Nine bright blue reader interfaces, one access control panel and one power supply replaced an outdated card reader system at a suburban company that is "trying to be more green."

Bob, the company spokesperson, met with Anderson Lock's Access Control Manager, Jeff Parcell. "I told Jeff what we wanted," Bob said.  "We were looking for something established, something that would be easier to manage. I like the idea of having a web-based system. Updates will be readily accessible, so it should be up and running for a long time. I also wanted an easier way to get reports. I wanted a simple system that could do what I wanted it to do!"

Jeff and his team have installed dozens of Schlage bright blue systems, and customers have been well-satisfied with the flexibility, reliability, and ease of operation. The web-based system allows you to access, manage and oversee your facility's points of entry from anywhere. It's affordable, and it's easy to use. There's no need to install expensive software or use a dedicated PC. Everything you need is inside the blue box, just plug it into your existing network and power source. That's all it takes to start managing up to 32 devices and 5000 cardholders.

There are only 35 to 40 employees at Bob's facility, and seven doors were connected to the bright blue system. Two of the doors have back-to-back, IN/OUT readers installed, so there are nine readers.

Four of the doors were recently replaced by Anderson Lock's installation team members who also installed new electrified hardware. Bob said, "Both teams were real good. The installations went very well. I was just admiring the door I came through when I returned from lunch." He added that the company also put in new windows and air conditioning, and that they are going to apply for "green certification" in the near future.

Jeff agreed that the installation went well. "We were able to use some of the existing cabling, and we were able to put all the system components in one area." He said he spent "a couple of hours" teaching Bob and another employee how to program the system for first-man-in, regular and holiday schedules, and how to run reports. One advantage of a web-based system is being able to access information, if you have the passwords and authorization, from anywhere. At night and on weekends you can log on from your home computer.

The bright blue system would have been welcomed by Bob last winter when everything turned white. He had to be the first-man-in when this area faced its biggest blizzard in years. "I made it in," he says, then adds, "but hardly anyone else did. We closed down for the first time in memory!"