Even as giant strides are taken in technology in business, health, entertainment and science, certain legacy systems of daily life remain untouched by the wondrous benefits of tech automation.
One such traditional system is gatekeeping in residential societies. It’s neither completely safe nor resource-efficient. And crime is on the rise. Offences against property have increased by 6.5% from 2018 to 2019. Out of that, 2,92,176 cases of property crimes registered took place at residential premises. In conjunction with the increase in theft cases, registration of crimes against senior citizens showed an increase of 13.7% in the same year. (source: National Crime Records Bureau).
Security guards, even though trained to do their job with best intentions, often fail to handle visitors, traffic, deliveries, vehicle entries under pressure, which inadvertently leads to vulnerabilities in security.
No one can guarantee total freedom from crime and misfortune but clever use of technology can go a long way in keeping you safe from intruders as well as keeping your privacy intact. Removing time consuming register-based entry procedure and replacing it with app-based visitor management can be a simple solution that solves multiple problems:
- Regulated, recorded, monitored movement of people within society premises
- Zero congestion at the gate
- No entry to suspicious/ unwanted visitors under any pretext
- All expected and approved visitors feel welcome
Think about common instances of mismanagement at entry/exit gates that you may have faced often:
- Too many visitors crowding for entry – all required enter their personal details in a visitor register
- Long protocol for delivery/service – security guard using the intercom system for approval for entry from the resident
- Possible intruders – while the guard is busy, someone could sneak in unnoticed
- Children wandering off – security guards would assume the children have prior permission from parents to leave the premises
- Lurkers and drifters – delivery boys, external vendors/ service staff lingering in the society premises for longer than necessary
- Vehicle congestion – taxi rides, delivery trucks and other visitors in vehicles required to go through security guard’s questions and entry protocols
The obvious question is, ‘how can gatekeeping and visitor management in residential societies be made safer and easier?’
The answer lies in going digital – app-based technology that digitally automates visitor entry/exit workflows without any inconveniences to security guards, residents and visitors.
The What
Society security and gatekeeping management tech functions on the simple idea of pre-approved single-use passcode verification entry for visitors. It effectively eliminates the need for physical entry in registers and moves the entire visitor management process on the mobile application. Of course, societies can still use physical modes of security like guards, CCTV cameras, alarm systems and even pepper sprays. What app-based security management technology does is that it solves the root problem of unsolicited, unwanted entries to keep you safe while easing and quickening the entry/exit movements of approved and frequent visitors.
The How
There are two interfaces, the guard’s and the resident’s. The guard is given a smartphone with a pre-installed app. The phone is exclusively used for visitor management. The guards are trained extensively in the app workflows
The residents download their version of the app online.
The details of frequent visitors like maids and cooks are registered and they are given a unique passcode for daily entry and exit. As soon as they enter the premises, residents where they work are notified on the app.
Residents can send a unique passcode to pre-approved or expected visitors who can simply show the passcode at the gate to the guard who punches in the code to allow entry.
If anyone comes unannounced, the residents are sent a notification (with an option for image capture in some cases). They can approve or reject the visitor with a click.
Deliveries are handled safely through the same passcode system but users have the option for the parcel to be left at the gate which can be collected with a passcode.
The Why
Although society enterprise resource planning apps come loaded with useful value-added features like discounted at home deliveries, vendor tie-ups, society financial management, digital payments, to name only a few, in the context of security, the essence of their utility lies in simplifying daily tasks that require physical intervention or management. Everyone in the premises is accounted for and there’s no scope for anyone to linger.
Here are a few more reasons to consider their usefulness.
Usually it takes from 5-10 minutes for the physical entry process involving pen, paper and intercom calls. The app-based tech makes it faster, convenient and modern.
- There’s no need for physical infrastructure investment like Access Control or desktop computer systems.
- The app UI and workflows are simple in design so that anyone can use it. Guards too!
- There’s an added child safety feature. As soon as your kids try to leave the society premises, you are alerted and can grant or deny permission.
- You can raise a panic alarm in case of emergency situations using the security alert feature so that the guard can come to your assistance.
Overall, digital gatekeeping can give you the freedom of real-time visitor management whether you’re inside your home or out. App-based visitor management makes every resident feel a little less anxious about safety and more confident about the benefits of living in a protected gated community.
