Security service – using technology to keep hotel guests safe

Ensuring a safe and secure environment for staff and guests is a priority for any hotel, and one in which modern technology plays an absolutely crucial role. The latest systems help to protect against physical threats, while the increasing frequency of data breaches makes cutting-edge technology an essential tool in tackling cybercrime.

Security measures must be discreet, however, and it is essential to strike the right balance between safety and intrusiveness. For Gregoir Chikaher, global hotels and leisure business leader at engineering giant Arup, recent advances have allowed hotels to improve their systems without alarming customers.

"Security methods have become more technically advanced and, because of this, harder to breach," he explains. "Most hotels now allow guests to book online using credit cards, and, by doing so, can collect information to verify people as they check in. This system can also be used to run credit checks; if the guest has an unpaid bill at another branch, for example, this can help guard against incurring further financial loss."

CCTV, long-established as a basic safety measure, is also becoming increasingly sophisticated.

"Systems have become much more proactive," says Chikaher. "Cameras not only provide a level of general surveillance, but can also now detect items such as bags abandoned in public areas, provide automatic number plate recognition for pre-registered guests and employee vehicles, and detect when a person is in a sensitive area."

Collectively referred to as 'video content analysis', closed-circuit cameras now require less manned monitoring and only need responding to in exceptional circumstances. Likewise, other security measures, such as key card systems, have also reduced staffing requirements.

Wireless protocol

Data security is an increasingly important issue for hotels, with major brands falling victim to hackers. Late last year, security researchers uncovered a sophisticated industrial espionage campaign targeting business executives using Wi-Fi networks in luxury hotels across Asia that dated back as far as 2009.

"The hospitality industry has some unique challenges surrounding data protection, privacy and security," says Kevin Richards, a managing director at Accenture and former international president of the Information Systems Security Association.

"In many ways technology has increased the speed and volume, and therefore the impact, of attacks. Hotels manage a significant amount of personal data, including credit card numbers, addresses and affinity programme information."

Guest internet access can certainly be a weak point in hotels' defences. "Attackers can monitor and track guest activities and look for credit card information, user credentials and other sensitive data," he adds. "Because they are not attacking hotels' systems, many of these activities go undetected."

There are, however, ways in which the industry can protect itself, such as separating the guest and hotel networks.

"Information security can be a challenge for any industry that wants to provide convenience to its customers," continues Richards.

"The reality is that travellers want to be able to do business while staying at a hotel. They want to check their personal email and social networking sites, and do everything they would in the office or at home.

"Hotels manage a significant amount of personal data, including credit card numbers, addresses and affinity programme information."

Technology brought into the property by guests can also cause problems. "The fact that hotels don't control end-point devices is a particular challenge, as computer malware can easily be introduced," he adds.

"Furthermore, with data stores containing a potentially large repository of critical information, they are higher-profile targets for attackers to pursue."

The introduction of security technology can be something of a delicate balance for hotels, however. On the one hand, it is necessary to create a safe environment, while on the other, security measures need to be unobtrusive.

"Many issues, such as the risk of theft, are understood by the operator and the guest, who will expect a level of security that is representative of the threat posed," says Chikaher. "Not all methods of surveillance are seen as intrusive. For example, the presence of CCTV in public areas such as lobbies or corridors can often make people feel more secure. However, visiting a hotel should be a leisurely experience, where guests can slow down and relax. They are not prisons, and therefore you can't restrain people too much."

People watching

Future security policies will continue to rely heavily on emerging technology.

"New measures such as people-recognition technologies, which may use PIN codes, or fingerprint, voice and iris readers, make it harder for people with ulterior motives to enter," says Chikaher.

"When used to register a guest, this biometric information may then be used to authenticate room access, purchase goods and services, and allow access to additional or privileged facilities, such as gyms and spas."

Operators shouldn't expect technology to reach a point at which it is able to manage every security concern, though; there are certain human skills and intuitions that machines will never be able to replicate. The very presence of staff on the front lines also goes a long way towards creating warm, welcoming environments that put guests at ease.

"You can have the most sophisticated systems in place, but these can be circumvented if someone is determined and clever enough," Chikaher warns. "People have caused atrocities by taking on fraudulent identities to avoid detection, for example.

"You will always need people to be vigilant at reception, and other access points, to watch for suspicious behaviour and guide people in the right direction to where they should and shouldn't be, especially in higher-risk establishments.

"In developing the use of technology in hotel security, the balance between protection and providing the right hospitality experience will always be an integral factor."