Locksmith tips

Small-Business Key Control: Preventing Office Lockouts

Most business lockouts are not bad luck. They are the result of keys nobody has tracked. Here is a simple system for a small business.

By the Monrovia Locksmith Store team · Updated · 2 min read

Illustration of an office building

A café, salon or small office might have five doors and twenty keys. When a key goes missing or a manager is off sick with the only copy, the day starts late. A little structure prevents that.

Start a key register

One page: every door, every key, who has it, and the date it was issued. Ask for keys back when people leave, and note it on the register.

Use a master key system

The owner carries one key that opens every door. Managers open what they manage. Staff open only the doors they use. When a staff key goes missing, you rekey only the cylinders it opens.

Swap keys for codes where it makes sense

Back doors, staff rooms and stock rooms used by many people are good candidates for keypad locks. Each person has their own code, and deleting it takes seconds.

Plan for the bad morning

  • Keep a spare key in a secure key box or with an off-site manager.
  • Store the locksmith’s number with your other emergency contacts.
  • Decide who in the business can authorise lock work.

When a lockout happens anyway

Call with the business name and address, which door is locked and who will meet the locksmith. Have ID and something that shows you can authorise entry, such as a business card or lease.

Cabinets and safes

Locked file cabinets and desks are a common follow-on problem. A locksmith can usually open them without damage and key them to match.

Want help setting up key control for your Monrovia business? Call 626-537-2150 or see business lock services.

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