Challenge

SERVPRO Campbell is a leading restoration contractor that helps homes and businesses recover from water, fire, mold, and other damage. With a fleet of 25 vehicles and around 30 employees, making sure keys are always secure and easy to find is critical. Before Keycafe, keys were kept in an open box where anyone could grab them. This led to misplaced keys, delays in starting jobs, and extra costs for replacements.

Office Manager Connie Doran shared, “We didn't have any way of tracking who grabbed the keys or who had last seen them — it was a disaster.”

Pain Points

• Lost and Misplaced Keys: Frequent misplacement caused confusion and hold-ups.
• Wasted Time: Employees spent too long every day searching for keys.
• Unnecessary Costs: Regularly replacing keys and re-keying vehicles became costly.

Solution

SERVPRO found Keycafe while searching for a secure, easy-to-use key management solution. The ability to store keys safely, give staff individual access codes, and track usage from anywhere stood out immediately.

Now, employees start their day by using personal codes to retrieve vehicle keys, gas cards, and facility keys from the Keycafe SmartBox and return them at the end of their shift. Connie explained, “The crews come in, they know exactly where the keys are to start the day.” Managers receive notifications for every key interaction and can use the Keycafe app to check who accessed which key and when. The one-time booking feature has also been valuable, allowing contractors to access keys without needing a manager on-site. “I can also do it remotely from my phone,” Connie added.

SERVPRO's Implementation

• Daily Routine: Staff use PIN codes to take and return keys.
• Permission Groups: Access levels are assigned based on employee roles.
• Emergency Access: The system supports 24-hour access for urgent jobs.
• Remote Contractor Access: Temporary access is easily granted for vendors.
• Quick Setup: The system’s design made training simple and fast.

Result

Since switching to Keycafe, SERVPRO has seen clear improvements. Lost keys are no longer a problem, and crews can start their shifts on time without unnecessary delays. In the rare event a key does go missing, management can pull up the usage history of the key and quickly locate the responsible staff member. Connie noted, “The biggest financial benefit with Keycafe is that it has cut down the cost of crews searching for keys.”

Managers now have complete visibility into key usage, allowing them to stay on top of operations and make faster decisions - even when they are out in the field, thanks to the remote capabilities of the Keycafe app. Ultimately, Keycafe’s system has made managing vehicle and facility keys easier for SERVPRO, leading to a significant reduction in costs related to key replacement and locksmith services.

The Outcome

• Better Accountability: Missing keys are no longer a regular issue, as staff know their usage of keys is tracked.
• Time Efficiency: Employees can get on the road quickly each day without waiting around for a key to be returned.
• Cost Reduction: Lower expenses for key replacements and re-keying.
• Operational Flexibility: Managers can manage access remotely for vendors and staff.