ISONAS access control system provides enhanced security for Restaurant Equipment World

The installation of the system was done by in-house personnel with the assistance of a locksmith

For 36 years Restaurant Equipment World has been the premier on-line source for restaurant equipment. From a slow start up period as a new concept for selling restaurant provisions via the World Wide Web, REW has grown to the largest on-line seller of restaurant equipment in the world. With over 105,000 customers combined in the US and in 100 countries abroad, the Company ships restaurant equipment of every description from its headquarters in Orlando, FL to individual restaurants, restaurant chains such as Applebee’s, Denny’s and Bennigan’s, as well to hospitals, and other institutional kitchens, including various departments of the US Government. Demand for REW’s wares has grown to the point where founder and President Brad Pierce has opened a retail facility in Orlando and expanded warehouse space to 45,000 square feet.

Integration with mission critical systems

As part of the Company’s commitment to extreme customer service REW was asked to provide enhanced security for its records and warehouse areas for a particular customer as a requirement for doing business. According to founder Brad Pierce, “We had been struggling with old fashioned lock and key access to our space. We looked at what was available in the market and chose the ISONAS system because it seemed to be the most cost efficient as well as the easiest to install and maintain. After having used the system for several years, I can say today that I would not ever run a business without an ISONAS access system.”

The current system controls 5 openings; 2 external entrances and 3 internal doors. Interior spaces are separated into “public” spaces where customers and all employees are allowed and restricted areas for both sensitive records and warehouse spaces.

The ISONAS system is also integrated with other REW mission critical systems including the video surveillance system, an intrusion alarm system, and the employee time and attendance system. “One of the key factors in our extreme delight with ISONAS is the easy manner in which we have been able to integrate it as the central piece of our overall building security strategy,” says Mr. Pierce. “Not only do our alarm and video systems provide interactive information with the access system, but the credentials used for access to the building also generate time and attendance information for our payroll and time clock applications. We even use our access cards for cashier access to our cash registers.”

Installation of access control

The installation of the system was done by in-house personnel with the assistance of a locksmith to install the door strikes. “ISONAS technical support was superb in assisting us with getting the system up and running smoothly,” says Mr. Pierce. The ability to easily add and delete users and change permission levels for employees via the ISONAS Crystal Matrix management software has contributed cost savings over the old system of lock and keys, which was difficult to manage and required costly re-keying of locks on a periodic basis.

With the Company’s worldwide expansion, REW is opening an office in Dubai. “Since the ISONAS system is IP network based, we will install it in Dubai and manage it from our headquarters in Orlando,” says Mr. Pierce. “We don’t have a full time IT department, but the ease of use and extreme security functionality of the ISONAS system make this kind of cross country management a most doable reality.”