Challenge

Morgan Sindall Construction, a UK-based construction company with a vast network of local offices, faced a significant challenge in managing keys for one of their new residential construction projects in London. Traditionally, they tasked a dedicated employee on site to oversee key management on large projects like this, which involved manually signing in and out keys. This process was not only costly but also time-consuming and lacked a consistent trail of key access, especially when damage to apartment units or equipment occurred.

Pain Points

• Costly and time-consuming manual key sign in/out process
• Difficulty restricting access to sensitive areas of the site
• No reliable and consistent log of key accesses
• Often no responsible party for damages

Solution

Upon discovering Keycafe, Morgan Sindall Construction saw an opportunity to modernize and automate their key management process. Keycafe was the clear choice compared to other options on the market. The project’s site manager Rob Harrison explained: “We had two other solutions quoted that were considerably more expensive and less user-friendly.”

Keycafe's system allows them to restrict access to different apartments and other areas while maintaining a record of who accessed which location and when. Subcontractors are given access to specific groups of keys, while Morgan Sindall team members have access to all keys. This system eliminated the need for a physical person to sign keys in and out, providing flexibility for subcontractors to obtain keys as per their convenience.

Result

The implementation of Keycafe brought immediate and tangible benefits. Site managers experienced a drastic reduction in the time spent signing out keys to subcontractors in the mornings. The system also enhanced accountability, leading to fewer instances of damage in the apartments. An unexpected benefit was the preference of subcontractors for the automated system, as it allowed them to access keys without waiting for a designated staff member to arrive. Overall, the staff of Morgan Sindall have found Keycafe to be a major improvement in their daily operations.

The Outcome

• Cost savings: estimated reduction in staffing costs of £3000 per month
• Time savings: site managers no longer need to be present for key handovers
• Flexibility for subcontractors who can now self-manage key pickups and drop offs
• Increased accountability: all key accesses are recorded, so any damage can be traced back to the responsible party