The Outlook for Biometric Access Control

The current moment has security companies asking how much of the public’s attitudes toward biometrics are here to stay. Is it worth investing in security solutions that customers might not want after the pandemic? Or are we headed toward a future in which a person’s face is their universal key fob and credit card? And how do we adapt our sales strategy accordingly?

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Biometric access control—the use of physical characteristics like a fingerprint, retina, or facial scan as a security measure—is in the middle of a profound shift.

Like so much in our world, the COVID-19 pandemic turned the security industry upside down. Before the pandemic, using your fingerprint to unlock a door felt slightly futuristic. But now, the idea of pressing your finger to a public touchscreen seems like a relic of the distant past. Conversely, a scanner that takes your temperature before you get on an elevator might once have seemed invasive but now just seems safe.

The current moment has security companies asking how much of the public’s attitudes toward biometrics are here to stay. Is it worth investing in security solutions that customers might not want after the pandemic? Or are we headed toward a future in which a person’s face is their universal key fob and credit card?

The answers to these questions are still uncertain, but it’s clear that in 2021, biometric access control is part of a larger debate about balancing public health, individual privacy, and security. Security companies need to be aware of these issues so they can adapt accordingly.

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Advice to Customers: Proceed with Caution

We don’t yet know how the law and public opinion will evolve regarding biometric security, so the safest bet is to install these systems where they can do the most good and are at the least risk of causing a backlash.

Customers can reserve biometric access control for employees who have explicitly opted in, while maintaining non-biometric security systems for visitors (and employees who don’t opt in). Likewise, biometrics might not make sense for an entire property but can be used for areas that need special protection, like a server room.

Another option is to forego installing biometric sensors and instead let employees (and visitors) scan their mobile devices to access properties. This gives added security (since phones are usually password or biometric protected) without saddling customers with the responsibility for sensitive biometric data.

Ultimately, security sales teams should help customers consider the ROI of biometrics. How much money could they save by not having to account for lost ID badges? How much time could they save through faster entry and exit procedures? Are biometrics a cost-effective way to meet their security obligations? The answers to these questions will determine whether or not biometric access control is a good investment.

Make Biometric Expertise Part of Your Sales Strategy

Biometric access control is still a viable solution for security companies to have in their repertoires and will only become more ubiquitous and less expensive as time goes by. But it’s vital to stay informed about changes in this industry so you can be a trusted advisor to your customers. And it’s equally important to take a surgical approach to sales prospecting, so you can pitch biometrics to the right customers.