The access control industry is not known for its lightning speed adoption of new technology. How many years were “smart cards” and biometrics just around the corner? Still, despite the average life cycle of an access credential still hovering at 15-20 years, there are compelling reasons for end users today to incorporate some of the latest technology offerings, not least of which is the increasing speed of technology advancement overall. One credential technology that is particularly getting a lot of buzz at tradeshows and in future-proofing planning meetings is the mobile credential.

As the smartphone has become ubiquitous in today’s society, the desire to “bring your own device” to work and use it for everything is strong — particularly with the up-and-coming millennial workforce. As they use the smartphone for literally everything else, the concept of a card with 20-year-old technology on it is anathema to these employees. Similarly, an executive at a corporate facility may wonder why her credential to get into the office is so far behind what she uses at her smart home.