Not only are you thinking about a shadowy figure using your lost keys to gain access, but you can’t help but squirm at the thought of thousands of dollars in rekeying and added security. These thoughts will indefinitely loom over your day like a dark cloud.
Trust is a large factor in key distribution, and while it is important to trust your employees, friends and family, it is also important to do everything in your power to avoid such a detrimental mistake. Here are four key control practices that will prevent a ruined day:
1. Create and Establish a Key Check In/Out System
A huge challenge of key holders is controlling where the key travels throughout the day. Sometimes a key is simply misplaced and someone left with it still on their keychain. To prevent this, establishing a check in/out system will give those temporary key holders an obligation to return the key to where it was found, as their name is holding the responsibility.
A manual sign-out/sign-in sheet on the lock box can be an easy, efficient way to track down where the key was last seen, and you could even use something as secure as an electronic or biometric lockbox with user ID access. The main goal of creating a system is to incentivize key holders to return the keys in due time.
2. Use Lockboxes
There are many different types of lockboxes to control key usage. As mentioned previously, you could use a simple lockbox to help organize the keys and allow you to quickly notice which keys are missing, but there are many more advanced lockboxes which could notify you when keys are checked out, missing, and not returned on time. Lockboxes also create an extra barrier for burglars to pass, which would benefit you if that situation were to arise.
3. Be Proactive About Key Control
Including creating these systems and using lockboxes, you could purchase an electronic keychain which notifies you when you are separated from the keys by over 15 steps. There are two parts of this system; the part that connects to the keys and the part that connects to your belt or is put in your pocket. When it senses that the two parts are widely separated, the piece connected to you will send out an alarm for you to hear and remind you not to walk too far away from your keys.
4. Go Digital
Key fobs are the new keys. Not only can you control access per user, but you can also deactivate lost fobs. Simply put, the system in your computer controls who used their key fob where and when. This eliminates human error, and can give you more time to complete other tasks. If someone were to lose their key fob, it is very easy to deactivate that lost key fob and replace it.
5. Add Door Locks with Keypads
Even better than fobs, door locks with keypads eliminate the ability to physically lose any type of key. The only way someone would lose access is if they lose their code somewhere within their head. The keypad allows you to customize codes for each person, which would make it easy to know who is entering when. Rather than losing a key fob, they will simply be responsible for a 4 digit code.
Losing keys does not have to be a day ruiner or a looming dark cloud. Preventative measures such as these listed can give you peace of mind and more time to focus on what you really need to accomplish.
