A commercial smart lock is an electromagnetic locking system that does not require a physical key. Instead, a programmable key card, PIN code, or smartphone is used to activate and disengage the locking mechanism, allowing access to the property.

Smart locks are most traditionally seen in hotels, where they are used to secure access to individual rooms and controlled from a central reception area. However, the technology is now gaining popularity in a wider variety of settings, including apartment blocks, tenanted properties, and commercial premises such as industrial units and retail stores.

The technology is also getting smarter, with WIFI and Bluetooth connections enabling property owners to rely entirely on smartphone technology for access rather than requiring a physical key card that can be lost just as easily as a key.

Why commercial smart locks?

Smart commercial security locks offer business owners increased security and convenience. They remove the need to hold a stock of keys and to replace lost or damaged keys. They operate using Bluetooth, WIFI or Z-waves, meaning that provided that the individual seeking to open the door has been granted access and has an internet connection, they can do so.

They provide access only to authorized individuals and record an audit of every door entry, which can be reviewed remotely at any point in time to ensure that only authorized personnel are gaining access and for genuine reasons.
The code can be changed whenever a member of staff departs, to increase the security of the business and to guard against malicious entry attempts by a disgruntled former employee.

Choosing a commercial smart lock

A commercial locksmith can help you to identify the most appropriate smart lock for your business premises. They will ensure that the lock complies with the standards set by the Building Hardware Manufacturers Association and will advise on maintaining security, including providing tailored recommendations on issuing access controls, changing PIN codes and how to deal with any issues that may arise.

Commercial locksmith help

A commercial locksmith will ensure that your keyless entry system is suitable for the type of business that you operate and for the door that you already have in place. They will install an appropriate commercial smart lock and provide you with all necessary training and documentation to operate it correctly.

Many keyless entry systems have a backup key that can be used in the event of a power outage or interruption to the internet connection, and the commercial locksmith will also ensure that you are briefed on the correct use of this key, and will provide guidance on how to secure it safely when it is not in use.

Summary

Selecting smart commercial security locks for your business premises will simplify keyholder responsibilities. It will allow access to trusted and authorized individuals and provide you with details of each entry to the building.

Whilst the initial system installation costs will be higher than that of a traditional key entry system, the long term savings will more than cancel them out, in terms of buying replacement keys and potentially changing the locks should a key be lost or stolen.