Open Options specializes in addressing challenges associated with legacy access control systems. For the Sales team at Open Options, each customer challenge is an opportunity to advance the customer to a better solution. Do any of these six challenges resonate with you?

• Existing access control system did not allow for wireless locks to be integrated
• Rising demand for fever detection reader devices, trace reporting and visitor management software with questions focused around COVID
• Not being able to do a system-wide shutdown in case of an emergency
• Stuck with proprietary hardware, readers and cards
• High ongoing cost of maintaining legacy system and credentials
• Cumbersome reporting and limited scheduling functionality

A school district was strapped with all of these issues, so they called Open Options to find out how the access control company could help. The Open Options sales team welcomed the opportunity to address these challenges.

First, the Open Options team showed how an upgrade to DNA Fusion and Mercury panels would allow the end-user to retro-fit certain hard-to-reach doors and areas by using wireless locks. Then they explained the option to integrate fever detection reader devices, trace reporting and COVID-related visitor management software integrations, if needed in the future.

The end-user was concerned about how they were locked into proprietary hardware, readers and cards. Cost was a factor. The cost of each card was too high, creating a budget issue over a 5 year plan with new hires, lost cards and vendors. Open Options helped find the correct reader and card combination to lower costs vs their existing system.

“We were able to demonstrate the power of DNA Fusion in a school district environment,” said Shannon Diddell, Sales Representative at Open Options. “This included school and district-wide shutdowns for a major school district in the Southeast. We demonstrated a wide range of technology partner integrations, which included standard and wireless readers. We were also able to share the benefits of using a non-proprietary hardware configuration.” The school system did a district-wide change to Open Options, which is still currently being deployed.  Over the next 5 years, the school district is now positioned to experience a more enhanced software feature set, which allows for better lock down capabilities, easier reporting and integration with newer technologies around COVID and other school access issues. The overall move will also save them thousands of dollars each year with reader selections and credentials.