Biometrics for Business?

When you think of 'biometrics', what comes to mind?

Chances are, you will associate 'biometrics' with security, border control, and forensics, or perplexing social questions such as privacy and big brother.

Although there is no doubt biometrics is a powerful security tool, we see massive potential for biometric technology to contribute to the profitability and efficiency of Australian businesses.

Have you ever considered BIOMETRICS IN BUSINESS?

Have you ever considered biometric technology as a business management tool that will contribute to your competitive advantage in the market?

Your business is a complex ecosystem of operational activities that work together to achieve a shared objective – delivering a profit to shareholders! Success in business demands accurate and secure management of people and assets to ensure your company operates to its maximum potential.

The question is, how will biometrics strengthen your business ecosystem?

Well, here are 10.5 ways biometrics will do precisely that:

1. Time and Attendance

Let's start at the top - T&A management is a fundamental function of every business that has the potential to erode profits every day. How? Simply put, manual T&A and Payroll systems are inaccurate and can be easily manipulated. Even minor inaccuracies in T&A data can lead to massive payroll losses for big businesses.

Time and attendance entries, when verified by biometrics, ensure timestamps are precise, irrefutable, and are allocated to staff correctly. Furthermore, biometric solutions in T&A mitigate timesheet and bundy fraud, as well as eliminate laborious, manual data entry that is often rife with errors.

As a result, using biometrics in T&A management empowers businesses to record accurate timesheets, protect payroll data integrity, and appropriately compensate staff.

2. Access (ingress & egress)

While biometric access control significantly improves safety and security by eliminating unauthorised access of staff, visitors and intruders, biometric access control also contribute to more efficient ingress and egress.

Firstly, when managing unique users, it’s quick and straightforward to enrol new users biometrically and allocate unique access permissions. Access authorisations can be updated in real-time to ensure efficient and secure day-to-day business management.

Secondly, biometric verification eliminates the need for manual verification processes that inhibit staff and visitors' efficient ingress/egress. Instead, businesses can seamlessly/automatically verify, authorise, and track people-movement onsite with no inaccuracies.

3. Key Management

In simple terms, when biometrics are injected into key management systems, businesses have far greater control over the allocation and whereabouts of business-critical keys. Control refers to; managing authorisations securely and seamlessly, ensuring staff are accountable for keys in their possession, and the accurate storing of usage records.

Similar to biometric access control, managing key authorisations biometrically is simple and reliable. Managers can apply complex policies controlling the use of keys, and the accurate tracking of hundreds of keys is now possible.

4. Asset and Inventory Management

Similar to key management systems, biometrics reinforce the security and efficiency of asset and inventory management solutions.

RFID-tagged assets can be assigned to the biometrically identified staff member, dramatically increasing accountability for using and returning valuable company assets. Linking assets, such as tools, technology, and equipment, to the individual reduces theft and careless damage, while perimeter management of RFID-tagged assets prevents their removal from the premises.

Strict and robust biometric access control to inventory areas has several benefits, including; increased efficiency through automatic access verification processes, ensures staff accountability which reduces stock shrinkage, and mitigates the threat of theft from persons without entry permissions.

5. Cards, Passwords & PINS

As a tie-in to the previous four points, biometric identity management eliminates the need for fallible swipe cards, passwords and PINS. Biometric technology offers increased security that protects against identity fraud, spoof attacks, cyber threats, and unlawful access to critical business areas.

Replacing unreliable verification tools with biometrics also improves the efficiency of day-to-day business operations. Staff are not required to carry swipe cards that are easily lost, stolen and forgotten, or remember passwords and PINS that are easily shared, hacked and forgotten. Managing the impact of these problems is costly for every business.

6. Visitor Management

Managing new and returning visitors is easier with biometrics. Firstly, enrolment is fast and intuitive and can even be conducted remotely. Secondly, managing specific visitor access permissions is simple and secure. Thirdly, once a visitor is biometrically enrolled, there is no need for manual onsite verification processes - which benefits both the visitor and your organisation.

In terms of security, biometrics enables organisations to manage authorisations in real time. If required, a visitor’s access privileges can be immediately enabled or disabled – a valuable and convenient solution that also maintains safety onsite.

7. Muster Reports

Biometrics gives organisations greater confidence in maintaining access records for staff and visitors onsite. As a result, organisations can instantly generate accurate muster reports with up-to-date attendance information - improving safety and security for staff and visitors. Furthermore, precise muster reports are helpful for internal data insights and compliance.

8. Data Management

Biometrics enables organisations to share essential data across relevant third-party information systems securely. There are several benefits to injecting biometrics into existing data management processes, including; relieving administrative burden, reducing duplication of effort, eliminating costly data entry and consistency errors, and a significant increase in staff accountability.

9. Rostering

When biometrics are integrated into the business ecosystem - particularly access control - organisations can manage their people more accurately and efficiently. For example, access control privileges can be linked to rostering systems, allowing management to automatically enable/disable access permissions based on when a staff member is on or off shift.

Access privileges that depend on rosters can also be applied to asset and key permissions. While biometrics and rostering is primarily a security and safety function, it also supports efficient day-to-day business and people management.

10. HRM & Compliance

Organisations can also improve compliance outcomes by linking HRM information to biometrically-enabled operational controls, such as forklifts and trade licences. Biometrics support organisations in managing day-to-day operations and authorisations while also creating a safer work environment.

10.5. Biometrics in real-world Business

As a final point, integrating biometrics into the business ecosystem gives management greater confidence in the accuracy of daily operational reports that contribute to the usefulness and value of data insights. Better information leads to better business management.

Furthermore, biometrics will strengthen your business ecosystem by seamlessly supporting existing business management tools. Whether it is payroll, access control, muster reports or key management, biometrics reinforces these systems' accuracy, reliability, security and efficiency, leading to better overall business management.

So, Biometrics for Business? More than just a security tool?

While the day-to-day landscape and application of biometrics will be different for every business, injecting biometrics into the business ecosystem offers many benefits to all organisations.

Consider biometrics as a tool - a tool for security, yes, but also to efficiently manage high volumes of organisational activity with ultra accuracy - contributing to a more profitable and scalable business.

Meet Biode

We are driven by a deep desire to lead the biometric identity management industry in our quest to protect and manage people and physical assets. Organisations have trusted our biometric identity management solutions for the past two decades, and we are just getting started.

DISCOVER HOW A BIODE SOLUTION CAN STRENGTHEN YOUR BUSINESS ECOSYSTEM

Success in business demands accurate and secure management of people and assets to ensure your company operates to its full potential. Be empowered by the irrefutable nature of biometrically enabled business systems, as it helps you solve a range of business problems and gives your managers complete peace of mind.

SPEAK WITH A BIOMETRIC EXPERT FROM BIODE TODAY.