Why Your Business Needs an Intercom System
Intercom systems have long been employed by various commercial businesses and residential properties. In fact, intercoms have been standard in many companies since the 1950s, and despite technological advancements, they still hold relevance for many operations and are a vital tool for business owners for a variety of reasons.
If you imagine an intercom system as an outdated rust box on a door to a building that also looks like it needs an upgrade, then your misconceptions are wildly misplaced.
Modern intercoms, with their versatile applications and multiple benefits for businesses, offer a wide range of options for owners to choose from. This variety caters to diverse business needs and empowers business owners, allowing them to select the system that best suits their unique requirements.
So whether you’re considering installing a new intercom system or after an intercom conversion to modernize your existing setup, this post will explain exactly why you need an intercom in your business.
Improved Employee Safety
Suppose you have employees working in vulnerable positions. In that case, if you carry out at-risk operations subject to high crime rates or harm to workers, or if you simply want to add additional security, intercom systems can enable you to add an extra layer of protection. Say you have an employee who often works alone and members of the public frequent the building. An intercom system allows them to grant access to people and see who is approaching the premises trying to enter. This selectivity in allowing access means they can stop unwanted visitors or those without a reason to frequent your premises from gaining entry, making everyone feel safer.
Some systems offer the ability to use your intercom system from home, meaning that monitoring comings and goings becomes a breeze. No one needs to be physically present, making the system easy and convenient to use, even when you’re not on-site. This remote accessibility ensures that you can stay in control of your business’s security measures, no matter where you are.
Control Internal Access
If you have areas of your business that are off limits for some personnel or visitors, for example, an intercom system similar to those employed in medical facilities for granting access to different areas can help you limit access in your business, too. By having people require access to be granted, you can stop unnecessary people from being in places where they don’t need to be or shouldn’t be. Having someone in control of granting access via the intercom means that you have more control over how people move around, and you can keep restricted areas as just that restricted. And if anyone does get access you have a chain of command you can track down breaches via and potentially footage of how this was possible if you have a video feed on your intercom system.
No Need for Hiring Additional Door Security
Intercoms are a great way of monitoring people coming and going, and they make knowing who is in your building much easier. Modern intercom systems have facial recognition, meaning that only verified faces can enter. Instead of having someone at the door checking IDs, your system can verify identities and allow access or block them as required. You can also enable other biometric entry options, such as fingerprints.
If you don’t want to hire security staff to monitor people entering and exiting, an intercom is your best line of defense and a more cost-effective solution.
Improved Communication
If you have people needing help and support but don’t have employees around to help them, you can use your intercom system for communication needs. People simply head to an intercom point and use this option to get help or directions as required without looking for someone to help them.
Your employees can also use it to relay messages or communicate important information. One person controlling the intercom system could act as an administrator to pass on messages or inform others of movements and updates, e.g., people leaving work early or heading out for calls or meetings. If you have one person in control of your intercom system, then you can have a central communication point that is massively more effective than Chinese whispers.
Monitor Activity
Not in the “big brother is spying on you” kind of monitoring but more of a way to catch up with people. Let’s say you run a large retail outlet, and you need to pinpoint a member of staff; if your intercom system is connected to a public address system (commonly referred to as a ‘tannoy ‘), you can use this to request they make their way where you are. Or you can use the intercom to track their movements and locate them so you can get in touch with them.
Your intercom can help you monitor deliveries and staff attendance so you know who is on the premises and when, improving security and accuracy in an emergency and so much more. You can use it to keep an eye on customers at a store so you don’t go over capacity, monitor for antisocial behavior, or simply check in from afar if you’re off-site that day.
Improve Accessibility
Intercoms can be instrumental in supporting accessibility needs for people who need extra support. If you have people frequenting your building or employees with additional needs, you can offer a more accessible way to navigate the building, as intercoms can assist with opening and closing doors, allowing access, or proceeding with additional support when needed without people having to be at all because they’re stuck or need help.
Communicating via an intercom system can help people assist those more vulnerable in an emergency and increase your levels of support alongside other accessible adaptations you can take.
Cost Cutting
Typically, there’s a setup cost for the initial installation and then regular maintenance or upgrade costs for your intercom equipment and systems. However, intercom systems can be a more cost-effective alternative to having physical security guards present 24/7 for businesses looking to save money and streamline their spending. This cost-saving measure can make your security management more efficient and resourceful.
Let’s say you have different departments working different shifts across 24 hours; your intercom can provide security for those on-site regardless of the time and allow you to offer remote access to locked areas or automatic locking of doors and entry and exit points so no one else can gain access at any time. To do this with employees, it can be costly to have increased patrols, so your intercom can either eliminate this cost or reduce it as you won’t need as many patrols as the intercom system will further support your security measures.
Improved Loss Prevention
Intercom systems, especially those with live video feeds and facial recognition, can offer a helping hand in the fight against loss prevention. If your company is losing money due to theft both internally or externally or you are experiencing huge amounts of loss through damages or poor working practices, your intercom system can form part of your control measures to eliminate any issues you might have,
For example, if stock is going missing from deliveries and doesn’t make it to your warehouse or stockroom but was loaded on the van at your supplier end, an intercom system at your loading bay not only alerts you to the presence of your deliveries but a way to monitor and record who is entering and exiting and taking in the delivery. This enables you to see exactly where products are disappearing if it’s a problem at your end or helps you rule out internal theft from your employees.
Intercoms can also support product loss via store thefts. You can implement intercoms on till points, store entrances, and around your shop floor for easier recording and contact points for employees to get help when required.
Increases Staff Contact
An internal intercom system can be massively helpful in reaching all or some of your employees simultaneously. If you have important information you need to share, you can see the system to transmit messages or send out communications via a public announcement system. If your intercoms have two-way communication options, you can use them to identify where the staff you need to contract are and talk directly to that intercom so everyone gets the message the exact same way at the exact same time.
There are many reasons why businesses and even residential properties have been using intercoms since the 1950s. Their benefits and ability to adapt to a variety of situations and scenarios, along with their flexibility of use and control, make them a vital tool for all of the reasons mentioned above and more. These days, modern systems can induce a wealth of tools and features for enhanced benefits, including, but not limited to, video monitoring, communication channels, access control, enhanced security, and so much more.
Remember, you need to ensure the intercom system you use has all of the features you need and offers you the benefits you’re looking for. This will ensure that your system can be set up and tailored to your business for maximum results.