Why it should be access all areas to access control

Most people are unaware of the fundamental nature of access control. The term is frequently met by those outside the security industry with confusion. Yet, the majority of every-day people benefit from it unknowingly, for example, in offices. As well as affecting the activities of huge corporations, access control is a key component in making people feel and be safe. This ultimately affects employee and guest satisfaction, and in turn, tenant retention for landlords.

Digitalisation

Forward-thinking landlords will be the first to see the benefits in embracing ‘smart’ access control systems. Prior to digitalisation, access control commonly referred to the hardware keeping people out of buildings – in other words: door locks and turnstile gates. However, as the real estate industry wakes up to the benefits of digitalisation, it is engaging increasingly with technology-based access control providers. This way, they’re able to let the right people in and keep the wrong ones out much more effectively, resulting in both convenience and security.

More than this, digitalisation is redefining the way people engage with all-kinds of spaces. When Google’s Nest – its suite of smart home products – integrated with ADT, it sent ripples through the industry as two big names formed a partnership. Through ADT’s app you could manage and view Nest’s security cameras and control its thermostat.

This made it simpler to prioritise security in the home. With household names like Amazon adding access control to their portfolio, other businesses will undoubtedly follow suit. We can expect competition between access control manufacturers to surge as they battle it out for market share.

Benefits for tenants

It’s not just at home that security is important. The access control industry is defined by its duty to keep people safe at work and elsewhere too. Implementing access control software in places like offices will improve tenant wellbeing by helping people feel comfortable and secure.

That said, corporations need to be careful to deploy technologies that balance convenience and usability. This means that the systems used need to be both secure and easy to use. Think about it, the more painless a product is to use, the more likely you are to use and appreciate it. This is why we’re seeing more access control providers integrate with tenant experience technology platforms, like HqO. The market appears to be shifting to an integrated vendor model and we’ll likely see more M&A activity in 2023.

The global access control market is predicted to be worth $25.22 billion by 2027. A driving force behind increasing levels of investment is the need to lift the sophistication of security software across both residential and commercial real estate. It doesn’t always have to be flashiest or shiniest, but it does have to work. As the sector evolves, advancements in access solutions will likely have a direct correlation with tenant satisfaction. This matters because companies that design with the end-user in mind will see less churn.

Benefits for landlords

Tenant experience is inextricably linked with security. The safer tenants feel, the happier they’ll be about staying in a building. And, the longer they stay, the lower a landlord’s churn will be.

Unsurprisingly, end-user needs have become more pressing than ever. With the introduction of mobile computing, access control manufacturers and those implementing the solutions now have a more closely-linked relationship, placing more emphasis on usability. The successful companies are those that understand this.

Keeping up with the new world

While other products (like tenant engagement applications and booking systems) could be classed as ‘nice to haves’, access is an undeniable ‘need to have’. When people have a poor experience accessing a space, they’ll not only remember it but tell others. That’s not a good look.

Innovation is critical to any market as it gels new products, services and thinking. Access control is no different and with this comes healthy competition: first, between vendors competing to increase market penetration; and second, between landlords and operators to make their buildings attractive to prospective tenants, and to build loyalty with existing ones.