ASSA ABLOY outlines benefits of mobile access regimes for end users

Global work patterns are now more fluid than ever. Last year, IBM estimated the world’s remote working population to be 1.87 billion individuals. Within the security domain, ASSA ABLOY’s latest Wireless Access Control Report – itself based on a wide-ranging survey of security professionals – confirms that trend: to some extent, almost two-thirds of organisations will have adopted mobile access control within the next two years.

The end user convenience of replacing plastic key cards with smart phones is obvious. In a mobile world, it makes sense for end users to harbour secure keys on a device which they’re already carrying. Identical benefits have already brought a ‘mobile-first’ ethos to banking, travel booking and food delivery, etc. For workers and consumers, convenience is the end goal.

With a mobile credential, employees and visitors alike can unlock doors with a digital key stored on their own mobile device. The same key can be used to access the car park or the printer network and even operate a vending machine.

Mobile access: greater flexibility

From a business perspective, the option for security or facilities managers to use their own smart device to issue, amend or revoke an employee’s mobile key brings added flexibility. It frees security staff from the desk and lessens the degree of administration work.

As work patterns become more fluid, the ability to complete a given job efficiently and from anywhere is becoming essential. Access management via the smart phone offers the platform for delivery.

Security managers can react fast when credential management ‘goes mobile’. Access permissions can be cancelled or amended over the air without any need for updaters. With a mobile solution, facility managers save time that they previously wasted in dealing with credential handovers. Everything happens instantly inside an app.

Mobile access: increased security

The security of digital keys is a significant step forward from traditional card and fob credentials. More than 17% of respondents to one recent survey admitted losing an RFID card or fob in the prior 12-month period. Key loss obviously threatens site security. How quickly would an employee notice a missing plastic key card? The survey didn’t ask that particular question, but it’s fair to suggest that everyone would notice a missing phone far more quickly.

Despite company policies against the practice, smart cards are often shared between employees. Phones are less readily passed around. In any case, smart phones have fingerprint ID, face ID or passcode protection built-in. This biometric protection also prevents a would-be criminal from using on-device mobile keys.

Mobile access: more cost-efficient

Mobile credentials are simpler and quicker to administer than key cards, which brings further cost savings. Deploying smart phone keys removes any need to purchase plastic cards or pay for their printing. A missing plastic credential needs replacing, but cancelling and reissuing a mobile credential is a cost-free exercise. In this way, mobile access control enables a business to reduce its use of non-recyclable plastics.

Key holders already use their mobile device to purchase their shopping, board a plane or book a taxi. With Incedo mobile keys, end users don’t even need to open an app to unlock an authorised door. With Incedo, the smart phone becomes a secure and versatile key. User experience at the door is identical. All the user needs to do is tap or move the phone close to a reader to unlock.

Mobile keys are part of ASSA ABLOY’s Incedo access control ecosystem, which is a scalable and integrated solution created for businesses who need security to evolve with them. With Incedo, businesses choose from a range of wireless access control devices, wired readers and energy-harvesting cylinders, all of them unlocked through a choice of RFID credentials, smart keys or a mobile phone. Organisations manage everything from a single point with a choice of local or cloud via Incedo software.

Broad range of devices

Incedo mobile keys operate on a broad range of mobile devices, including phones and smart watches. Incedo mobile keys are powered by SeosÒ, the latest generation of credential technology with the highest encryption and authentication standards.

Further, NFC and Bluetooth LE are both supported, ensuring total versatility.

If businesses choose the right mobile solution, the challenges of upgrading to mobile keys and access management are far fewer than many would imagine.

*Further information is available online at www.assaabloy.com