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What Are RFID Key Cards and How Do They Work?

rfid key cardsIn an age when building and community security are more important than ever, many facilities are doing away with physical, mechanical keys in favor of electronically-read RFID key cards. These key cards are programmable, customizable and far more secure than mechanical keys, for a variety of reasons. Let’s explore this technology to see how it can make your apartment community, campus or facility more secure.

What Is RFID?

RFID stands for “Radio Frequency Identification,” and as with most modern technology today, it is associated with a chip. Specifically, objects equipped with RFID contain a small chip programmed with data, along with a tiny antenna that transmits that data via a weak signal to nearby receivers. As a more secure technology, RFID is rapidly replacing barcodes and magnetic strips that used to contain similar information to be read by scanners. We see it on our credit cards which are now trading the familiar magnetic strip for enhanced chip technology. We also use RFID in key cards which can be programmed to unlock doors when the card is placed near a receiver at the entry point. In the context of key control, the RFID card replaces the standard lock-and-key system for entry. You place the card on or near the reader, the reader identifies the signal as belonging to an authorized user, and the door unlocks.

How Are RFID Key Cards Safer?

RFID key cards offer many advantages over physical keys and even barcode technology — both of which can be easily copied. Here are just a few of the advantages replacing conventional lock-and-key systems with an RFID key card system:

● Difficult to copy or hack. A radio signal can’t be “copied,” and the signal itself can be encrypted so other devices can’t decipher the data.

● Customizable and programmable. An RFID key card can be programmed to open only specific doors (or only one) for a specific amount of time. (Hotels use keycards to authorize their guests only to access their hotel room and the fitness center, set to stop working the morning of checkout.) This system allows management to restrict employee access only to specific authorized areas of the facility for certain amounts of time.

● Anonymous. With no identifying marks on the key card, only the authorized user and the computer may know which door(s) the card will unlock.

● Easily deactivated. If a keycard is lost or stolen, the system can easily deauthorize its identification signal — or the card may simply be allowed expire.

● More cost-effective security. When physical keys are lost or compromised, the lock must be changed to restore security. When a key card is lost, it can be deauthorized, making it effectively disposable. No need to change the locks!

A Management Solution for All Key Types

While RFID keycards are generally more secure than physical keys, their implementation is meaningless without a secure electronic key control system. Acting as a reinforced shield for your keys, HandyTrac offers two secure key control solutions that are accommodating to keys of all types. In addition to keeping your keys secure, HandyTrac archives an audit trail, and streamlines reporting to provide property managers with a complete key management solution.

For more tips on effective key control or information about our systems, contact us today.

The Elements of a Strong Multifamily Key Control Policy

multifamily key control policyConcerned that your community has too much fluidity with its key control? Here are some ways to strengthen multifamily key control policy and restrict access:

Keep the keys secure

Keys should be kept in a strong, tamper-proof, locked cabinet that can only be unlocked through a series of protocols.

Implement multi-step access

Make sure your employees go through several steps before a key is issued to them. For example, the employee may need to scan a badge and input a PIN number before the box opens. Better yet, implement a biometric system that reads fingerprints.

Enforce accountability

Employees should input which key(s) they are taking, at what time, and for what purpose — and they should check keys back in by a similar process.

Secure restricted access points

For enhanced security, certain employees should only access certain keys for certain parts of the building or community. They may only be allowed to check out specific physical keys, or their card keys may be coded for access to certain rooms.

Streamline your reporting

Management should be able to view reports at any given time that can show how many keys are out, who has them, which buildings/units have been accessed and at what time. This type of monitoring may be crucial to identifying potential violations because unusual activity can be identified easily.

Establish an audit trail

Reports should be backed up offsite to prevent any attempts to manipulate the data.

Train employees with a consistent protocol

Every employee should be properly trained in the procedure for obtaining and returning keys, and check-out/check-in occurs exactly the same way every time.


Advantages of a Strong Key Control Policy

Making improvements to your key control policy can do the following:

● Help you quickly identify and correct violations for heightened security

● Help you prevent an intrusion from happening in the first place

● Help you pinpoint suspicious activity in the unlikely event of a break-in

● Give you and your residents greater peace of mind

Keys provide virtually untraceable access, making them your greatest potential vulnerability. This means that your keys must be accompanied by the highest levels of security and oversight.

HandyTrac offers a variety of key control solutions designed to enhance your company’s key control policy, making it easy to monitor, track, and secure your keys. To learn more, contact us today.

Common Reasons for Missing Keys on a Multifamily Property

multifamily key controlA potential resident arrives at your community to tour a unit, but the unit key is missing without a trace. Where is the key? How quickly can you find the key? Who in the community might have the key? Has there been a security breach? How long is the customer willing to wait while you search?

This scenario happens daily at multifamily, student and military housing communities that attempt to operate without an electronic key management system. The key is either on-site, off-site, or stolen. In most cases, the key will be recovered within a few minutes; however, without an audit trail, the key could be missing forever.

Missing Key Reason #1: The key is on-site

Most of the time, the unit key is somewhere on-site with an authorized employee. He or she has left it in their pocket, bag, sticking out of a lock, or on a countertop in the unit. Meanwhile, the entire community is suddenly engaged in a search to find the key.

Unlike hook boards and standard key cabinets, electronic key control systems offer thorough key management reports allowing property managers to quickly identify who withdrew the key last.

Missing Key Reason #2: The key is off-site

If an employee accidentally takes a key home and your community uses a hook board, there is no way to track it down. With an electronic key control system, you can prevent keys from being accidentally taken by running a keys out report on your smartphone or computer near the end of each shift. With the report in hand, you can contact the employees who still have keys and remind them to return the keys before clocking out.

Missing Key Reason #3: The key has been stolen

If the key is still missing after your search, it is possible that it has been stolen. If community keys are easily accessible or often left out, the culprit could be just about anyone. Without an electronic key control system, you not only have to worry about resident safety, but also premises liability in the event of criminal activity as a result of poor key management.

An electronic key control system like HandyTrac holds users accountable for every key removed, and integrates multi-step verification to prevent keys from falling into the wrong hands.

At HandyTrac, we specialize in multifamily key control and offer three secure, easy-to-use electronic key management systems designed for properties large and small. Contact us today for more information.

How to Improve Multifamily Property Efficiency with Electronic Key Control

property efficiencyIf you haven’t already implemented an electronic key control system in your multifamily community, your property may be at risk. An electronic key control system ensures accountability, while improving security and limiting liability for property managers. Take a look at some of the features an electronic key control system offers to improve security and boost property efficiency:

Streamline the Key Access Procedure

The best way to track keys is to store them in one secure, centralized location where employees can check out and return them. Without this feature, keys can get misplaced or stolen simply because no one really knows where they’re supposed to be when not in use.

Track Keys in Real Time

In real time, the system records key whereabouts and access history. Additionally, a variety of reports are readily available to provide management with data regarding the status and location of every key.

Control Key Access

With HandyTrac, the access and return of keys is controlled by a multi-step verification procedure. If, for example, an employee is able to check out a key by simply swiping his/her badge, criminals can gain access by stealing or copying the badge. But if that employee must swipe the badge and type in a code — or better yet, use a fingerprint identification — the risk of theft goes down exponentially. HandyTrac also allows property managers to prevent employees from gaining access to certain units.

To learn more about how our secure key control systems improve property efficiency and security, contact us today!

Why an Electronic Key Control System is Essential for Every Multifamily Housing Community

electronic key control systemMultifamily housing communities without an electronic key control system face lost productivity, wasted money, and reduced security. Here are three reasons why an electronic key control system is essential to any multifamily, student or military housing community:

Reason #1: Where are the Keys?

The primary issue with non-electronic key control systems is missing keys. Missing keys are a huge source of stress and conflict at any property. Here’s why:

– A potential resident is waiting to view an apartment home. You could lose the prospect if the key hunt takes too long. “I’ll come back later,” will likely never happen and lost prospects hurt your occupancy rate.

– An employee needs to inspect a unit or make a repair. Every minute spent searching for the key kills productivity and wastes money.

– A missing key leads to theft and assault in your community. Without an audit trail, your company could be held legally liable.

Properties that use an electronic key control system versus a non-electronic alternative are more efficient for those reasons and more.

Reason #2: Accountability

When there is no accountability, it is easy to shirk responsibility:

– An employee is working with a potential resident. Someone interrupts and asks where keys are. It’s easiest to say, “I don’t know” and go back to the task at hand. If the employee shifts attention or starts rummaging around for keys, he or she might lose the sale or do the paperwork incorrectly. Looking for keys is inefficient.

– That key might have been accidentally taken home. Best to keep one’s mouth shut and quietly return it the next day. Or the next time a showing is scheduled, which could be in a couple of days. Otherwise, a trip back to work to return a key will take away free time.

– Someone forgot to return the key and it’s in a desk drawer or left on a random countertop. This person is out on the lot, on lunch break, or got called away. Digging through the desk drawer or office will violate privacy; not digging will mean a lost sale or lost productivity.

– A vacant apartment home is left unlocked after a showing and is vandalized overnight. No one owns up. This costs money to repair.

– Keys are lost and truly missing. The property has to pay for a replacement, wasting money.

An electronic key management system can instantly reveal who last checked out a specific key. The system can also run a report of the key’s checkout history. Instead of hassling everyone, only this single employee is contacted. Employees will immediately understand that they are responsible for all keys they check out. A key control system creates a culture of accountability. A non-electronic alternative doesn’t.

Reason #3: Reporting

By running a report about key checkouts, managers can quickly answer the following questions:

– At the end of a shift and close to closing time, which keys are still checked out? Go round up any that should get checked in!

– How many times has a specific apartment home been viewed? Who has checked out the keys, and when?

– What is a specific employee doing? What keys have they recently taken out and why?

With HandyTrac’s reports, managers are more knowledgeable and able to make better decisions.

HandyTrac offers two excellent electronic key management systems including the new HandyTrac Touch Premium; featuring a large touch screen display and biometric technology for added security. Contact us for a quote and build a culture of accountability at your community today!

Minimize Hotel Security Risks with Electronic Key Control

hotel securityWhile many hospitality companies strive to make their hotel properties as safe and secure as possible for their guests, managing security risks is always one of the greatest challenges. By nature, hotels have many rooms with many access points and large amounts of traffic, making them a favorite target for thieves and predators. Since keys provide access, keys are also the greatest point of vulnerability. This is why implementing a strong key control policy is one of the best ways for a hotel to minimize its security and liability risks.

Most hotels these days have already implemented some form of programmable keycard system for guests to access their specific room for a specific length of time. However, true key control goes much deeper than that; it also needs to include restricted and monitored access for hotel employees. Background checks can only do so much, and employees with key access are given a level of trust that can be easily violated. If a hotel employee accesses a room unlawfully and steals something (or worse, victimizes a guest), to what extent is that hotel legally liable for the infraction? If something like this happens on your property and you haven’t taken every reasonable step to prevent that action, your hotel could be held responsible on the grounds of negligence.

One of the best ways to prevent or limit this liability is to implement a strong key control system, one that tracks and restricts employee access and keeps all keys in a secure location. Not only does it provide an effective deterrent against unauthorized access, but it also allows management to instantly identify unusual patterns and identify users who violate the rules.

What Does Effective Hotel Key Control Look Like?

For hotels with keycard access, employee key control can simply be an extension of the type of control provided for hotel guests. Here are a few of the top priorities that need to be in place for a good key control system:

Secure, centralized location for pulling keys: Employees should have to check keys out and in from a locked box rather than carrying them around indefinitely.

Unique identification and authorization: The system should be able to identify each employee by a badge and fingerprint as they log in, pull keys and return them.

Customizable reason codes: The system should track not just which keys are pulled, but by whom and for what reason.

Instant reporting and audit trails: A good key control system should always enable management to track activity by key, by building, by day/time and by employee.

● Restricted access: Whenever possible, key control should include customizable access so only authorized employees may pull keys to certain areas of the building or facility.

Benefits of a Hotel Key Control System

Key control helps minimize the security risks of a hotel in a number of ways:

Greater employee accountability. Simply put, employees tend to stay honest and behave when they know their activities are being tracked. With key control, you’ll enjoy reduced risks of employee violations.

Streamlined processes and greater productivity. A good key control system can improve overall workflow processes, which helps your employees stay more productive. (No more wasted time tracking down missing keys!)

Lower costs. When keys are lost or compromised, the only true way to restore security is to call the locksmith. Key control greatly reduces the number of times you have to do this — especially if you use keycard access, since card keys are disposable and can be simply deactivated if lost. In addition, greater key control often results in lower insurance premiums since your liability risks go down considerably.

Mitigated liability. If someone does manage to do harm on the premises, your legal liability may be greatly reduced since key control demonstrates good intent and weakens the argument of negligence.

Peace of mind. The actual number of incidents of theft and victimization can be greatly reduced with key control, sometimes eliminated altogether. This is the ultimate goal, after all—to keep your guests safe. In a day when security risks are higher than ever, every hotel should consider reducing their risk by implementing strong key control.

HandyTrac offers a number of excellent key control solutions designed to enhance employee accountability and mitigate risk. To learn more about how HandyTrac can help your hotel property, contact us today.

Electronic Key Management Options for Military Housing

military housingMilitary housing communities without an effective key control system can be particularly vulnerable due to lost, misplaced or misappropriated keys, increasing the risk of theft and other crimes. Fortunately, there are solutions for streamlining key management that help keep military families safe. Let’s explore some key control features beneficial to military housing communities.

Restricted Access Systems

While community keys provide access, they also represent the greatest security vulnerability because they can be used to enter with no sign of intrusion. Protect your keys by keeping them, theoretically speaking, under lock-and-key. A restricted access unit keeps all keys in one place, locked in a secure box that can only be accessed by authorized personnel.

Computerized Access with Multi-Step Authorization

Computerized access to your key control unit allows you to implement multi-step authorization. Authorized personnel may activate the unit using an employee badge, for example, followed by entering a security code, and then a reason code for pulling the key. Only when these protocols are input does the cabinet open.

Automated Reports

A computerized key control system also makes it easy to generate and transmit instant reports via email or internet access. At any time, you can find out which keys have been checked out to whom, and for what purpose. In this manner, unusual activity can be quickly identified, and lost keys can easily be traced.

Random Key Rotation

Another security step in electronic key management is to use a bar-coded system with random positioning, both to mask key identification and to prevent people from memorizing where specific keys are hung. The unit only reveals the key location when the employee successfully logs into the system.

Biometric Authorization

For even greater security, consider installing a key management system with biometric capabilities. This system utilizes a fingerprint reader to identify and grant access to rather than ID badges which may be stolen. This way, you’re ensured that only authorized personnel are accessing keys.

Implementing an electronic key management system for your military housing community is one of the best ways to keep service people, their families and their belongings safe. To learn more about how key control systems can benefit your base, contact us today.

The Building Blocks of a Strong Key Management Policy

key management policyA strong key management policy is — pardon the obvious pun — the key to improved security for your building, campus, apartment community or business complex. Before you can implement a system that truly keeps your facility and your residents safe, you need a policy in place that effectively addresses vulnerabilities and requires accountability.

But what constitutes a good key management policy? How do you design and implement a system that makes sure your keys are accounted for at all times — and even more importantly, keeps those keys out of the wrong hands? Let’s explore the basic building blocks that every property should have when developing their key control systems.

An Accurate Inventory

There is no way around it: key management begins and ends with inventory. You have to know exactly how many doors and locks you have, and how many keys to those locks you have in circulation. Not knowing these numbers creates an instant vulnerability because all it takes for a break-in to occur is one stray key that someone forgot about, or that no one knew existed. In many cases where there hasn’t been efficient key management, the best way to hit the “reset” button is to re-key all the locks and log your inventory of new keys. That’s not always necessary, but if you honestly can’t provide an accurate accounting of all the keys circulating through your facility, it’s the only effective way to ensure your new key control system is vulnerability free.

An Accountability Protocol

Once you have (or regain) control of your keys through an accurate inventory, the next building block is to establish a secure method by which your employees check out and check in keys — one that makes every employee accountable for which keys they’re checking out, to which units, and for what reason. You should also know when the employee returns the key — and you can even set a time limit for added accountability. For added security, you can structure your system so that only certain employees are allowed to use certain keys. A computerized system makes these tasks much easier, but even paper accounting is better than no accounting system at all.

Secure, Centralized Storage for Keys

Any keys that aren’t in use should themselves be under lock and key, preferably in one central location for employees to access as needed. A tamper-proof box with multi-step secured access can be ideal to serve this purpose. Storing all keys in one location makes them much easier to control and monitor, and you can rest easy knowing these keys can’t be accessed without proper authorization.

Accurate Reporting

Every key should have its own “paper trail” — that is, you should always be able to track when the key was checked out, when it was checked in, who took the key and why they needed it. Quite often in the course of business, you’ll be able to identify “patterns of circulation” with these keys, so you can quickly detect when someone breaks the usual pattern — for example, checking out a key they don’t normally use, or taking too much time with a key. You’ll also know immediately when a key turns up missing (as well as who had the key last) and when a lock might need to be changed. These reports can be painstaking and tedious, but they can often be simplified when handled by computer because you can filter results according to what you’re looking for. Regardless, reporting is critical to maintaining a secure environment.

Implementing a Key Management System that Honors Your Policies

Once you have established the values that make up a solid key management policy, you can begin to design and implement a system that upholds these values. For many communities, one of the best ways to protect and track keys is by installing a secure key control system like the ones HandyTrac offers. A well-designed system will provide security features that require employees to go through multiple steps to check out and check in keys — for example scanning a badge or their thumbprint, followed by entering a PIN. The system might also use barcode tags to track keys, and even randomize their location in the box so employees can’t memorize their locations. Computerized access also enables real time tracking, reporting and alerts which may be emailed or accessed via Wi-Fi. This way, anomalies and irregular behaviors can be identified and tracked immediately.

To some, having a strict key management policy with security layers such as these might seem a bit over-the-top, or that somehow they convey a sense of distrust among employees. But here’s the paradox: When you have a strong key management policy, and a secure electronic key control system to match it, the chance of an attempted breach goes way down. The strong security becomes a preventative in itself. HandyTrac offers a selection of high-quality, secure key control systems that are certain to meet or exceed your key control policies. To learn more about our solutions, contact us today.

4 Questions to Ask When Choosing a Secure Key Control Solution

key control solutionIn any community, campus or facility, keys are typically your greatest point of vulnerability. The better you protect and monitor your keys, the safer your property becomes — and the best way to do that is by establishing some form of key control. That said, choosing a secure key control solution that’s right for the needs of your building or community can be a daunting task. To ease the burden, here are four important questions to ask when evaluating an electronic key control system.

1. Does this system provide a central location for key
check-out and check-in?

The best way to track keys is to store them in one centralized location where employees check them out and return them. Without this feature, keys can get misplaced or stolen simply because no one really knows where they’re supposed to be when not in use. A secure key control solution will include a locked box where keys are stored and checked out. In larger facilities, you might use multiple locations, but those locations should be networked together so you always know which keys are being kept in which box.

2. Does this system offer multi-step secured access?

The more security steps you place into the checkout process, the harder it is for thieves to find a vulnerability and steal keys. If, for example, an employee can simply check out a key by swiping his badge, all it takes for a thief to gain access is by stealing or copying the badge. But if that employee must swipe the badge and type in a code — or better yet, use a fingerprint identification — the risk of theft goes down exponentially. Always look for a system that incorporates multiple steps into the check-out/check-in process.

3. What other hack-proof features does this system offer?

Once an employee gains access to the system, what safeguards are in place to make sure that employee takes only the key assigned to him/her? Barcode tags can mask the identification of keys; so can randomizing the location of the key within the box. Look for these and other hack-proof features in your key control solution to keep employees honest.

4. Does this system provide instant reporting and remote access?

For maximum security, your key control system should be able to generate reports at any time as to where keys are located, who has them, when they have them and why. You should also be able to pull these reports at any time via secure Wi-Fi access. This way, you can quickly identify anomalies and track unusual patterns of behavior before something bad happens.

When you’re ready to choose a secure key control solution for your building, community or campus, HandyTrac is here to help with a variety of options, one of which is perfect for your needs. To learn more, contact us today.

How Does a Biometric Key Control System Work?

biometric-read-circleBarcoded employee badges can be used in tandem with a secure key control system, but for some, badges can be cumbersome — let alone lost or stolen. For those who want a more streamlined approach with heightened security, a biometric system can be the perfect solution; but how does a biometric key control system work? Let’s pull back the curtain and explore this technology a bit.

What Are Biometrics?

Biometrics are exactly what the name suggests: Bio=biology; Metrics=measurement. Biometrics deal with biological measurements—not merely regarding height/weight/body composition, but more specifically in identifying markers, like fingerprints or retinal patterns of the eye. When paired with technological applications, biometrics refers to using biological measurements as a form of identification. This technology is extremely secure because only you have your fingerprint, for example. Fingerprints are much more difficult to hijack and duplicate than barcodes.

Implementing Biometrics into a Key Control System

HandyTrac has integrated this important security technology into its biometric key control systems, effectively eliminating the need for employee badges. Rather, the system identifies users by their fingerprint, meaning that only authorized employees with recognized fingerprints can pull keys.

Can Employee Badges Still Be Used?

Certainly! A biometric system can be configured for multi-step access for added security. For example, you can set up access to certain restricted areas by a fingerprint and an employee badge for double verification.

Additional Benefits of a Biometric System

● Instant tracking and reporting. The computer creates an access log which can be instantly accessed by management simply by logging in to the system.

● Renders passwords irrelevant. A biometric system reads data in a completely different way, making systems almost impossible to hack because hackers can’t “guess” fingerprints the way they decipher passwords.

● User-friendly. While remarkably secure, a biometric key control system is also deceptively simple to use. (How difficult is it to place one’s fingerprint on the scanner?)

Biometric technology adds exponentially greater security to a key control system that is already extremely secure — and we’ve worked to make this technology more accessible and affordable than you think. Biometric access is included in Premium Touch model, and we’re happy to answer questions and provide all the details you need to make an informed decision about key control for your property, campus or housing community. To learn more, contact us today.