Case Study: Mishkan Learning Center Upgrades Intercom System to Better Manage Flow of Visitors

The Mishkan Learning Center is steeped in history, first starting in 1945 to provide educational and recreational opportunities to young people regardless of the financial situation of their families. Today, the facility has grown to offer a variety of services, including a summer day camp, hands-on job training, and on demand housing for low-income earners to individuals in the Bridgeport, Connecticut, area.

In any given year, the Mishkan Learning Center and Day Camp serves hundreds of individuals, from toddlers to adults.

With so many people coming and going from its facility for a variety of programs, Mishkan Learning Center wanted to keep the main entrance secure, however it needed a way to screen visitors. They needed to confirm visitor identities before allowing them to enter the building to ensure the safety of staff and visitors.

An older intercom system originally installed 25-years ago no longer served as a reliable communication and door entry solution. While the old intercom enabled staff to visually verify identity, and to directly communicate with a visitor before permitting them to enter, its technology was outdated. A small screen and black and white video provided poor image quality, and required staff to remain tethered to a desk or certain space in the facility to answer calls from the entrance intercom.

In upgrading its intercom solution, the Mishkan Learning Center installed the JO-1MDW from Aiphone, a color touchscreen intercom system with mobile app capability. A door station mounted at the entrance of the learning center features both audio and video capabilities, while a master station allows staff at the center to see and speak to visitors on a color touchscreen.

By leveraging the mobile app capability of the JO-1MDW, up to eight staff members can review visitors at the main entrance and permit them to enter using their smart phone regardless of their location within the facility.

“We now have the capability to have several different people manage visitors regardless of where they are located inside our facility,” said Joe Stock, Director of the Mishkan Learning Center. “With a limited number of staff, this has been a game changer for us and a welcomed layer of security and safety.”

“The installation of the new intercom system was relatively quick,” said John Hemp, Director of Sales for the Mid-Atlantic and New England region for Aiphone. A technician was able to replace the outdated system with the hardwired intercom in less than a day.

“This newly installed intercom is a valuable security and communication tool for small businesses and organizations like the Mishkan Learning Center,” said Hemp. “Many places want to be able to safely manage the flow of visitors but have limited staff. An intercom with a mobile app enables businesses to maintain a secure entrance while also enabling employees to screen a visitor whether the employee is located at a reception desk or a conference room.”

Now, with a new intercom system in place, Stock said security at Mishkan Learning Center has been improved. “Unfortunately, with the type of world we are living in you can’t exercise enough caution and safety,” he said. “We are not only talking about the physical well-being and safety of our staff, but we are also responsible for the safety of others who are using our facilities.”

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