What Is Physical Key Management and Why You Need One?

In today's world, keeping track of all your keys has never been so crucial to your business' security and safety. How many times have you lost a key? How much have you spent replacing locks?

These things are avoidable if you had set up a physical key management system for your business in the first place.

What is Physical Key Management?

The idea of physical key management is to keep track of all keys in the building or site. A key management system can help you know where your keys are and who has them at any given time.

A physical key management system can be as simple or complex as necessary to fit your organization's needs. This usually depends on how many people will be using the keys and what type of locks you're using in your facility.

A good example of a key management system is an electronic key cabinet. These key cabinets can work as standalone systems requiring no network capabilities or they may be networked to provide the ability to track keys using your mobile device.

They can also work for a business with only a few keys or those with hundreds of keys at their disposal. These key cabinets are highly scalable which means you can adjust the number of keys you can manage easily as you grow your business.

Why You Need A Key Management System At Your Workplace?

Your organization needs to have strong access control and management systems for your keys, which is why you need reliable key cabinets as a solution to your key management troubles.

Easy Administration

A physical key management system gives you centralized control over your keys. Without one, it's easy for a key to be lost or misplaced. When this happens, not only do you have an expensive replacement at hand but also the potential of being locked out from your building with no way in and will need someone with access to assist you.

The great thing about having an electronic cabinet is everything is done automatically and you'll have peace of mind that your keys and facilities are well-secured. You'll also be able to track physical key usage and make changes in permissions as needed.

Secure Keys

Keys are the most crucial part of any security system. They allow access to every door and area within a building, so it’s important that they be secured in a tamper-proof key control system cabinet with little to no risk of getting stolen.

With digital key cabinets, you'll be able to determine and limit key permissions per employee. This is critical to ensure no unapproved access happens within your company premises. It's also one of the most common reasons why many businesses are opting to install key control systems.

Track Keys

Keys are attached to key fobs with tracking chips that automatically records who accessed keys and when. This feature is valuable for resolving unauthorized access or investigating lost keys or stolen property.

If you're a company that allows employees the freedom of coming and going as they please when their workday starts or ends (or if there are no set hours) then utilizing key management systems is a must-have.

Saves Time and Money

Having an effective key management system set up means you don't have to manually supervise giving out each key. It also makes it easy for you to track lost keys.

Adding physical key management to your business is a worthwhile investment that will save time and money in the long run, instead of spending them replacing locks each time you lose a key.

Are Key Management Systems Worth It?

An electronic key cabinet will help you have physical control of your keys through the use of an access approval process. This includes a card-based system, biometrics or other proximity readers, and even fingerprint recognition.

You can also integrate CCTV cameras for extra security with your chosen key management system to ensure that only authorized personnel is accessing them. For example, if someone needs to make get a key they don't have access to, then they'll need authorization from the management before being able to do so on the premises in order to avoid theft or unauthorized duplication of keys.

Systems like this give peace of mind knowing that your physical keys are accounted for and where they belong.

So why should you be investing time and money into key management systems? It's simple because your business deserves safety without sacrificing efficiency!

If you need to install a key management system, we can connect you to the best suppliers of electronic key cabinets in the United Kingdom for free. Call us today at 07883 190220 to speak to our security specialists and never worry about losing track of any of your physical keys ever again.