Lodging Operator - Article Archive

Originally published in AAHOA Lodging Business, January 2009

More than Just a Lock

New technology offers a variety of options to streamline operations.
By Dan Marcec

New technology interfaces that are being utilized by hospitality security providers are helping streamline communications between operations and guests greatly. By allowing guests the convenience of doing away with keys and key cards, and by providing the operations staff with better monitoring tools to maintain their hotels’ locking systems, the latest upgrades are increasing the ability for hotels to provide their guests with a more convenient, a more efficient, and — most importantly — a safer stay.
The Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) and Near Field Communication (NFC) systems have added a new and unique element to electronic locking technology for hotels. RFID/NFC contactless locks, for example, allow guests with NFC cell phones to bypass check-in and check-out and unlock their doors with their phones in lieu of a keycard. In addition to the greater convenience of bypassing the front desk to check in and out remotely, the RFID/NFC locks provide anti-cloning technology, which makes it impossible for the keycards to be duplicated.
“The RFID/NFC systems not only allow more intuitive guest interaction and greater convenience, but also they are the greenest products on the market,” says Rune Venaas, president of ASSA ABLOY Hospitality. “Because it’s not necessary to issue a key card to guests with NFC cell phones, there is much less wasted plastic on the throw-away cards; plus, the sealed hardware on the doors means less maintenance and cleaning.”

An RFID/NFC contactless lock in action.

     Bringing these technologies together is the ZigBee system, which facilitates a reliable two-way -communication from the locks to a hotel’s security and property management systems (PMS).
     “What I call ‘everyday hospitality’ — that is, the limited service sector of the industry — really benefits from the flow of information ZigBee provides,” says David Ginn, vice president of hospitality sales for North America with SAFLOK, a member of the Kaba Group. “In these types of properties, you already have limited staff, and these systems provide true two-way interfaces that give real-time information to the hotel operator about when rooms are vacant, when rooms are clean, and so forth.”
     Given this kind of automatic communication throughout the hotel, in properties where staff and time is short, knowing exactly when to clean a room can save even an hour or two of labor a day. Added to that fact is that when a lock goes out, the front desk knows immediately, even if the guest is not in the room. In a case like that, it’s crucial to the guest’s privacy and safety that the lock is fixed immediately.
     Venaas reiterates this point: “Tasks such as reprogramming individual locks or identifying and changing low batteries are eliminated using this system, and because the system’s components communicate with multiple rooms at once, the number of network components required for installation is lower than that of other online technologies,” he says.
     Furthermore, with the ability to monitor the entire hotel at once from a central location is a key asset to energy management. Other building systems beyond locks can be tied into the ZigBee system also, and with multiple devices feeding into the front desk at once, operations are streamlined. This way, management doesn’t have to wait for a complaint to know that something is amiss. Needless to say, this drastically improves the ability to provide customer service.
     Finally, in an age where technology is moving incredibly quickly, there is always the apt concern that upgrading to something “cutting edge” will be costly to install and will go out of style in a few months. Yet, the new systems allow an easier transition to new computer-generated technologies as they evolve.
     “It’s true that the new technology costs more than the typical mag stripe lock, but with the mag stripe, that’s all your going to get,” says Ginn. “By upgrading to a full system, you can ensure that all wireless technology that comes on the market will be compatible with the system you have in place.”

To contribute an article to Lodging Operator:
email lodging@francepublications.com.

© 2009 France Publications, Inc. Duplication or reproduction of this article not permitted without authorization from France Publications, Inc. For more information on reprints of this article contact Barbara Sherer at (630)554-6054.


	© 2008, France Publications, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Photos in header (from left to right) are courtesy of InterContinental Hotels Group; AmericInn International LLC; and The Courtyard by Marriott-Los Angeles/San Fernando Valley.