Getting end users excited about access control features requires a blend of education, creativity, and knowledge of products and trends.
Do access control systems have an image problem? In talking with many in the industry, it would appear that might be the case. When it comes to video surveillance, integrators and manufacturers like to talk about the “CSI effect” — that is, the cool things users see on TV about what video can do, even if it isn’t true. Most integrators report having no trouble getting users excited by what they can easily see. Access control, however, is a different story.
The problem with access control is that it is working best when it is invisible, says Rajeev Dubey, senior product manager for Kantech, Tyco Security Products, Westford, Mass. “I use the analogy of an NFL official. That official will have done a great job if he goes unnoticed. Access control is doing well if there is no line at the front door and nobody notices it.”