Access Control vs Traditional Keys: Why Southeast Michigan Businesses Are Upgrading
Keys are simple—until they aren’t.
For many businesses across Southeast Michigan—whether in Ann Arbor, Detroit, Ypsilanti, Brighton, Novi, Saline, or West Bloomfield—traditional keys eventually create the same problems:
You don’t know who has copies
You can’t revoke access instantly
Lost keys become a security event
Managing vendors and turnover is a headache
That’s why more local businesses are moving to modern access control—systems that replace keys with key fobs, cards, mobile credentials, and centralized management.
Here’s what to know before you upgrade.
1) Keys Don’t Scale With Your Business
Keys work fine when you have:
A small staff
One location
Low turnover
But as soon as you add:
More employees
More doors
Multiple sites
Vendors and contractors
…key management becomes uncontrolled. Access control solves this by letting you assign permissions by role, time, and location—without rekeying doors every time something changes.
2) Instant Access Changes = Better Security
With keys, removing access usually means:
Chasing down a key
Hoping there aren’t copies
Rekeying hardware (and still guessing who has access)
With access control, you can:
Disable a lost credential instantly
Remove access when someone leaves
Create temporary vendor access
Lock down a door during an incident
That “instant control” is one of the biggest reasons businesses upgrade.
3) You Get an Audit Trail (Keys Can’t Do That)
If something goes missing and you only use keys, you’re left with assumptions.
Access control systems can provide:
Door event history (who accessed, when)
Scheduled access (who should have access at what times)
Alerts for propped doors or forced entries (depending on setup)
When paired with security cameras, access events can be matched to video so you can confirm what happened in seconds—not hours.
4) Fobs, Cards, or Mobile Access? Here’s the Practical Difference
Most businesses choose one of these:
Key fobs/cards: Simple, durable, easy to issue
Mobile credentials: Great for managers, multi-site orgs, and reducing “forgotten fob” issues
Mixed approach: Common—mobile for leadership, fobs for staff
The right option depends on your operations, turnover, and how you want to manage users.
5) The Doors That Usually Make the Biggest Difference
Most Southeast Michigan businesses don’t need every single door converted on day one.
The best “first doors” are usually:
Main employee entrance
Rear/warehouse entrance
IT/server/network closets
Offices with sensitive materials
Receiving/shipping doors
A smart rollout starts with the doors that reduce risk immediately.
6) Local Installation and Support Matter
Access control is not just hardware—it’s how the system is designed, installed, and supported.
A good install includes:
Clean, labeled wiring
Reliable power and backups (when required)
Door hardware compatibility checks
Clear user management setup
Documentation for your team
Local support matters when you need changes fast—especially for staffing changes, vendor access, or operational updates.
Want to Upgrade Without Overcomplicating It?
Tier One Technologies designs access control systems that fit your building and how your business actually operates—so access is easy to manage and security improves immediately.
➡️ Schedule a free site assessment today to review your doors, credentials, and best rollout plan for your facility.