The Townsend Hotel Upgrades to Electronic Locking & Messenger Wireless Communication System
The Townsend Hotel, a Forbe's Four Star and AAA Four Diamond 150-room luxury hotel in Birmingham, a Detroit suburb, replaced a hard-wired locking system with a wireless solution from SAFLOK. These new stand-alone SAFLOK locks are powered by a single AA battery pack, with no wires running to the locks. The system's most significant advantages are customer convenience and the latest real-time, two-way communication to and from the locks.
Approximately 200 SAFLOK Quantum ädesÄ" radio-frequency identification (RFID) locks have been installed on the property. The Quantum ädesÄ" (pronounced "odyssey") RFID locks are contactless, smart card readers. The locks are operated by SAFLOK's System 6000 Windows-based front desk operating system and SAFLOK's Messenger bi-directional wireless system. The Messenger system works on the internationally accepted ZigBee-compliant platform and includes the Messenger LENS (Lock Event Notification System) component.
Messenger LENS conveys events to and from the lock in real-time as they occur. LENS offers a complete schedule of notifications that can be used to the benefit of the property and its guests. Properties can select the type the information and reports that they want to receive from the locks and determine the group of subscribers receiving the notifications and messages. Different notifications types can be sent to a specified group of users.
"Our focus has always been to make the guest experience a wonderful experience," says Peter Wilde, managing director of the Townsend Hotel. "We are proud to partner with SAFLOK to offer our guests the most advanced security technology -- while maintaining the heritage and elegant appeal of our hotel."
The Townsend plans to activate a number of notifications to enhance the guest's experience, security, and convenience. For example, a notification can be sent to the hotel's concierge when a frequently returning VIP guest has entered their room, prompting the concierge to deliver an expected package, letter or fax. To provide upgraded security, LENS can also be programmed to alert when a door is left ajar or to detect patterns such as wandering intruder. Additionally, the Messenger system also eliminates the need for a guest to visit the front desk to extend their stay.
Intended to be seamless and not apparent to the guest, this RFID system is contactless. The Townsend's guests no longer need to insert a key into the lock reader to unlock the door. They merely place the fob about an inch from the reader to unlock the door. Each fob is programmed with timed access and will only work for the duration of the guest's stay.
If a guest loses a fob, the front desk can program a new fob that automatically cancels out the previous one. Additionally, RFID credentials do no demagnetize, which may sometimes be a concern with magstripe systems.
"The Townsend Hotel has partnered with Michigan-based SAFLOK to provide our guests with a state-of-the-art, online locking system for enhanced hotel security and added guest convenience," says Wilde. "The Townsend has a history of partnering with other Michigan-based companies, and we're proud to work with SAFLOK."