Enhancing security with improved incident notifications

In today's fast-paced and interconnected world, ensuring 24/7 security of physical spaces has never been more crucial. Effective incident notification systems play a pivotal role in ensuring swift responses to potential security breaches, system malfunctions, and other critical events.  

Traditional incident notification systems often lead to information overload and significant delays in response. Operators and systems administrators manage access for facilities – changing access rights, creating new user profiles, and monitoring and securing sites – but at the same time, are bombarded with alerts, from minor issues such as low battery warnings to major security breaches. This not only overwhelms them but also increases the risk of critical alerts being missed. Additionally, the lack of flexibility and analysis in these systems means that security policies, anticipating actions, and preventing situations before they escalate into emergencies via lockdowns and push notifications of potential entry breaches might not effectively alert your response teams. 

Whether it is an everyday situation or an emergency, being ready and aware is critical to ensuring you can quickly respond to whatever situations may arise. Having a comprehensive smart access control system and action plan that can be seamlessly activated ensures you respond fast and effectively to everyday incidents and emergency situations.  

As the dynamics of building and facility management evolve, there is a need for more sophisticated incident notification systems to manage and optimize workflows to deliver a consistent incident response every time. Modern organizations and smart buildings require systems to advance digitization in their operations to offer rapid customization, delegate responsibilities effectively, and ensure that those responsible receive the information they need to act quickly.  

Physical access control that meets modern needs  

Smarter and more secure access control optimizes operations. It addresses building needs and a more secure approach to managing security and incident response. Salto KS and Homelok cloud-based smart access solutions, as well as Salto Space the pioneering SVN data-on-card access control platform, have answered these challenges by introducing significant enhancements to their incident notification systems.  

Salto KS: A new approach for managing incidents and notifications 

Salto KS is a reliable cloud-based access control solution with unified software/hardware architecture that supports a broad spectrum of keyless access methods and integrates advanced security features within a fully remote and wireless cloud-based smart access management platform. 

• Delegated responsibilities: The new system enables both Site Owners and Site Admins to receive and manage notifications based on their interests and role. This delegation helps distribute notifications more evenly and enhances operational efficiency. Previously visible only to Site Owners, notification settings can now be independently managed by Site Admins, although these settings are disabled by default and must be changed. 
• Customization of alerts: Site Admins can now tailor the system to notify them about specific types of incidents, ensuring that each alert is relevant and actionable. Additionally, users can choose to receive notifications for specific locks, allowing for even more precise control over the security monitoring of access points. 
• Flexible notification methods: Site Admins can choose to receive alerts through emails or push notifications through the Salto KS app, selecting the method that best fits their immediate needs.  

Salto Space: Physical access and incident management made easy 

The Salto Space access control platform offers a comprehensive set of features for managing access and security, including the ability to configure alarm events to trigger specific actions in response to various scenarios.  

By leveraging Salto Space’s access control management software alarm events feature, businesses and organizations can elevate incident notification and response mechanisms. The ability to configure specific actions for different scenarios, combined with the platform's user permissions and audit trail capabilities, empowers security staff and operators with the necessary tools to effectively manage access-related incidents. 

• Smart lock connectivity: Detects the loss of connection to a lock, triggering notifications such as email alerts to relevant stakeholders. This proactive approach to monitoring access points ensures swift response to potential security breaches. 
• Sensor signal control: Enables users to integrate sensor inputs with control unit (CU) outputs, allowing for the configuration of specific actions in response to sensor signals. In the demonstration, a physical button simulated a sensor signal, triggering an alarm event to control the action of a relay on the CU, in this case, a beeper. This level of control over sensor inputs and corresponding responses enhances the platform's incident notification capabilities. 
• Door-triggered lockdown: Another highlight of the demonstration was the use of alarm events to enable a lockdown area when a certain door is opened. This feature is crucial for managing security incidents and ensuring rapid response to unauthorized access attempts. 
• Online monitoring: The online monitoring functionality gives users the ability to monitor and control the real-time status of online access points. Additionally, it empowers users to execute actions on doors, such as activating Emergency Open or Emergency Close modes. With online access, the denylist can be automatically transmitted to doors, eliminating the need for manual updates at each individual door.  

Homelok: Access control incident notifications for residential and multi-family properties 

With Salto Homelok's SVN keyless and cloud-based access control platform for residential and multi-family properties, managing access has never been easier. The platform offers quick online administration, giving property managers and residents seamless control over every entry point in the building.   

Salto Homelok's administrator activity screen provides a comprehensive list of events ordered by date and time. Users can easily track activities such as user creations, door unlocks, and access denials. This feature allows property managers to stay informed about all access-related actions within their properties. 

• System Events: System Events are triggered by user actions within the software, typically by individuals with management roles in Homelok. Examples of System Events include user creations, access modifications, and key assignments. 
• Device Events: Device Events are generated by access points and doors within the installation and are primarily initiated by keyholders gaining access. Examples of Device Events include door unlocks by users, access denials, and firmware updates. 
• Unit Activity Monitoring: For property managers, Homelok offers unit-specific activity tracking. In addition to the main activity section, managers can view unit-related events such as unit creations, move-ins, move-outs, and deletions. This allows for a detailed overview of activities specific to individual units within the residential properties managed through Homelok. 
• SVN Events – Offline Event Registration: The Salto Homelok cloud-based platform introduces a revolutionary feature known as offline events within SVN (Salto Virtual Network). This capability allows the system to capture user and access point events, such as a user unlocking a door, and record them in the activity section – even when both the lock and the user's phone or credential are offline. 

Impact of security monitoring across industries  

Recent enhancements to the Salto KS and Space smart access platforms greatly improve incident notification management across different industries, making it easier to tailor responses to specific building needs:  

• Working Spaces: Operators in coworking spaces can delegate notification responsibilities to system administrators like office managers and technical staff. Office managers can get alerts for unauthorized access attempts, and technical staff can be notified about low battery incidents and system malfunctions, ensuring a secure and seamless working environment.  

• Hospitality: Property owners and managers can delegate notification responsibilities to system administrators, such as hotel front desk staff and maintenance staff. Security managers, for example, can receive immediate notifications for guest check-in, privacy, doors left open, while maintenance staff can be alerted about low battery incidents, ensuring swift action and smooth operations.  

• Residential: Property managers can tailor the notification system and delegate alert responsibilities to system administrators like security personnel and homeowners. A convenient smart access solution for residential properties, connecting access control to security infrastructure to manage any access point allows property managers the capability to receive alerts about unauthorized entry attempts while homeowners are sent notifications about door status changes and low battery issues. 

• Student Accommodations: Student residential buildings such as dormitories or apartments benefit from enhanced customization and delegation features. Site Owners can assign campus security as Site Admins to receive after-hours access alerts. Maintenance staff, also as system administrators, are alerted to system malfunctions or doors left open, facilitating a safe environment.  

• Healthcare: Set up real-time alerts for security staff and maintenance personnel to meet the unique security challenges of healthcare. Security staff, as system administrators, receive notifications for tampering or unauthorized access to sensitive areas, and maintenance staff are notified about low battery levels, ensuring locks function correctly.  

• Education: Manage staff, student, and visitor access to buildings or restricted areas on campus grounds using a role-based system with instant detection of individuals at access points. Receive instant notifications and configure customized responses for multiple crisis levels. Enable area-specific protocols for emergency lockdowns or openings. Incorporating electronic door locks for schools improves school security and crisis management plans. 

Improvements to the Salto smart access control platforms’ incident notification system mark a significant advancement in the management of security alerts. By empowering both owners and system administrators with better tools for managing notifications and offering extensive customization options, the system ensures that the right personnel are alerted to the right issues at the right time. 

These enhancements help streamline operations and improve response times across various industries, supporting organizations in maintaining better security and efficiency. 

For more information on how to manage incident notifications, visit the Salto support portal.