Facility managers are always looking for better ways to manage their buildings to improve both mechanical operations and resident and guest experiences. According to CMM’s 2020 In-House/Facility Management Benchmarking Survey, health and safety, facility reputation, efficiency, and security are their greatest concerns.
Technology has advanced the way people do almost everything, and that is no exception when it comes to physical security. Integrating touchless solutions is helping facility managers across all industries address their biggest concerns by putting health and security first.
Maintaining health and safety
More than 75% of facility managers who responded to the benchmarking survey said that health and safety was a major operational concern. Minimizing contact with potentially contaminated surfaces is crucial for a hygienic building environment. According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, pathogens can survive for several days on high-touch solid surfaces, such as door handles or elevator buttons.
Touchless technology is just that—touchless. By eliminating the need to physically interact with high-use surfaces, facilities can help stop the spread of disease. Touchless access control is doing away with the use of key cards and keypads, which can harbor germs, and replacing them with mobile and biometric credentials for entry access.
Touchless access control integrates with contactless visitor management systems. These systems grant facility visitors a secure entrance method that doesn’t require interaction with numerous staff and contact with high-use check-in surfaces. Remote capabilities make it possible for visitors to be granted access after authorization from a safe social distance. Visitors can even pre-register, allowing them to receive important announcements or protocol directions and complete a health check prior to arrival.
Enhancing facility image
Over 68% of facility management professionals surveyed said that improving building image was a key operational issue. Facility image and reputation can directly influence tenant satisfaction and occupancy levels, so the concern is understandable. Commercial and residential tenants are getting more technologically savvy by the generation. As offices frequently entertain clients, a polished, modern facility is important for instilling confidence and professionalism.
Regardless of industry, access control is one of the first impressions visitors form of a facility. Touchless technology gives a progressive, modern feel that inspires resilience and adaptability. People today want things faster than ever, so integrating a frictionless process is becoming essential. Moreover, touchless technology typically relies on the cloud as opposed to network systems. This eliminates bulky hardware at the door and on the backend, which is also aligned with a professional aesthetic. Touchless technology will continue to play a role in setting a positive facility image and reputation.
Improving productivity/efficiencies
Wasted time leads to lost productivity. Unchecked facility management overheads can build up over time and lead to unmanageable cost overruns. Automation and scalability are critical. If a task cannot be done on a large scale quickly and efficiently, it can consume valuable—and many times, unavailable—time.
Key cards and fobs bring significant overhead costs to facilities. Access tokens are often lost, forgotten, or stolen and can be cloned simply. It takes time to replace and distribute new cards, not to mention they are a continuous cost. Access control that uses mobile credentials and/or biometric characteristics for access effectively solves these issues.
Contactless visitor management systems, which go hand-in-hand with access control, provide operational efficiency. Traditionally, facility visitors require contact with staff for check-in, on-site sign-in or registration, and/or physical authorization by the tenant. Visitor management systems offer building residents and guests an efficient way to check-in or register without the added risk of contracting a virus through human contact.
For maximum productivity and efficiency, these visitor management systems operate from the cloud, which eliminates the need for on-site hardware updates and maintenance, storage, and IT staff. These systems also make it easy to manage authorized credentials remotely. Streamlining these processes through advances in technology is a groundbreaking improvement for facility managers.
Streamlining security
Building security cannot be overlooked, as CMM’s benchmarking survey found more than 57% of facility managers considered security to be a major concern. Facilities face numerous security risks including robbery, damage to property, and theft of data or assets. Facility managers need efficient security mechanisms to mitigate these threats and protect the facility occupants’ peace of mind.
Touchless technology is ramping up security strategy and protocol for facility managers and their tenants. With access control from the cloud, data is more secure from hacking and offers the opportunity to use higher security credentials like smartphones and biometric characteristics.
By using contactless visitor management systems building managers or residents can visually verify guests through video intercom. Remote access capabilities—either audio or visual—also promote a healthy environment for social distancing.
Modern facility management tasks have evolved from simply servicing the building to improving user experience. Touchless technology is proving to be an instrumental tool for not only helping facility managers do their jobs easier, but also in creating a better, more resilient facility.
