How to Deploy a Key System the Right Way – Dialogue
Congratulations! You completed a successful key-system deployment. The client has signed off on the project punch list, and you handed over the keys. Your work here is done, right? Not quite.
You have the client’s attention, you’ve developed and nurtured a relationship and, more important, you’ve earned their trust. If you pride yourself on being a savvy businessperson, this is the perfect time to explore how you can continue to serve your client well into the future—through ongoing dialogue.
Continued Relationship
Discuss warranties in place. As a trusted adviser, you have responsibilities. These include explaining all product warranties in place and answering questions that the client might have. This likely will include a manufacturer’s warranty on the key system itself but also can include any warranty that you extend on the work you performed, such as a 60-day warranty on labor or free key-cutting services for 30 days.
Detail preventative-maintenance options. Several weeks or months ago, your customer made a purchase decision. They decided to hire you to implement their new key system. Today, they know you as the locksmith, but they probably aren’t aware of your full range of service solutions or capabilities.
Preventative-maintenance contracts can be profitable revenue streams for locksmiths. This is your opportunity to cross-sell. Explain your programs in detail and perhaps leave behind literature. Then, follow up with an email that details exactly what your services include.
A preventative-maintenance contract might be straightforward, such as conducting an annual site visit during which you replace batteries in electronic locks, perform software updates and check that doors operate safely and correctly. It might include a provision for emergency service when the need arises or for additional training should the end user have a change in personnel. If nothing else, it’s highly likely that over the course of the next few years, doors and locks will be subject to wear and tear and will require maintenance. Because of the relationship you established, you’re in a solid position to win this future business.
Review the process for authorizing key cutting and service work. As the locksmith and project manager, you likely have defined your own rules and policies for the process of authorizing new keys to be cut. Do you require only a phone call? Do you require written authorization from an authorized individual whom you have on file? Take the time to review this procedure with the customer.
The manufacturer certainly maintains a file of the employee or employees at each company who are authorized to order key blanks. Be sure that the customer clearly understands who is authorized to have keys cut, who is authorized to order key blanks and what the process entails.
The same goes for service work. Who is authorized to call upon you to perform service work? Let’s say one of your loyal clients is the owner of a multifamily housing complex. A pipe bursts overnight in one of his units, but the occupant is away, and the key isn’t working in that particular door. What should be done? Explain the service process, including what number to call for such emergencies and how you typically respond to standard and emergency requests.
Discuss the benefits of updating the client’s master specification. Although it might be challenging to accomplish, you should encourage your client to add your products and services to their company’s master specification, including the materials to be used, methods of installation and quality of workmanship expected. Discuss the overall benefits of having and maintaining a master specification. This can go a long way in helping to solidify future business.
Stay in touch. Your role doesn’t end after you deploy a new key system. There are many opportunities for you to continue to add value to the end user, so be sure to stay in touch. Regardless of whether the client purchased a preventative-maintenance contract, there’s no harm in reaching out a few times each year to inquire how the key system is working and to ask whether you might be of service with any issues or challenges they face.
By following the five D’s of an effective key-system deployment, you not only will increase productivity and efficiency, reduce waste, improve quality and reduce risk, but you also will position your business to take advantage of recurring business and generate positive reviews and word-of-mouth referrals from happy clients.
Editor’s note: Read the previous installments of our series online at www.locksmithledger.com/21116662, www.locksmithledger.com/21119948, www.locksmithledger.com/21122459 and www.locksmithledger.com/21126455.
Dale L. Bowman, CML, CPP, PSP, PCI, LEED BD+C, is Medeco’s Director of Business Development, OEM and International Sales.
Action Items
Let’s review action items on all five steps to deploying a successful key system:
Phase 1: Discovery
- Review the contract and scope of work to ensure both parties understand which activities are in scope and which aren’t.
- Explain what the key system will and won’t do.
- Review the operations plan and discuss the life cycle of this particular key system to be sure the customer is educated on how long the system is expected to remain viable.
- Identify all crucial participants (stakeholders) involved in the project as well as your main point of contact with the customer.
- Define the formal process for managing and tracking change requests and secure buy-in from the customer on how changes will be approved and implemented.
- Create a schedule and activities plan to define how work will be completed. Identify all major and minor milestones.
- Outline the customer resources required for a successful key-system deployment.
- Anticipate risks to the project plan and create a formal plan that outlines the steps that will be taken to reduce risk.
- Develop a quality-control and monitoring plan and determine how quality will be tracked and by whom.
Phase 2: Design
- Ask the facility manager for a current set of floor plans. Having plans in hand facilitates the location of openings.
- Determine whether the customer has a door-numbering system. If not, help them develop one.
- Determine the scope of the site survey and what details are required to capture for each opening.
- Digitize the survey data as much as possible. Digital tools, such as tablets and other mobile devices, help to organize data and facilitate interpretation and presentation later on.
- Establish “keying language and terminology” with the customer. This will help the customer understand the elements of their key system and will minimize confusion in the communication process.
- Manage the keying system to achieve security objectives, not for the convenience of key holders.
- Keep the design simple—the simpler the better.
- Be sure that the customer signs off on the key-system layout and plan.
- Where available, leverage the key-system manufacturer’s design tools and resources. Some manufacturers have online design tools and guides, and some even provide in-field masterkey-system design consultation.
- Refer to the scheduling plan developed earlier for important dates and deadlines.
- Capture all steps and action items required to complete the project.
- Calculate the duration of each activity and assign the appropriate resource(s).
- Document and digitize the project plan.
Phase 3: Develop
- Consider a utility patented key system for added protection against unauthorized key duplication.
- Implement a key-control agreement signed by the locksmith, end user and manufacturer.
- Publish and communicate a comprehensive key-control policy.
- Require senior managers to endorse the policy officially.
- Ensure that orders for key blanks are accompanied by a letter of authorization, either submitted as a hard copy or a digital tool designed to manage such authorizations.
- Outline a detailed communications plan that includes key messages and dates, target audiences, communication vehicles and actions expected by the recipient.
- Define key management tools for key storage and tracking.
- Outline the training process for key holders, installers and maintenance personnel.
- Ensure all stakeholders are educated on relevant aspects of the key-management policy and agree to abide by it.
Phase 4: Deployment
- Submit the key-control agreement along with the key-system order to the manufacturer. If necessary, verify that the key-control agreement has been reviewed and approved by the client’s legal professionals.
- Carefully review order documents to avoid delays in order processing by the key-system manufacturer. Before sending the keying schedule to the manufacturer, compare it with details of the site survey and correct any inaccuracies.
- Ensure that the purchase order corresponds to the keying schedule’s quantities and part numbers exactly.
- Create a staging area in which to secure key-system components before and during installation.
- Upon arrival, compare items received against the purchase order. Conduct a spot check to be sure keys function as expected.
- Review the planned sequence of installations and arrange products in the proper order in the staging area.
- Conduct regular quality audits during installation and maintain a list of items to be completed before the project is finalized.
Phase 5: Dialogue
- Take the time to explain all applicable warranties provided by the manufacturer and by you, the locksmith.
- Explain the preventative-maintenance programs you provide and leave behind literature or follow up with an email that details exactly what your services include, so the customer can refer to this in the future.
- Review policies for key cutting and service work. Be sure the customer understands who is authorized to request these types of services and is aware of the procedure to submit requests.
- Discuss the benefits of updating the client’s master specification to include the products and services you provide.
- Keep in touch!
Dale L. Bowman
Dale L. Bowman, CML, CPP, PSP, PCI, LEED BD+C, is Medeco’s director of business development, OEM and international sales.