In the Radisson Blu Hotel at Hamburg airport, a modern electronic key management system supplied by the RFID specialists deister electronic is providing more security, efficiency, and transparency in the handling of mechanical keys.
Whether as a stop-over for cruise ship or airline passengers, a location for business meetings, or an attractive accommodation for visitors to the city: The Radisson Blu at Hamburg airport impresses with personal service and luxurious facilities. 266 modern, fully-equipped rooms provide all the amenities expected of a state-of-the-art business hotel.
Sebastian Herzog, General Manager at the Radisson Blu Hotel, knows: ‘For completely satisfied guests you need not only top service and personalised offers, but also perfect coordination and cooperation between the different hotel departments. In this process, up-to-date technology plays a decisive role.’ In the Radisson Blu, this is also true in key management for security-relevant areas.
In the past, mechanical keys for the sprinkler system control room, for technical and utility rooms, staircases, conference and meeting rooms, or fitness facilities used to be handed out manually. In the process every single key movement had to be thoroughly documented in the key book. Sebastian Herzog remembers: ‘In the course of a hectic hotel working day, bookings were repeatedly left incomplete. If keys were lost, you had to do a painstaking search for them, and in the worst case, entire locks had to be replaced. Even less practical was that by handing out keys to our staff or outside contractors, the guest’s’ checking in and out was delayed unnecessarily, and the procedures at the reception and in the administration were disrupted.’
In order to optimise internal processes and to raise the security level, the hotel looked for a reliable, intelligent, RFID-based system (Radio Frequency Identification), with which every key removal and return is automatically monitored and, for legal certainty and audit proof, completely documented. The appropriate specialists were found at deister electronic GmbH in Barsinghausen. To quote Sebastian Herzog: ‘The deister electronic team convinced us right from the first presentations of the qualities of their proxSafe solution.’
Complete control instead of gaps in security
The reliable key cabinet solution from the proxSafe group of products, featuring the Commander Connect management software for key management, was promptly introduced in the Radisson Blu. ‘Initially we had to ascertain who needed which key, so that we could decide on the cabinet system that was suitable for us,’ remembers Sebastian Herzog. ‘But this purely internal ‘hurdle’ was quickly cleared.’
The proxSafe maxx electronic key cabinet, which is mounted in the back office, is configured for 64 keys. Each of them is connected by a single-use seal to an electronic keyTag, in which information about the key is stored. For key operation, authorised members of staff are given a token with an integrated RFID chip which identifies them as staff members. After successful identification, the user can release the required key on the proxSafe maxx operating terminal. Hotel staff will be directed to the matching slot in the key cabinet, aided by the LED indicator. All other slots remain securely locked. If a key with the relevant keyTag is removed or returned, then the management software automatically records the movement and assigns the key to the user.
‘We can now monitor all key movements completely,’ states Sebastian Herzog contently. ‘What is also important is that we have a system with only one user interface, which is simple and convenient to use.’ The technical training also went smoothly. Another advantage: The practically maintenance-free hard- and software have hardly any subsequent costs, and thus represent a very secure and cost-efficient solution for the hotel. In addition, the software is easily capable of integrating additional security solutions, such as for security patrols, using the standard interface.
A solution which fits precisely
‘Our very lively hotel operations naturally do represent something of a challenge,’ sums up the Hotel Manager. ‘Here, everything has to run quickly in the interests of our guests. So we cannot afford to have inefficient internal processes. Which is why we are so satisfied with the non-contact RFID solution from deister electronic, which is exactly tailored to our company. It does not only take pressure off the staff and avoid delays. The system also offers a clear advantage through automated documentation processes, more security, and transparency. These aspects are, for a Safehotel such as ours, naturally particularly important.’ And last but not least, the workflow optimisation also means a reduction in working hours for his team, and thus costs savings which lead to a fast return on investment.