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Home Safety with Visitor Management and Access Control
Keep your home and people safe:
The Power of Smart Visitor Management & Access Control
In today's world, home security is about more than just locks and alarms. With the rise of smart home technology, managing who enters and exits our homes has become more efficient and convenient than ever. Visitor management and access control systems are essential tools for creating a safer home environment, providing greater control, visibility, and peace of mind for homeowners. Here’s how these systems contribute to a safer home and why they’re becoming a must-have for modern households.
What Is Visitor Management and Access Control?
Visitor management and access control refer to systems and tools that help homeowners control and monitor who enters their property. This includes everything from video doorbells and smart locks to more advanced systems like DoorBird or other smart door controllers that allow homeowners to see, speak to, and grant access to visitors from anywhere in the world. These technologies are designed not only for convenience but also for enhancing security by adding an extra layer of protection against unauthorized entry.
Enhancing Security Through Access Control
Traditional locks and keys are often limited when it comes to security. They can be lost, stolen, or duplicated, increasing the risk of unauthorized access. Smart access control systems, on the other hand, use electronic locks that can be managed remotely. With these systems, homeowners can unlock their doors using a smartphone app, a keypad, or even biometrics, like a fingerprint or facial recognition. They can also set temporary or restricted access for guests, ensuring that only trusted individuals can enter at designated times.
For instance, if you have a family member or friend visiting while you're at work, you can grant them access remotely and receive an alert when they arrive. Similarly, delivery personnel can be granted temporary access for drop-offs, eliminating the risk of leaving packages unattended.
Visitor Management for Greater Control and Peace of Mind
Visitor management systems give homeowners visibility over who’s at their doorstep and when they arrived. Devices like video doorbells with motion detection send alerts when someone approaches your door, even before they knock or ring. This not only deters potential intruders but also allows homeowners to respond to visitors from inside the house or remotely, creating the illusion that someone is always home.
With features like high-definition video, two-way audio, and even night vision, visitor management systems provide a clear view of your home’s entry points at all times. This added visibility ensures you know who’s on your property and allows you to communicate directly with them, whether you’re inside, out running errands, or even on vacation.
A Practical and Affordable Solution for Modern Homes
Gone are the days when high-tech security was reserved only for businesses or the wealthy. Today, visitor management and access control systems are available at various price points, making them accessible to a wide range of homeowners. From basic video doorbells to fully integrated access control solutions, there’s something for every budget and need.
Installing a visitor management system can also increase your property’s value and appeal, particularly if you’re looking to sell or rent out your home. Many buyers today prioritize smart home features, seeing them as a standard of modern living.
Some Real World Scenarios
The Drop-In
A friend arrives at your gate and presses the call button on your DoorBird Intercom. You can answer it and talk to them, and either let them in if you are home, or schedule brunch for later at that fabulous new cafe if you aren’t home.
The Mother
Mum comes and goes as she pleases, so she has a keycode or her fingerprint gets her through the front gate, then opens the front door. After all, where would we be without our mums? You get a notification when she arrives or leaves, so there are no surprises
The Guardian Angel Neighbour
That neighbour with boundless energy and far better organisation than we, comes to our rescue again by picking up the kids from school and dropping them off at home. She has an access code for the front gate and front door, but only between 7am and 7pm. Notifications will be sent to your smartphone to let you know when you need to buy her a box of chocolates.
The Courier
The courier arrives with that important parcel and presses the call button on the intercom. You instantly get a notification and you open the gate for him. He can either put the parcel on the porch, or if you are more trusting, you can also open the front door so he can place the item inside the foyer. Either way you can watch him the whole time on the surveillance cameras.
The Electrician
You manage to get a last minute appointment with the super sparky to find out why that circuit keeps tripping. You can quickly whip up a keycode for him that will only work today (because you have that meeting and won’t be able to talk to him on the intercom) and gets him in the front gate. Depending on where he needs to go, you can set the same code to give access to the shed, utility room, or the main house.
The Lawn Mower Man
The trusted mower man who has been coming to your place for over 10 years is quiet but reliable. He gets a keycode or a keyfob that lets him in the front gate and opens the shed, but doesn’t allow access to the house.
The Scoper
The suss guy who is pretending to be taking a survey so he can scope your place for later, rings the doorbell. Whether you are home or not, you can make him think you’re home, and let him know you’re not interested. He doesn’t get a close look at your house, and if he does, he sees the cameras and access controls and says “too hard”.
The Teenage Thieves
Those pesky teenagers are poking around but see all the cameras, keypads, and fingerprint readers. They may still be bold enough to press the call button to see if you are home, and of course, it will seem like you are, even when you answer from the beach in Bali.
How do I achieve this zen level of home security and convenience?
There are few brands that have an ecosystem of products covering visitor announcements (intercoms or video doorbells), as well as access control (door/gate control, keypads, keyfob readers, fingerprint readers). DoorBird is not only one of them, but has almost unlimited options for size, materials, colour, and finish. German-engineered and manufactured, they are at the top of the list to keep your home secure.
Visitor Announcement
This is essentially your visitor letting you know they are at your house by pressing the call button on your intercom or video doorbell.
DoorBird has a range of devices that mount at your gate and handle visitor announcements gracefully and efficiently.
Visitor Entry Control
If you decide the visitor is worthy of entry, you need a way to let them in. DoorBird door stations can control pedestrian gates, motorised driveway gates, garage doors, front doors, and many others. You decide which entry points are granted from anywhere on your smartphone.
Unannounced Entry
Some people in your life will have ‘unfettered access’ to you and what's yours. These are the people that we can’t live without, and you can give them 24/7 access via a keycode, a fingerprint scan, or a keyfob that they carry with them. You may decide which access points they have access to, and you can decide if you want to know each time they gain access via a notification.
Conditional Entry
Then there are those we trust, but for the sake of safety, we give them access only at the times they need and the places they need access to. For eg the mower man has access through the gate and to the shed, but only on Tuesdays between 6am and 12. The pool cleaner has access through the front gate and to the pool on Monday afternoons. You grant the plumber access, but just for tomorrow.
Live Monitoring and Access Control
You have the choice to be active or passive over day-to-day control and monitoring of visitor management. You can set up everything in advance, then just passively review notifications and cloud history at your leisure. Or you can keep tabs all day with live video, answering intercom calls, and opening gates and doors live.
The DoorBird app gives you all the tools you need to be passive or active, but some other accessories are available to let you know when a visitor has arrived and interact with them without your smartphone when you are at home.
Combining Visitor announcement, management, and access control with smart security lighting, CCTV, and burglar alarms will make your home a fortress, giving access to the desirables and keeping out the undesirables.
Final Thoughts
Visitor management and access control offer homeowners a proactive approach to security, empowering them to manage and monitor entry to their homes with ease. By implementing these systems, you’re not just adding convenience; you’re creating a safer, smarter home environment that can be controlled from the palm of your hand. Whether you're home or away, you can rest assured knowing that you’re in control of who enters your space, providing security, peace of mind, and a welcoming environment for authorized guests.
