Key systems can overwhelm even the most experienced buyer. There are many options available to fit specific needs and if you aren’t exactly sure what you’re looking for you can easily choose the wrong one and end up with something you don’t need.

Not to mention the fact that this isn’t a cheap purchase.

A key system is a long-term buy so you should expect to get what you pay for and it isn’t something you should go into without doing your research first. While this won’t cover every last little thing you need to know about your key control policies and procedures, I can at least you get you started on the right path and pointed in the right direction.

Key System Questions

Do you have an idea of what you want to ask your key vendor?

You may want to have a list of questions to bring with you when talking to a key system vendor so you make sure you don’t leave anything out. This will ensure you cover what needs to be covered even if you do get distracted by one topic.

What is your stance on key control policies and procedures?

Policies and procedures are the basis of any key system and you need to find a vendor that will be able to help you develop your key control policies and procedures.

Some customers know exactly how they want to handle their policies and procedures and if you fall into that category, that’s excellent. You’ve already got your foot in the door. However, most people don’t have anything written up yet and if you don’t, don’t feel alarmed.

Your key vendor will play a vital role between you and your facility and will help you get your policies in alignment with your goals for your key system. Some of the questions to help get you started sound like this:

• How many keys should be issued per store?
• How are key orders placed?
• How are lost or stolen keys reported?
• If an employee is terminated, how are rekeys handled?
• When should a rekey be classified as an emergency as opposed to a standard work order?

You need to have these ready to go before your meeting with the key system vendor and this will relieve some of the pressure to come up with questions on the spot. Of course, a good key vendor will be able to offer suggestions on what you can do to add to your key control policies and procedures to make sure they encompass everything they’re looking for.

Once you have a baseline of questions you want asked, you can go more in-depth with your key system vendor to hammer out the details. Some issues might come up that you weren’t aware were issues at all and others might be things that your facility doesn’t need to address because they don’t apply to you.

A knowledgeable key system vendor will be able to help you create a plan and put it into action when it comes to the development of your key system policies and procedures.

Of course, if you’re still too overwhelmed to get started, you can always give us a call. We would be more than happy to help you out.