Words: William Glasson
Is access control in your operations confined to the business of locking and unlocking doors and gates?
For the average enterprise operating in manual mode, the answer is likely to be yes. Generally, it’s a function of the facilities team or on-site security personnel charged with letting people in and out of the premises and carparks daily.
While the records kept can be a useful source of information for investigators in the event of an incident or incursion, using them to piece together a coherent picture of events can be time-consuming and laborious.
Having to trawl through a disparate array of logs and lists to determine how, when and where perpetrators may have entered and exited the premises can slow things down considerably, at a time when speed is very often of the essence.
Detecting and responding to incidents can also take longer, in the absence of a bird’s-eye view of all entry and exit points and a comprehensive audit trail detailing every person and vehicle that’s been in or out.
Security incidents on the up
Businesses today have a greater likelihood than ever before of experiencing an incident. While Australia remains a relatively safe country, the incidence of property crime is increasing, with break-ins up from 1.8 percent of households in FY2023 to 2.1 percent in FY2024, according to the ABS.It’s a similar story with motor vehicle theft. It has risen from 0.5 percent to 0.7 percent over the same period.
Businesses are not immune to this trend, with commercial properties and tenants of all stripes and sizes reporting a similar uptick in vandalism and break-ins. In New South Wales alone, retail theft has been subject to an annual increase of 2.9 percent in the 10 years to June 2025.
A centralised approach to access control
Centralising and automating access control can deliver the heightened protection and enhanced insights that have become a priority for many businesses and organisations in this climate of rising risk.
With a unified access control platform in place, you’re better placed to be able to develop a single cohesive security system, one which brings together access control, video surveillance, communications, fingerprint and licence plate recognition, along with any other emerging security technologies you choose to deploy.
Your facilities management or security team will no longer need to jump between platforms and screens to get the information they need to make the right calls as incidents are unfolding.
Having access to comprehensive, real-time insights will enable them to spot anomalies as they occur, from individuals attempting to gain access to restricted areas to vehicles that have been previously flagged as suspicious.
Information is power, and having more of it at their fingertips will make it easier for them to take decisive, appropriate action to mitigate threats and resolve incidents before, not after, employees and assets are put at risk.
Harnessing the power of data analytics
Having a granular view of comings and goings at your premises or site isn’t merely useful from a physical security perspective.
Sharing access control data on the number of people who use specific rooms, and when, can also, for example, help your building management team optimise cooling, lighting and cleaning schedules.
Putting these previously unavailable insights to work is a great way to optimise your operations to achieve genuine savings and productivity gains.
Setting your business up for a smarter, safer future
In today’s times, it’s difficult for an enterprise to achieve sustained success in the absence of a robust physical security posture.
Investing in automated access control technology will help your facility achieve greater visibility over traffic, improve incident response times and garner insights that enable it to bank savings by optimising other aspects of operations.
If building a smarter, safer future is a priority in 2026, it’s a mission-critical capability that’s well and truly earned a place in your technology stack.
This article first appeared in FM.
