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Tag: student housing key control

5 Essential Characteristics of a Secure Key Management System

Posted on by clapointe

key management systemA secure key management system is organized and formal, and addresses both access and control of a multifamily community’s keys. When deciding which key management system best suits your needs, keep these 5 essential characteristics in mind:

Secure

A truly secure key management system should do more than just restrict key access. With a secure key management system like HandyTrac, key transactions are instantly noted and reported in numerous insightful formats for review. For added protection, secure key management systems implement multi-step verification procedures, allowing key access only to authorized users with preset PIN codes, access cards, and biometrics, depending on the model.

Scalable

If your needs grow, your key management system should have the ability to accommodate more keys. At HandyTrac we offer both single and double cabinet options for all our key management systems.

Convenient

A secure key management system should be easy to use and accommodating. HandyTrac key management systems are capable of storing a variety of keys, and offer user-friendly features including: biometric fingerprint verification, touch screen display and lighted cabinets. Additionally, through the use of HandyTrac Online, property managers can review key activity reports from any internet-enabled device.

Reliable

No matter how secure the key management system is designed to be, it’s not actually secure if it breaks down, or if you don’t receive proper training and support in using it. HandyTrac provides customers with an ironclad warranty, as well as ongoing training and support.

Intuitive

Well designed key management systems make key control easy for all users. With two secure key management systems to choose from, HandyTrac systems offer a variety of features that streamline key management and provide maximum security.

To learn more about our systems, contact us today.

How Electronic Key Control Improves School Security

Posted on by clapointe

school securityWith K-12 and higher education institutions across the country still reeling in light of recent events, the need for improved school security policies and procedures has become apparent. Most schools and universities have implemented basic security measures to reduce the risk of crime — for example, installing security cameras or implementing ample lighting across the campus; however, proper key control is one aspect of school security that has been consistently overlooked.

As a school superintendent, administrator, or campus manager you may be considering an upgrade on your current school security policy. With this in mind, here’s how a state-of-the-art key control system can improve school security and help ensure student safety:

Accountability

When a staff member pulls a key from the cabinet, HandyTrac collects pertinent information on the transaction such as: which keys were withdrawn; the purpose for withdrawal; the time at which the cabinet was accessed; and the name of the system user. The resulting data can then be used to identify peculiar transactions and promote staff accountability.

Automated Reporting

HandyTrac’s electronic key control systems make it easy to generate and view real time reports anytime, anywhere. Accessible by any internet-enabled device, school administrators can quickly find out which keys have been check out, to whom, and for what purpose.

Access Restriction Capabilities

Have a location that is off-limits to students and/or certain faculty members? HandyTrac offers access restriction capabilities that prevent unauthorized personnel from pulling certain keys from the cabinet.

Random Key Rotation

A beneficial security feature included with all HandyTrac systems is an automated process called random key rotation. Not only does this feature mask key identification, it prevents people from memorizing the location of specific keys in the cabinet. Instead, the randomized key location is revealed when an authorized user successfully logs into the system.

Mitigated Liability

Monitoring and protecting the use of keys is one of the most important parts of keeping students safe, and also one of the aspects most likely to be targeted for negligence. To reduce legal liability, HandyTrac maintains an audit trail that documents and securely stores complete key activity reports.

Don’t wait for a campus security breach to implement an electronic key control system. Contact us today.

The Elements of a Strong Multifamily Key Control Policy

Posted on by clapointe

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

Posted on by clapointe

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 Properly Manage University Campus and Student Housing Keys

Posted on by clapointe

student housing key controlIn a perfect world, a college or university campus should be a safe space. It’s a place for hungry and curious minds to learn and live peacefully. The reality, however, is when you have large groups of people moving about in a large number of buildings, each with hundreds of rooms, this creates thousands of potential vulnerability points — access points for criminals to steal or otherwise do harm. How do you properly manage university campus keys in a way that minimizes risk and helps keep people, and their belongings, safe?

Restrict Key Access

When you think of every door as an access point, you realize that your campus keys are either your best tool for security or your greatest point of risk. How you manage those keys determines which is which. Keys, whether mechanical or electronic, should always be secured and issued to staff only as needed. Installing a key control system can help this process. This way, only authorized staff can access lock boxes by use of their IDs (or even fingerprints), and keys can be checked out as needed and returned when the staff is finished. For electronic key systems, you can take this a step further by programming the system to allow staff access only to their authorized areas on campus.

Track Your Keys

Every key that gets misplaced becomes a security liability, and with thousands of keys roaming around campus, they are remarkably easy to misplace. Key control systems not only can restrict access to authorized staff — they also create a documented audit trail so can track which keys are checked out to whom, and for how long. The system can also alert you of unusual patterns or behaviors. You’ll know immediately if a key goes missing, and you’ll know who had the key last.

Implement Robust Security Measures for Your Keys

On large campuses, even with strong vetting and background checks in place, sometimes bad guys slip through the cracks. While restricting keys to authorized campus staff, how do you protect against violations from within the ranks? Answer: You create additional security features in your key tracking system, create multi-step security protocols for people accessing keys, keep keys barcoded and placed in randomized positions within the box, and pull reports frequently so you can quickly detect suspicious activity.

If you’re serious about properly managing your campus keys, HandyTrac can provide a secure key control system perfect for your organization’s needs. To learn more, contact us today!

How Electronic Key Control Systems Boost Community Security

Posted on by clapointe

electronic key control systemsCommunity security should be a top priority for any property manager. Multifamily, student and military housing communities have hundreds, sometimes thousands of residents to protect at a time, and criminals could target any community with perceived weaknesses. This is why an important aspect of a property’s security plan should be protecting unit keys.

When casing a community, criminals will first consider the easiest way of gaining access to the units: using the key. Keys provide crooks with full access to private units, allowing them to steal from unsuspecting residents, or worse.

A thief — and perhaps some accomplices — can easily case a multifamily property simply by posing as a prospective resident. They will take note of the key control system and ask themselves:

– Where are the keys stored? An open pegboard is much easier to access than a locked pegboard. An electronic key control system is even more difficult maybe impossible — for criminals to thwart.
– How is the staff held accountable for keys? Do they have to sign out a key or enter a PIN to get access?
– If a key goes missing, how long would it take the staff or management to figure this out? (How much time would the criminal have before the missing key was noticed?)
– Is the key management system being used correctly, or are staff members bypassing key policy?
– How is the spare key handled? Is the filing cabinet locked? Who has access?

A large part of security is personnel training. Leasing agents should be trained always to accompany customers on property walks. Keys should never be left in the door when touring a unit. If all staff members know they are accountable for the keys in their possession, they will be extra careful about protecting and returning keys.

Criminals posing as prospective residents may try to steal the key after a unit tour. At a property with an electronic key control system, leasing agents will be more alert to this tactic. The key is signed out in their own name (PIN or Biometric reading). They know they need to return the key after the unit tour. The last thing they want to hear is their name associated with a missing key.

Leasing agents, maintenance personnel, and other authorized staff members need quick, reliable access to the keys. An unlocked pegboard is a tempting solution, but it is also tempting to thieves. The need for quick access needs to be weighed against the need to keep control of the keys. Missing keys create chaos for everyone. Lost keys mean lost property and lost residents.

Electronic key control systems are an important part of any multifamily community’s security plan. Each staff member is held accountable for the keys they have checked out, the system is tamper-proof and locked, and management can run a live key report at any time. This discourages criminals, who will likely move on to an easier mark.

About HandyTrac

For over 30 years HandyTrac has been the low-cost leader in multifamily and military housing key control; managing keys for more than 3,000,000 apartment homes throughout the country. Our cloud based systems offer instant access to archived reporting and provide the ability to manage your communities with a single login through your computer or smart phone.

Contact HandyTrac today to learn more about our electronic key control systems.