What Is a Smart Locker? 10 Business Problems They Effectively Solve

Smart lockers are surprisingly flexible tools for securing equipment and managing workflows. They can benefit any sized business in many sectors—everything from a small, local hotel to a multinational manufacturing corporation. 

Smart lockers automate all the time-consuming tasks that come with manual asset management, such as conducting transactions, logging sign-ins and sign-outs, and reporting. This frees up staff for more productive work without compromising the security of your equipment. 

Workforce enablement is the opposite of micromanagement. Enabled workers have access to the resources they need to be self-sufficient and highly effective at their jobs. For example, smart lockers enable workers by giving them access to the equipment they need at any time, without waiting for senior staff to unlock it or sign off on their request. Instead, the smart locker solution manages the transaction automatically.

Workplace lockers can do more than secure equipment. Their smart feedback and communication features let businesses build whole new workflows. That makes them an asset for organizations following Lean management practices. 

For example, many businesses that use smart lockers to store electronics opt to designate one compartment as the maintenance locker. If a laptop or other device needs repairs upon return, the user flags it as damaged on the access panel and deposits it in the maintenance locker. This triggers an automated email to technicians with a problem report. 

Smart lockers automate tedious transactions that can eat up your employees’ day. YOu can locate them right on site where they are needed most, so workers don’t have to walk back and forth across your facility to find the one equipment manager who can get them the gear they need. The lockers can execute transactions in seconds with everything fully recorded. 

Smart lockers give you the power of centralized management distributed throughout your organization where workers need equipment the most. You get fine-grain control over how and when people use business equipment. And you get instant alerts when equipment fails so you can pull it from circulation and get replacements on-site as soon as possible to minimize service interruptions. 

With transaction logging 100 percent automated, there is no risk of human error. With content surveillance, the smart locker can automatically verify that users returned the correct device. Automated lockers can also send alerts to supervisors so they know when users haven’t returned devices on time. 

If your organization needs to track regulated assets or controlled substances, smart locker automated reporting is an efficient way to maintain regulatory compliance. Reports are customizable to help you pull the correct data from lockers during transactions. Access terminals can also be outfitted with cameras to record staff photos during transactions for added accountability. 

Wired and RFID asset tracking gives you a detailed view of when, where, and how your equipment is used. Over time, this collected usage data lets you see performance trends and helps you identify larger-scale business problems. That means smartlockers become sources of valuable business intelligence. 

Smart lockers are designed for high-traffic workplaces and to work in emergencies. For example, many new users are concerned about whether they can access equipment during electrical outages. Smart lockers have battery backups that keep all smart features working without power. 

If a network failure occurs, smart lockers continue operating as they had before the outage. Once network access is restored, the data stored during the outage is sent back to the management software.  

Smart safety lockers also have emergency release features that authorized users can trigger from PCs or mobile devices. They can be used by organizations that need rapid response capabilities, such as law enforcement or emergency services.

Content surveillance sensors and management software are powerful and flexible tools. They allow smart lockers to perform some unique storage tasks. For example, Real Time Networks worked with an airline that needed to track and secure the food prep knives their staff used in airports. 

Federal regulations require airlines to prevent those knives from making their way onto airplanes. So we helped one airline embed AssetTracer RFID tags inside their knife handles. The AssetTracer system automatically verifies when each knife is taken or returned, sends alerts for missing knives, and keeps a compliance log.