As SALTO Systems Vice President of Hospitality Sales, Michael Cline guides the continued growth and expansion of SALTO’s Hospitality Sales organization in the United States. He recently discussed key hospitality electronic access control topics including the importance of the mobile key and system security.
As SALTO Systems Vice President of Hospitality Sales, Michael Cline guides the continued growth and expansion of SALTO’s Hospitality Sales organization in the United States. He recently discussed key hospitality electronic access control topics including the importance of the mobile key and system security.
What does digital innovation and connected guests and staff mean for hoteliers?
Electronic access control has given hoteliers incredible opportunities in a variety of areas. Management can quickly and easily issue guest room access; the guest can even bypass the front desk and go directly to the room. Management can just as quickly and easily disable a room key if the need arises.
Smart electronic access control with smartphones or contactless cards helps hotels manage guest room access more efficiently, while also providing them with a wealth of information that can improve operations. Knowing when a guest isn’t in their room can give management an opportunity to save on electricity costs by automatically turning off lights and adjusting heating and air conditioning systems when the room isn’t in use. Creating reports on room access for amenities like spas or gyms can help management determine the best scheduling of staff for these areas.
There is a world of opportunity for improvements for guests and staff when it comes to implementing a wireless electronic locking solution and we are discovering more benefits every day.
How important is the mobile key? What should a hotelier look for in a solution?
Every hotel should incorporate mobile keys into their access control solution. The public – business travelers, in particular – now expects it.
Mobile key access provides benefits to both guests and hotel management. It makes travel more convenient for guests while improving operations for hoteliers. It provides guests with a hotel experience they value and want to repeat by facilitating their check-in without sacrificing their security and comfort. When selecting an access control solution for your hotel with mobile key technology, hoteliers must insist on a product that is, above all, secure. It should also provide instant key updates or key cancellations in the event the guest no longer should have room access. Mobile key management should use real-time access rights changes, audit trails, and blacklisting of lost keys. It should also ensure that no information is stored in the cloud and that any information collected or used is used only as a temporary bridge.
A mobile solution for hospitality must also be compatible with the variety of mobile devices and electronic lock products on the market and be able to integrate with existing hotel systems.
What are the key benefits of an electronic locking solution with mobile key technology?
Benefits include increased security and fraud prevention by improving control of staff access and management of their access rights; lost key instant cancellation for staff and guest security and peace of mind; and automatic guest key cancellation after check out for increased security.
Cutting-edge mobile technology, together with electronic wireless locking solutions, means the end of lost key hassles, expense, and waste. Guests open their room door and the app automatically sends confirmation that the door has been opened back to the front desk, even for doors equipped with offline electronic locks.
How do technology partners work together to enhance the guest and staff experience?
Access control is just one part of an overall security solution and management system. SALTO has long understood that to provide the most technologically-advanced electronic access control products we must partner with other Hospitality industry leaders to develop integrations that deliver a comprehensive – and seamless – solution for any hotel property type and size. SALTO has partnered with a number of Hospitality leaders to develop integrations including Inncom, Telkonet, Interel, Lutron, Ariane, Zaplox, OpenKey, Intelity (formerly KeyPR), Digivalet, StayNTouch, Monscierge, and multiple PMS providers.
What are the expected technology trends in electronic access control for the hospitality industry for 2019?
Access control is rapidly becoming about more than just electronic locks and security. It’s an opportunity to provide a better guest experience and improve hotel management. Because access control is a central part of the entire guest experience, it’s a way to increase customer satisfaction – which boosts the bottom line. If the guest can open their hotel room with a smartphone and use that same mobile app to check in, check out and make future reservations, then that positive experience is one that the guest will likely be influenced by when planning their next trip.
