07 Feb Building a stronger relationship with your access control system

By Daryn Flynn, PSP
Client Account Manager, Nedap

Cambridge Dictionary defines “obsolescence” as the process of becoming obsolete and no longer useful. But when it comes to access control systems, the consequences of obsolescence go beyond usefulness. In fact, an obsolete access control system can be downright dangerous and affect multiple areas of business. From cybersecurity and mobile integrations to security policies and compliance, migrating to a new system or updating your current system is the best way to avoid damage and disruption.

With technology evolving at alarming rates, organisations around the world are implementing new technologies every day. So, by default, some systems will become obsolete. Some are built that way by design. So as a first step, it’s important to recognise this. Only then can you take next steps to deal with the risks that follow.

There’s the old saying, “there’s no time like the present,” and this is especially true for taking the time to check in on your access control system. As far as your relationship with your security systems goes, it takes two. Keeping your access management healthy means making sure your access control system is compatible with your needs. In doing so, it forces you to question your existing access control system: Is it still right for you? Or do you need to move on to a new relationship?

Recognising the signs that your system may be obsolete is a great place to start. Some of these signs could be, but not limited to the following:

• Downtime: Frequent glitches and malfunctions can interrupt day to day operations and open your security to vulnerabilities.
• Loss of efficiency: Outdated systems often run very slowly or require too much manual work on the backend to update data.
• Lack of interoperability: When your system can no longer “play nice” with other technologies.
• Lack of support: If your system is tragically outdated, it can sometimes be deemed “unsupportable” from a technical standpoint

If any of the above sound familiar, you should know that you’re not alone. And this is one of the topics that our team covers at ASIS Europe 2023, and in our daily conversations across the globe.

You can read more about the subject, and get your 10-step plan for migrating to a new access control system, here.

In closing, we recommend also trusting the competence of your chosen partner. Your trusted partner and access control provider should be protecting your interests and ensuring your system is future-proof as possible. In order to remain relevant and agile for years to come, smart technology is only great as the ecosystem it’s built on. The people and processes go hand-in-hand with the tech solutions you implement.