Volpe, C. (2008). Hotels Lock it Up. Hospitality Technology. October 2008, Retrieved from http://www.htmagazine.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=&nm=&type=MultiPublishing&mod=PublishingTitles&mid=3E19674330734FF1BBDA3D67B50C82F1&tier=4&id=4380EF5629CD45FB9C4D382CA9B09534
One of the crucial hospitality concepts is that a hotel is “a home away from home”. In terms of this providing security is one of the main concerns about guest rooms. That is why locking system vendors keep up their work trying to find innovative and reliable solutions. Christina Volpe, the author of the article “Hotels lock it up”, presents two cutting edge technological decisions: radio frequency identification (RFID) technology and near field communication (NFC) cell phone compatibility. RFID ELS requires a key card or wristband with an RF chip that sends signals to the special reader located on the door. Vendors that provide this type of locks are, for example, Kaba Ilco (www.kabailco.com) and VingCard (www.vingcard.com). The author of the article highlights that RFID is contact-free technology that means that it is even not necessary for guests to take the card out of the wallet, it is enough just to put the wallet up to the door. Undoubtedly, it is very convenient for travelers. The hotel staff also really likes this system because it is “user friendly”. The second technology, NFC, that refers to near field communication, allows communication between devices over about 4 inch distance by using a short-range high frequency wireless communication. This enables guests to unlock their rooms using encrypted code received via short text message on the cell phone. So, it means that customers could make a reservation on-line, get a confirmation connecting to the Internet on their cell phone/Smartphone/PDA , then check-in, get access to the room using this device and check-out from the hotel! And moreover, this technology could be utilized as marketing tool providing, for example, the opportunity of remote check-in/out and access to guest loyalty programs via SMS.
In my opinion, RFID is really a great solution for the hospitality industry. First of all, it is very important for resort hotels as far as it allows to eliminate physical contact between card and card reader. It is significant because sand from the beach (that could be brought on the card) could damage the card reader. Moreover RFID key cards can provide access not only to guest rooms but also to different in-room (safes, minibars) and hotel (pools, fitness centres, conference rooms, etc.) amenities and even could be used as an electronic wallet. I believe it is very convenient for the guests to deposit a certain amount of money on this card and then just feel free to use different hotel facilities. It is possible to use not only cards but wristbands as well as a key to RFID ELS. I think that all the features above also make this system very convenient for families with children.
Near field communication (NFC) cell phone compatibility is also a significant technology for the industry. However, probably it is not always convenient to use cell phone as a room key, for example when guest is going to the swimming pool. I believe that cell phone technologies are very important, but probably they could be more used as CRM tools. Nowadays, travelers heavily use cell phones. So, mobile version of hotel website and remote check-in/out are becoming just guests’ standard expectations (not technological advances).
Above these two technologies mentioned in the article, there is one more very interesting and innovative point - biometric locking system. The first generation of this technology was introduced only in 2004 by Saflok. Biometric LS refers to the use of automated methods to recognize a person based on either physiological or biological characteristics (fingerprint, iris, hand, palm scan). “The Leisure Customer’s Adoption of Biometric Technologies in Hotels” survey conducted by Ecole hoteliere de Lausanne (Lausanne, Switzerland) shows that 87.3% of leisure guests in the sample (300 hotel leisure guests) are ready to use biometric technologies for guest services, particularly sport and outdoor activities. Among all biometric tools they preferred iris scanning for payment systems as well as for identification purposes. However, this technology is still not widely accepted mainly because of security and cost issues. But anyway, hospitality industry has a great potential for future growth and development from this perspective.
References:
Collins. G., Cobanoglu C. (2008). Hospitality Information Technology: Learning how to use it. Dubuque, IA: Kendall/Hunt publishing company
Murphy. H., Pottet, D. (2007). The Leisure Customer’s Adoption of Biometric Technologies in Hotels, Retrieved from http://www.hospitalitynet.org/news/4030000.search?query=biometrics+in+hospitality
Volpe, C. (2008). Hotels Lock it Up. Hospitality Technology. October 2008, Retrieved from http://www.htmagazine.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=&nm=&type=MultiPublishing&mod=PublishingTitles&mid=3E19674330734FF1BBDA3D67B50C82F1&tier=4&id=4380EF5629CD45FB9C4D382CA9B09534
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3 comments:
I agree with Ekaterina. The technologies in the article are exciting. I wonder about the rate (87.3%) of Swiss leisure travelers who reported that they favored biometric (iris recognition). It would be interesting to see the results of the same survey in the USA. Ekaterina's concerns about cell phone technology as it relates to hospitality are well founded. Cell phones are often misplaced, lost, and stolen - all would render the technology useless.
This article highlights very good points about RFID and NFC technologies. As you stated, these technologies offer a new arena for guest convenience. I especially like the NFC because it seems like a solution that business professionals would be grateful for having. The NFC would allow traveling professionals who may have had a long flight to simply enter their room instead of having to be bothered by check-in procedures. By using a technology that most people already have (cell phones) to give access to rooms I would think it would have a quick return of investment. It should reduce spending for key cards and labor in having to recode ELS door access. Still, with any new technology you must keep a back up, in this case a few magnetic cards for guests without phones or SMS services. But, I think this is a great technology overall.
It is interesting that almost all of us have posted an article related to security issues. Steve also has a post about RFID & NFC.
I've read Diane's & Tiffany's comments and I agree with Tiffany about backup plan.
As I mentioned in Steve article, I think using these kind of new technologies needs good amount of money. Because as a hotel you have to change the door's locking system, the security system and also train the staffs.
But it seems that there is a trend to use these kind of technologies and I definitely suggest them to the new hotels.
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