Summary
Only 17% of the hospitality industry feel that upgrading the locks on the rooms are extremely important. Right now only VIP rooms use RFID technology to open their doors. Most hotels are very happy with the technology that they presently have which is the magnetic strip card. The cost of the cards are low and the maintenance is also low. The downside to the magnetic strip cards would be the inconvenience to the guest if their magnetic strip becomes erased because it is kept to close to a cell phone. The guest would have to come down to check in to have their card re-swiped. Most hotels feel that RFID technology is just around the corner. Most hotels ranked wireless technology very high on their priority list, this would help to move towards RFID with wireless technology already in place. The cost would not be as excessive then. Moving to RFID technology the guest could receive a text with their room number on the day of arrival eliminating having to check in at the front desk altogether. RFID would also help to reduce other expenses associated with room rental such as heating and cooling cost. RFID is available right now in European countries and hopefully this type of technology will also be seen in the US.
Reflection
I am not sure if or when RFID will take off in the US throughout all of the hotel industry mainly due to the cost involved. If the magnetic strip is working and the cost to operate and maintain the magnetic strips are inexpensive only the major hotels will be able to change to RFID hotel locks. It is already expensive for the smaller hotels to keep up with the technology that the higher end hotels have let alone try and match newer more costly technology. I don’t think it will make a difference to the middle class traveler if they have to check in at the front desk to obtain their magnetic strip card to enter their room. On the other hand for the constant traveler I see where they would like this feature. When the airlines first started with check in thru the website instead of at lines I think the ones that really liked this feature was the business traveler. My boss wouldn’t know how to check in any other way now. With guest room locks being only 17% of importance at this time I do not feel the change will be made to the average hotel.
Mastroberte, T. (2011, 2 14). Will Guestroom Locks Ever Get Smart? Retrieved 2 27, 2011, from Hospitality Technology: http://hospitalitytechnology.edgl.com/top-stories/Will-Guestroom-Locks-Ever-Get-Smart-67078
Teri, I do agree with you that RFTD hotel locks will be expensive for smaller hotels, but as long as technology keeps improving these small hotels will have to adapt to the new technology if they want to stay in business and increase their revenue. I would think that the transition from the traditional magnetic strip entry card to the RFID cards will be more common, especially with the millennium generation guest. The benefit for the hotel by using the RFID cards they would be able to track all of the guest activities and billing though out the property. The benefit for the guest by using the RFID card it can be program for repeat visitors which they will receive a text message with their room number and that will eliminate the need to check-in upon arrival .
ReplyDeleteI think RFID tags are the only way to operate in the hotel world right now. Many hotels are already on board with updating their current system. The cost of not using the RFID tags are more than replacing an antiquated system that is in place, the heating and cooling alone could be reduced enough to see significant savings in the short term. Another bonus is the imformation you gain from the guest so that you can improve your service to that guest, like knowing how often a guest leaves the room and when the guest leave the room for housekeeping pourposes. The road to the future is through RFID tags.
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