Hidden Supply Chain Bottlenecks Delaying Your Building Security
Companies invest significant time and budget into selecting the right access control system, yet they often overlook a critical weakness: how the actual RFID cards reach their hands in a timely manner.
When your new secure card access system is installed and ready to go, nothing is more frustrating than waiting on the cards that allow employees to enter the building, clock in for a shift or log in to a computer. Delayed cards can create security gaps, operational headaches and frustrated employees who can’t access the tools and spaces they need to do their jobs.
In this blog post, we will explain why access cards often get delayed, highlight the operational and security risks that result, and outline how specialized providers can keep your credential supply chain reliable.
Bottleneck 1: Ordering Cards from Non-Specialized Providers
Many organizations receive their access cards through the same company that installs their alarm or security system. It seems logical: They understand the technical requirements and are already on site. But the convenience often comes with a hidden cost that only surfaces when you need cards quickly.
Most security companies excel at installing, configuring and maintaining complex security systems, but when it comes to the cards themselves, it’s not always a priority. Some installers outsource card production, which can add lead time.
Card production and fulfillment is an entirely different business requiring specialized expertise, inventory management and supplier relationships. When your security provider acts as a middleman for card orders, you're essentially dealing with a company that's outsourcing a service they don't specialize in.
Each extra handoff in a supply chain can increase coordination time and information lag, a dynamic known to amplify delays and reduce delivery predictability.
And while such companies are experts in the systems, a provider who only occasionally handles card orders may not have the technical depth to quickly identify the correct RFID specifications, leading to back-and-forth clarification requests that add days or weeks to delivery timelines.
Quality control can be another challenge for non-specialized providers. Even if all the technical elements are on point, access cards need to be durable and look good. A card expert ensures the highest quality printing and card material.
Bottleneck #2: A Longer Supply Chain
When alarm installers or security providers fulfill card orders through third parties, the process involves multiple handoffs that create opportunities for delays and communication breakdowns.
Your order must pass from your facility manager to the security provider, then to their card supplier, through production and back through the same chain for delivery. Each handoff introduces potential delays.
Order adjustment delays. Should problems, changes or questions arise during this process, there is rarely a dedicated point of contact who can track an order and make a change. A simple clarification that could be resolved in minutes with direct communication can take days when filtered through intermediaries.
Order update delays. Visibility into order status becomes virtually impossible with multiple handoffs. When you ask your security provider about delivery timing, they must check with their supplier, who may need to check with the manufacturer. This communication chain means you rarely get real-time, accurate information about your order's progress.
Quality control delays. If cards arrive with programming errors or quality defects, the resolution process must work backward through the same chain of intermediaries. What should be a quick replacement order becomes another extended process involving multiple parties and extended timelines.
Bottleneck 3: Geography
International suppliers may create communication challenges due to time zone differences, making it difficult to resolve technical issues or rush orders during U.S. business hours. Even suppliers with U.S. distribution centers may lack local technical support for complex RFID specifications.
Customs clearance adds another variable to delivery timing that's difficult to predict or control. Documentation issues, inspection delays or processing backlogs can add unexpected time to orders that are already running behind schedule.
The Cascading Effects of Card Bottlenecks
When card delivery stretches from days into weeks, the operational impact compounds quickly.
- New employee onboarding gets delayed because badges aren't available, creating poor first impressions and administrative complications.
- Existing employees who need replacement cards due to loss or damage face extended waits that disrupt their daily routines.
- Security vulnerabilities multiply during extended waiting periods.
Temporary access solutions can create the very security gaps that new access control systems are designed to eliminate. The longer these temporary measures remain in place, the greater the risk to facility security.
And then, there’s the costs associated with delays, including:
- Rush delivery fees that can cost much more than standard shipping.
- Administrative overhead due to managing temporary access providers.
- Time wasted overriding systems and fielding employee complaints about access.
Perhaps most significant, though, is security. When cards are delayed, employees may rely on shared cards or bypass procedures while waiting for proper credentials. This can compromise security and open the door for card cloning, lost credentials and the wrong people gaining access to secure facilities.
The Advantages of Specialized, USA-Based Card Providers
The solution is to work with a specialized card provider to avoid multi-handoff delays common among third-party arrangements. With a specialized, U.S.-based company, you’ll get:
- Direct communication. Get your questions answered immediately and within business hours by a dedicated liaison rather than a series of intermediaries.
- Technical expertise. Companies that specialize in RFID cards understand connectivity and compatibility with security systems and HRIS programs.
- Domestic shipping. Avoid customs-related delays when products are manufactured and shipped domestically
- Quality control. Card specialists understand the need for quality in functionality, durability and card appearance. If any issues arise, they can resolve them quickly without involving multiple parties.
Evaluating Your Current Card Supply Chain
Who is handling your access control card program? If it’s not a card specialist, you’re likely dealing with some of the bottlenecks we’ve addressed here. Entrusting the process to an RFID credential specialist that knows your business ensures these things are right the first time cards arrive, and every time after that.
