Nurkkagym Laitila
Waist-height gates and surveillance cameras keep misuse in check.
"We acquired a tripod gate for the gym to monitor access and prevent misuse. Before the gate was installed, some misuse occurred by accident when a customer pressed the wrong button and forgot to check in. However, most of the misuse was intentional, with people trying to get in with the help of a friend without checking in, especially in the evenings," says Matias Heikkilä, the owner of Nurkkagym.
The system designed by Heikkilä has proven to be effective. "We installed a master key for the access gate, allowing customers to enter if they’ve forgotten their card at home or if they pay with cash for a one-time entry. You can also buy a one-time code online, and with these, you can access the gym at any time. The use of the master key must be logged on a separate sheet every time, so we can monitor its usage. The master key logs data, and with the help of surveillance cameras, we can easily check incorrect uses of the master key and when people arrive at the gym. If the log entries exceed the visits recorded on paper, we can quickly notice this through the security cameras."
Matias finalizes a list of the methods he uses to prevent misuse: "If I’m on site, I can keep the log open and check when an unfamiliar person arrives to see whose name is on the card. For example, if a man comes and the registration shows a woman’s name, the situation is pretty clear. Another good method has been to offer other customers, for instance, a week of gym time if they catch someone who, for example, looks like they passed a card over the gate for a friend, etc."
The gym chose the Özak 700 E N1 turnstile, which has proven to be very reliable and reasonably priced. In addition, at the gym's entrance, there is a manual wing gate designed by Matias, which allows for the transport of goods and provides access for customers with mobility impairments. Later, Gatech also supplied a vending machine next to the gate, which has seen a nice increase in sales, especially during times when the reception is closed.
"I've trained at Nurkkagym a few times, and in my opinion, the gym's setup has been thought through really smartly. Its functional side, which includes tractor tires to be hit with sledgehammers, is unique from the perspective of a former hockey player. Unfortunately, I didn't get to sweat it out at the gym this time, except during the installation, as Matias and I spent the whole day pulling cables, installing the gate, and connecting it to Confirma's access control system," says Olli Pietilä, CEO of Gatech.
"The installation went smoothly, and the gate has been working as expected," concludes Matias.
