2 New Commercial Lock Features That Could Fend Off Employee Theft

10 September 2015
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If you own your own business, you might be devastated to learn that one of your trusted employees has been pilfering your profits. Although it might seem unlikely, employee theft costs United States businesses a staggering 50 billion dollars each year—leaving managers reeling—and that was just the amount in 2000. However, you might be able to avoid problems by asking a commercial locksmith to upgrade your entryway locks. Here are two new commercial lock features that could fend off employee theft:

1: Locks With Re-Key Technology

Wouldn't it be nice if you could re-key that front entryway whenever you wanted? Believe it or not, some lock manufacturers offer locks with instant re-keying technology. The process is simple: insert a copy of your original key, followed by a special smart key "learn tool." Afterwards, insert your new key and voila! Your lock is instantly re-programmed to work with the new version. In addition to making it easy to reconfigure your locks anytime you fire an employee who walks off with their keys, re-key technology also offers these benefits: 

  • Fast: With re-key technology, you can re-key your locks fast—in as little as 15 to 30 seconds. This means that you might be able to protect your business in under a minute from disgruntled employees or security breaches. For example, you might be able to change the door locks while that angry employee is out to lunch.
  • Secure: Don't worry about employees being able to re-key locks on their own. Locks with re-key technology typically contain additional security features, such as a side-locking bar to protect against lock bumping. Also, since an employee would need the "learn tool" to make any changes, business owners can protect their company by keeping the tool inside a safe or at home.

After installing self-rekeying locks, you might be able to update your entrances whenever you see fit—no matter what time of day it is.

2: Smart Locks

Those older deadbolts might be able to keep people out of your building, but because they can be opened day and night, you never really know who is accessing your office, computers, and warehouse. Fortunately, smart locks, also called electronic deadbolts, take old-school locks into the modern age.

These state-of-the-art devices contain a solid mechanical deadbolt, which works in conjunction with an internal computer system and an external keypad. The user can program multiple customized entry codes, giving different employees different levels of access. In addition to eliminating traditional keys, smart locks offer these benefits:

  • Set Security Timestamps: If you are worried about employees accessing your building after hours, smart locks might be the answer to your prayers. In addition to giving each employee a different code, you can also timestamp codes so that they only work during set time periods. For example, your employees might only be able to access your building between 8am and 6pm, when they should be reporting to work anyways. However, if they decide to sneak back after hours, they won't be able to get into the building.
  • Emergency Modes: Some electronic deadbolts even contain an emergency mode, which temporarily disables all key codes. This means that if you have to deal with an angry employee or vendor, you can temporarily restrict access to your building.  
  • Automatic Re-Lock: Don't you hate it when employees forget to lock up after a long day? To keep your building safe and sound, smart locks can be programmed to automatically re-lock after someone enters.
  • Automation Systems: Some electronic deadbolts also contain connectivity mechanisms, so that they work in conjunction with automation software. This means that you can lock or unlock company doors from your smartphone, or check access reports whenever you need to.  

By upgrading your building locks, you might be able to control building security more dynamically, without spending more than you need to. Click here for more info about commercial lock options that could better secure your business.