As with any major business purchase, it’s worth taking the time to ask a lot of questions when choosing an access control vendor. You want a vendor who is large enough to be stable and provide timely customer support when you need it, yet small enough to be responsive to your needs. Flexibility is also important: the vendor should be able to adjust to your specific requirements.

The best vendors will ask you questions as well. They'll walk you through the specification process and help you find the solution that best fits your needs. They don't always need to see your facility, but they may do a site visit or ask you to send digital pictures of specific entry points. Avoid vendors who have the "perfect system for you" after five minutes of conversation — and by the way, it's on sale this week only!

Most access control vendors work with a wide range of customers, but you should look for one that has experience in your industry. In particular, don’t work with a company that handles mostly residential systems: for your business, you need commercial-grade access control. Many manufacturers produce residential versions that are considerably cheaper — but they are not as reliable and not built for the same amount of use as commercial systems.

Also, look for a vendor who supports multiple brands of hardware and software. Access control hardware is fairly standardized and will work with most controllers. Controllers and software are more specialized, so make sure the dealer you choose has significant experience installing and supporting the brands you decide on. Factory certification from manufacturers indicates a greater level of training and support, but it's not essential — some dealers don't bother with it.

Integration and installation
In addition to providing you with the right products and appropriate support, the vendor you choose will also be responsible for installing your access control system and integrating it with any other related security systems you have. There is no real standard for connectivity between access control and alarms, time and attendance, video surveillance, and HR software, so there will always be some custom work involved in creating links between these systems. However, an access control vendor should be prepared for this and have experience with the type of systems you want to connect.

There are local and national codes governing the types of locks and hardware that can be used on fire and exit doors, so make sure your vendor is familiar with the ordinances in your area.

Installation can take anywhere from a couple of days to two weeks, depending on the total number of gates and doors being controlled by your system. The vendor will install the software on your computers (or show you how to connect to the ASP), set up your first users, and install the locking and detection hardware. They’ll include some type of training on how to manage the software, but this can vary quite a bit from one vendor to another. For a basic system, an informal demonstration of how to create cards and reports should be enough, while on larger systems, you may need a more comprehensive training session.