Paxton provides smart access solution for collaborative workspace

Paxton10, an access control and video management solution has been implemented at Chiswick Works, a collaborative community workspace based in Southwest London.

The workspace is managed by X+Why, who offers flexible daily passes for collaborative workspaces and short or long-term memberships for dedicated offices. Chiswick Works is part of a larger group of similar flexible offices nationally.

The management team at X+Why needed to modernise the outdated and varied access control systems across their UK sites. Their overall aim is to have a centralised system that can be remotely managed from any of their many locations across the country. This will enable greater convenience and flexibility for their customers as well as simplicity for their site managers when granting access.

Currently at Chiswick Works, they have 50 doors, and 117 active members requiring varying levels of access, depending on the type of membership they have.

Trey Nelson-Campbell, Community Manager for X+Why, is overseeing the implementation of a Paxton10, which is a combined access control and video management system. It is being installed over time across all the company’s sites. Trey explained: “The most important thing we wanted with the new system was for our clients to have the best possible service and experience, whilst not feeling restricted. I see many of them lose access cards regularly and get stuck outside the building or their office. We were looking at security systems that will help to eradicate this problem as it takes up so much time re-issuing access cards.”

The team also wanted their new solution to provide remote management technology so that all the sites they manage across the UK could be linked to a single system. As each site is upgraded, they require the ability to add them for simple multi-site administration. This also provides an additional benefit to the X+Why members, as they can be permitted access to any X+Why building without the need to obtain an access card or key fob for each site.

Trey continued: “Based on our requirements, Paxton10 just ticked every box for us.”

To achieve its objectives, X+Why contracted Ambush Security Systems to undertake the installation of Paxton10 across all sites, starting with Chiswick Works.

Ambush chose to install Paxton10 which combines access control and video management on one ‘user-friendly, online interface’. With remote management capability, Multi-site functionality, and smart credentials that is designed to make smart devices access tokens, it is Paxton’s ‘most powerful’ system yet.

Sam Rodway, Ambush’s Technical Sales Director explained: “I knew of Paxton10 and the benefits of the system from installations in other buildings. It is the perfect solution for X+Why with their long-term plans across multiple sites, and the way their clients will be interacting with the access control system.

“For a collaborative workspace it is just the ideal solution. It is the only system I know of that enables the use of a smartphone or smartwatch as access tokens, that can be setup and emailed to the user quickly and easily. Paxton refer to these as smart credentials and they are completely free of charge with Paxton10.”

Ambush Security Systems installed a centralised Paxton10 Server which will eventually control access across all the sites X+Why manage. This server is designed to operate up to 1000 doors across 100 sites, making it a scalable use of hardware. Alongside the server, it installed Paxton10 Slimline Readers on all 50 internal doors, and keypad readers on the main front entrance as well as a bike shed which connects to the main building, providing further flexibility with access via PIN/code.

Sam explained: “The installation went very well. Paxton10 is a modular system, with a single door controller configuration. I found it simple as it just connects via a web browser. Once it is online the server is extremely easy to manage and configure.

“Paxton are known for their excellent customer support. One of their agents really helped us with the software configuration. It now works perfectly and suits the specific needs of X+Why.”

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