From Plastic Key Cards to Mobile Credentials: A Seamless Switch
For decades, the “beep-click” of a plastic key card has been the soundtrack of the corporate morning. But let’s be honest: key cards are a pain. They get lost, they get left at home, they break, and from a security standpoint, they are surprisingly vulnerable.
Enter the mobile credential.
By turning a smartphone into an access key, businesses throughout New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware are solving the convenience problem. But for property managers and business owners in South Jersey and Southeast PA, the real story isn’t just about convenience—it’s about a massive upgrade in security and operational efficiency.
At Systems Integrations, serving commercial properties across the tri-state area, we are seeing a rapid shift toward mobile-first access control. Here is why it’s happening and what you need to know before you upgrade.
1. The Security Upgrade: Why a Phone is Safer than Plastic
A common misconception is that mobile credentials are less secure because “phones can be stolen.” In reality, a mobile credential is significantly more secure than a standard proximity card for three reasons:
Biometric Authentication: If you lose a plastic key card, anyone who picks it up can walk into your building. If you lose your phone, the thief still has to bypass your FaceID, TouchID, or passcode to access your digital wallet or app.
Encryption: Older “prox” cards (125kHz) transmit data in plain text that can be cloned in seconds with a cheap device bought online. Mobile credentials use Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) or NFC with advanced encryption standards that are incredibly difficult to hack.
Instant Revocation: When an employee quits or a phone is lost, you can revoke their mobile credential instantly from the cloud. There’s no need to chase down a physical card or worry that they made a copy at a kiosk.
For businesses in Gloucester, Camden, Philadelphia, and surrounding counties, this level of security control is particularly valuable for multi-tenant properties, corporate offices, and manufacturing facilities where access management is critical.
2. The Management Advantage
For property managers throughout New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware, the “admin tax” of managing physical cards is real. Printing badges, inventorying plastic cards, and physically handing them to new hires takes time.
Mobile credentials allow for Over-the-Air (OTA) provisioning. You can email a digital key to a new contractor or tenant before they even arrive on site. Their access can be set to expire automatically after a set number of hours or days, automating a process that used to require a manual reminder.
Real-World Applications:
Multi-Tenant Properties: Property managers can issue temporary credentials to maintenance contractors, delivery personnel, or short-term tenants without printing physical cards.
Manufacturing Facilities: Shift workers can receive access that automatically activates and deactivates based on their schedule.
Corporate Offices: HR departments can provision access for new employees before their first day, eliminating the “waiting for your badge” experience.
3. Addressing the “What Ifs”
We hear two common concerns from clients in South Jersey, Southeast Pennsylvania, and Delaware considering this switch:
“What if their battery dies?”
The Reality: Most modern access apps have low-energy modes, and NFC (like Apple Wallet) can often work for hours after a phone “dies” due to reserve power. However, we always recommend a hybrid approach (see below) to accommodate edge cases.
“Is Big Brother watching?”
The Reality: Users often fear the app will track their location off-site. It is vital to communicate that the access control system only logs when they interact with a reader—just like a key card. It does not (and cannot) track them via GPS when they leave the office.
4. Implementation: You Don’t Have to “Rip and Replace” Everything
This is the most important factor for your budget. Moving to mobile doesn’t always mean tearing out every lock and reader in your facility.
The Hybrid Transition: The smartest way to upgrade is to install Multi-Technology Readers. These modern readers can communicate with both traditional plastic cards and mobile phones.
How it works: You install the new readers but let staff keep their old cards. You then issue mobile credentials to new hires or tech-savvy staff. Over time, as plastic cards are lost or expire, you naturally transition the entire workforce to mobile without a jarring “cut-over” day.
Retrofit Options: In some cases, we can even add a small Bluetooth module behind your existing readers, giving them mobile capabilities without changing the aesthetic of the door.
Systems Integrations specializes in PDK and Feenics access control systems that support seamless mobile credential integration. Our certified technicians can assess your current infrastructure and design a phased upgrade plan that fits your budget and timeline.
Mobile Credentials and Cloud-Based Access Control
The shift to mobile credentials pairs naturally with cloud-based access control systems, which offer additional advantages for businesses in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware:
Remote Management: Manage access permissions from anywhere, perfect for multi-location businesses or property managers overseeing multiple buildings.
Automatic Updates: Security patches and feature updates happen automatically without on-site IT intervention.
Scalability: Add new doors, buildings, or locations without expensive server hardware.
Integration: Connect with other building systems like video surveillance, visitor management, and alarm monitoring.
Industry-Specific Applications
Property Management: Multi-tenant commercial properties in Camden, Gloucester, and Philadelphia counties benefit from the ability to issue and revoke credentials instantly as tenants move in and out.
Manufacturing: Facilities in South Jersey can implement role-based access that automatically adjusts based on shift schedules and clearance levels.
Corporate Offices: Businesses in Montgomery, Bucks, and Delaware counties can eliminate badge printing costs and streamline onboarding.
Healthcare: Medical offices can provide temporary access to visiting specialists or contractors while maintaining HIPAA-compliant audit trails.
Security Certifications and Compliance
Mobile credential systems from PDK and Feenics meet industry security standards including:
- OSDP (Open Supervised Device Protocol) for secure reader communication
- AES encryption for credential data
- SOC 2 Type II compliance for cloud infrastructure
- Multi-factor authentication options
For businesses handling sensitive data or operating in regulated industries, mobile credentials provide the audit trail and security controls that compliance requires.
Cost Considerations
While the technology sounds expensive, mobile credentials often reduce total cost of ownership:
Eliminated Costs:
- Plastic card inventory and printing
- Badge printers and supplies
- Card replacement for lost or damaged cards
- Manual provisioning time
Reduced Costs:
- Faster onboarding (no waiting for physical badges)
- Instant deprovisioning (no security risk from unreturned cards)
- Remote management (no truck rolls for simple access changes)
Conclusion: Future-Proofing Your Facility
The shift to mobile isn’t a fad; it is the new standard for commercial properties, manufacturing facilities, and corporate offices throughout New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware. It removes the friction of physical management, eliminates the risk of cloned cards, and creates a smoother experience for tenants and staff.
Are your current card readers ready for the mobile future?
Contact Systems Integrations today. We can audit your current access control infrastructure and show you how to transition to mobile credentials at your own pace. As a certified PDK and Feenics partner serving South Jersey, Southeast Pennsylvania, and Delaware, we specialize in designing scalable access control solutions that grow with your business.
We provide responsive support for property managers, facility managers, and business owners throughout Gloucester, Camden, Salem, Cumberland, Cape May, Mercer, Atlantic, Ocean, Philadelphia, Montgomery, Bucks, Delaware, Chester, Berks, Lancaster, and New Castle counties.