Tranquility, rest, fun and feeling at home is the first thing tourists think of when they arrive at the lobby of a hotel.
by Ana María Restrepo
Holidays are special moments for tourists, these mark a break from their daily activity and therefore they look for a place of recreation to leave behind their tensions and enjoy special days, and in this sense there is nothing better for a visitor than to change the atmosphere, city, even country and stay in a hotel that provides all the comforts and services, including security; likewise, business tourists want their stay in the destination city to be excellent.
According to a study carried out by IH&RA, International Hotel Association, there are five points that are impacting the hospitality industry such as the control of hotel capacity, resources, technology, the need for a new administration and of course, security.
And the latter is one of the most important challenges worldwide. We could say that security is a variable that positions or detracts from a hotel establishment. In recent years the hospitality industry has modified and expanded its services, not only offers accommodation and restaurants, but also fitness, swimming pools, recreational centers, nurseries, business centers and rooms for events and conventions, which means that a set of elements must be defined that allow a hotel to be safe.
Rest and business insured
Hotel security allows the protection of people and property through the implementation of a set of technological and human means, which prevent, control and reduce criminal actions or events that put the life and integrity of guests at risk, as well as the establishment itself, therefore administrative measures must be structured to provide all staff with the necessary tranquility, in addition to immediate protection.
As we mentioned before, guests seek a comprehensive state of well-being, which implies total security during their stay, security that hotels provide through the implementation of systems such as access control, either biometric or by cards; fire detectors, intruder alarms and security cameras.
Although many criticisms have been presented in terms of electronic surveillance anywhere in the world, because it violates the privacy of people, the truth is that when an incident occurs, security cameras allow its prevention or reconstruct the fact.
To talk about the importance of electronic surveillance, and the type of cameras that should be used in hotels, HOTEL AND RESTAURANT MANAGEMENT interviewed five experts from the electronic security industry.
A hotel is an establishment that never sleeps, they work 24 hours a day, seven days a week and 365 days a year, therefore you must have an electronic eye system that supports the daily work of employees and security personnel. For Samuel Salgado of Bosch Mexico, having this system brings multiple benefits for hotel establishments, as customers feel confident and therefore satisfied. In turn, it ensures the proper use and patrimonial protection of the facilities and assets of the hotel itself and allows a timely action before any abnormal movement within the establishment.
According to María Bustamante de Vicon, video surveillance in many cases can free the establishment from payment responsibilities vis-à-vis third parties. It also serves to protect employees who work at night at the front desk, who may be victims of criminal attacks or assaults in parking lots during shift changes. For his part, Alexandro Salinas of Bolide Technology Group, exposes that "a security system too robust can also give the customer the feeling of loss of privacy".
See beyond the obvious
The confidence of the guests in the hotel and their prompt return is achieved through an adequate provision of services, the good condition of the place and the implementation of an effective surveillance system.
A CCTV system not only protects guests and facilities as Samuel mentioned earlier, but is also a means of persuasion in the face of a possible event that alters normal activities as Fernando Tomasiello of Samsung GVI claims. "The reliability and stability in a CCTV system for a hotel are the most important variables to take into account, being able to reliably obtain good quality images at the right time and place, provide the security department with a tool to give a very good and agile service to guests." However, Fernando explains that another factor that will help make a good decision when installing this type of solution is the possibility of growing a CCTV system according to the need of the hotel.
Choosing a good system involves a series of analyses that will allow the hotel and its security department to have a solution according to your requirements and facilities. For Gregorio Jiménez of Syscom, a verification process of the place must be carried out, since each situation is different, even in hotels of the same chain.
Salgado also considers it convenient to choose those solutions that fully meet the needs of each hotel based on its category, the size of its facilities and its prospects for growth and expansion; which leads to the choice of technologically innovative solutions, with the ability to update new developments, future growth and / or expansion and refurbishment for at least five years in the event of any possibility of obsolescence. "It will also be very important to determine, based on the hotel's own infrastructure, whether it is best to choose an analog, digital or hybrid solution."
In the same sense of Gregorio and Samuel, Carlos Leschhorn of Infinova focuses, for whom the needs start from the type of the hotel, however he considers that the installation of a video surveillance system in the common areas, the loading and unloading areas of supply to the hotel (kitchens, warehouses, etc.), in private hallways or service areas, as well as throughout the cash counting and handling section, especially if the property has a casino as part of it. Alexandro thinks for whom cameras should be installed in the outer perimeter, interior lobby, elevators, and hallways. "For the outside you can use motorized domes with zoom, inside you can use a combination of these domes with fixed cameras, and in the elevator domes with wide-angle lens are used."
Nowadays, the market trend is leaning towards digital or IP solutions since every modern installation has a network infrastructure as an integral part of its facilities, allowing the implementation of digital solutions.
Investment = security
It is important that hotel managers and owners do not skimp on costs in terms of a CCTV system. Generally, there is a tendency to confuse the investment in a security system with one more expense, without taking into account that a well-designed system will allow the departments to fulfill other roles within the hotel. For Fernando, a CCTV allows managers to foresee in many aspects events that if avoided will have significant savings, without having to have an excess of personnel for each of the areas.
Fixed cameras or mini domes can be used in the reception and hallways, but in parking areas as well as in casinos PTZ cameras should be used as Leschhorn explains.
Bustamante says that the most implemented systems are color cameras, digital recorders and outdoor cameras for perimeter control and access to entrances. "Each camera should be in color and with a minimum resolution of 480TVL. The recorders do not have to be of high caliber but with a minimum of 120 frames per second. The use of digital recorders speeds up the police investigative process in the event of an incident." Also, in order not to go out of budget, a combination of cameras should be considered, for example, outdoor domes for the panoramic view, fixed cameras with IR outdoors for the entrance and fixed cameras for interiors.
For Salgado, the characteristics of each establishment set the tone for the selection of cameras. The conditions of perimeter surveillance for a hotel that borders an industrial area or a vacant lot are different than the one that does it with a residential housing area, so you should think of different types of cameras that can be fixed with different visual field, movement with different zoom, infrared lighting and others.
A good action plan
It should be noted that it is of vital importance to carry out an action plan that allows identifying the areas in which the cameras should be placed and what are the inconveniences that want to be prevented within a hotel, in addition to the areas that must be protected. Gregorio explains that it is important that both the hotel security officer and the consultant or integrator work together to determine the types and places in relation to the space and lighting conditions. Tomasiello, who agrees with Gregorio, assures that the security study allows clarity in the amounts of elements and characteristics that the security system must have, making it possible that when looking for economic alternatives, the companies that offer such systems can offer identical proposals, completely eliminating misunderstandings when making decisions.
Maria adds that when installing a CCTV system, the hotel must understand its responsibilities in the event of an incident.
For his part, Carlos explains that when the property has not been built, the same study must be carried out on the plans and taking into consideration all the critical points for the electrical connection and the passage of wiring.
In this same line Samuel expresses himself, since it must also be verified that the hotel has an adequate electrical installation for the security purposes that is pursued with a CCTV system, that is, "that there is an electrical system that is regulated and supported to counteract any eventual loss of electrical energy, as well as that it is protected by an adequate physical land system; the type of camera mounting is appropriate for the surface where it is to be mounted; that the final location of the camera covers the entire area that you really want to monitor and that the visual field is free of obstacles."
For the tranquility of all
A good video surveillance solution transmits security and confidence to customers, comfort increases by feeling that their life is not in any danger and that perhaps they are much more protected than at home, therefore the return to the hotel establishment can be faster than expected.
A CCTV system allows you to observe all areas, have a constant visual file of all operations and employee performance and the possibility of taking fair actions when an incident occurs. It should be noted that in many countries, property insurance companies extend discounts on contracts to properties that have security systems in place and the more complete the same, depending on the insurance company, the discount may be higher.
However, it should be borne in mind that a misuse of the cameras can generate bad references by users so the handling of the recorded information must be with great care and discretion.
It is worth noting that a Closed Circuit Television is one of the most important security elements for the protection of guests. However, the protection of the site must be reinforced with access control systems, fire protection and physical security.
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