If you’ve ever been locked out of your office complex, you know that it’s a frustrating experience. When you can’t access your personal office or storefront, you need help — and you need it fast to avoid missed revenue or deadlines. The good news is that there are steps you can take to regain access to your office whenever you’re locked out.
Curious to learn more? Read on to find out what you should do if you’re ever locked out of your office complex!
Did You Stash a Spare Key Somewhere?
When you started your job at the office complex, you may have been given a spare key. But if you’ve been working at the company for several years, sometimes it can be difficult to remember where you placed it. Did you store that spare key in your car or is it hidden somewhere around the building?
Since the correct hiding spot for a spare key may not pop into mind right away, start looking elsewhere for a solution to your problem. Is there a security guard on the premises with a master key? Security personnel often work beyond standard business hours, so if you knock on a window or door you could be able to get someone’s attention.
When you realize that you’ve been locked out, take a moment to gather your thoughts because the solution might be right in front of you. If you’ve locked yourself out during the day and can’t find a spare key, the best-case scenario is that there may be a supervisor or security guard who can help. But if you’re too stressed from the situation, you might not realize that.
Look for Other Entry Points to Your Office Complex
Depending on the level of office complex security, you may be able to access your office from another entry point. If you’re on the first floor of a city office complex, you may even be able to see someone else working in a different office. And if you can get their attention, they might be able to help you out.
Beyond looking for other office lights that are on, look for other entrances to the building. Is there an entry door through a parking garage? Or is there a back entry point that you don’t normally use?
Think outside the box as you look for a solution. After all, not every entrance needs to be the main door that you enter each day. You might be surprised by how many ways there are to enter office complexes.
For instance, you may notice an unlocked window on the first floor that could provide an entry point. While climbing through an unlocked window may not be the classiest way to get into the building, it could be an effective answer at that exact moment as long as you don’t break anything in the process. It also will clue you in about a weakness in your office’s complex security that should be addressed.
Reach Out For Assistance
When you can’t find another entrance or person on the premises to help, then it’s time to reach out to other people. You’ll need access to a phone or car to get the help you need.
Do you have a coworker who might be able to help you? Sometimes dialing their number and simply asking for help can lead you to the answer that you need. Or you could text them, “Locked out of office complex.”
You might be surprised how willing people are to help — especially if they’ve been in a similar situation before or hope you reciprocate down the road. Plan on accommodating the person who has a spare key by going to pick it up. And to go a step further, show your appreciation by buying them a coffee or lunch the next day.
When you can’t find a key or coworker to help you out, your next best step is to reach out to professional locksmiths for assistance. Calling the professionals means that you’ll get a prompt solution at any hour of the day.
If you’ve forgotten an important or time-sensitive document but can’t access your office, the pros can help you get in. As another benefit, they will check to make sure your lock is working well before leaving.
Professional locksmiths can handle anything from forgotten lock pin codes to missing keys. And because they have experience working with a range of different lock manufacturers, they’ll be able to find a solution to your particular situation quickly.
Actions to Avoid
When you’re feeling stressed and frustrated due to an office lockout, it’s easy to use bad judgment. You may want to reach for a crowbar or inflict damage to your door so you can get inside. But that can result in expensive problems that may make your supervisors question your judgment when they see the damage.
Since you’re trying to regain access to your place of employment, you need to use caution when taking action. You don’t want to get caught on camera doing anything questionable, and you don’t want to tarnish a clean reputation. As a result, there are certain actions you should avoid at all costs.
Assuming you’re not in an urgent, life-or-death situation, you’ll just need to be patient. You should avoid breaking any doors or windows to gain access to your office. Not only does this cause property damage, but it also is unprofessional.
Don’t try to maneuver or tinker with the locks, either. You may do more harm than good and create a more expensive or challenging problem for a locksmith to fix. You’re always better off leaving things to the professionals.
Additionally, you want your customers to think well of you if you’re running a small business and hit a snag during business hours. Customers will be more impressed if they see you handle a lockout situation with composure. And they’ll be more likely to stick around and want to do business with you.
Be Prepared for Next Time
Being locked out of your office complex can be a major headache, so look at it as a learning opportunity. Brush off the sense of embarrassment or frustration and channel that energy toward preparation. With a few changes, you can be ready with an easier solution if you’re locked out again.
One good step is to ask about getting a spare key if you don’t have one. Your boss or the security team at the office should be able to help you with that. It’s important to let them know that you intend to use the key as back-up and you’ll only give it to a trusted individual or hide it somewhere.
You could try hiding a spare at the office complex, but you may be better off leaving it at home for easier access. You could entrust your significant other or roommate to keep it for you. Or you could stash it somewhere in your garage where only you can find it.
Learn where alternate entrances are to your building. And if you don’t know the security detail at your office, make a point of knowing who works at different times of day — and how to reach someone after hours. And, of course, know the names of other personnel at your office and develop a rapport with them so they’ll be eager to help you if you get locked out.
Whether you’ve been locked out or need roadside assistance, it’s smart to be prepared for emergencies. You can also make suggestions to management that could help prevent others from encountering the same problem. Not only will you show that you’re invested in the organization, but you’ll also show that you’re serious about improving security.
For instance, you might suggest that the office looks into getting a card or fob reader. A fob reader allows you to grant access to particular areas of an office complex to groups of people. That way, even if you’re locked out of your individual office, you still may be able to access another area where you can find someone to help you.
Get Back Inside
When you’re locked out of your office complex, you need to stay calm and act rationally. Rather than trying to fix the problem yourself, you’d be smarter to reach out to the pros so you can get back inside. Examine all other possible solutions first, and then get 24-hour assistance from the professionals who can solve the problem.
When you’ve been locked out or need help securing your home or office, contact us and we can provide expert service!