Commercial/Building Access Control System Integrator: Design, Sales, Installation & Service

Protect your organization from costs involving: Employees, Inventory, Theft, and more.

Andromeda sells, installs, services, and supports a host of recognized, top-quality access control systems in order to provide the best possible solution to your office and building security needs. We focus on Access Control installations for local, medium-sized businesses like yours in Oak Brook, IL.

By integrating an electronic building and office access system with security camera and burglar alarm systems through your computer data network, your business can reap many additional rewards beyond basic security/protection functions involving your employees, your inventory:

• Comprehensive intruder deflection & defense (including detection, restriction)
• Audit-trail and automated attendance reporting (to greatly improve and simplify other aspects of your daily, weekly, and annual tasks!)

Keyless Entry
No need to change locks, make or replace keys

Time-Controlled Access
All devices can be programmed by time-of-day and day-of-week on a "per entry-way" and "per employee" basis

Audit-Trail Reporting
Know who goes where and at what time - all the time!

Time and Attendance Reporting
Paperless time cards with break and lunch verification

Alarm Notification
Produce Email alerts and phone/camera system responses to entry breaches

Dual Authentication
Require two access methods for entry to sensitive areas

Anti-Pass Back
If someone does not enter legally, the same person is unable to exit.
No Tailgating!
Disable access entry at a moments notice.

Telephone System Control/Monitoring
Link 2-way intercom & door control to your phone handsets!

 

 

Andromeda Technology Solutions is a technical services provider offering 24/7 emergency response to areas like yours in Oak-Brook, IL 60523 with remote access converging voice, data, surveillance, and access control systems. 

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Let's Get Started On YOUR Access Control System in Oak Brook, IL

Contact us or fill out the Request form on this page now to ask us to contact you!

We provide Building Access Control system design, installation, help, setup, repair, and tech support throughout Chicagoland and NE Illinois.
Besides the immediate Chicago metropolitan area, we are pleased to provide Access Control services to most of the surrounding suburbs.

AndroPedia Tech Library

As part of our service, it is important to keep our client-partners well informed on Access Control system developments, news, and best practices. Here is just a sampling of typical items from our AndroPedia^SM library archive:

5 Ways an Access Control System Can Improve Your Business Feb 02, 2018

An access control system is a great investment in the overall security of your business. It can help keep criminals out but it can also tap into advanced integration and ramp up other areas of your business.

Here are 5 of the top ways an access control system can improve security and the day to day operations at your business:

1. You have absolute control of the entrances at your building

Unlike a traditional lock and key, an access control system gives you additional control over your building.

You can control what times your doors are accessible. You can also configure different shifts and remove access from employees during hours they aren’t supposed to be in your facility. Additionally, you can install a keypad with personalized pass codes so only approved staff can be on site after hours.

For businesses with sensitive areas inside their building, access control can create special zones within the building to ensure employees aren’t accessing areas where they don’t have clearance.

We often help businesses secure interior areas like server rooms and areas where sensitive information is present. That way, only the staff or technicians you want in those rooms can get in.

2. You can begin tracking different data as well as gather data in new ways.

Because access control systems keep logs of activity, there are many different data points available for tracking.

To build on our example from point 1 – imagine you did choose to secure your server room with access control. After adding this technology you can now produce records of how often people come and go from this room.

On top of this, you can also see exactly who is entering the server room. With this technology you can make sure that there aren’t any unusual behaviors or goings on when you aren’t around.

Another great tracking application of access control is employee time management. You can use these systems and even integrate software/hardware so that your entire clock in/clock out procedure is automated by swiping a card or fob upon entry of your facility.

Imagine the time you would save from switching from physical punch cards or time logs to an automated access control system! And don’t worry, there are features available to make sure that your employees can’t fool the system by passing back cards or clocking in for other employees.

3. Professional access control systems integrate with other hardware to produce an incredible enhanced security experience.

Access control is a great piece of added security to implement at your business. That goes without saying. But where a lot of the magic of security lives is in integrating different systems together.

For example, you can integrate your access control systems with your camera systems to make sure you have footage of all entry and exit at your facility.

You can also integrate your phone system with programming so that you can access to specific locations at your building through your phone system.

One of the most popular instances of this type of integration is centered on your main entrance.

Picture a visitor approaching your building. As this visitor walks towards your front door a camera senses movement and begins recording. Footage of this recording lives on your recorder for review at any time but with new software and integration your receptionist views a live feed of this visitor’s approach from their desktop monitor.

When the visitor gets to the front door, they ring a buzzer that signals the receptionist on their telephone. An intercom at your front door allows the visitor to identify themselves.

At this point, your front desk can confirm the visitor is expected and press a button either on their phone or at their desk to release the access control locks on your front door. This allows the visitor into your building.

Pretty cool right?

4. You have protection against forgetful employees or “accidents”

We’ve all forgotten our keys or forgotten to lock the door at least once.

With access control you can rest easy knowing that your doors are secured. You can set your system up to alert you if an entry is made after hours as well.

**Integration Tip**

With security camera integration you can make sure that nothing strange is going on when an employee enters and exits outside of your normal business window too.

Another added bonus of your access control system comes with programming that alerts you if a door has been left open for an extended period of time. This means that a door won’t accidentally be left ajar after work.

**Integration Tip**  

With special programming you can set up your access control system to integrate you’re your burglar system. With this integration you can program fobs to automatically disarm your alarm system after hours. You can also program your system to alert authorities immediately in specific situations if desired.

5. You get remote access/control of your system

The systems Andromeda installs for our clients have remote programming options that enhance your overall experience and capabilities.

If you want to disable a fob it is as simple as logging in and making changes on your computer. Unlike keys, you don’t have to change the locks when a fob is lost or stolen. Simply deactivate the clearance for that specific fob and it will no longer unlock any doors at your building.

Remote access and control also gives you the ability to lock or unlock your facility from anywhere. If you need to let an employee in the building on a one time basis or want to give a technician access to a zone in your building, you can do so without being physically present.

This is a great tool for most business owners but really comes in handy for property managers. Imagine being able to control access remotely for tenants in the middle of the night or for a worker who needs to get in the building without having to drive across town.

These are just five different ways an access control system can improve your business. With integration there are many more options and capabilities.

If an access control system is something you are considering, please don’t hesitate to call our office and reach out.

We would love to help build a solution that provides all of the above features and unparalleled security for your building.

If you have any questions regarding materials in this brief or any feedback we’d love to hear from you.

To schedule a meeting or speak with our sales & engineering team please give us a call at (815) 836-0030 or email us at Contact@WeNetwork.com

The post 5 Ways an Access Control System Can Improve Your Business appeared first on Andromeda Technology Solutions.

How Integrated Security and Video Analytics Software Can Help Decrease Theft, Increase Efficiency and Optimize Workflow at Your Facility Mar 09, 2018

Installing cameras at your office or facility is important. But once you’ve invested in having CCTV cameras installed, how are you going to use the recordings to add value to your office?

When investing in security technology, discussing why you want the equipment and what you are trying to do with it is the most important detail in the whole process.

Sure, you want to make certain that you are covering the areas at your office and building that matter most:

• Entrances
• Parking lots
• Areas with valuable inventory
• Areas with high traffic or rate of incident

But, what is the objective and why are these areas important?

One of the first questions we have for prospects looking for security cameras is, “What made you decide you want cameras?”

We hear all kinds of answers – theft, suspicious employee activity, liability . . .

Sometimes, the answer is as simple as, “I know I’ll just feel better if I have them up”.

Often times, the why is the single most important detail for a professional security project. By addressing the reason for install, we are able to make sure you get a superior product but Andromeda can also help develop a solution that adds real value, real ROI.

That focus on providing value and return on investment brings us to today’s topic –

How Integrated Security and Video Analytics Software Can Help Decrease Theft, Increase Efficiency and Optimize Workflow at Your Facility.

First, let’s look at what Video Analytics Software is.

In a nutshell, video analytics software tracks video data recorded by cameras and enables automated monitoring of people, vehicles and objects within a camera’s view.

This is a powerful toll you can add to your integrated security arsenal. It transforms visuals collected by your camera system into influential data you can use to improve functionality at your building/facility.

To better illustrate how this works let’s walk through an example.

Picture a manufacturing or distribution center with high volumes of product and a few key issues they need to address:

1. Theft: Items are mysteriously disappearing from the warehouse.
2. Shipping & Receiving Issues: trucks are forced to wait in line to access delivery bays which causes unnecessary expense.
3. Liability: due to employee incidents (dropped pallets, forklift related accidents and other damages), insurance premiums are rising.

This building originally wanted cameras so that they could have an eye on activities in the warehouse. This is a great first step – but as you know, having the recordings doesn’t mean you have a way to use them for positive change at the facility.

Honeywell’s Video Analytics Software: Active Alert®

Honeywell cameras were installed at designated locations but to truly add value and solve the issues the management team faced, Honeywell’s video analytic software Active Alert® was also installed to begin tracking patterns and monitoring activity at the warehouse.

Within the first month, the Honeywell Active Alert® detects several trends in the facility. Once these trends were identified, management adjusted:

1. Theft: Facility managers designated high volume/traffic areas for camera placement. After compiling data, the source of theft was identified as pallets leaving the facility via pickup trucks after hours. By setting alarms and configuring the analytics software, any time a pickup truck approached the docks after pickup/delivery hours, an alarm sounded. The trend was identified and the culprits were caught.
2. Shipping & Receiving issues: the operations team decided on checkpoints and installed cameras along the routes into their shipping and receiving areas. After compiling data, it became clear that drivers weren’t taking the shortest routes in and out of the facility which led to backups and confusion. The operations team invested in signs to help drivers get in and out of the facility quicker and reduced waiting time and charges by over 40%.
3. Liability: The warehouse management staff knew they had to address forklift incidents. Cameras were installed and new routes/directional guidelines were implemented for movement in the warehouse. Additionally, employees were fined or rewarded for their incident records. At first, drivers incurred fines but word spread and within the first 9 months of tracking movements, the facility was able to lower its insurance rates because they had documentation of decreased incident/injury rates.

This warehouse knew it needed cameras. The management team knew they needed to prohibit theft, fix the shipping & receiving backups and lower their insurance premiums. Because this facility chose to work with a team of professional security experts, they got a solution that provided value well beyond recording equipment.

If you’d like to discuss your security concerns and how integrated security enhancements can provide real ROI, give us a call at the office.

To learn more about Honeywell’s Active Alert® video analytics software, find more information Here.

And for a more in depth view on how Honeywell’s Active Alert® works in relation to warehousing and distribution centers specifically, take a look here.

The post How Integrated Security and Video Analytics Software Can Help Decrease Theft, Increase Efficiency and Optimize Workflow at Your Facility appeared first on Andromeda Technology Solutions.

In App Subscriptions Getting Crackdown From Apple Feb 18, 2019

One of the unfortunate truths about apps is that many developers use deceptive practices to try and confuse consumers.

They try to mislead them about how much custom features cost and when in-app purchases occur.

Many attempt to hide or obfuscate the particulars of subscription details.

The thinking here is pretty simple:� First of all, a customer might not notice the charges on their payment card right away. If the amounts aren't excessive, they may not be in a huge rush to shut them down.� In both cases, the result is more money in the developer's pocket, which is of course what they're hoping for.

Apple, however, isn't having it.� The company made some important revisions to its App Store guidelines that specify in clear, unmistakable terms exactly how in-app subscriptions and opt-ins should be presented to users. The new rules can be found in the company's "Human Interface Guidelines" document, which is part of the App Store's library of developer resources.

The changes include straightforward, common sense things like:

• Developers must clearly present the true cost of any subscriptions offered, with the true cost being defined as the actual amount to be billed.
• Auto-renewable subscriptions must be opt-in, with no hidden or potentially deceptive clauses
• In cases where an app is free during a trial period and then to be billed when the trial period expires, the developer must prominently display the price to be paid and all of the other terms for renewal.

It's unfortunate that the company had to take steps to spell these kinds of things out explicitly.� One would hope that developers would play fair in the name of their own brand image, but historically this simply hasn't been the case.

This is a good step, but how effective it will be remains to be seen.� Changing a policy is one thing.� Effectively enforcing it is a completely different challenge, but it's a beginning.

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