guestroom technologies

In-Room Technologies

Chapter 6

"The good news is that the PMS market has seldom seen such a variety of different approaches to solving your property's automation needs. The further good news is that the systems available have never been better for what is still the key system, the hub around which all other property systems revolve and in which you collect a huge amount of highly valuable guest data. “

Jon Inge, Hotel Systems Consultant

Today• IT is part of the business now…

Let’s have a look at the systems

Lodging-Centric Technologies

FOHBOH

PMS CORPORATEACCOUNTING SYSTEM

CORPORATERESERVATION SYSTEM

E-MAIL, MIS, DSS, EIS

FORECASTING & SCHEDULING

TIME &ATTENDANCE

GLOBALRESERVATION SYSTEM

TRAVELAGENTS

CORPORATE GUEST HISTORY

PURCHASING & INVENTORY FOOD &

BEVERAGEINVENTORY SYSTEM

RESTAURANTMANAGEMENT SYSTEM (POS)

ELECTRONIC BAR DISPENSER

MINIBAR

CALLACCOUNTING SYSTEM (CAS)

LD

YIELDMANAGEMENT

PAY PER VIEW /CHECK OUT

CREDIT CARDAUTHORIZATION & EFT

PBX(SWITCH

MAIDDIAL-IN

VOICEMAIL MESSAGEHANDLING

WAKE-UP SYSTEM

SALES &CATERING SYSTEM

REMOTE SALESMARKETING

MAINTENANCE ENERGY FIRE & LIFE SAFETY

ELECTRONIC LOCK & SECURITY SYSTEM

INROOM ENERGYCONTROL

SYSTEMS OFF PREMISE SYSTEMS INHOUSE

INTERFACE WITHDIRECTION OFDATA FLOW

Internet/Intranet

Hotel information system

1. Improved labor productivity and organization efficiency

2. Enhanced decision-making capability in less time3. Reduced operating costs4. Increased information accuracy5. Increased revenues6. Greater guest satisfaction and loyalty7. Improved controls8. Ease of use

Advantages of Technology in Hotels

1. Security2. Ergonomics3. Cost4. Upgrades and maintenance

Disadvantages of Technology in Hotels

1. Electronic Locking System2. Energy Management & Climate Control Systems3. Fire Alarm & Security Systems4. In-room Minibars5. In-room safe boxes6. Guestroom Phone System7. Voice-mail/Wake-up Systems8. In-room Entertainment Systems9. Guestroom control panels10. Self check-in/out systems

In-Room Technologies

Electronic Locking Systems

Majority of the hotels use electronic locking systems (ELS)

Hotel Key System Evolution Mechanical Keys Punched-hole coded-

plastic room key card Optical Cards Electronic Key Card

Electronic Locking Systems (ELS)

Cheaper than electronic locking systems Heavier to carry Inconvenient Once lost, the cost of replacement is high Not traceable Duplicable

Mechanical Keys

About 85 percent of lodging establishments in the United States have electronic locking systems installed

Types: Hard-wired ELS Micro-processor based

One-way communication ELS Two-way communication ELS

Electronic Locking Systems (ELS)

Hard-wired system is an example to a first generation ELS

They operate through a centralized master code console interfaced to every single key lock Very Expensive to wire each door Great security

Hard-wired ELS

One-way communication This system uses a microcomputer (keycard

console) with an electronic key encoder, a device used to encode new lock combinations on guest keycards at check-in

Micro-processor based ELS

Electronic key encoder: device to encode new lock combinations

One-way e-locks

Check-in: Front Desk Agent encodes the key for room 101

Guest entersthe e-keyinto lock 101

The lock erases the Previous code. Now this door can be opened with this card nowUntil the next new card comes in

Unique keys Light plastic, magnetic stripe keys: Security Replaceable The cost of a new key is low Recyclable The cost of rekeying is non-existent. Access control Audit-trail capability Privacy Feature

Advantages of ELS over Mechanical Keys

One key can not be used in multiple locks. If the guest decided to change rooms, he/she

has to go to front desk to recode the key. If a wrong key is inserted into a lock, it does

not alert security staff.

Disadvantages of one-way ELS

Two-way communication keys are more expensive to install; however, they offer several security and convenience features.

In the two-way communication locks, a central database communicates to locks wirelessly.

One key can be used in multiple places (i.e. pool, health club, concierge floor)

Two-way communication ELS

Keycards- Magnetic Stripe Cards

A memory card is equipped with a memory chip to store lock access codes and records.

They can store data from 2 kilobyte (KB) (it can carry 25 different key lock codes), 8 KB (it can carry up to 125 different key lock codes), or 64 KB (it can carry up to 1350 different key lock codes).

These are great for staff members or managers who have access to multiple locks.

The cost of a memory card can be from $2.00 per card to $4.00 per card. Cards

Keycards- Memory Card

Keycards- Memory Card

A smart card, chip card, or integrated circuit(s) card (ICC), is defined as any pocket-sized card with embedded integrated circuits which can process information.

Smart cards can store more data than the memory cards.

Smart cards can also process data, allowing it to serve as an electronic purse or ID.

Keycards- Smart Cards

Keycards- Smart Cards

The first generation of biometric ELS was seen in 2004.

Saflok was one of the first companies to introduce the biometric locks

The guest registers his/her fingerprint or iris scan or other biometric metric (i.e. hand scan, palm scan) at the time of check-in.

Keycards-Biometric

Radio-frequency identification (RFID) is an automatic identification method, relying on storing and remotely retrieving data using devices called RFID tags or transponders.

There are two main components of a RFID ELS: RFID Lock: This is the key lock that looks for a RFID tag

to grant access. RFID tags (keys): These are the identification codes for

key locks. They can be in the shape of a plastic keycard, or can be stored in different devices, such as a wristband.

Keycards- RFID

Mechanical Key Electronic Key as a Security Device Code-based Key Biometric Lock RFID Based Lock Smart Lock

Videos*

* (password: videos)

Energy Management Systems & Climate Control Systems

InnCom Systems

After labor, energy is the second-largest operating expense for a hotel

Guestroom energy consumption typically accounts for 40 percent to 80 percent of a hotel’s total energy costs

Energy Management & Climate Control Systems

EMS-Digital Thermostat

humidity control

outside temperature display

1) centrally controlled systems2) individually controlled systems3) network controlled systems

EMS Types

1. Electronic key-card based energy management systems

This system employs a wall mounted unit that controls the electrical devices and Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) devices with the help of a magnetic stripe key card

EMS Devices

2. Body-motion detector based energy management systems

A body-motion detector is installed inside the guestroom and in some cases in the corridors. When the body-motion unit does not detect a motion, indicating that there is not a guest or an animal in the room or in the corridor, it controls the lights and HVAC equipment.

EMS Devices

Body Motion Sensor to control Hallway lights (Royal Hotel, Lyon, France)

Video

3. Body-heat detector based energy management system

Similar to body-motion detector based systems, this system detects body-heat of a human or an animal. This system is more reliable than the body-motion detector. When the system does not detect body hear, it assumes that it is non-occupy mode, and sets HVAC equipment back to preset temperatures

EMS Devices

EMS-Wireless Light Switch replaces the standard

hard-wired line-voltage light switch

Lighting can be pre-set to save energy costs

By enabling the front desk to remotely turn lights on and off in the guestroom when a guest checks in or out, infrared switch provides the next level of energy and utility management.

EMS-Lamp Control Mode

It converts any standard lamp into a remotely controllable lamp with full dimming capability. (infrared)

Guestroom Status The guest may choose

either the DND or MUR functions without needing to open the guestroom door.

If DND is pressed, a lettered, backlit "Do-Not-Disturb" indicator is displayed on the external door plate

If MUR is selected, a discreet LED indicator, readable only by hotel staff, is displayed on the external plate.

Guestroom Status: External Door Plate

installed on the wall outside the guestroom

DND or MUR indicate current

room occupancy status

Network controlled energy management systems have four levels of temperature set-backs:

1. Sold2. Unsold3. Sold Occupied4. Sold Unoccupied

EMS Control Levels

Networked Fire Alarm System: In this system, smoke-detectors are networked to a central management system wirelessly

Fire Alarm and Security Systems

There are three different type of minibar systems. These are: 1. Traditional minibars (non-automated), 2. Semi-automated minibars3. Automated minibars (micro-processor

based).

In-Room Minibars

Traditional minibars are based on manual checking and/or honor system.

After minibar staff members fill out the minibar initially, they have to check every occupied room every day to see of anything has been consumed.

Traditional Minibars

Semi-Automated minibar Systems are equipped with a door alert system that reports directly to the minibar central computer system via existing telephone wiring each time the bar door is opened.

This way, minibar staff members know which rooms need refilling and which rooms do not. This decreases the restocking time and guest disturbances are significantly reduced.

Semi-automatic Minibars

Automated Minibar Systems (Micro-processor based) are capable of monitoring and posting sales transactions, determining refill quantities, reminding the expiration dates of products offered, and enhancing profitability.

The automated minibar has infrared sensors that sense when a product is removed from the tray.

Automated Minibar Systems

Traditionally, hotels used to offer safe boxes in the front desk. However, in today’s hotels, most rooms are equipped with modern, small, individual size safes. Mechanical key safes Electronic in-room safes

Key card safes Code-based electronic in-room safes Smart-card based safes Biometric safes

In-Room Safes

Hotel Billing Information System (HOBIC) Call Accounting System (CAS) Features

Call Automatic identification of outward dialing Automatic route selection Least cost routing Call rating program

PBX

Guestroom Phone Systems

CAS works with PBX

PBX phone systems are created to form a private network of users to share selected external telephone lines.

It is more cost efficient to share a few external lines than to allow every user their own external lines.

Within a PBX phone system it is easier to reach someone because it is only a three or four digit extension.

Private Branch Exchange (PBX)

Dial-up access- First generation High Speed Internet Access- Wired High Speed Internet Access-Wireless

802.11b- 11 Mbps 802.11g- 54 Mbps 802.11a- 54 Mbps 802.11n- 100 Mbps

Hybrid

High Speed Internet Access

Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)Bundle Offerings– Phone + Internet Access

Future of Hotel Telephone Systems

Most of the hotels that have telephone in the guestroom offer voice mail service.

A hotel using voice mail assigns a voice mailbox to each guest upon check-in.

If the voice mail system is interfaced with PMS, the voice mail talks to the guest in the guest’s language (i.e. English, German, Spanish).

The guests have the option to set-up the voice mail or leave it as default message. Guests can record their greeting recording or set a unique PIN code to access the voice messages

In-Room Voice Mail Systems

Manual wake-up system Semi-automated wake-up system Full-automated wake-up

system Interactive TV System Wake up

system Alarm clock in the room

Wake Up Systems

Personalized welcome message upon check-in Video on demand (pay per view) High speed Internet access Wake-up call Order room service Live feedback Different languages Internet Protocol based Radio View Bill/Self- Check out System Parental Controls

In-Room Entertainment Systems

Other In-Room Systems

Guestroom Control Panels

Clocky

Anyfill Battery Charger

Flame Free Candles

DND/MUR Card

Digital Frame

Emergency Light System

Wii

Digital Door Viewer

eXperimental Guestroom

Video

End of Chapter 6