Considerations

Here are other considerations:

  • Are other access control systems already installed? Will these systems work with the proximity cards you are planning for this project?
  • It is rare that a system without UL listing of the components would be allowed.
  • Are the components backed by a lifetime warranty? 
  • What's the supplier's track record on delivery and customer service?
  • Electronic hardware must meet ANSI/BHMA Grade 1 requirements.
  • Will any of the hardware be installed out-of-doors or in vandal prone environments?  Can the hardware selected handle the install environment?
  • Products must adhere to FCC regulations where applicable.
  • Knowing the number of users is imperative. Flow is critical. You will find that out if the boss waits in line too long.
  • In many cases, you will want to audit or monitor events that occur at the controlled openings. Can your system provide information on who was there and when?
  • Are additional add-on components easily obtainable?  Leading providers often measure their lead times in hours.
  • If standalone battery-powered products are to be used, what are the number of cycles you expect at each opening? Will frequent battery changing be required?
  • If you select a networked access control system, can users still get out in an emergency when there is no power?

Going through all these questions will alert you whether or not you are comfortable in taking on this specific project. Can you make a profit on it or are you going to get all tied up in a technology that you don't quite yet understand? Successful locksmiths learning EAC has started out with simple systems and then tried to incrementally increase technological sophistication with successive jobs. Within a relatively short amount of time, they are ready to take on the systems that include networking, smart cards and the other many facets of EAC.

Scott Lindley is a 25 year veteran of the contactless card access control provider industry. Since 2003, he has been president of Farpointe Data, a DORMA Group company, which has become the global partner of choice for premium RFID systems, including proximity, smart and long range solutions, for access control professionals around the world. Prior, he was director of RFID products at Keri Systems and sales manager, North America, for Motorola Indala.