The High Costs of Lost Keys for Businesses and How to Avoid Them

You don't fully appreciate some things until they are gone. In the corporate world, keys are among the tiniest, most straightforward, but most painful items to lose. They must be accessible when and where we need them to do many of our daily chores. Someone's entire day can be wrecked by one slip-up that results in one of these small items being lost. Losing your keys can be a costly mistake for businesses. Not only do you have to worry about the cost of replacing the locks, but you also must worry about the cost of lost productivity while you wait for new ones to be made.

The high cost of lost keys for businesses

Losing these valuable assets can be a costly mistake for businesses, as it not only involves the cost of replacing locks but also the cost of lost productivity while new ones are being made. There are several ways to avoid losing them, such as keeping them in a safe place like a key cabinet that comes with blank key tags that can be numbered or labelled as you wish, or having a spare set made.

If you do lose them, make sure to contact a locksmith as soon as possible so that they can help you get back into your business. By taking some simple precautions, you can avoid the high costs associated with it.

How to avoid losing your keys

Ensuring that you always know where they are is the best way to avoid losing them.

Some tips to follow include:

• Keep them in the same place every time you come home or leave the office. Storage safes come in a range of sizes from small key cabinets to much larger ones, depending on the number of keys you have to store.
• Putting them away as soon as you walk in the door, rather than leaving them out on a counter or table.
• Investing in a keychain that is easy to spot and difficult to lose.

If you do find yourself regularly misplacing them, it may be helpful to invest in a locator system. These devices attach to your keys and help you track their whereabouts via an app on your smartphone.

While there is no guaranteed way to never lose them, following these tips can help reduce the chances of it happening. If it does happen, you will be better prepared to deal with the consequences. Creating a key management policy to specify roles is a further step. Record the procedures that each person must follow when signing out or returning a key. Record the steps that must be taken after one is reported lost. Include clauses that address special instances, such as one-time access or access for contract workers.

What to do if you lose your keys

When keys are lost in the workplace, it can cost businesses both time and money to have them replaced. The following are some tips on what to do if you lose them:

• Immediately search all areas where they could be located.
• Notify all employees and ask them to check their work areas.
• If possible, change the locks on doors that the lost ones would give access to.
• Have a plan in place for what to do if they are lost again in the future.

If you have ever misplaced your keys, you know how frustrating it can be. You search high and low, but they are nowhere to be found. The same is true when they are lost in the workplace. Except, of course, the stakes are much higher.

How to change the locks on your business premises

Changing locks on your business premises is an added security measure you can take if they are lost. It is also important to do this if an employee who had access leaves your company. You don't want someone who no longer works for you to have access to your property.

There are a few different ways you can change locks on your business premises:

• Rekey the locks: This is when a locksmith comes and changes the tumblers in the lock so that the old key will no longer work.
• Replace the locks—this is when you physically remove the old lock and install a new one. Install new strike plates: This is when you keep the same lock but install new metal plates around the area where the bolt extends into the doorframe.

Which option you choose will depend on a few factors, such as how many locks need to be changed and what your budget is. However, changing locks is a small price to pay when you consider the alternative of lost keys.

Rekeying or replacing locks is not always necessary when they are lost. If you have a keyless entry system, then simply change the code. This can be done by anyone who has access to the system.

If your business is ever broken into, it is important to change the locks as soon as possible. This is because you can never be sure that the person who broke in does not have a duplicate. Changing locks is relatively simple and inexpensive, so there is no reason not to do it if you are worried about security.

Tips for keeping your business safe from theft

In addition to changing locks, there are other measures you can take to secure your business premises, such as:

• Installing an alarm system.
• CCTV cameras.
• Security lighting.
• Hire security guards.

These measures will deter thieves and make it more difficult for them to break into your premises. Key security is only one function of a key management system. It streamlines your daily operations and gets rid of the unneeded and hidden costs associated with loss. There is a significant possibility that a system such as this can enhance any business procedures that include keys.

Article source: https://article-realm.com/article/Finance/38088-The-High-Costs-of-Lost-Keys-for-Businesses-and-How-to-Avoid-Them.html