Professional Retail Store - September/October 2014 - (Page 69)

Key System Management: Five Critical Components Abstracted from "Five Critical Components of Key System Management," by Katie Willie K ey systems can be a daunting task to manage; whether you're starting from scratch or re-vamping your current system, the white paper The Five Critical Components of Key System Management will help you delve into every aspect of key control management. From choosing a system to establishing your policies and procedures, we'll walk you through the difficult tasks as well as ones you probably haven't thought about. Many organizations have key systems in place, but unless they are setup and managed properly, they can become ineffective and/or cost the organization hundreds to thousands of dollars in unnecessary rekeys. There is a gradient of key control, and organizations land somewhere on the scale. Your job is to decide if you are comfortable with where your organization is on that scale. Should you decide to re-evaluate your program, there are five main components to consider: * ey system philosophy K * olicies P * rocedures P * ekey avenue R * ecords management R KEY SYSTEM PHILOSOPHY Before you start evaluating key system options, decide what purpose your key system will serve. Should keys simply lock the doors, or do you want them to be restricted and/or serve as an audit trail? Do you want something that can easily be rekeyed but costs more up-front, or do you want a standard setup that is more costly to rekey? Does your facility require personnel to have access to different doors with the use of a master key system? This determination will establish the foundation for your entire setup and will guide you in selecting a system type and cylinder type. SYSTEM TYPE There are three main types of systems available in today's market: * nrestricted systems U * estricted systems R * roprietary systems P As you move up the scale from unrestricted to proprietary, your cost will increase; however, so will the level of security. With the increased level of security come a few considerations; however, these considerations are precisely the things that keep your system secure. CYLINDER TYPE Once you select your system type, you will need to determine the type of cylinder you want to use. You will need to choose among three options: * tandard cylinders S * I nterchangeable cylinders * e Cylinders Similar to system types, the cost will increase as you move from standard cylinders to eCylinders; however, this increased cost will save money in the long run. Interchangeable cylinders and eCylinders are much easier to rekey than standard cylinders. Be aware that once you select a system type, you are committed. Switching from one type to another, especially from standard to interchangeable and vice versa, often necessitates all new hardware which can be very costly. SYSTEM OPTIONS There are two main options that make both using and administering key systems much easier: user-rekeyable cylinders and master systems. User-rekeyable cylinders allow one to easily swap out a core without ever calling a technician. While more expensive at the onset, this option saves organizations an abundance of time and money. Master key systems eliminate the need for a massive key ring; they allow for different levels of access to each lock. This means that your store manager can carry one key that opens all of the doors, while your shift lead can carry a key that just opens the front door and merchandise case. Likewise, if your DM is tired of keeping track of keys for each of his stores, you can give him one key that will give him entry into all stores in his region (see Figure 2). POLICIES Now that you have your foundation set, it's crucial that you outline policies and implement a structure that will enforce them. Critical policies to develop include but are not limited to: * ow many keys should be issued per store? H * ho is allowed to carry those keys? W * ow are key orders placed? H * hen is the key system installed on new store openings? W * hat do you do with keys when a store closes? W A key to enforcing these policies is finding a vendor that will partner with you. If your vendor is not willing to adhere to your policies, your system will lose some of its integrity. You need your vendor to help police and enforce the structure you set up. PROCEDURES It is important to note that having key system policies is not enough to maintain your system's integrity. An equally critical component www.prsm.com I SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2014 I 69 http://www.prsm.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Professional Retail Store - September/October 2014

President’s Message
Executive Director’s Column
New PRSM Members
Association 101
Business in Canada
Technology Roundup
PRSM News
Roofing Warranties
Fire Protection for Rolling Doors
Retail Events
Self-Performing Lighting Contractors and the Loch Ness Monster
Boma Every Building Conference
The Need to Reevaluate Network Security
Proper Handling of Hazardous Waste
PRSM Whitepapers
Key System Management
Inside PRSM
Advertisers’ Index

Professional Retail Store - September/October 2014