in-room technologies chapter 6. "the good news is that the pms market has seldom seen such a...
TRANSCRIPT
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
End of Chapter 6