How would you feel if you could control the access to all your facilities with a single key and a computer? This is exactly what Locken Smart Access offers, the company’s platform through which users can control the access, modify permissions, extract statistics and much more. We speak with Stéphane Conreux, CTO of the Locken group to find out more.
Question: Tell us about Locken Smart Access and what its applications are within the water sector.
Answer: Our software solution named Locken Smart Access (LSA) is part of Locken’s solution developed to design/operate access policy. LSA can be easily connected with other software to become part of our customers' IT Eco system. What does this mean? Within a water network, the best performance is achieved when all parts are fully connected. LSA offers scalability to integrate the own specifications of water companies… to talk the language of the customers.
Q: What are its main characteristics?
A: Each part of Locken Smart Access is focused on the needs of the who and why. For example, the web part of LSA addresses the specifications of scalability and access policies management - manager centric access policy. And MyLocken (Locken mobile apps offer) operates the specific needs of users on the field - End user centric. Each part of Locken Smart Access considers the people as a user and an actor of access policy to deliver added value through global collaboration of all actors of access management.
Each part of Locken Smart Access is focused on the needs of the who and why
Q: Why choose this solution and not another similar one that may be in the market?
A: Choosing Locken Smart Access doesn’t mean choosing a solution among other similar solutions. It means choosing a tool that allows to create custom-made solutions that meet the specific needs of each water company while seamlessly integrating into their value chain.
Q: What role do innovation and new technologies play in water management and what main challenges does the water management face?
A: Innovations based on new technologies only make sense if they serve the water segment specificities. Their major roles are to simplify the expected answer and to address the user's needs by creating added value without any additional task for the user. Data mining is one of the key factor of Locken Smart Access. Why? Because one of the main values of access control solutions is their capacity to deliver relevant information to the managers. This helps them understand complex situations and provides them with the ability to define and meet the new needs of their organizations. The major challenge of innovation is to deliver its promises without adding disadvantages coming from new technologies. This is Locken spirit and this is why we consider each part of our offer as a service and not only as a HW or a SW to be operated by someone.
Innovations based on new technologies only make sense if they serve the water segment specificities
Q: Among the new technologies that are marking the evolution of the water sector, which ones does Locken Smart Access use and how?
A: More and more, the water sector requests fluidity. Fluidity in any solution, allowing people to make their job, which consists in managing the entire water cycle. Locken Smart Access uses the capacity offered by mobile apps to make the user of the electronic keys an actor of access control solution.
Q: Finally, look to the future, what business and development expectations does this type of solution have within the water sector?
A: Continue to develop and add parts to the Locken Eco system. Our objective is to make each user an actor, for the benefit of all; as an example, expanding our 'MyLocken' dedicated to key users by adding smart technologies and innovative functionalities.
