Schiphol Airport has to try and keep about 55 million passengers a year happy. Consequently, it is important to ensure that the passenger’s waiting time is spent as pleasantly as possible. Shopping is an important aspect of this. Schiphol offers a lot of opportunities for shopping airside (See Buy Fly) and landside (Schiphol Plaza). Given the high level of security and the continual activity at the airport, providing access to these stores is an interesting challenge for a company like Nauta Connect. Schiphol storekeepers happy thanks to Nauta Connect’s smart, key control system KeyConductor.
The airside stores at Schiphol are united in the Airport Retailers Association (ARA). The organisation carries responsibility on their behalf for facilities, security and, of course, all aspects of retail at Schiphol. Mr Alex van den Hoek is the director of the ARA and his responsibilities include security and facilities.
Schiphol storekeepers happy thanks to the KeyConductor intelligent key control system
Between 1999 and 2013, key issuing and return was organised with two key control systems. The systems made use of contact chips that were very sensitive to dirt. Users sometimes couldn’t collect or return their keys, which led to further problems. The administrators also had difficulties with the antiquated software. Communication between the two systems left a lot to be desired and the supplier’s response time was also unsatisfactory. These were all reasons for the ARA to start looking for a new solution.
After drawing up an inventory of requirements and desirabilities in consultation with the ARA, Nauta Connect developed a customised solution. It included two KeyConductor systems based on UHF RFID and a large touch screen as an operating panel. The basis of the system is the UHF RFID KeyCop. It isn’t sensitive to dust and dirt and the transmission of data via UHF RFID (i.e. contactless) is super-fast. The central control application is extremely user-friendly, reliable and even offers extensive reporting options. This solution, to which the ARA also contributed a great deal, became the basis for all Nauta Connect KeyConductor key control systems.
If you would like to find out more about the capabilities of the key control system, we will be happy to tell you about them.
The transition from the old systems to the KeyConductor systems was prepared for in minute detail and went very well. The software was arranged weeks beforehand. Within 24 hours, the old system had been dismantled and the new KeyConductors had been installed and were already in operation. The users are extremely happy with the new systems and the KeyConductor is a secure and reliable solution. Issuing and returning sets of keys is now fast and flawless. The stores can be opened on time and passengers can continue to spend their money without interruption.
If you are curious about our electronic lockers and key cabinets, read the cases below from all sorts of sectors, like universities, hotels, security, cash-in-transit, healthcare, transport and government institutions.
