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a self-service model; only to
find themselves tied down by
one specific component of the
experience. Access control is
one such component.
Consider self-catering
holiday lets as a prime
example. Sites such as Airbnb
have shaken up the hospitality
industry, allowing property
owners to let directly to the
public with no need for a costly
middleman. This forms the first
part of the self-service chain,
allowing the customer to fully
manage the process.
But access control remains
a major stumbling block in the
chain. Property owners often
have to meet the customer on
site to hand keys over. Some
choose to place keys in a wall-
mounted safe at the property.
Not only does this present
security concerns when the
property is vacant, but there
is also the possibility of keys
being duplicated without the
owner’s consent.
There are, of course, a
variety of consumer-grade
smart locks available that utilise
technologies such as Bluetooth
or Wi-Fi. While these fulfil the
basic requirements of self-
service access control, they
are reliant on the customer
having a compatible device
or a stable Wi-Fi connection.
Once a customer has been
granted access, there is also
the possibility that they might
reuse the credentials without
permission. The same can
be said for standard keypad
locks.
NetCode from Codelocks
provides the ideal solution
for such a scenario, allowing
pro perty owners to remotely
generate codes for a specific
date, time and duration.
Codes can be sent via email
or SMS, and will only grant
access during the designated
timeslot. This approach is
more convenient for the
person letting the property
and, as it hands control over
to the end-user, improves
the customer experience by
completing the ‘self-service
journey’.
It’s not just holiday lets that
can drastically benefit from
self-service access control.
Sports centres, hotels, gyms,
public lockers – any facility
that is seeking to reduce
overheads, whilst maintaining
highly controlled access
could benefit from Codelocks’
NetCode technology.
Self-service access control
extends beyond customer-
facing applications. For
example, if access is required
for maintenance of a remote
site or a one-off repair visit,
a NetCode compatible smart
lock is the perfect solution.
CASE STUDIES
Pirate Studios is an
innovative start-up company
that has embraced the self-
service model by offering
musicians 24/7 access to its
recording studios. Codelocks
fitted CL5510 smart locks
on the front door and on
each studio door, as well
as KL1550 KitLocks on the
storage facilities for music
equipment.
The company has integrated
NetCode with its existing
booking system, allowing
musicians to book studio time
instantly online. Codes are
then automatically generated
and sent directly to the user
via SMS. The Audit Trail
function of the locks allows
Pirate Studios to track user
activity, providing the business
and its musicians with peace
of mind.
This innovative approach
to studio hire has significantly
reduced overheads as there
is no need to staff the sites 24
hours a day. The model has
been incredibly successful and
Pirate Studios now has sites in
eight cities across the UK.
PARKS TENNIS
Parks Tennis is a community
interest organisation with a
simple mission statement – to
‘improve lives through tennis’.
In partnership with local
authorities, Parks Tennis has
expanded across six cities
and offers a range of coaching
options. The company aims
to make it easy for people
to find and book affordable
tennis courts that are safe and
welcoming to all.
Parks Tennis is a not-for-
profit with big ambitions.
When looking for an access
control solution, they scoured
the market looking for an
affordable self-service platform.
The CL5510 from Codelocks
was the ideal solution to meet
its needs.
Players are now able to book
a court in seconds and instantly
receive a time-specific code.
Parks Tennis also instantly
increased its income because
users can no longer play
without paying. And because
the CL5510 also allows access
via smart cards, longstanding
members and coaches can
gain access any time, without
the need for a code. The API opens up a world
of possibilities, allowing
companies to fully integrate the
code generation platform with
their own systems. A leisure
centre, for example, could
replace their changing room
lockers and still maintain their
existing check-in process.
AUTOMATION AND
INTEGRATION
The more automation
that can be introduced to
self-service, the greater the
benefits. For organisations
looking to integrate NetCode
into their existing systems,
Codelocks provides a
straightforward Application
Programming Interface (API). http://www.codelocks.co.uk/
netcode.html
http://www.codelocks.co.uk/
cl5000/cl5510-smart-lock.
html
http://www.codelocks.co.uk/
news/codelocks-and-pirate-
studios-collaborate.html
http://www.codelocks.co.uk/
news/codelocks-and-parks-
tennis-play-ball.html
LOCKSMITHJOURNAL.CO.UK | MAR/APR 2017
Sponsored by Insafe International
THE NEXT STEP IN THE
SELF-SERVICE REVOLUTION
It can be difficult for
businesses to spot
opportunities that aren’t yet in
the mainstream. If you’d asked
grocery store owners back
in 1915 whether they thought
there was a better way to run
their businesses – one that
reduced costs and improved
the customer experience –
it’s doubtful that they would
have had the same vision as
Mr. Saunders. And yet here
we are, over 100 years later,
embracing the self-service
model pioneered by Piggly
Wiggly.
As the model continues to
evolve, and the self-service
chain becomes increasingly
complex, it’s new technologies
like NetCode that are paving
the way for the future.