A demo may be in order. See what it looks like on your laptop first if
you can. Some of the old software was actually harder to use than at
the unit requiring both PC based data entry and manual
reading/programming at the unit. Some is easy allowing you to enter
names, alarm codes, and cards without getting up from your desk.
Displaying activity reports with names, dates, times, and locations is
pretty useful to certain levels of management. Others will just
complain that they really should delete all codes/cards and start over.
Of course there is the benefit that if they need to terminate somebody
they can turn off their card from their desk, and make them come in the
front retail/public entrance if/when they arrive.
Not knowing the nature of the business I don't know what flow will be
best, but I've been onsite when somebody found out they were terminated.
Reception escorted them to the manager's office, and security escorted
them to their former office to retrieve their personal items.
I've also seen places incorporate access control that really had no use
for it. I think they just wanted to "look" high tech, but really would
have been better suited to just issue a few old fashion brass keys, and
a quick change lock cylinder system instead. In fact I've seen large
organizations with hundreds of buildings on 20 different campuses
managed that way very well. One person loses the key to their office
and they swap the cylinder and issue them a new key. A custodian loses
a master key and entire campus is rekeyed in a day. If they are not
going to have activity logging and real access management there is no
point in spending the money. Of course neither really does much if
somebody doesn't take the responsibility to manage it.
I can't count the times I was told, "Joe Schblotnik is the personnel
manager. He will be managing the system," and when I met with Joe
everything I tried to teach was met with scrunchy face. Downright
verbal protest when I mention any kind of record keeping.
It sounds like the guy you are dealing with may be like Mr Schblotnik.
If you want him to change you need to show him its both better AND
EASIER in the long run. You also better be right. If its not easier
and you convince him to change your best hope is for him to *** leave
the position and for a more tech savvy and gungho manager to take his
place.
*** I started to say "leave the company," but that's not always the
case. One medium to large international ag research company I dealt
with would rotate people through their office manager position every
couple years. Some were sharp and quick, and others were just hard
asses. I think it was part of their ongoing training for senior
managers. I had the fun of training a new person how to manage their
system every couple years. An existing system with multiple buildings
and a couple thousand users on site.