How to Limit Lost Productivity from Commercial Lockouts
When a business can't open its doors, the cost goes beyond a locksmith bill. Staff wait outside, customers turn away and deliveries go back. Here's how to respond quickly and reduce the chance of it happening again.
Common causes of office lockouts
- Lost or misplaced keys, often with the one person who opens up
- Worn or broken locks that finally fail on a busy morning
- Keypad or access control failures after a power cut or dead battery
- Keys not returned by a former employee
In the moment
- Check whether another key-holder can come in.
- If your building has a property manager or security desk, contact them.
- Call a commercial locksmith and describe the door, lock type and any alarm system.
- Have proof of authority ready, such as a business card, lease or a manager who can confirm by phone.
Why not force the door?
Commercial doors, frames and storefront glass are expensive to replace, and forcing them can also damage panic hardware that your building needs to stay code-compliant. A professional opening is almost always cheaper and faster than repairs.
Preventing the next lockout
- Spread the keys: make sure at least two people can open each morning.
- Rekey after staff changes so former employees' keys stop working.
- Consider keyless entry for doors used by many people; codes can be changed without collecting keys.
- Plan a master-key system so the right people can open the right doors.
- Service worn locks before they fail; a sticking cylinder is an early warning.
Help in Anaheim
For office, shop and warehouse lockouts, call 714-660-0112. See our commercial locksmith service for rekeying, master keys and lock upgrades.
