Why you should integrate your security system

These days, there’s much more to building security than simply keeping the wrong people out. While access control is an essential consideration, in offering optimum business value, a system should include every aspect of your physical premises security, plus site visibility, staff and visitor management, and time and attendance functionality. Crucially, each of these systems should interact and communicate with the others, based on data in a central location.

Beyond simple convenience, having each multi-layered facet of a security system working in harmony can create a number of business benefits. Here’s why you should integrate the operations of your security system.

Time, cost and efficiency savings

The ability to oversee and control your business’s entire buildings and workforce management system in one place can enable you to reduce unnecessary expenditure in terms of more than just your budgets. Not only can sourcing multiple connected systems from one provider save costs and cut down on associated admin, there are many advantages of having each system work from one single pool of business information.

For example, employee data from HR, payroll or a personnel management module can be leveraged for ID badge production, saving considerable time spent manually re-inputting information that already exists within your organisation’s databases. Updates to centrally-held data automatically filter through to ensure each system reflects the latest changes, eliminating time spent manually updating one at a time and the risk of clerical errors.  

Security system integration can revolutionise many of your operational processes virtually overnight, leaving your teams with more time to focus on your business itself.  

Better fire safety

Fire can be catastrophic to business; according to economic analysts, as many as 70% of businesses would fail to reopen after a fire. Of course, having a functioning fire safety system is a legal requirement for any organisation with a premises, but integration between your fire alarm panel and your security system can offer an extra level of protection and control should the worst occur.

You can configure your security system to automatically unlock all doors for ease of evacuation, print an up-to-minute muster roll call and even send notification emails in the event of a non-scheduled fire alarm.   

Individual profiles for your team

Anything that enables your team members to perform their jobs with less friction and administrative routine is beneficial for your business. Security system integration can allow them to move around and interact with your site with ease and expediency, and in a way that perfectly suits their individual roles and responsibilities.

Access control cards or biometric access can be configured for each member of your team, not only to grant them admittance to the areas they need access to, but in relation to their shift patterns and working practices too. What’s more, each team member can use the same badge for ID purposes, key card access and time and attendance logging, rather than having separate badges for each application.

System customisation

No two businesses have exactly the same security requirements. The freedom to create a bespoke security solution to meet your organisation’s unique needs is perhaps one of the most impactful benefits of integrating the different elements of your security system and ensures you don’t pay for additional services you don’t need.

Say you regularly have team members working alone in a remote area of your site. A solution that links your employee shift schedules and your CCTV system could ensure a focus on lone worker monitoring back at your central station precisely when its needed. Or, if yours is a hospitality or leisure-based business, you could provide guests with a single key card that enables them room and facilities access as well as cashless vending on-site.

With an expert access control provider in your corner, you can build an intuitive integrated system designed specifically to deal with the unique flows of people and resources within your business. 

Security integration you can rely on

At Touchstar, each of the modules within our access control application have been created to work together effortlessly, with just the emphasis in certain areas that your organisation needs. Plus, to help you achieve optimum system integration with almost any other legacy system you use, our middleware software module offers a level of seamless connection capable of transforming the way you secure your premises. Interested in finding out more? Talk to us today.