• Deepak Juneja, at Tech Webers


• 19.06.2023 06:00 pm
undisclosed

Access control is an essential part of any company’s security strategy, but today, with technological advancement, security needs often change daily. New challenges require companies to continually reevaluate security procedures and improve them. Managing both employee and visitor access with physical or digital badges undoubtedly adds a layer of security to the workplace, but digital credentials can save you more money. 

ID badges have traditionally been used for easy identification. Thanks to technology automated access control using digital badges are a better fit with procedures that are increasingly technological.

With the arrival of the Covid pandemic, contactless procedures became a priority, and digital badges also offer an entirely contact-free solution for entering and exiting premises. Used with an individual’s smartphone or mobile device, they facilitate authorized entry and movement within a facility while preventing access by undesirable visitors. 

The many pros of using digital credentials have significantly increased their popularity, not least of which is how they reduce physical security operating costs. 

Digital Badges Integrated into Security Strategy

The use of digital badges is easy to integrate into any business’s security platform and procedures. Employees and visitors only need to download an app where their digital badge will be sent for downloading. 

Companies can request that a badge system for employees include MFA. Visual security or biometric components such as the request for facial recognition or a fingerprint, one-time passwords, or use and toss security codes can be designed into digital badges to make them much more difficult to steal or replicate, significantly increasing security.

They also offer greater safety than plastic or paper badges for a simple reason: they can be tracked in real time so that employees and visitors can be located rapidly and easily. In the event of an emergency, this can be a lifesaver. 

Reducing Security Operating Costs 

There are a variety of ways that the use of digital badges is helping companies to reduce their security budget operating costs. One of the greatest benefits for companies opting to use digital badges is that their use costs less than traditional physical ID badges.  Here are but a few examples of how businesses are saving money with digital badges. 

Badge Production Costs

Traditional badges, whether paper or plastic must be printed. This potentially requires companies to purchase cards, ink, and badge printers.  

By contrast, a digital badge system generally is linked to a subscription, so you pay the fee once annually. Your business will not have to pay for card production, nor will you have to pay for reprinting lost or stolen cards.

Personnel Costs

Replacing a lost, stolen, broken, or even forgotten badge will require employee time and effort. The employee charged with managing physical badges will be required to spend time recreating the physical badge and organizing its delivery to the authorized recipient. 

Personnel costs can be reduced because everything is done digitally. Employee time will no longer be wasted organizing new physical badges, collecting badges from visitors leaving, or canceling badges of employees that are leaving the company. 

Physical ID badges when lost require that an employee manually remove the badge from the system and add a new one. This costs money as you are paying the employee whose time could be spent accomplishing other tasks.

Security Team Costs 

In the past, security guards were regularly stationed at entrances to check the ID badge of anyone entering company premises. Digital access credentials allow employees and visitors to enter using their smartphones eliminating the need for security personnel to check credentials. Company security teams can be smaller and dedicate their time to specific incidents and security measures making better use of resources.

Physical Security Breach Costs

If company premises are violated by bad actors tailgating authorized individuals entering or using lost or stolen physical ID badges, it can be very expensive. 

We imagine security breaches as being caused by cyberattacks, but physical security breaches are characterized by crimes of opportunity. When criminals violate company premises, they may leave with laptops, mobile devices, or expensive equipment, meaning that it will cost you to replace these items. If you are insured, your insurance rates may increase after a theft. 

Physical security breaches and the theft of laptops or mobile devices may also expose your business to data breaches and ransomware attacks costing even more. Worse yet, bad actors may violate premises and intentionally leave corrupted USB devices. When an employee plugs the thumb drive in, a malicious virus can be unleashed compromising your entire data system.

Protect and Save with Digital Badges

The use of digital badges with your access control system can deter unauthorized entries to your business, free employees to concentrate on other tasks, reduce security personnel needs, prevent thefts, and contribute to your company’s data protection. These benefits will significantly reduce operating costs and save your company money.