An effective access control system should integrate with other premises and people management systems for one central supervisory solution, while also creating time and efficiency savings for the business in question. Planning and implementing such a system requires a highly specific approach to design, one that results in a secure and well-managed organisational environment, often across multiple sites.

At TouchStar, we have decades of experience in designing and delivering market-leading access control systems, so this multifaceted design process is something we know well.  Our solutions are built to be clever and intricate, yet simple and seamless for a workforce to use daily.

Here we outline how we go about designing an end-to-end access control solution and how our experience and expertise sets our systems apart.

Defining the need for access control

The first step towards designing a new access control system is to nail down exactly why it’s needed and what it needs to achieve. Building security – essentially, being able to control who can and cannot enter a premises - is often the main reason for looking to implement a new solution, but the motivations behind this need are often more complex. Different organisations will have differing objectives in mind; a school or university may be driven by a need to safeguard students and staff, while a warehouse or manufacturing company may be more interested in creating security and audit trail touchpoints via access control.

Whatever the need, we take the time to thoroughly appraise your current organisational premises and set up at the outset, so that we can understand what’s important to you. Our team will visit your premises, discuss your requirements and carry out a thorough site survey to assess what’s possible before sitting down with you to discuss our recommendation.

Identifying the right technology

Once we have agreed with you what your new access control system needs to be capable of, it’s time to decide on the technology that will best do the job. There are many forms of access control hardware, software and peripherals, so it’s all about finding a customised combination that works for your business.  

For example, this could be a mixture of turnstiles, car park barriers and door locks for high access control areas, with integration options with your facilities management, personnel management or HR management systems. (Or all of them). Plus, a personalised Proximity ID card type for your team. Your organisation may only require access control identity verification in the form of ID cards, or you might need the added security measure of biometric technology, such as fingerprint or optical readers. We’ll also take scalability into account; designing an access control solution that won’t need overhauling when you reach the next stage of business growth, but grows alongside it. Whatever the unique needs of your business, and however that might change, our team will recommend the most effective and economical solution for you.

Testing the solution and enabling easy implementation

With the new access control solution designed and associated technologies identified, we’re ready to give you a timeframe and plan for installation and implementation. We assign each job a dedicated project manager, so you have a single point of contact with which to keep up to speed with on progress throughout this process.

What’s more, TouchStar is a National Security Inspectorate (NSI) Gold accredited company, which means we follow the stringent standards of the UK’s leading certification body for providers of security and fire protection systems. We won’t complete on your access control system until it meets the exact criteria set out in the design, with highest quality technology to match. Throughout the installation of your new access control solution, we will work quickly and efficiently, and with as little disruption to your day to day business operations as possible.

Once it’s in place, it’s time to test the system. We run through a thorough set of tests to ensure the solution is as required/ quoted to confirm an as fitted specification. With any teething problems rectified, our team will then deliver specific onsite training for your staff (as required for your business), so that your organisation can start benefiting from your new solution immediately. Implementation training can be as thorough as you prefer, including simulations of real solution scenarios your teams are likely to face, if need be.

Step by step access control system design you can rely on

A new access control solution is a significant undertaking, but it needn’t be a headache for your organisation when you let the experts at TouchStar guide you through the process stage by stage. To find out more about how we can help your organisation, please get in touch.

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR – LYNDEN JONES

Lynden joined Touchstar ATC (formally Feedback Data) in a sales role for Access Control in 2010.  Prior to joining the company, Lynden held both Production and Account Manager roles, gaining wide technical and commercial experience within the electronics market.  

In 2013 Lynden was promoted to Sales Director and in 2017 he took overall responsibility of the business as Managing Director. As well as running Touchstar ATC, Lynden still remains extremely active in the sales and key account management aspects of the business. When not involved in the business, Lynden is a keen performance car enthusiast.