In the bustling city of Manchester, Piccadilly Place stands as a testament to modern, efficient, and secure workspace solutions, boasting a 320,000 sq ft office. With Colliers International Property Management team at the helm, the office is home to prominent tenants like Barclays Bank, Arup, the NHS, and flexible office space provider Orega.
We met with Tobie Chapman, the Estates Manager at Colliers to discover how Sentry has transformed Colliers’ building access management through Locale’s smart building platform.
What were the primary challenges Piccadilly Place faced in terms of access control prior to implementing Sentry Interactive?
Before incorporating Sentry Mobile Access into our facilities management and access management operations, we faced several challenges. Managing access between Three and Four Piccadilly Place required a system that guaranteed security while offering flexibility. With various tenants, we needed a mobile access control solution that could embed into our tenant experience platform and cater to multiple companies in the building and their staff without compromising on convenience or security.
Active Users
900
Product
Sentry Mobile
Access
Access Control Integration
Pac
Building App
Integration
Locale
How has Sentry Interactive facilitated a smoother synergy between the two buildings at Piccadilly Place?
Sentry’s mobile access has been instrumental in bridging building access and management between Three and Four Piccadilly Place. With its software only mobile access technology, tenants can seamlessly move between the buildings without a keycard and use a digital key via their smartphone and the Locale app, enhancing the flow and reducing friction points. The system also allows us to manage and monitor access remotely, ensuring that occupiers have the right level of access at all times. This has not only streamlined operations through reducing the time and expense of printing keycards but also improved the overall convenience and user experience for our occupiers. We have mobile access being used for the recycling store, lifts, receptions, speed lanes, and will be rolled out to the bike storage early Q1 2024.
Can you elaborate on the ease of integration of mobile access with your existing infrastructure and how it has benefited the occupiers?
Integrating Sentry Mobile Access, powered by Doordeck was a smooth process. The open APIs and SDK provided allowed us to integrate the access control software with our existing PAC access control system hardware and the Locale tenant experience platform that we use. Creating a unified access management solution embedded in our Locale app has resulted in a unified platform where occupiers can enjoy keyless, secure NFC mobile entry through their Android or iOS phone, while we can easily manage access control remotely. Occupiers now have a hassle-free, secure method of access that they can rely on. This integration supports the management of our 26 doors efficiently and enhances the experience for over 900 active users.
“Sentry Interactive’s integration with our tenant experience platform enables mobile access that enhances building flow and reduces friction points for front desk teams, building security and tenants.”
Tobie Chapman, Estates Manager, Colliers
How has Sentry Interactive enhanced the user experience for tenants and improved daily operations for the management team?
User experience for our tenants has been transformed by providing a reliable, secure, and convenient mobile access solution. With their smartphones, tenants can easily gain access to their respective spaces without worrying about remembering and carrying around unnecessary physical keycards. From a management perspective, the system’s ease of use and remote 24/7 access point granting or removal provides a considerable amount of additional building security than our legacy PAC access control keycard system did. We now also have the ability to grant or deny access within minutes and even set start and end times for the access, therefore if a visitor is attending a meeting for an hour or a contractor needs out of hours access we can provide that within minutes.
How has Sentry Mobile Access integration with the Locale app positively impacted security and access management during weekends and out of office hours?
Sentry Mobile Access provides precise control over who can access the premises at any given time. For out of hours and weekends, we can easily set up access for specific individuals or groups, accommodating tenants that require access during these times without compromising security. Temporary access for contractors or visitors can also be granted and revoked remotely, providing flexibility and peace of mind for our building management team.
Can you elaborate on the environmental benefits realised by transitioning from plastic access cards to Sentry Mobile Access’s digital solution?
By transitioning to Sentry Mobile Access, we’ve significantly reduced our reliance on plastic access cards. This shift not only aligns with our commitment to sustainability but also eliminates the waste and environmental impact associated with producing, distributing, and disposing of physical access cards. The digital access solution offers an environmentally friendly alternative while enhancing the access experience for our tenants.
“Sentry Mobile Access is the only NFC mobile access software solution for iPhone and Android users that integrates with the vast number of different access control hardware that we have across our portfolio.”
Tobie Chapman, Estates Manager, Colliers
Looking ahead, how do you envision Sentry Mobile Access supporting the future adoption of mobile access with the Colliers and your portfolio of buildings?
We are confident that Sentry Mobile Access will be a cornerstone in converting legacy access control keycard systems to mobile access. As our buildings have a vast number of different access control systems and branded readers Sentry Mobile Access is the only NFC mobile access solution for Android and iPhone that provides mobile entry and integration with all major access control system hardware, no matter the brand installed in the building. It’s well priced and provides the ability to scale and modernize our full portfolio whilst simultaneously enhancing the level of security that our buildings have. The platform enables us to easily add additional doors, increase or decrease the number of users and spaces, supporting our commitment to providing a secure, convenient, and efficient environment for all occupiers at Piccadilly Place.
Get in touch today to find out more about Sentry Mobile Access and our other connected workplace solutions!
“Colliers at Piccadilly Place embodies a progressive vision for workplace management that resonates with our commitment to access control security and innovation. Collaborating with Tobie and Locale has enabled us to co-create an environment where efficiency, security, and technology intersect to deliver an unparalleled access and smart building management experience for tenants.”
Author – Guy Adderley, Director of Sales & Operations (UK and Europe)
