How to Automate Smart Lock Access for Vendors in Your STR or Hotel Property

The short answer: You must automate smart lock access for vendors by integrating your maintenance ticketing system with your smart locks. This creates a unique, time-bound PIN for every specific work order that expires the moment the job is done, eliminating the security risks of static master codes.

The Liability of the "Master Code"

If you are still texting "1234" or the last four digits of a phone number to your plumber, cleaners, and inspectors, you are leaving your properties wide open. In the property management industry, a static master code is effectively a lost key. Once you text it, you lose control over who has it, who they share it with, and when they use it.

Beyond the obvious security gap, the manual administration is a drain on resources. As of early 2025, operational labor costs in the STR sector have risen by approximately 12% year-over-year. Every 15-minute block your team spends generating codes, texting contractors, and verifying arrival adds up to thousands of dollars in wasted management fees annually. You cannot afford to be a manual gatekeeper anymore.

The Solution: Tie Access to Work Orders

To secure your portfolio, you need to remove the human element from access provisioning. The most effective method is linking your operations software directly to your IoT infrastructure. This allows access rights to be granted based on the necessity of the job, not the memory of the contractor.

Here is how to automate this using SuiteKeeper combined with SuiteConnect:

1. Create the Work Order: Your operations team creates a maintenance ticket in SuiteKeeper for a specific property (e.g., "Fix leaking sink").
2. Define the Window: You assign the ticket to a vendor (internal or external) and set a scheduled time window (e.g., Tuesday between 10 AM and 2 PM).
3. Automate Code Generation: SuiteKeeper triggers SuiteConnect to generate a unique 4-6 digit PIN on the property's smart lock. This code is valid only for the duration of the scheduled window.
4. Instant Notification: The vendor receives an automated SMS or email with the work order details and their unique access code. You do not need to text them.
5. Automatic Expiry: Once the time window closes or the vendor marks the task as "Complete" in the vendor portal, the code is automatically wiped from the lock.

This workflow ensures that a plumber who fixed a sink in January cannot re-enter the property in March using the same code.

Security Best Practices for 2025

Modern insurance policies are becoming stricter regarding "non-forced entry" claims. If a unit is burgled and the lock log shows a valid entry code was used, your claim may be denied if you cannot prove who used it. By automating temporary door codes for maintenance, you create a digital audit trail.

You know exactly who entered and at what time. This data is critical not just for security, but for verifying vendor invoices. If a cleaner bills for three hours but the smart lock logs show they were on-site for 45 minutes, you have the data to dispute the charge.

Manual vs. Automated Vendor Access

• Code Generation: Manual creation in lock app → Auto-generated upon ticket creation
• Distribution: Insecure text message → Secure automated notification
• Validity: Indefinite (until manually deleted) → Time-bound to specific appointment slots
• Audit Trail: Guesswork/Memory → Precise entry/exit logs linked to invoices
• Security Risk: High (Code sharing common) → Zero Trust (Unique credential per job)