Colliers + Sentry Interactive : Unlocking Efficient Property Management

In the bustling city of Manchester, Piccadilly Place stands as a testament to modern, efficient, and secure workspace solutions, boasting a 320,000 sq ft office. With Colliers International Property Management team at the helm, the office is home to prominent tenants like Barclays Bank, Arup, the NHS, and flexible office space provider Orega.

We met with Tobie Chapman, the Estates Manager at Colliers to discover how Sentry has transformed Colliers’ building access management through Locale’s smart building platform.

What were the primary challenges Piccadilly Place faced in terms of access control prior to implementing Sentry Interactive?

Before incorporating Sentry Mobile Access into our facilities management and access management operations, we faced several challenges. Managing access between Three and Four Piccadilly Place required a system that guaranteed security while offering flexibility. With various tenants, we needed a mobile access control solution that could embed into our tenant experience platform and cater to multiple companies in the building and their staff without compromising on convenience or security.

How has Sentry Interactive facilitated a smoother synergy between the two buildings at Piccadilly Place? 

Sentry’s mobile access has been instrumental in bridging building access and management between Three and Four Piccadilly Place. With its software only mobile access technology, tenants can seamlessly move between the buildings without a keycard and use a digital key via their smartphone and the Locale app, enhancing the flow and reducing friction points. The system also allows us to manage and monitor access remotely, ensuring that occupiers have the right level of access at all times. This has not only streamlined operations through reducing the time and expense of printing keycards but also improved the overall convenience and user experience for our occupiers. We have mobile access being used for the recycling store, lifts, receptions, speed lanes, and will be rolled out to the bike storage early Q1 2024. 

Can you elaborate on the ease of integration of mobile access with your existing infrastructure and how it has benefited the occupiers? 

Integrating Sentry Mobile Access, powered by Doordeck was a smooth process. The open APIs and SDK provided allowed us to integrate the access control software with our existing PAC access control system hardware and the Locale tenant experience platform that we use. Creating a unified access management solution embedded in our Locale app has resulted in a unified platform where occupiers can enjoy keyless, secure NFC mobile entry through their Android or iOS phone, while we can easily manage access control remotely. Occupiers now have a hassle-free, secure method of access that they can rely on. This integration supports the management of our 26 doors efficiently and enhances the experience for over 900 active users. 

“Sentry Interactive’s integration with our tenant experience platform enables mobile access that enhances building flow and reduces friction points for front desk teams, building security and tenants.”

Tobie Chapman, Estates Manager, Colliers 

How has Sentry Interactive enhanced the user experience for tenants and improved daily operations for the management team? 

User experience for our tenants has been transformed by providing a reliable, secure, and convenient mobile access solution. With their smartphones, tenants can easily gain access to their respective spaces without worrying about remembering and carrying around unnecessary physical keycards. From a management perspective, the system’s ease of use and remote 24/7 access point granting or removal provides a considerable amount of additional building security than our legacy PAC access control keycard system did. We now also have the ability to grant or deny access within minutes and even set start and end times for the access, therefore if a visitor is attending a meeting for an hour or a contractor needs out of hours access we can provide that within minutes. 

How has Sentry Mobile Access integration with the Locale app positively impacted security and access management during weekends and out of office hours? 

Sentry Mobile Access provides precise control over who can access the premises at any given time. For out of hours and weekends, we can easily set up access for specific individuals or groups, accommodating tenants that require access during these times without compromising security. Temporary access for contractors or visitors can also be granted and revoked remotely, providing flexibility and peace of mind for our building management team. 

Can you elaborate on the environmental benefits realised by transitioning from plastic access cards to Sentry Mobile Access’s digital solution? 

By transitioning to Sentry Mobile Access, we’ve significantly reduced our reliance on plastic access cards. This shift not only aligns with our commitment to sustainability but also eliminates the waste and environmental impact associated with producing, distributing, and disposing of physical access cards. The digital access solution offers an environmentally friendly alternative while enhancing the access experience for our tenants. 

“Sentry Mobile Access is the only NFC mobile access software solution for iPhone and Android users that integrates with the vast number of different access control hardware that we have across our portfolio.”

Tobie Chapman, Estates Manager, Colliers 

Looking ahead, how do you envision Sentry Mobile Access supporting the future adoption of mobile access with the Colliers and your portfolio of buildings? 

We are confident that Sentry Mobile Access will be a cornerstone in converting legacy access control keycard systems to mobile access. As our buildings have a vast number of different access control systems and branded readers Sentry Mobile Access is the only NFC mobile access solution for Android and iPhone that provides mobile entry and integration with all major access control system hardware, no matter the brand installed in the building. It’s well priced and provides the ability to scale and modernize our full portfolio whilst simultaneously enhancing the level of security that our buildings have. The platform enables us to easily add additional doors, increase or decrease the number of users and spaces, supporting our commitment to providing a secure, convenient, and efficient environment for all occupiers at Piccadilly Place.

Get in touch today to find out more about Sentry Mobile Access and our other connected workplace solutions! 

“Colliers at Piccadilly Place embodies a progressive vision for workplace management that resonates with our commitment to access control security and innovation. Collaborating with Tobie and Locale has enabled us to co-create an environment where efficiency, security, and technology intersect to deliver an unparalleled access and smart building management experience for tenants.” 

Author – Guy Adderley, Director of Sales & Operations (UK and Europe)

William Bainborough

Board of Directors

William is an experienced British entrepreneur, founder, and accomplished board executive and advisor for a number of businesses. He is the CEO and co-founder of Doordeck, the world’s only true cloud-based access control aggregator. He is also the managing director and founder of Group Secure, a leader in providing security, CCTV, and access control solutions, products, and installation for high-net-worth individuals in the UK. 

William established his first business at just seventeen and brings 20-plus years of in-depth experience and industry knowledge. He has a proven track record for building businesses from the ground up—and then leading them to profitability and a successful exit across a myriad of sectors including hospitality, retail, security, telecommunications, and e-commerce. William’s leadership, vision, and experience in creating cutting-edge SaaS-based technology platforms will prove invaluable for Sentry Interactive moving forward.

Denis Hébert

Denis Hébert

CHAIRMAN & CEO

Hébert began his career at Honeywell International where he held several leadership positions including Managing Director for the Automation and Controls business in France and eventually President of the NexWatch Corporation from 1999-2002. Hébert led HID Global as President & CEO over a transformative 12-year period from 2002-2015, where he provided strategic guidance and grew the business tenfold through a mix of strong organic and acquisitive growth. Most recently, Hébert was President of Feenics Corporation which is a cloud-based access control company that was successfully sold to ACRE LLC at the end of 2021. Hébert also served on the Board of Directors for the Security Industry Association (SIA) from 2009-2020 and was nominated to be Chairman of the Board for SIA from 2016-2018. He is currently Chairman of the Board for Nightingale Security based in Newark, CA.

Stephen Taylor Matthews

Board of Directors
Stephen is a very accomplished attorney, member of the Texas State Bar, licensed commercial real estate broker, and an avid philanthropist. He is an experienced executive board member, serving in leadership positions for more than 20 community councils and corporate boards—ranging from Boy Scouts of America to the ABBA Business Leaders Council, and most recently the American Bank BOD, the Real Estate Council of Austin, and the Marbridge Foundation BOT. With more than 35 years experience, Stephen and his firm, Barrond & Adler, L.L.P. are devoted to eminent domain cases in Texas.

Jon Davis

Board of Directors

Mr. Davis is an Experienced corporate board member, having served on boards of public, private equity-backed, and venture-backed companies. Jon possesses deep industry expertise in dairy, food processing, food technology and manufacturing, and food, beverage, and entertainment services. 

During Jon’s tenure of 25 plus years, he’s led operations, research and development, and mergers and acquisitions. He’s served as CEO and has been the founder and active board member for many successful enterprises—from startups to billion-dollar corporations. While COO and CEO of Davisco Foods International, Jon built a state-of-the-art cheese plant which was awarded the United States Dairy processing plant of the year in 2005 by Dairy Foods magazine. Currently, Jon is active with several non-dairy projects, including investments in local real estate, the Wayzata Brewworks, and his latest venture the new CōV restaurant in Edina’s Galleria.

Joe Caldwell

Founder and Chairman of the Board

Joe is an American entrepreneur, investor, and accomplished executive. He has co-founded, founded, and led many successful businesses, including US Internet, a leading fiber internet service provider, Securence, a leading provider of email filtering software, and Ravon, an industry-leading digital voice communications service. 

It was Joe’s venture, Municipal Parking Services (MPS), that inspired him in 2020 to start Sentry Interactive, an advanced touchless and staffless detection platform.

Caldwell currently serves as CEO and Chairman of the Board for Municipal Parking Services (MPS), a global tech company based in Austin, TX responsible for inventing and patenting technologies that assist in parking and security enforcement.

Joe was named one of Minnesota’s 500 Most Powerful Business Leaders for the past two years—and is a seasoned corporate board member. He’s served on boards of public, private equity-backed, and venture-backed companies—and has deep industry expertise in all aspects of digital technology.

Jason Bohrer

Jason Bohrer

Board of Directors

Jason Bohrer is one of the visionaries behind our mission to bring people back together safely and securely, in any environment, through Sentry’s advanced digital communications and detection platform. With over two decades of senior leadership experience, Jason’s track record of success spans across sales, operations, product innovation, strategy, and technology for domestic and global companies like Bexar Technology Partners, CPI Card Group, HID Global, and Motorola, Inc. Prior to launching Sentry Interactive, Jason was actively involved with several key technology transitions across multiple industries, including the contact and contactless EMV transitions in the U.S. payments industry and the adoption of smart card and mobile technologies in the global access and identity market. Jason was an inaugural member of the University of Chicago Executive Institute and holds a bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Texas at Austin. He also serves as the Executive Director for two industry-leading not-for-profit organizations: the Secure Technology Alliance and the U.S. Payments Forum.
Brent Terry

Brent Terry

Chief Operating Officer
Brent Terry leads the operations and solutions organizations at Sentry. This includes all product innovation, development, and operations management. A veteran in the technology space, Brent has more than 30 years of experience across a myriad of industries, like physical security technology and building automation, SAAS, hardware and software product development, internet, digital TV, interactive TV, digital media, telecommunications, and medical products and services. Prior to Sentry, Brent has spun up successful startups and led high-performing teams for some of the biggest global, Fortune 500 companies, including ARRIS, Conerco, Motive Communications, SeaChange International, and IBM. Brent holds a BS in Computer Science from the University of Louisiana. He also is the committee Chairman and Program Director for a non-profit organization responsible for the rollout of smart cards for physicians and first responders.