Hands-off property management with remote access control
With a growingly decentralized working landscape, the need for flexible, efficient, and secure access control systems is more crucial than ever. At iCo Creative in Maitland, Australia, owner Sergio De Caires has reimagined the coworking experience by integrating cutting-edge technology into the heart of his collaborative space.
Partnering with Ted Glenn of Cloud Managed Systems, a cloud security solutions installer from Sydney, Sergio turned to Airfob to implement Airfob’s cloud-based, mobile-first access control solution that not only enhances security but also fosters community engagement. Today, we dive into inspiring journeys of both Sergio and Ted, exploring their motivations and the transformative benefits of Airfob technology in creating a thriving coworking environment.
Part 1: The vision behind iCo Creative.
Sergio De Caires’ journey toward founding iCo Creative began with a deep love for architecture and a desire to create more than just a typical coworking space. For Sergio, the concept of coworking was about fostering collaboration and community, and it all started with a unique property he purchased in Maitland back in 2007.
“I bought this property in 2007 because I fell in love with it. I tend to buy properties that I fall in love with, not for the purpose of making money. I believe properties are like people; they find you.” Sergio recalls how his love for the architecture of the building led him down the path of creating something that would inspire others.
Initially, the space was envisioned as a hotel with serviced offices, but after setbacks with local authorities, Sergio pivoted. His dream of creating a coworking hub took shape, but with a focus on collaboration over a mere space where people could work. The concept behind iCo Creative is simple: create a space where people can bounce ideas off each other and draw inspiration from the community around them.
“When you work for yourself, even if you’re just a small team, you tend to work better when you’re bouncing off like-minded people. That’s why I always had this idea of creating a co-workspace, which is more of a collaboration space where people can bounce off each other and inspire one another.“
As Maitland experienced rapid growth, Sergio saw an opportunity to provide a much-needed space where freelancers and entrepreneurs could work together, learn from each other, and grow. The growing population, particularly younger generations moving from Sydney and Newcastle, made Maitland the perfect spot for this vision to come to life.
“Maitland is one of the fastest-growing suburbs in New South Wales, going from 50,000 to 100,000 people living here in just ten years, with a lot of younger people coming in from Newcastle and Sydney. People tend to stay away from regional areas, but those are where co-working spaces are really needed. People work from home but need somewhere to go. We provide permanent desks for a month, which allows people to get to know those working around them.“
From day one, Sergio’s vision for iCo Creative has always been about more than just office space. It’s about building a community where members feel ownership over the space and pride in the work they produce, in an environment that supports creativity and innovation.
Part 2: Overcoming challenges with cloud-based security.
One of the most significant challenges Sergio faced when building iCo Creative was finding a reliable, self-sufficient access control system that would allow members to come and go as they pleased while ensuring the space remained secure 24/7. The biggest hurdle was not just security but also the need for a system that could function remotely without the need for constant on-site supervision.
“We live in Sydney, two hours away from the space, and we travel a lot. We needed an access control system that allowed us the luxury of not being on site and managing the space from anywhere in the world,” Sergio explains.
Traditional access control options like pin codes, and RFID tags didn’t meet Sergio’s standards for security and flexibility. What he needed was a cloud-based solution that could be controlled remotely, ensuring both convenience for members and peace of mind for the management team. That’s when Airfob came into the picture.
“We had the space finished and I didn’t have access control. So I couldn’t open the space. We looked at different systems, but they weren’t secure enough, or they required on-site servers. So if something went wrong, we still needed for someone to be here and having Airfob was really a key element because everything’s on the server on the cloud. So everything’s cloud based. And this is what the world is about. It’s all cloud based.“
Cloud-based security, like Airfob’s solution, allowed Sergio to operate iCo Creative in a modern, streamlined way. With the ability to issue mobile credentials via phone and manage access from anywhere, Airfob provided a sense of freedom and flexibility that traditional systems couldn’t offer.
Furthermore, iCo Creative wanted the ability to control who entered the space without needing a receptionist or on-site staff was key to maintaining the vision of a self-sufficient, collaborative environment.
“We don’t want people to walk in and feel there’s a receptionist, so it’s the landlord’s space, it’s someone else’s space,” Sergio emphasizes. “You can walk in at any time, no one’s watching you, you just do your thing.
Part 3: Bringing the vision to life.
To make Sergio’s dream of iCo Creative a reality, he partnered with Ted Glenn from Cloud Managed Systems, Sydney-based Airfob installer and expert in cloud-first security solutions with over 30 years of experience in the industry. Ted’s expertise in electronic security and cloud-based infrastructure was crucial in ensuring the seamless and remote management of iCo Creative’s access control system.
“Cloud-first products give customers flexibility, scalability, and cost-effectiveness, without the upfront costs of traditional hardware,” Ted explains. With Airfob’s cloud-based solution, Ted was able to create a system that allowed Sergio to manage the space from anywhere, offering true flexibility and security.
Ted’s approach centered around making the system efficient and easy to manage, without the need for complex hardwired controllers or physical keycards.
“Those solutions require often either single door controllers or four-door controllers that are in a central location that require lots of cabling to go to those individual locations,” Ted explains. “With cloud based solutions I’m actually able to utilize either existing network infrastructure or installing new network infrastructure.”
The implementation of Airfob’s mobile-first access solution meant Sergio and his team could manage everything remotely, providing tenants with instant access without the need for on-site staff.
“A lot of times, especially in the co-working space, people are required to come by and pick up a card. In this case, we can issue a credential on the fly from anywhere in the world, either via the web link or through a mobile credential itself,” Ted emphasizes. This capability was critical for a business like iCo Creative, where the owners were often off-site, yet still needed to ensure the security and smooth operation of their coworking space.
“Being able to diagnose problems remotely has been a huge benefit to my customers as well as to myself. In the past, where technicians have been required to go out to the site, a lot of times I can do fault finding remotely just by logging into a device to see what’s going on.”
Ted’s installation and setup not only met Sergio’s needs but exceeded them, providing a state-of-the-art security system that aligned perfectly with iCo Creative’s vision of a modern, collaborative workspacev
Part 4: Banking on phenomenal user experience as a business enabler.
For iCo Creative, flexibility and security are the cornerstones of a successful coworking space. However, being able to go beyond transforming daily operations and improve user experience go a long way into supporting iCo Creative’s mission of providing an inspiring place to collaborate.
“So the tenants’ reaction to this is like opening an Apple box, an Apple product,” emphasizes Sergio. “I still remember having to do my first tenant walkthrough and I was not able to drive up. I said, ‘Just meet me at the site and I’ll open the doors for you.’ He turned up to the site, I FaceTimed him, and at the front door, I pressed a button on my Airfob Pro app and opened the front door. He just went, ‘Wow, this is cool!’ He walked through, and I showed him every office and boardroom, all of it, the same way. It allowed him to feel like, ‘This is phenomenal. This is today’s age.’“
Mobile credentials also appealed to tenants at iCo Creative, many of whom responded positively to leaving traditional access cards behind.
“Of course, people find it difficult to grab a concept to start with,” explains Ted. “But as soon as you mention that people always bring their phone wherever they’re going and that it’s quite easy to leave behind a credential such as a card or a fob, customers find out the use of mobile credentials to be really beneficial.”
A truly effective access control system is one that fades into the background—seamless and unobtrusive, allowing users to focus entirely on their work. For both the owner and tenants, the ideal system is one they can forget about, where accessing the space becomes second nature. Sergio touches on this concept as he explains, “Actually, we’re worried about creating businesses and, you know, collaborating and being the best that we can be. We don’t want to worry about opening the door.”
The beauty of a frictionless access control system lies in its ability to enhance security without hindering the flow of day-to-day operations. Indeed, Airfob literally works in the background. Ted explains, “With the introduction of the Hands-free Mode, people have been able to walk near to the proximity reader and don’t even have to pull their phone out of their bag or out of their pocket in order to get through the door.”
Airfob doesn’t stop at access control for doors. The same mobile credential used to open doors can also be utilized for office devices like printers. This streamlines the user experience by allowing members to manage all access points—from front doors to office printers—through one app.
Finally, Airfob’s ability to integrate seamlessly with CCTV systems enhances the overall security framework of flexible spaces like iCo Creative. By linking access control events with video footage, Ted noted, coworking spaces can mitigate risks like tailgating: “Integrating CCTV with access control means more visibility and accountability of who’s coming in and out of doors.”
As iCo Creative continues to grow, Sergio plans to expand the space and explore additional uses for Airfob’s technology. Whether it’s integrating new services or expanding the collaboration hub, Airfob will continue to evolve alongside iCo Creative. With the flexibility of the cloud and mobile credentials, the possibilities are endless.
“Airfob is expanding with us and that’s the most beautiful thing to watch. So and this is the same thing as what we’re trying to create here as a co-work space. We’re doing that with just the access control.”
