Is an Integrated Security System an Unnecessary Expense or Huge Value Add?
Many businesses have multiple security applications in place that ensure uninterrupted business operation and maximum life safety - an access control system for secure entry to the workplace, key management system for contractors or temporary workers, wireless locks for remote areas, etc.
For some, the idea of integrating these systems to be managed and monitored in one place may seem like an unnecessary expense. There is certainly work involved in bringing key functionality together to create a holistic solution.
But, is that additional upfront work worth it in the end?
We enthusiastically believe the answer is yes. Here are 4 ways we believe a fully integrated solution can add significant value to your organization while increasing life safety.
1. You will ultimately save time and money
Imagine for a moment, you manage the security at a university campus and you have 100,000 students needing access to various labs, research facilities, dorms, etc. every year. With an integrated system, you enter clearance information ONCE into the access control system, and the integration pushes it out to any connected system – wireless locks, ERP, room booking, etc. Alternatively, the information needs to be added to each system, easily doubling the man-hours required.
2. We can almost guarantee a reduction in data entry errors
Manually adding clearances and configurations to multiple systems invites typos, duplicate entries, or incorrect information. An integrated system ensures correct information is automatically propagated throughout other connected systems and all but eliminates data entry errors.
3. Your operator training and onboarding will be simplified
Employee attrition is hard enough without having to continuously train and onboard new operators on multiple, separate systems. In an integrated solution, operators only have to learn ONE SYSTEM, making the training and onboarding process faster and easier to maintain. Plus, alarms from integrated systems can be received, acted upon, and add to the journal without toggling between multiple screens making response time faster.
4. You will have better accountability and compliance
Access to comprehensive security information in one place gives context and ultimate accountability. A single place to retrieve journal information including who changed clearance information, who acknowledged duress alarms, which controllers were offline, etc. is critical when trying to provide security audit reports for compliance.
What do you think? Are there more ways an integrated system adds value? We’d love to hear your opinion.