Every business with a physical location will benefit from access control. And at a time when restaurants are focused on protecting revenues and profits, restaurant access control is becoming more of a priority.
Access control gives restaurants more robust security, providing continuous visibility into the safety of the business’ property, assets, employees and customers. Furthermore, Access Control as a Service (ACaaS) solutions provide companies with cloud-based access control systems and management, enabling remote management and cloud data storage and backup. ACaaS solutions are also more affordable. Instead of a capital expenditure for access control systems, the business pays a budget-friendly monthly fee to use cloud software, storage capacities, and, in some cases, the access control devices, such as door locks, identity verification, and cameras.
Why Restaurant Access Control is Essential
Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, restaurants have faced continual challenges – such as dealing with shutdowns, adapting to health safety guidelines with new dining room configurations and outdoor dining and operating during a labor shortage. Shrink and losses are unacceptable at a time when every penny counts. Access control for restaurants answers vital questions that help managers intelligently manage their businesses, such as:
1Who’s working?
Restaurants are actively looking for employees, training them, and assigning new team members to shifts. An access control solution will authenticate each staff member – from a trainee to a manager – access to the kitchen, stock, the point of sale (POS) system, and more based on role. If shrink from carelessness or theft occurs, the restaurant has a record of who had access.
Your expertise as a value-added reseller (VAR) or managed services provider (MSP) providing solutions and services to the restaurant industry will help your clients deploy the best identity authentication solution. The system you install will allow employees to gain access via RFID, smart cards or fingerprint scan or other types of biometric authentication. The right solution will also make it easy for restaurants to add users or change permissions to keep up with changes in their dynamic environments.
2 How can a restaurant stop being a target?
Restaurants and bars often handle large volumes of cash and stock expensive liquors and foods – and become targets for theft. A system designed for solid restaurant access control will deter theft attempts, including “sweetheart scams” in which employees at the POS give comps or discounts to family or friends and employee theft of inventory.
3 How can a restaurant manager be in two places at one time?
Restaurant managers need real-time visibility into their operations, especially when dealing with security issues. However, some managers are responsible for multiple locations, and the information they need may not be easily accessible. Cloud-based Access Control as a Service allows managers to log in via a secure network connection from any location and review records, logs, and even video from surveillance cameras.
4 How can a restaurant protect access when operations change?
Businesses in the restaurant industry have experienced radical changes in the past few years – some even changing concepts to continue to engage customers and keep revenues coming in. The scalable Access Control as a Service you provide will enable your clients to adapt and secure assets and control entry to restricted areas when their operations change.
Advise Restaurants on How to Protect their Businesses
As a trusted advisor, your role is to work with your clients to identify areas and systems that require control, then determine the best solutions to address them – whether it’s using an ID badge with an embedded RFID chip to access the back of the house and clock in and out or to monitor the stock room with cameras as well as requiring role-based access to enter.
Although you may find that a restaurant access control offering that you develop can meet the needs of most of your clients, it’s vital to consider the specific needs of each restaurant. For example, a restaurant with a complex layout, including multiple dining areas, entrances and exits, may require a different approach to access control than a smaller, quick-service or fast-casual business. Ensure that you tailor your solution to each of your restaurant clients, providing them with the access control they need to minimize shrinkage and operate as securely and profitably as possible during the economic recovery and in the future.
