Losing the keys to your shop can be a serious matter. It may delay your opening in the morning and cause you to lose money. You might not be able to lock your shop at night until a locksmith comes and changes the lock, which is an inconvenience. It's a good idea to plan in advance for such an occurrence because keys have a way of getting lost at the worst of times. Here are a couple of options that keep you from being locked out of your shop:

Have A Digital Lock Installed

One thing you could do is have the entry lock changed to a digital model. A locksmith can install a secure lock that doesn't require a key at all so getting locked out becomes a thing of the past. Rather than using a key, all you have to do is punch in a code and the door opens. You can give additional codes to trusted employees and deactivate a code when an employee quits working for you. As long as you remember the code, you'll be able to get inside the door.

Implement A Master Key System

Many commercial operations use a master key system. This allows trusted employees to access the entry door and other important rooms while lower-level employees can use keys to get into individual offices. If you have several employees, you'll need a key management system, which can be provided by a commercial locksmith, to keep track of which keys open which doors.

The advantage of this system is that you can give keys to the entry door of your shop to a few trusted employees who are assigned to work during opening and closing hours. If one key is lost, another employee has a key as a backup so there is no downtime for your shop. Having multiple keys also ensures your employees can enter the shop as soon as they arrive and start setting up for the day rather than linger around the door and wait for someone with the only key to arrive.

While these employees may be able to open the front door, you may not want them to open your office or the door to the floor safe. A master key system is the solution since you'll be the only one with a master key that opens every lock in your building. The next level down opens the entry door and other locks you designate while the level below that only opens specific doors. You can have as many levels as you need and as many keys as you need to ensure your shop is always operational and your employees have access to their work areas.

Another advantage of a master key system is that you'll only need to carry a single key to access all the locks in your building rather than carrying multiple keys. This makes it easier to store your shop key on a fob with your car key and house key so it's less likely you'll misplace it in the future. If your keying system is outdated and putting you at risk of a lockout, call a commercial locksmith for an evaluation of your shop and advice on the best locking system to install.

Contact a company like DuPage Security Solutions, Inc. for more information and assistance.