Is Your Phone The New Key to Your Facility?

2 Aug

In today’s industrial environment, controlling who has access to your site — and when — is critical. Whether it’s protecting your production floor, cold storage, or your comms room, access credentials are the digital keys that keep your facility secure.

But not all credentials are created equal.

What is an access credential?

An access credential is a form of identification used to unlock doors and gates secured by an electronic access control system — think of it as your site’s smart alternative to a traditional lock and key.

While physical keys can be copied, lost, or left in the wrong hands, electronic systems let you issue, revoke, and track access instantly. They also provide a digital record of who’s come and gone. Common types of access credentials include:

PIN codes
Proximity fobs and cards
Biometric scans (like fingerprints)
Mobile credentials (via smartphone apps)

  
      Credential Type
      Security Level
      Risk of Loss/Sharing
      Ease of Use
      Audit & Tracking
      Best For
    

  
      PIN Code
      ★★☆☆☆
      High
      Easy
      Limited
      Low-risk areas, temp access
    

      Proximity Card/Fob
      ★★★☆☆
      Medium
      Very Easy
      Good
      General staff access
    

      Biometric
      ★★★★☆
      Very Low
      Moderate
      Excellent
      High-security zones
    

      Mobile Credential
      ★★★★★
      Very Low
      Easy
      Excellent
      Full-site access, remote staff
    

Why mobile credentials are becoming the top choice

Mobile credentials take access control to the next level — combining convenience, control, and unmatched security. Here’s why we recommend them to our industrial and manufacturing clients:

Triple-layered security

Mobile credentials rely on three-factor authentication (3FA) — the gold standard in secure access and makes mobile credentials significantly harder to spoof, clone, or share than a fob or card:

Something you have: your phone
Something you know: your phone passcode or app login
Something you are: facial recognition or fingerprint

Can’t be lost, stolen, or forgotten

Lose a fob and you’re locked out (or worse — your site’s exposed). But mobile credentials live inside the device your team already carries and protects. Plus, if a phone is ever lost, it’s easy to remotely revoke access and issue a new credential — no site visit or hardware required.

Works from anywhere, with real-time control

Mobile credentials can be issued, updated, or revoked from your admin dashboard — no need to physically hand over a fob. Perfect for contractors, new staff, or high-turnover environments where agility matters.

What we see on industrial sites

Most facilities still rely on proximity fobs or PIN codes. These are tried and tested — but they also come with risks like lost keys, shared PINs, and poor audit trails. More and more forward-thinking site managers are now upgrading their base access systems with mobile options — especially for: