Century 21 Action Plus Realty Gets Increased Security and Safety

17 Mar 2017

The Situation
CENTURY 21 Action Plus Realty is a premiere real estate agency In New Jersey that employs more than 250 sales professionals. The company has seven locations covering Monmouth, Ocean, Middlesex and Mercer Counties. CENTURY 21 Action Plus Realty has built its success on serving their clients through integrity, professionalism and commitment to quality service.

The Challenge
CENTURY 21 Action Plus Realty’s locations were previously secured by an outdated access control system that had limited capabilities. The security system could no longer meet the needs of this growing and prosperous real estate agency. Specifically this is what they were experiencing:

The Solution
Brivo OnAir®, cloud-based physical access control including mobile credentialing that allows users to open doors with their smartphones

Eagle Eye Security Camera VMS , cloud-based video surveillance.

Looking for a better solution, Tom Hogan, President and Owner of CENTURY 21 Action Plus Realty, engaged with Protection 1 to explore alternate means of securing his operations. Protection 1, worked closely with its technology partners Brivo and Eagle Eye Networks, to design a new comprehensive system that delivered a cost effective solution with the capabilities that Hogan was looking to get.

Key Benefits:

Unified Access Control System
Hogan now has a single, standardized access control system across all seven of his CENTURY 21 Action Plus Realty offices that help address safety concerns and improve operational efficiencies. Better yet, a single browser interface controls both the access control and video systems.The new system gives him the ability to view real-time activity logs to better understand who is coming and going in each of his locations and to stay better informed on potential risks.

Remotely Manage and Control all Seven Locations
Brivo OnAir gave Hogan the ability to remotely manage and control his physical security from anywhere as long as he has a secure connection to the Internet. The system provides visibility as Hogan receives real-time alerts of critical events via email or text. This helps him ensure that he is complying with security measures as he can document and track all access events.

Reduced Costs and Maintenance
The Brivo OnAir platform is cloud-based, and eliminates the need for local servers and software. The cloud-based systems helps to minimize on-site hardware requirements and the associated costs for maintaining it. Door scheduling for all offices can be done with a few quick clicks and changes can be made remotely. Brivo OnAir is a Software as a Service (SaaS) solution. With SaaS models, software updates and patches are automatically delivered ensuring the site is secure from the latest threats and vulnerabilities.

Mobile Capabilities Give Sales Team Convenient Access to its Facilities
Adopting Brivo Mobile Pass allowed CENTURY 21 Action Plus Realty users to access secure areas through a mobile application on their smartphones and eliminated the need to carry physical keycards and install access control readers.

Integrated Video Technology
Hogan installed seven new IP-video cameras from Eagle Eye Networks at each of his locations. Cameras are placed both inside the offices to monitor areas like stairwells and outside for a view of the entrance and parking lots. With this new capability he is able to monitor live video streams or review clips linked to important events. More importantly, the integration of video with Brivo OnAir access control provides total visibility of cameras and events in the cloud. The video solution from Eagle Eye Networks allows for customized views and remotely monitors all locations. As an example, Hogan is able to see all of his parking lots on a single screen. This flexibility assists in determining if parking lots have been plowed after a snowstorm and whether an office should be closed for the day. The video recordings can also be used to provide documented evidence of potentially fraudulent activities on his property.

Network Protection from Cyber Security Threats
The Eagle Eye Cloud Security Camera VMS separates the cameras from the Internet onto an isolated, protected network so they can’t be compromised or used maliciously. Furthermore, the Eagle Eye Bridges are actively managed devices, which get firmware updates without having to send someone onsite. This allows security patches and general updates to be deployed in a timely manner.

Dispatch Functionalities with Local Law Enforcement
In all locations, Protection 1 has also added several silent panic buttons and motion detectors that are monitored at Protection 1’s central station and can be integrated with the video footage. In the event a panic button is activated, Protection 1 is instructed to dispatch local law enforcement.

Testimonial
“The old system was not very nimble,” stated Hogan. “If we needed to lock the door during the business week, it was a big process and could only be done through one stationary computer.” “My new Brivo system did much more at less cost per user,” said Hogan. “The ability to change when doors are locked on a bad weather day or to remove a repairman’s access to the building when a job was complete was the flexibility we needed. The system is very easy to use and the support is fantastic.” “I am thrilled with this solution,” said Hogan.