Courtyard by Marriott St. George Adopts Advanced IoT Door Lock Technology and Contactless Mobile Access by ASSA ABLOY Global Solutions
ASSA ABLOY Global Solutions as an innovator of security access technology, has been selected by Courtyard by Marriott St. George to enhance its guest safety, convenience and operational efficiency abilities with VingCard Classic RFID door locks equipped with Mobile Access. After a seamless upgrade process lasting no longer than one week, the 131 guestroom property can now ensure maximum guest safety using the latest in lock security encryption while providing each guest with the contactless convenience of digital check-in and room access using personal devices as a secure key. With the future-proof technology approach of ASSA ABLOY Global Solutions, Courtyard St. George can also leverage VingCard Classic RFID’s IoT compatibility to streamline hotel maintenance needs in addition to significantly reducing the cost of energy expenses.
“We had set ourselves the goal of becoming one of the most technologically advanced hotels in Utah and researched several competing companies to see which one could deliver the results we wanted, with ASSA ABLOY Global Solutions coming out on top in all aspects,” said Jim Plant, Director of Engineering at Courtyard by Marriott St. George. “The company’s solutions really represent the latest that the industry has to offer in terms of meeting guest demands for enhanced security, social distancing capabilities and instant convenience. That ASSA ABLOY Global Solutions was able to provide a seamless and swift upgrade experience with no complications is all the more reason why we are fully satisfied with our decision to work with them on this project."
With VingCard Classic RFID implemented alongside the Visionline access management system, the hotel’s staff can gain direct control and oversight over all security access operations from a centralized location. This includes being able to extend guest stays or grant access to additional hotel areas such as the property’s conference rooms without requiring a front desk visit in order for a new key to be issued. With the additional availability of Mobile Access, guests are further able to bypass the front desk completely by checking in via the Marriott Bonvoy app and using their own personal devices as a digital key for access to guestrooms and other onsite locations. Using Mobile Access, guests staying at the property can not only gain hassle-free entry to authorized areas but can also importantly minimize close contact with others or with shared surfaces to reduce germ exposure risks.
VingCard Classic RFID paired with Visionline further provides Courtyard St. George with the security-enhancing ability to automatically receive alerts in real-time over potential threats. This includes being notified when a key is being used on multiple doors in order to gain access or when a door has been left ajar and in need of investigation. Should an employee determine that a key has been stolen, misplaced or used inappropriately, they can instantly deactivate the key to mitigate or even prevent a security risk. With hotels often exposed to liability issues regarding guest safety or the loss of personal belongings, Courtyard St. George can also leverage Visionline to immediately retrieve a full audit of every room entry event for each door lock on the premises. Such reports can be made readily available upon request to law enforcement or any other relevant party in order to reduce or eliminate any potential legal consequences. Boosting the property’s maintenance efficiency and potential to better manage labor resources is the ability to monitor battery life levels for each individual lock without requiring a time-consuming physical inspection. Hotel employees can even troubleshoot guest or housekeeping room entry issues remotely, ensuring both an uninterrupted flow of operations and preventing any lapse in guest satisfaction.
“Hotels today are fast-paced environments where the ability to respond quickly to suddenly arising issues is vital to maintaining security, guest convenience and a successful business,” continued Plant. “This need requires a property’s various systems and operations to be able to communicate with each other automatically and flawlessly in order to achieve the level of efficiency and responsiveness that guests now routinely expect. With ASSA ABLOY Global Solutions, we have been able to fully accomplish this goal using the latest in IoT innovation which by integrating the company’s security access platforms with our hotel’s energy management system, is estimated to save us up to $49,000 in utility costs next year alone.”
As one of the world’s most reputable innovators of security access technology, ASSA ABLOY Global Solutions holds strategic relationships with major hospitality solution providers to ensure that its offerings and services are readily compatible with the latest in IoT functionality. For Courtyard St. George, this means being able to seamlessly integrate VingCard Classic RFID and Visionline with in-room smart thermostats and lights. The integration significantly allows such amenities to be notified on a guestroom’s occupancy status in order to adjust settings accordingly. When a guest checks in and a key is generated for a specific room for example, temperature and light settings are updated to ensure a welcoming and comfortable environment. Once VingCard Classic RFID and Visionline detect that a guest has left the room, thermostats and lighting will automatically enter energy savings mode to eliminate any unnecessary expenses.