Hospitality

SALTO Systems has integrated with another hospitality-industry technology platform to provide more options in delivering comprehensive end-to-end experiences for guests and staff through embedded and mobile devices.

Thanks to the integration with SALTO, the INTELITY app now allows guests to bypass the front desk for check-in via keyless entry from an iOS or Android mobile device. Guests can then come and go to their hotel room as they please without having to have a credential beyond their smartphone. The INTELITY app can be custom-tailored to each property, allowing more freedom for hotel guests and control for higher-security businesses.

INTELITY is a cloud-based guest experience and management platform for hotels, casinos and residential properties. INTELITY delivers a friction-free personalized guest experience while creating new operational efficiencies and driving additional revenue opportunities for property owners. Guests can conveniently access a directory of services – dining, entertainment, third-party content and more – through an in-room tablet or custom mobile application.

SALTO’s electronic access control solutions are working in more than 6,000 luxury and resort hotels worldwide, in addition to other types of guest accommodations, vacation properties and holiday resorts. SALTO adds value to any hotel by providing secure and reliable access control 24/7 that covers the entire property.

SALTO welcomes new partnerships with industry leaders like INTELITY that will ultimately result in improved hospitality management and the guest experience. SALTO also continuously adds integrations with other technology providers so that those in the hospitality industry have a choice when it comes to which platform they use to control SALTO’s robust line of electronic locks and supporting products.

The hospitality vertical has unique access control needs – guest rooms, elevators, turnstiles – that are best served by products that are specifically designed with these requirements in mind. SALTO’s peripheral products are engineered to provide the ideal solution for those access points where online connectivity is needed, or where interaction with other systems or electric-powered devices such as elevators is required.

We’re excited about our two newest products that will help enrich your comprehensive access control solution and will supply the connectivity your hotel needs: the Mullion Reader and the Panel Reader.

MULLION READER:

The slim SALTO Mullion Reader for flush mounting has been specially designed to fit elevators, sliding doors, or electronic gate doors that have a narrow profile frame and where there is insufficient space to install a standard wall reader. Part of the SALTO electronic locking platform, the SALTO Mullion Reader is compatible with SALTO ProAccess SPACE and SALTO KS Controllers. Technical characteristics include: black or white color; compact, slim module design; specially designed for narrow or aluminum profile doors, making the installation quick and easy with minimal impact; modern aesthetic design; acoustic and optical signaling, and dual color green/red to indicate access authorization. They are housed in a two-piece, weatherproof secure electronics potted enclosure.

PANEL READER:

The SALTO Panel Reader door entry system also works in conjunction with SALTO ProAccess SPACE or SALTO KS Controllers. They are designed to be integrated behind elevator panels, door intercoms, electric switches, turnstiles, or gates. Users can present a valid SALTO credential – including both RFID card and JustIN Mobile app – to gain entry. These models do need a window in the door, which is necessary for reader antenna operation. Technical specifications include: compact module reader; specially designed to be integrated behind elevator panels, door intercoms, electric switches, turnstiles or gates; acoustic and optical signaling, dual color green/red to indicate access authorization. This reader is housed in a one-piece, weatherproof secure electronics potted enclosure.

We’re working hard to enrich your hospitality access control solutions! To learn more about either of these new products – or for a product demo – contact us:

SALTO is always excited to share our newest hospitality electronic access control solutions every summer at HITEC. Many new and existing customers visited our booth, and we had a great response to our new narrow style mullion reader and our hidden panel reader.

Meetings with our technology partners who attended HITEC were very constructive, as well.

SALTO is positioned as a quality provider of access solutions for the hospitality market because we provide solutions for any access point in the building – including guest rooms, guest services and back of house. We go as far as making RFID Digital Key padlocks.

The SALTO HITEC booth featured our full line of electronic access control products designed specifically for the hospitality industry. Hundreds of visitors stopped by and were especially interested in the sleek new Ælement Fusion which offers hotels and lodging an electronic lock so minimal we call it “invisible.” The Ælement Fusion has a small circular ring (the lock hardware is hidden inside the door) that illuminates when credentials are presented. Compatible with RFID, NFC and BLE Bluetooth technologies, the Ælement Fusion integrates seamlessly with mobile applications including SALTO’s JustIN Mobile.

JustIN Mobile opens up a whole new world of options for both hotel management and guests. Available from the Apple iOS or Android app stores, JustIN Mobile replaces the need for a physical access hotel room card by securely sending a room key Over the Air (OTA) from SALTO’s ProAccess SPACE management software to a registered smartphone. JustIN Mobile can improve the guest experience by eliminating the need to physically check in or check out at the front desk while also streamlining overall hotel operations. If your hotel prefers to use its own mobile access application, SALTO electronic locks can integrate with your system.

We’d like to thank the visitors and partners that came by the SALTO Hospitality booth as well as all the Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP^®) organizers for making HITEC 2018 another successful show.

If you missed us at HITEC, make sure to join us at one of our upcoming hospitality events including The Hotel Show Dubai in September, the Independent Hotel Show in London in October or Boutique Design New York in November. For details on these events – or to learn more about other SALTO hospitality trade show participation – visit our events page.

Managing Director of SALTO Systems Middle East Victor Hage is a consummate access control and security professional and manager with a wealth of international experience especially in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region. Victor’s expertise includes regional business development, B2B and B2C negotiations, project management and corporate consultancy.
 

Electronic locks for hospitality are not a one-size-fits-all solution. What does SALTO offer?

There are a wide variety of SALTO electronic locks and supporting devices for hospitality access control. SALTO can provide locking solutions for any size or style of hotel. For example, Ælement is a great choice for 4-star hotel guest rooms and the sleek new Ælement Fusion – which is almost invisible – is a luxurious-looking solution that enhances any décor in 5-star hotels and above. When meeting with those in the hospitality industry, we propose an access control solution that encompasses the entire property including back-of-house solutions that may differ from those needed for guest rooms. We can also provide access control to elevators with wall readers and controllers and we offer solutions for parking lots or common areas with glass doors. Our electronic cylinders, panic bar devices, glass door locks and locker locks are excellent products to address auxiliary areas.
 

How do these products work together to provide a comprehensive solution?

It’s our goal to provide a seamless experience for the end user and their guests. SALTO has focused on designing a system that offers the hardware and software that delivers a reliable and simple-to-use electronic lock and access control system. SALTO also has a solution for every type of door in any standard, European or American. We have different types of locking devices including escutcheons, wall readers, locker locks, glass door locks, panic devices, and more. Importantly, we have one unique software to manage everything. SALTO’s comprehensive hardware and software solution is one that no one can match in the hospitality industry. Thanks to our initiative in integrating mobile technology into our electronic lock solutions with both our JustIN Mobile application and integration with existing hospitality applications, we offer a comprehensive solution that achieves that seamless experience and so much more.

What is the benefit for a hotel or lodging property to use SALTO Systems products?

Hotels and the hospitality industry are typically open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. What SALTO offers this vertical above all else is reliability: our product never fails. We understand that the hospitality vertical is demanding, therefore we supply products that are dependable and meet that continuous need. Another benefit to choosing SALTO is our commitment to and focus on innovation. SALTO was born out of innovation and was among the first companies to present an RFID solution to the hospitality industry. We then followed that up with a wireless solution. We’re continuing our focus on the future by replacing physical and mechanical keys with mobile application and smartphone use.

Can you name specific benefits for hotel management as it relates to guest rooms, back of house, amenities, etc.?

Hotel management benefits tremendously with a SALTO electronic lock solution. Having one solution for all access control means having less IT work. The staff are trained on one solution – and not several software programs – and with a keyless environment, that means there is no mechanical key management. Plus, by incorporating features like mobile smartphone access to rooms, it improves the guest experience which is always a positive benefit for management.

What are the trends in what hotels in the Middle East are looking for when considering an access control solution?

The two main trends driving the ME market right now are technology (wireless, bluetooth, guest room management system integration) and design (no visible readers or plates on the door and beautifully-designed handles). With the Ælement Fusion, SALTO has the perfect lock that ticks all the boxes for the ME market right now!

HITEC – the annual Hospitality Industry Technology Expo & Conference – is just around the corner and SALTO is especially excited to showcase two of our most exciting innovations: the Ælement Fusion electronic lock (also known as our “invisible” innovation) and our JustIN Mobile application.

SALTO Systems will be located at Booth 1025 during HITEC which will be held at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, Texas, June 19-21, 2018. We will have plenty of SALTO reps on hand to demo the host of electronic access control solutions we have for the hospitality industry which include the Ælement Fusion and JustIN Mobile.

Our Ælement Fusion – which we refer to as the next level in lock engineering – is a stylish and powerful electronic lock with a sleek reader accentuated by an interactive light ring that illuminates when access credentials are presented, providing a minimalistic design that blends with any hotel décor. It blends in so well that we call it invisible! The Ælement Fusion is compatible with RFID, NFC, and BLE Bluetooth technologies that integrate seamlessly with mobile applications including SALTO’s JustIN Mobile.

The SALTO JustIN Mobile application replaces the need for a physical hotel room access card by securely sending a room key Over the Air (OTA) from SALTO’s ProAccess SPACE management software to an iOS or Android device. The guest’s smartphone sends a signal to open the hotel room door’s electronic locks using BLE. JustIN Mobile can improve the guest experience by eliminating the need to physically check in or check out at the front desk while also streamlining overall hotel operations.

When you visit the SALTO HITEC Booth, be sure to say hello to National Account Manager for Hospitality Beth Zdrojewski who recently joined our team. Based in the Washington D.C. Metro Area, Beth develops and expands hospitality relationships for SALTO throughout the United States.

What are Salto hospitality integrations?

At Salto Systems, we’ve always invested in research and development to continually refine and improve our products and one of the key areas that we devote a lot of time and energy into is in developing integrations with other technology partners to combine and incorporate their services, increasing efficiency at a managerial level and optimising security for your premises.

As a large manufacturer of RFID & Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) enabled electronic locks for hospitality rooms and facilities, it’s necessary to work closely with other guest room, building & hospitality management systems software developers to cover every corner of the access control spectrum - from back-of-house organisation to guest room management - and hotel operations needs.

Hotels operators can, of course, always use the Salto access control and front desk management programs and software applications like ProAccess SPACE and the JustIN Mobile app that are specifically developed to work natively with Salto stand-alone electronic hotel locks.

However, many hotels and lodging facilities have an existing program they might prefer to integrate with Salto locks to allow guests to use their own app as a digital key, driving the opportunity for their hotel clients to benefit from a superior guest experience, whether by offering mobile guest Check-in & Check-out functionalities or additional guest self-services (vending, bike rentals, room service, spa & wellness…), for example.

Salto API for hotel

Salto has developed an Application Programming Interface (API) that allows third-party applications to easily operate and manage Salto RFID & BLE electronic locks. By providing an API, Salto is giving the hotel system integrator all of the flexibility in developing their own application that best fits their ecosystem. This also provides the hotel system integrator full control over their Cloud management and business strategies.

Salto SDK for hospitality industry

When the Salto integrations team receives a request to evaluate how the respective technologies can work together, Salto sends a Software Development Kit (SDK) for JustIN Mobile and the groups work together to integrate the API. This process gives Salto and our colleagues in the security industry an opportunity to work together and elevate the solution for our end users.

Salto understands that hotels may have preferred software and management systems. By working together with a variety of PMS (Property Management System), room management systems (RMS), check-in solutions, elevators access management or complete building management systems (BAS) solutions our developers can create a seamless solution that leverages universal technology, resulting in a better guest experience and smoother hotel operations.

SALTO Systems understands that to provide the most technologically-advanced electronic locking products we must partner with other leaders in the security industry to develop integrations that deliver a comprehensive solution. An important partnership that SALTO has developed within the hospitality vertical is with OpenKey – the largest mobile key company in the world with hotels in 10 countries on four continents.

How does OpenKey work?

OpenKey is a smart key, also known as a mobile key, which is the latest technology used in the hospitality industry. It allows a guest secure access to their room through the use of Bluetooth technology in both the smartphone and door lock. When a guest makes a reservation, the hotel sends an email invitation to download the OpenKey application which is available for free on both iOS and Android operating systems. Once the app is downloaded, the guest scans in identification (their driver’s license or passport), enabling a front desk bypass. The app is then used to open a guest room door that’s secured with a SALTO electronic lock.

The app doesn’t just open doors, however. Guests can use it to access property Wi-Fi codes and other hotel tasks: request housekeeping and other services, set up Do Not Disturb messages, make calls to the front desk – all directly from within the OpenKey app.

Once a guest has successfully downloaded and used the OpenKey app at one hotel, it can then be used in the future at any hotel using the platform.

How does OpenKey improve the guest experience and increase the hotel property efficiency?

Guests appreciate that a hotel property has made an investment to make the check-in experience seamless. This allows operations and management more time and attention to focus on enhancing the personalized guest experience elsewhere. Important factors in maximizing efficiency are total integration with the SALTO hotel premium lock systems platform and ease of use for the consumer.

How does OpenKey work with SALTO ProAccess SPACE property management?

OpenKey Host, the front desk app, works with SALTO ProAccess SPACE property management system software by eliminating the need for replenishing RFID key cards, improving administrative efficiency, and decreasing group check-in time.

Will mobile key technology be one of the hotel technology trends to expect in 2018?

Yes! The first sign of a smart hotel room is a smart hotel door. As physical key cards are used less and less, expect to see more guests gaining access to a room by using a smartphone with a mobile key. Thanks to companies like OpenKey, and their partnership with SALTO, hotel guests now have the ability to access their room – or fitness area, business center, or swimming pool – through the OpenKey app or the hotel’s own mobile app.

Along with the convenience of not having to carry another card, lost keys, and any associated replacement fees, become a thing of the past. This innovative technology gives guests the option to check-in and access rooms with a smartphone, giving the front desk staff more time to focus on more impactful ways to improve the guest experience.

Take a minute to watch the OpenKey video to learn more about the features and benefits of their product.

Beth Zdrojewski joined SALTO Systems as National Account Manager for Hospitality in September of 2017. Based in the Washington, D.C., Metro Area, Beth develops and expands hospitality relationships for SALTO throughout the United States. She has served in various strategic management roles for companies including Current powered by GE and GE Lighting.

You joined SALTO Systems in September of 2017, what drew you to SALTO?

I’m naturally drawn to the hospitality industry. In my previous role, I was focused on products that contributed to the safety and security of the hospitality industry along with software and controls. Those interests drew a direct line to what SALTO provides customers which is innovation in access control and a strong commitment to research and development. SALTO is always on the cutting edge of “what’s next” in access control, in general, and for electronic lock solutions for hospitality, in particular.

How did your previous work in sales and strategic accounts management prepare you for what you’re doing now?

Being a very outgoing person, networking comes pretty easy for me, so that would be the big win for me in this type of role. Also, understanding who is making the decisions and the influencers in my target accounts were top priorities. Once those connects are realized, creating a strong and valuable relationship with them is key to helping build scale across our sales team.

What are the essential elements of a hotel or lodging property access control system? In other words, in this day and age of security and technology – what should a hotel have in place?

Electronic locks are a key element of a comprehensive security solution. Different sized and type of hotels – business, luxury, boutique, resort, economy – have varying needs but they can each accomplish an effective access control solution with a wireless or networked platform using the latest in today’s technology such as RFID, NFC and BLE. An access control solution must also be able to work together seamlessly with third-party security platforms like room management systems, third-party mobile app developers for check-ins and room energy management systems.

What trends do you see emerging in the hospitality access control vertical?

The trends I see happening revolve around integration of access control and third-party systems or platforms (alarm, video, hotel management, guest management and in-room control systems like smart lights and thermostats). These integrations can lead to energy savings for the hotel and advanced accommodations for the guests. Mobile access is also a hot topic, as it can improve back of house and guest management as well as the guest experience. At the end of the day, these trends – better check-in options for guests, better and optimized key management, more efficiency in room or energy management – lead to a better ROI.

How does SALTO address the changing needs of the industry?

SALTO is instrumental in leading the way for new technologies. Due to the fact that the industry is demanding Bluetooth, wireless, mobile, and cloud solutions in their electronic access control solutions – we have been early adopters of those technologies and are therefore ready for those challenges and requests. The SALTO JustIN mobile application, for example, provides a mobile solution that can help hotels improve the guest experience by giving them a tool to bypass the check-in line and go directly to their hotel room. They can simply use their phone to check-in, access the room, and check out. An application like JustIN Mobile provides a guest-centered solution that helps hotel management save time and money.

SALTO has added the XS4 Mini ANSI lock to SALTO MyLock customization tool – allowing users to choose and see potential door configurations before purchasing. MyLock by SALTO is a unique interactive online tool that allows users to create a customized door and personalize options. Users can select a SALTO electronic lock model, door type, and choose from a broad range of colors, finishes, handles, and functions.

The popular new XS4 Mini ANSI is a compact, easy-to-install escutcheon that makes it simple for security professionals to upgrade security and replace mechanical key-operated door locks with the latest electronic access control solution in a wide range of customer applications. Its top-quality zinc alloy construction and Mifare-DESFire and BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) technologies allow it to work with conventional smartcards and with SALTO’s JustinIN Mobile application. The XS4 Mini ANSI is also engineered for use with SALTO’s latest technological innovation – SALTO BLUEnet, an application that facilitates electronic lock use in a wireless infrastructure.

Power for the XS4 Mini ANSI is supplied via three AA batteries, with battery life good for up to three years of normal operation. When batteries run low, the XS4 Mini has audible and visual indicators. Batteries can be replaced effortlessly within minutes.

Customize your SALTO XS4 Mini door lock: http://mylock.saltosystems.com/en/custom/xs4-mini-ansi#2,11,44,111,74,71,91

To learn more about how SALTO Systems can add real value to business operations with products like the XS4 Mini lock, visit the website www.saltohospitality.com or follow SALTO on Twitter, LinkedIN or Instagram @SaltoSystems.

Providing a minimalistic design that blends in with any hotel décor, the Ælement Fusion's small, customizable light ring reader (available in Black or White) offers a discreet electronic lock for hotels looking to deploy electronic access control with a stylish, yet technologically-advanced solution. SALTO offers a variety of door handles and finishes to complement any door style.

"For more than a decade, our intention has been to create an invisible electronic hotel lock. The Ælement Fusion is the realization of that vision,". "With the introduction of Ælement nine years ago, we revolutionized the hotel electronic lock market. AElement Fusion marks a new era for SALTO Hospitality — one in which the electronic lock disappears into the guest experience."

Security, efficiency and design are all essential aspects of access control in the highly competitive hospitality sector. Ælement Fusion incorporates SALTO's stand-alone, battery-powered electronic lock and technology, SVN data-on-card and advanced wireless technology, with online, real-time capabilities — all without using wires.

"Ælement Fusion is the future of the hospitality industry's electronic locking technology,". "It is packed with incredible new technologies, like the innovative JustIN Mobile application that allows guests and staff to use their smartphone as a key, beautiful design light ring contactless reader, and SALTO BLUEnet wireless engine for real-time access control."

To help architects, designers and engineers decide which is the best Ælement Fusion model, SALTO has developed an innovative tool that allows complete visualization and customization of the locking solutions chosen by the user. By accessing the web page, the user is able to select the door lock model online to configure and create their customized door by personalizing everything. This smart tool will help visitors select different designs and lock models, giving them an idea of how the solutions will look on different types of doors and with different finishes.