Reinhardt Automobile: Driving Digitalisation Beyond the Showroom

How smart access control helps a German used-car dealership improve security, transparency, and operational efficiency

About Reinhardt Automobile 

Founded in 2018 and headquartered in Hagen, Germany, Reinhardt Automobile has grown into one of the region’s established used-car dealerships. Today, the company employs more than 80 people and manages an inventory of over 800 vehicles.
What sets Reinhardt Automobile apart is its consistent focus on processes and digitalisation. Across purchasing, vehicle preparation, marketing, sales, and after-sales services, the company continuously invests in technology and automation to create more efficient workflows and greater transparency.
Digital tools are viewed as part of a broader strategy designed to support growth, improve operational control, and create a better experience for employees and customers alike.
As this digital mindset expanded across the organisation, it became clear that smart access management should follow the same principle.

Managing Digital Access Across a Growing Automotive Business

As organisations grow, physical access management often becomes more complex than expected.

Before implementing Tapkey, Reinhardt Automobile relied on a traditional mechanical locking system. While functional, it created several operational and security challenges.

Lost keys represented a significant risk because replacing keys could require replacing entire locking groups. Employee turnover generated administrative work, as keys had to be collected, documented, and occasionally replaced. External service providers such as vehicle detailers, maintenance companies, and cleaning personnel required access at specific times, but the mechanical system offered little flexibility.

Perhaps most importantly, there was no reliable way to determine who had access to which area at any given moment.

For a company that values transparency and process control, this increasingly became a limitation.

2018

Year founded

80+

Employees

800+

Vehicles in stock

30

DOM electronic cylinders with Tapkey technology

Switching From Mechanical Keys to Digital Processes 
When Reinhardt Automobile started looking for a new access solution, the objective was not simply to replace keys.

Tapkey stood out for several reasons.
Reinhardt Automobile deliberately chose a digital access solution that aligns with its IT and process-driven culture. Rather than replacing doors or changing existing workflows, the company wanted an access management solution that could integrate seamlessly into its operations. Tapkey met these requirements with smartphone-based access, electronic cylinders with Tapkey technology that fit into the existing infrastructure, centralised access management through the Tapkey Web Portal, and an open platform designed for future integrations.
Today, Tapkey secures:

• Main entrances
• Secondary entrances
• External gates
• Office doors
• Additional operational areas

Approximately 80 to 90 people regularly use the system, including employees, cleaning personnel, vehicle preparation teams, and external service providers.
For Reinhardt Automobile, one factor proved particularly important. Security was no longer tied to a physical key. Access rights could be assigned to individual users, adjusted remotely, restricted to specific time periods, and revoked instantly when necessary.
This created a level of transparency that was impossible to achieve with the previous system.

Tapkey’s Implementation and Results.

Faster Access Management

One of the most noticeable improvements was the speed at which permissions could be managed.
Previously, granting or removing access often involved physical key handovers and administrative coordination. Today, permissions can be assigned or revoked within minutes directly through the Tapkey administration platform. For employee turnover, there is no longer a need to recover physical keys before securing company facilities.
Access rights are simply removed centrally.

1. Security: Keeping Track of all Access Permissions.

For Reinhardt Automobile, security quickly became the most valuable benefit of the system.
Every access event is documented, creating complete transparency regarding who accessed which area and when. This supports both internal security requirements and broader compliance and data protection objectives. The company also eliminated one of the most expensive risks associated with mechanical locking systems. Since introducing Tapkey, there have been no incidents requiring lock replacements due to lost keys.

2. Managing External Service Providers More Efficiently

Like many automotive businesses, Reinhardt Automobile works closely with external partners.
Vehicle preparation specialists, cleaning teams, maintenance providers, and contractors regularly require access to specific areas.
With Tapkey, permissions can be tailored to operational requirements without handing over permanent keys.
Access can be limited to defined times, adjusted remotely, and removed immediately after the work is completed.
This significantly reduces administrative effort while maintaining a high level of security. 

3. Last-minute Requests: a real Example

One real situation clearly demonstrated the value of digital access management.
During a weekend, an employee unexpectedly required access to an external gate. Using Tapkey, the necessary permission was granted remotely from a smartphone in less than two minutes.
Before the introduction of Tapkey, the same situation would likely have required another employee to travel on-site solely to provide access.
Small moments like these have a measurable impact on efficiency over time.

Interview with Thomas Küfner | Management Team Member, IT Organisation & Process Management  | Reinhardt Automobile GmbH

 “For us, the decisive factor was that Tapkey is not just a lock, but a platform. It is open, integrable, and scalable. That fits perfectly with our IT strategy.”

 

 

Looking Ahead: Integrating Access Control into the Employee Lifecycle 

Reinhardt Automobile already sees access management as part of a larger digital ecosystem.
The next planned step is to integrate Tapkey with the company’s HR system.
Their goal is to automatically synchronise access permissions with employee lifecycle events such as onboarding, role changes, and offboarding.
This can further reduce administrative effort while ensuring that access rights always remain aligned with organisational responsibilities.
The company is also evaluating the expansion of Tapkey to additional workshop areas, vehicle preparation facilities, gates, and future locations.

 

Discover Smart Access for Your Business 

Reinhardt Automobile demonstrates how digital access control can become a strategic component of modern business operations.

For organisations with multiple buildings, external service providers, growing teams, and increasing security requirements, digital access creates measurable value through transparency, flexibility, and operational efficiency.

Learn more about the DOM Tapkey Digital Locks and discover how smart access can support your business, or request a demo.