Why Smart Access Control Beats Keys for Business Security

Keys have been securing buildings for centuries. But for a modern business, physical keys are an increasingly costly and risky method of access management. Here's why networked access control is almost always the better choice.

The Hidden Cost of Keys

Consider what happens in a typical business when an employee leaves:

• Did they return their key? Are you sure?
• If you're not sure, do you rekey the lock? At £80–200 per lock per cylinder?
• Do you have a master key system? Because losing a master requires rekeying every lock it accesses
• Can you tell which locks they had access to?
• Can you tell when they last used them?

With networked access control, terminating an employee's access takes 30 seconds in software. No locks are touched. No keys need to be chased. And you have a complete audit trail of every door they accessed on every date.

What Modern Access Control Systems Offer

MIFARE Smart Cards and Fobs

Encrypted proximity cards are the standard credential for most business access control. They're faster than keys, can be instantly revoked, work with multiple readers and can be paired with photo ID for reception management.

Mobile Credentials

Systems like Paxton10 and HID Mobile Access allow staff to use their smartphone as an access credential via Bluetooth or NFC. No card needed — ideal for staff who regularly forget physical credentials.

Biometric Access

For high-security areas like server rooms, pharmacies or financial areas, fingerprint or facial recognition readers eliminate credential sharing — ensuring only the authorised individual can enter.

Time-Based Schedules

Door schedules allow you to automatically unlock main entrances during business hours and lock them after 6pm — without manual intervention. Specific users can be granted 24/7 access while others are restricted to business hours.

The Paxton Advantage

For most of our UK commercial clients, we install Paxton systems — either Net2 Pro for standalone installations or Paxton10 for IP-networked systems. Paxton is the UK's most-installed access control brand, with excellent software, competitive hardware pricing and straightforward installer support.

Paxton10 is our preferred platform for new installations — it's fully IP-networked, supports mobile credentials, integrates with third-party systems and can grow from a single door to thousands of readers on the same platform.