Hotel properties have a continuous flow of guests, which necessitates safeguarding everyone on the premises with comprehensive security measures. Trying to balance a warm and welcoming environment with security that is non-disruptive to guests is challenging to hotel security teams with the ebb and flow of people and activities occurring every day at all hours.
Hotel security teams are also faced with challenges of managing loss prevention and theft and the financial implications this has for profit margins. With sky-high inflation, the cost to replace stolen items and depleting inventories takes a hefty chunk of change out of profit, which can cause red-line financial implications if theft and loss is not controlled and managed.
Security strategies and policies must include procedures to mitigate both insider and outsider theft. Besides keeping a watchful eye on theft, investment in security technology greatly assists in protecting profit. While this includes access control and video surveillance systems, there are hundreds to thousands of keys on site at hotel properties, which need to be secured and accounted for as well.
Strategies to prevent security incidents include electronic key control systems. Let’s examine three ways how key management systems keep hotels more profitable:
Manages People
Electronic key cabinets secure and track all hotel keys and release them to authorized users only. The system’s software allows hotel and security key control administrators to program authorized users into the system for their specific keys to be used during specified times and purposes within hotel departments. Furthermore, productivity improves for hotel staff when they are no longer looking for missing keys.
Keys are also no longer randomly lying around for anyone to grab and use to access hotel assets. When authorized users enter their credentials into the key control system, the keys that they are authorized to use light up and are ready to be removed. When keys are not returned at the end of work shifts, alerts are sent to key control administrators who can take immediate action.
Every key transaction is recorded, and audit reports are instantly available, ready to be downloaded at any time. The report shows who used the keys, when they were removed, and when they were returned with the dates and other criteria.
Manages Assets
Key lock box cabinets can be designed with locker modules to store important assets such as key cards, panic button fobs, and handheld radios. These lockers also serve as a place for hotel employees to secure their personal assets such as car keys, wallets, mobile phones, laptops, and medication.
Keys are assets that protect other assets. When they are secured and tracked 24/7, areas containing hotel inventory items for the housekeeping department, the restaurant and catering operations, facilities management tool storage areas, and all other hotel departments are protected by the electronic key control system and are accessible only by authorized key control system users.
Protects Data
Keeping hotel guest’s financial data and employee personnel records and hotel financial information private and away from cybercriminals is an incessant challenge. While firewalls and security software will help protect against malware and hackers, server rooms, financial offices, and computer hardware also need to be protected. Data breaches can cost hoteliers millions of dollars, along with reputation management from the fallout.
Electronic key control systems secure and track keys that belong to server rooms and computer hardware so thieves cannot easily walk away with it, along with the stored data on the hard drives. Sensitive data and items such as cash drawers can also be programmed with multi-factor authentication access. To access the sensitive assets, three authorized managers would need to enter their credentials before the keys are released. This further reinforces preventative measures for insider threats since all key transactions are recorded and tracked.
Managing loss prevention and theft at hotel properties involves a thorough security plan, well-trained staff, and layers of security procedures and technology. Investment in security technology and integrating these systems also helps to provide more timely data and information to mitigate security breaches or allow security teams to act while a security incident is unfolding. When electronic key control is included in the security technology suite, the return on investment is an added security layer that helps to prevent insider and outsider security breaches while boosting profitability.
Sponsored by Morse Watchmans.
