If you caught our latest video newsletter, you’ll know we’re running our sales team all over the United States to various trade shows. You also know that, once again, key systems reigned supreme when it came to the topic du jour.

It’s no secret, if you work in the facilities maintenance or loss prevention world, key systems make up at least a portion of your work. However, there are times when even the most seasoned veteran might have a question or two about what will work best for their certain facility.

Key System Decisions

When people come to us about making a decision on the type of key system, we ask them one question:

“How nervous do you get when you think about people easily being able to copy your facility keys?”

Their response usually gives us an idea of where to start with the conversation. Check out this infographic below:

Proprietary Key Systems

If all the color drains from someone’s face when I ask that question, it’s a safe bet a proprietary key system is the way to go. People who use proprietary key systems usually have security top-of-mind. Proprietary key systems offer the highest level of security possible when it comes to key systems.

With this type, key blanks are only available for one specific customer and no one can get a copy. The chances of someone other than you being able to get a copy of your keys is virtually nonexistent.

However, it’s important to note it does come with its drawbacks. For example, with a proprietary key system same-day rekeys aren’t available and neither are key copies. Once you decide on your choice of vendor, breaking away from that particular vendor is a lengthy process.

Restricted Key Systems

If your level of panic isn’t causing you to border on hyperventilating, a restricted key system might be a better answer for your security needs. Restricted key systems allow for key blanks that are available through authorized dealers. This means if an employee gets the boot, you don’t have to worry about rekeying your entire store.

But, just like proprietary key systems, same day rekeys are going to be pretty tough to accomplish. The key blanks and cores aren’t readily available. If same day rekeys aren’t something you desperately need, a restricted key system might be your answer.

Unrestricted Key Systems

If the thought of someone duplicating your keys is only something you consider to be a mild annoyance, you can rest easy with unrestricted key systems. They are the least pricey of the bunch and are the most basic.

Keyways for this system are available to the general locksmith community making same day rekeys pretty likely. The one big drawback, though, is if someone wants to get a copy of your keys, they can do so without prior authorization. This is just something to keep in mind if you have a high turnover rate for your facility because this could likely lead to all-over rekeys.

If you’re one of those people at trade shows who are searching for answers to your key system questions, hopefully this article gave you a starting point. However, if you’re looking for more information, we have an entire corner of our blog dedicated to key systems which you can find right here.

If you have any other questions or would just rather speak to someone, contact us here. We have plenty of people ready and willing to help!