Today, staff, tenants and residents want good and safe working and living space experiences. They want to know they are safe. They are also seeking smart buildings with high-powered smart technologies that make their life easy and comfortable. The best place to start is right at the door with the best access control system.
Providing your building with a proper access control system therefore should be a priority. An effective access control system is one of the most important physical security features your building or facility can have. Advanced access control will give your staff and occupants the freedom and power to seamlessly access the building with more convenience and security. Your residents will appreciate a modern system that maximizes property security without hindering their convenience.
Replacing your access control system with traditional access control with a modern digital system means more protection for your residents, assets, and property. It is good to note that building security always ranks as one of the most critical features they consider when looking for a place or work. It is also one of the top reasons why people change residents.
With a wide range of access control systems available in the market, choosing the right access control system can be overwhelming. In this post, we will look at some handy tips to help you end up with the best access control system that meets your requirements.
We will help you understand the types of access control systems available to you and show you how to find and select a professional local access control installer. Lastly, we’ll recommend the best access control system options you can get locally in Kenya.
When should you replace your old access control system?
Traditional access control systems are very ineffective and have potential vulnerabilities that can impact your occupants’ experience. A modern system will have one or more of these features:
- Keyless entry
- Multiple doors access
- Biometric credentials
- Digital way to add, remove and grant access permissions
- Remote access
- Mobile app
- Logs trail and reports to track entry and movement in the building
If your current access control system misses the above features it should be a good time to consider an upgrade. The good news is there are many cost-effective access control options in Kenya to help you start giving your residents the best experience possible.
What should you consider when selecting the best access control system in Kenya?
When it comes to choosing a building security system, you have to consider many factors and there is no one-size-fits-all solution. You should first understand the unique attributes of your property and the users you want to manage. You can ask yourself the following questions;
How many doors and areas need access control?
Some buildings only need access controls for the main entrance. If you are managing a modern building or facility you may need access permissions for different doors, floors, and facilities such as elevators, private floors, penthouses and gyms, and more. This will require a networked control system capable of allowing specific individual entries.
Who will need access?
In the basic scenario, only residents need access. In most cases, you need to consider access permissions for deliveries, visitors, cleaners, handymen, and security. These will need to be provided with temporary access permissions or have their access credentials limited to common areas.
What are your resident’s demographics?
If your building is occupied by millennials they will likely need and even demand it be fitted with digital smart technologies. They will also want the most advanced access controls such as smart mobile-based cloud access control systems.
The best access control system recommended for commercial buildings in Kenya
Kenya’s commercial buildings could be single-use premises or mixed-use. Mixed-use buildings have a combination of business offices and retail tenants. Single-use buildings have only one of the above.
A mixed-use building requires you to ensure that only authorized people can access certain areas of the building. This means the access control system you should choose should allow assigning of access permissions on a tenant-to-tenant basis.
Most likely, this will require an access control system with parking and elevator controls. A parking access management system usually comes as an integrated system with special feature hardware such as;
- Automated number plate readers (ANPRs)
- RFID smart parking systems
- Barriers controller
- Parking space detectors
- Professional management platforms
The best access control system recommended for multifamily buildings and apartments
The best consideration for Kenyan apartments is a door card reader or key fob entry system. These systems are a step up from typical lock-and-key systems. They are simple to implement and easy to assign and manage access permissions. However, they are limited in features and don`t allow multiple access permissions such as deliveries, maintenance, and visitor access.
If you want to manage access in a large modern high-rise apartment, your best option will be a system that allows smart features such as multiple permissions, multi doors access, remote access management, video cameras, intercom, alarms, and automated gates integration.
Internet-based and mobile-based access systems allow remote access controls particularly which comes in handy for residents in large buildings because it gives them the convenience of allowing visitors in and out without travelling to the ground floor especially if you live on the top floor.
You should also consider an access control system that allows video verifications through smart integration with your CCTV cameras. Probably the most ignored feature your system should have is the ability to facilitate safe building exits in case of an emergency like a fire.
How to find a high-quality professional access control installer in Kenya
From the content above you will find the access control system is complicated compared to common plug-and-play security systems available in today’s market. You will need professional help with access control system installation.
You will also find getting a reliable access control installer in Kenya might not be as straightforward as may think. You need to find a trustable high-quality professional with experience and a proven track record.
When choosing a reliable professional installer you should consider if they have;
- Subject matter expert knowledge in access control solutions.
- Capability to provide end-to-end project delivery from need analysis consulting, system design (installation), build, and maintenance.
- Security systems integration expertise and experience.
- Provable track record in delivering cost-effective high-quality installations.
- A working partnership with notable high-quality access control manufacturers or dealers.
- Aftersale user, product, warranty support capability.
Most people consider hardware price and installation service cost when choosing a system and an installer. However, if you want quality and not a quick-fix access solution installation, hardware cost and quality installer cost should not be the only thing to consider.
If that is the only factor you are looking at you have a dozen of low-cost access control installers to choose from listed online and on social media networks. The only downside is you might end up with an improper installation that will only cost you more and expose you to potential security risks and poor tenants’ experience.
So, how much should you pay for a good access control solution in Kenya?
Installing an access control system in Kenya could cost you anywhere from as low as 20,000 shillings for simple keyfob systems to as high as a few million shillings and more depending on the type and size of your property and the type of access control solution you choose.
To reduce the cost of access control system installation you should consider bringing in a professional installation provider early. A professional in Kenya will most likely make a site visit and provide you with free site needs analysis consultation and advice on the best custom solution tailored for your building.
On a flexible working arrangement, they can provide you with a detailed system design and access to their partner network for simplified hardware sourcing. Their expertise will save you time, stress, and money and ensure you end up with the right system that caters to your access management needs, and tenants’ experience and is flexible enough to allow long-term technology savings and future growth.
