BestSecurityBlog

Many benefits can be had using keyless locks for your business. Examples of businesses that would gain from using these types of locks include retailers, warehouses, hospitals, police stations, fire stations, offices, government offices, and many more.  There are a few different aspects of keyless locks that can give businesses advantages over using traditional locking mechanisms. A great example is that it allows owners to stop worrying about disgruntled former employees accessing the business after they have been let go. Using keyless locks allows for immediate termination of access to the business as the owner can just delete that particular employees code used for entering. You can also easily change the codes should you have a threat to the security of your business. Keyless locks also cannot be picked or “bumped” unless they also have a key override option.

A great feature of some keyless locks is that is allows you to set up scheduled access. You can schedule the lock to automatically unlock during business hours and then lock back up again when the business is closed. This frees up managers and owners from having to personally be at the location to open the doors for employees arriving at work. You can also have the lock set to be locked on the weekend in the case that the business is closed on the weekend.

Certain locks have special features and options that allow you to see who is going in and out of the business. This feature is often called audit trail.  The can be very useful for owners who need to check employee attendance, the time that employees actually get to and leave work, and also see who is accessing the business after hours. You can also give different levels of access for different employees. There are also locks that feature remote code generation. This allows the owner to provide a one time entry code for maintenance persons, contractors, or in emergency situations where immediate access to the business is needed. For example, ResortLock, uses a website that allows owners to log on and create a code for immediate use. The remote code generation feature also can produce temporary codes which will work only under the timeframe that you select. This can be beneficial for maintenance or contractors who need more than one time access to the business.

Keyless locks are gaining more popularity in homes and businesses. Currently there are no statistics on the usage of keyless lock systems, but it will be increasing and could reach 100% over time. Many think that because of the advanced technology the lock will be more expensive. This is not the case at all. Keyless locks are very affordable and readily available through many retailers. If you have not considered looking into keyless locks, now is the time to do so.

You try not to think about your loved ones valuables and belongings being at risk for theft while they are residing in an assisted living facility. The harsh reality is that theft is a common occurrence at nursing homes and assisted care facilities. With staff and visitors frequently coming and going and having access to resident’s rooms, it is easy to understand how theft can occur. But how can we prevent theft? Purchasing a safe for your loved one can give you the comfort of knowing that their valuables will be safe and secure.

What kind of safe should you look for? There are a few options available that would be beneficial in an assisted living situation. Biometric safes, or fingerprint safes, offer the advantage that there is no code that the resident will have to remember. Biometric safes also allow greater security because only the resident will be able to access the safe, limiting staff issues with theft. The main disadvantage of biometric safes is that these types of safes sometimes have difficulty reading the fingerprints of the elderly, but all biometric safes come with a key override to avoid being locked out of your safe.

Electronic keypad safes would also be advantageous in a nursing home situation. Electronic keypad safes offer simple access and since you use a code, there is no key to lose, although most come with key override as well. The disadvantages to using electronic keypad safes would be that the resident might not be able to remember the code or have the physical ability to actually push the buttons on the safe. Staff could also see the code being entered into the safe and therefore gain access as well.

Safes that use only a key to unlock will also aid in the prevention of nursing home theft. The advantage would be that there is no code to remember and only one way to access the lock. The disadvantage to this is if the resident were to lose the key. The keys could also be stolen or possibly copied. Two keys are usually issued with safes and it would be a good idea to have the resident keep one key and you keep the other so you will always have a backup if one is lost. Plus, it will diminish the possibility that someone else could get a hold of the other key.

The type of safe you invest in is purely a matter of preference as there are advantages and disadvantages to each type of safe as previously discussed. The situation or conditions that you are faced with will also determine what type of safe would suite your loved one best. Knowing that belongings and valuables are safe and secure from theft can ease at least some of the worries that go along with having a loved one in an assisted living facility.

Do you feel like you are in the dark as to what is really going on at your rental property? Have you been told by your management company that your place has not been rented for over 2 months, but suddenly is booked the day you want to use it? Are you miles away from your rental property and wary of the management company you currently use? Have you visited your rental property only to find that it is currently being used without your knowledge? These are just a few of the many stories and complaints that we hear on a regular basis. If only your lock could talk……

Well now, they can. Schlage has developed a lock called the Schlage LiNK in which you use your computer or cell phone to send a signal through your home router, which then sends a signal to the Schlage Bridge, which in turn sends a wireless signal to the lockset. The Bridge is the device that creates a network within your home that connects the lockset to the internet and it can relay a signal to the devices for up to 100ft. You can also add lights, thermostats, and cameras to the system. Using Schlage’s web interface, you can give someone access to your property as well as check to see who is going in and out of your property. This lock does require that you have internet access at the location of the lock in order for it to function and they also charge a monthly subscription fee of $12.99.

Another lock on the market that allows you to see what is really going on at your property is called ResortLock. This lock uses a website to generate codes for those you want to allow access but in addition offers additional software to install on your computer which also allows you to generate temporary codes, but also gives you additional functions such as audit trail and time shift scheduling. You can assign guests, employees, or contractors names to every code and ibutton you provide. Via the programming ibutton, which is like a key fob, you can then download access information from the lock and view on your computer. It will show the date, time, and user/code that has accessed the property. The time shift scheduling allows you to create codes/ibuttons for employees, cleaning crews, management companies, etc., that will only work under the dates and times that you specify. The code/ibutton will not provide access during any other time.

The great thing about the ResortLock is that there are no monthly subscription fees and you do not have to have an internet connection at the location of the lock in order to use it. The ResortLocks unique serial number is input into the software/website and thus “links” the lock to it. The software will run the same algorithm as the lock runs once this serial number is input and hence, no internet connection needed and the correct codes for that particular lock will be produced.

Finally, property managers can rest assured that they are in complete control of their properties, even if they are hundreds of miles away. Gone are the days of feeling left in the dark about what really goes on at your rental location, business, or home. When you are questioning who is accessing your property, now all you need to do is ask your lock to tell you all the answers.