**”Digital Upgrades Streamline Access and Work at These 4 Businesses”**

Digitalization is not just a trend; it’s a full-blown revolution transforming commercial environments worldwide. And as businesses embrace this shift, many are uncovering a hidden gem: the remarkable ROI of digitalizing access management for everything from sprawling office complexes to cozy retail spaces, bustling entertainment venues, and expansive warehouses.

The security challenges these buildings face are well-known. Prioritizing staff and business safety, ensuring operational resilience, and safeguarding a company’s reputation are paramount. However, robust security shouldn’t equate to restricted accessibility. Buildings should be welcoming and easy to navigate for everyone authorized to enter.

Digital access elegantly solves this balancing act. It delivers everyday benefits to every stakeholder – employees, building managers, owners, and the contractors who move in and out of commercial spaces. The ease with which employees, contractors, and visitors can come and go fosters seamless collaboration and streamlines administrative tasks for building managers. This enhanced functionality contributes significantly to the overall business efficiency that digitalization promises.

Forget fumbling with keys. Today, a digital solution exists to secure almost any opening, whether by upgrading existing access management systems or implementing digital access from scratch, all without the hassle of extensive cabling or disruptive installations. Mobile credentials stored on smartphones simplify and accelerate the process of issuing, modifying, and revoking access. Facility and security managers can leverage web-based management software, including mobile access control, to remotely monitor and control access from a single, convenient interface, even when off-site.

According to experts in digital transformation, digital access enhances operational agility, boosts productivity, strengthens security, and sparks innovation*. Deloitte research supports this, revealing that businesses with higher levels of “digital maturity” tend to generate greater revenues**.

“Access is an increasingly vital component of a comprehensive digital strategy encompassing both physical and cyber security measures,” explains Joachim Mahlstedt, Director and CCO Digital Access Solutions at ASSA ABLOY Opening Solutions EMEIA.

“Digitalizing access provides rapid benefits that businesses can leverage for a competitive edge. It equips commercial building managers with powerful tools, as demonstrated by these four real-world examples.”

Example 1 – Office building

Manually managing access and updating multiple systems in parallel can be a significant drain on facilities staff time. Fortunately, there’s a more efficient solution. Streamlined management and minimized errors are achievable when various building technologies, including access control, are seamlessly integrated. Take the new Canal+ corporate headquarters near Paris, for instance. Here, a suite of connected Digital Access Solutions from ASSA ABLOY – including battery-powered Aperio wireless handles with integrated readers and ABLOY electromechanical security locks – integrates with a Genetec system to control access to all technical areas for 1,200 employees, visitors, and contractors. This native integration adds control without adding management complexity.

Aperio seamlessly integrates without requiring extra databases. It becomes an integral part of a streamlined system managed from a single interface.

Example 2 – Manufacturing site

Digital access solutions extend to high-security environments and locations requiring diverse cylinder types. In Germany, RheinfelsQuellen opted for ASSA ABLOY’s eCLIQ programmable key-operated digital access. At its Duisburg HQ and other locations across North Rhine-Westphalia, the new digital locking system operates reliably both indoors and outdoors.

The system is managed via the CLIQ Web Manager (CWM), providing access to system data anytime, anywhere, via the CWM interface. The software’s flexibility makes it ideal for managing large access systems or multiple geographically dispersed locations.

“We would choose this secure and flexible locking solution time and time again,” says Marcus Schlötels, Project Manager at RheinfelsQuellen.

Example 3 – Small retail

Petty theft from stockrooms and shop floors is a persistent headache for retailers. However, for smaller premises, a full-fledged software-powered digital access solution might be overkill. In Leuven, Belgium, upscale fashion boutique Patio sought a simple, cost-effective deterrent. The solution? ASSA ABLOY’s Code Handle^Ò locks fitted to a few key doors.

Door security is managed via a discreet PINpad built into a brushed-chrome handle. Two standard batteries power the digital security, typically lasting for 30,000 lock/unlock cycles. The Code Handle comes with a Master PIN, and the store manager can issue up to 9 additional 4–6-digit PINs. When an employee leaves Patio, deleting their PIN is a breeze.

Example 4 – Flexible workspace

Modern workplace design demands access control that is powerful, flexible, and aesthetically aligned with the needs of building users. At Plexal, a flexible work environment in East London that caters to up to 800 entrepreneurs, ASSA ABLOY Aperio digital access delivers on all three fronts. Plexal offices are equipped with Aperio wireless digital locks integrated with DoorFlow, NetNodes’ online platform for managing and auditing access. These locks provide physical security while transmitting real-time door status to DoorFlow. And because Aperio locks are battery-powered rather than mains-powered, they also minimize maintenance costs and energy consumption.

“Digitalization presents both significant challenges and opportunities for businesses of all sizes and types, in access management and beyond,” adds Joachim Mahlstedt. “Our decades of expertise in access enable us to partner with customers to ensure their access solutions are truly ready for the future. With ASSA ABLOY, they can digitalize with confidence.”