Physical vs Digital Key Management in Business

31 August 2023

Digital locks and key management is advancing rapidly, and businesses are investing into these systems more and more. But do physical keys still have a place in the business world?

KeyTracker explore the benefits of both digital and physical key management, giving insight into what works best in different types of business.

Why Do I Need Key Management for My Business?

The importance of key management can often be understated, with many people not considering the sheer mass of keys that a business requires to run seamlessly on a daily basis.

From owning a building, opening all doors throughout the building to having a fleet of vehicles for your business, all of these often require a physical key. Managing the staff access to all of these assets can be a mammoth task for many when the right management system is not in place.

When manual tracking becomes too big of a business task, the right key management system can ensure the security of your keys and assets, gives transparency in authorised personnel and when they have keys whether on or off site, and gives reports on a monthly basis via automation.

If your business is in need of an effective key management system, KeyTracker can help get you started.

Mechanical Systems

Electronic Systems

Digital Key Management

As the world evolves and technology becomes more advanced, digital locks are becoming more prominent in businesses and workplaces.

Digital locks are often driven by their technology-driven features; they use electronic signals to open and close locks or doors using an RFiD systems, fingerprint recognition or a pin. They are also installed and used to reduce the number of physical keys that are needed.

However, you often find that if you are replacing one door lock with something digital, you have to then change every door lock to gain full benefit. If you have a business with many doors in the building, this could be a costly investment to complete.

Physical Key Management

Having physical keys may seem less convenient, but they do still have a place in businesses today.

Many business assets still use a physical key today – vehicles, offices, and even cabinets. With so many keys to consider, it can be costly for a business to convert them all to digital, as well as considering the potential loss of business this may cause.

Physical keys are also more reliable than digital locks. As digital technology advances, it is becoming easier to copy and replicate digital information. With this in mind, a physical key is harder to replicate, meaning that they are more reliable when it comes to ensuring authorised personnel only have access to specific business assets.

The Automotive Sector

Although considering physical vs digital key management, some businesses may benefit from both. The automotive sector is a prime example of this.

Although cars require physical keys, they can now also be accessed digitally from a mobile phone. When at a car dealership, they must ensure that physical keys are managed and secured at all times; however, the digital abilities also allow for a digital paper trail to be created for sales, servicing etc.