Two essential components of your building’s security plan involve access control and visitor management. In light of recent events where armed intruders have entered commercial properties, tightening the security around your business has become even more critical. With that in mind, let’s look at how access control and visitor management work together to help make your business more secure.
How Access Control Works
Standard locks and keys provide the most basic form of access control. However, electronic systems involving keycards and their associated readers, two-factor authentication with biometric security, and keypads with numeric access codes all provide enhanced levels of access control. All of these measures ensure that only authorized personnel can proceed into or through secured areas. A central security office monitors all access points. This office is where the security guards are based while they are on duty. Security guards can be given override credentials as necessary, especially when they are escorting guests and visitors.
Access control systems need to be easily accessiTwo essential components of your building’s security plan involve access control and visitor management.ble, but not too easily tampered with by intruders with malicious intent. It is best to keep the systems active during business hours, in case of any emergency situations, but it is even more important that access control systems are not left exposed or vulnerable after business hours when trespassers and offenders are more likely to attempt to force entry.
How Visitor Management Works
In a busy location such as a retail store or office building, it can be challenging to track how many visitors come into your building and how many leave. Visitor management helps to address this issue – a visitor management policy is enforced to deter unwelcome individuals who could potentially pose a threat to the personnel, assets, and guests inside your building. Therefore, designing and implementing such a policy is imperative. Fortunately, it is also relatively simple to accomplish with the assistance of a trained security staff.
Choose Your Method: Maintaining a log of visitor identities along with the time they arrived and the time they left is one option. Additionally, identification badges can be issued for the duration of the visitors’ stay.
Educate Your Employees: It is also crucial that you educate your employees on the importance of such a policy, and how to react when banned or otherwise unwanted individuals arrive.
Provide More Information: Posting informative signs can explain to visitors how they are expected to follow visitor management policies and procedures.
Enforce Check-In/Check-Out: Enforcing a check-in/check-out system is one part of your visitor management policy that you cannot afford to ignore. When visitors first arrive, instruct them to sign their names either in a physical logbook or in a digital one. Once the visitors prepare to leave, direct them back to the front desk or the security station to sign out.
CES is Dedicated to Serving Our Community
Since opening in 1975, we have been committed to serving businesses in the District of Columbia, Virginia, and Maryland. Our values include proactive communication, honesty, reliability, and quality. We also believe in paying unparalleled attention to detail, no matter which service you require us to provide.
Our services include the following: Professional security teams for permanent, temporary, emergency and rapid-response support; around-the-clock patrols and management attention; concierge and hospitality staffing; and a dedicated mobile patrol service with associated staffing. Contact us for a free, professional consultation today! Call 443-471-7000. Don’t forget to follow us on Social Media through Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and LinkedIn!