Work Heights uses Kisi to keep its community secure

How did you manage your space before using Kisi?

At the very beginning when I first launched the space, there were only 8 members! So I naturally went with the most intuitive and traditional way of managing such a small number of people -- physical keys.

What were some of the challenges with physical keys?

My membership numbers grew and it was simply unsustainable to manage the space with physical keys. It did not make sense to make physical copies of keys for each new member. Security was also fast becoming an issue with the number of people in the space, where keys could be lost. If that were to happen we could not be replacing the locks every time a key was lost.

How did you find out about Kisi?

I first got to know about Kisi from The Farm SoHo as they were already using Kisi. I Really loved how it was working, and so when I decided to transition from using physical keys, the choice for access control was pretty clear as I already saw how it was bringing tangible benefits.

What did Kisi help you with?

In terms of operations, it has helped to create access to the space in a streamlined way. Access was much more easily managed than before because access could simply be granted or relinquished. This automation of operations makes it a lot easier for me to take a hands-off approach when it comes to the day-to-day running of the space. This allows me to focus on my other business.

In addition, I find Kisi to be a very useful tool in terms of spelling out access rights. With access rights tied to the membership, it becomes a black and white matter that access will only be granted with a paying membership. Hence, it professionally resolves the rather awkward situation where my community manager might have to explain to a certain member that he or she will not have access until payment is received.

In terms of man hours saved, I would give a rough estimate of around 1.5 hours saved per member -- which is really significant when the members add up. This estimate comes from time needed to assign and distribute keys cards to new members, keeping track of where the key cards are, and getting them back when a member leaves. I also benefit from offering various access levels at different prices. These prices are tied to different membership tiers which Kisi makes it easy assign to and implement. Something a physical key could never do.