There’s a reason why everyone prefers to reside in a gated community. There are various amenities, a sense of being a part of a large family and above all, better security than in independent houses. Most apartments do have guards, CCTV surveillance and very vigilant residents. So while this definitely puts them at a higher level of security, some isolated incidents still manage to happen and that instills fear in all of us. Let’s find out how an app based security management system can add additional security to a gated community.
So, how do you stop miscreants from slipping into a society and committing crimes?
There are the obvious options –
- Increasing the number of security guards on duty
- More CCTV cameras
- Drills for the residents to be vigilant all the time and to report any activity that seems suspicious
- Stricter rules for checking people in
There are quite a few things that can be done to ramp up security. But the thing is this – All these measures, even when implemented in the best possible way, are obsolete.
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The Drawbacks Of Conventional Security Measures
Let’s consider this for an instance. At the gate, most visitors are asked to enter their details before the resident of the apartment they wish to visit is contacted via intercom to gain permission to allow them in. Now, here’s what is wrong with this conventional method –
- Giving false information while checking in: The visitor could put down any name, number, and address of his choice. There is no way of verifying these details. Any miscreant can thus enter and also guard themselves against being discovered by providing wrong contact details.
- No Check Out: In larger complexes, it’s virtually impossible for guards to keep a tab on each visitor and verify if they checked out of the compound or not. This means if someone does manage to get in, they could linger around for quite a bit of time.
- Inability to stop blacklisted staff/visitors: In some cases, any staff or visitor may be blacklisted due to misbehavior or even crimes committed. Security Guards being extremely transitional, if the same staff or visitor comes back sometime later, there’s no way to stop them. Even if the same guard is in place, he/she would need a photographic memory to be of any help in such cases.
- Hacking CCTVs: It is very easy to cheat the current system that too with a few simple hacks. A cap over your face, a hoodie or even large sunglasses are all it takes to cover your face from the CCTV surveillance.
- Inability to stop visitors claiming to be residents: The guards at the gate cannot be familiar with each resident. Someone could as well walk in claiming to be a resident.
What we have described here are only the surface of things. Delve deep and you’ll find that a lot more could go wrong despite the best efforts of the entire security team and the residents.
Technology To The Rescue
This is where the App based security management system ADDA GateKeeper, comes in.
How does ADDA Gatekeeper help?
ADDA GateKeeper helps implement a system which keeps miscreants out of your community. Let’s break it down for you. Here’s how it can be done –
1. Foolproof Visitor Check In
ADDA Gatekeeper makes use of tablets to replace conventional registers used to chart visitor details. The photo of each visitor is captured and stored along with other details such as their contact number, which can be verified for authenticity.
This acts as an instant deterrent. A person who knows that his/her photo and correct contact details are captured at the security gate will think multiple times before committing a crime.
2. Visitor Notifications/ Pre-authorise Visitors
Unlike conventional systems which rely on the intercom to gain permission to let a visitor in, the Gatekeeper sends notifications directly to the resident’s personal mobile. This makes sure that a domestic helper or someone else in the house doesn’t get to let random people in. Every visitor is recorded digitally, the details of which are communicated to the owner before being allowed in. The resident can also pre-authorise entry of special guests at the gate so that they won’t be kept waiting to go through all the checks.
3. Stop Blacklisted Staff
Any staff who has been blacklisted from entering the complex can be stopped from ever entering if the complex uses an app based security management system like ADDA GateKeeper in conjunction with Biometric attendance systems. Such biometric systems, gives instant alerts to security guards when a blacklisted staff tries to enter.
4. Central Database of Staff
Any changes made to existing staff database becomes instantly available to billing, accounting, staff management as well as at the Security Gate.
This also means that if a staff is caught committing a crime, he/she can be instantly blacklisted in the ADDA system. This data syncs with the security gate and prevents the person from entering the premises second time.
5. Authenticating Residents
Residents can be authenticated through their resident ID present in their ADDA App. Many Apartment Complexes provides physical ID cards to residents, but residents often forget to carry them. With ADDA GateKeeper, the resident ID card becomes available on phones, which residents are always carrying.
6. Check Out Monitoring
Security guards get alerts on overstay of visitors. This reduces the possibility of crime to a large degree. Also, if check out of visitors is not done diligently then Management Committee members gets alerts. This helps them keep an active eye on the security processes and lapses at the gate.
The Gatekeeper Is The Next Big Thing
While gated communities do offer better safety than independent houses, they are not completely safe either from the outside world unless there are technology-based systems in place to protect the residents.
In many ways, the ADDA Gatekeeper, the most trusted app based security management system is what every gated community needs to truly provide a safe haven to its people. If you do live in such a community, do not hesitate to reach out to us for a demo. We’re sure that you’ll be onboard in no time at all. After all, what can matter more than the security of your loved ones?
Authored By: Ambili Mukundan
Learn more about ADDA Gatekeeper and its benefits.