Secure the future: security systems

Security experts from London's top hotels sat down in the Spencer Suite of the JW Marriott Grosvenor House Hotel on 24 September. Surrounded by the elegant trappings characteristic of such a classic hotel - gilt, chandeliers and attentive waiting staff - the assembled crowd instead settled their attention on a rather more modern question.

'Security innovation' was the theme of the latest Hotel Management International Dining Club, with delegates invited to discuss new technology and its role in the current security environment, and to share their experiences of managing safety and security in the digital age. Security leaders from Bulgari, Hyatt Regency, Four Seasons and the Savoy - to name but a few - were joined by delegates from Hikvision, a leading video surveillance supplier and the event sponsor, and a representative from the Metropolitan Police.

Following a starter of Cornish crab and rare-roasted salmon terrine, guests sat back to listen to a keynote address by Darren Carter, head of group security at Edwardian Group and vice-chairman of the Institute of Hotel Security Management.

Carter kicked off the proceedings with a burst of laughter from the room as he praised the present company for its security expertise, before adding that the delegates, put another way, were "a nice group of mostly aging males with a keen interest in bedrooms".

His address, however, covered some serious topics, including meeting guests' increased expectations of security, the importance of reputational management, terrorism, cybercrime and the challenges of sensitively detecting and handling instances of human trafficking.

Carter highlighted the way that different areas of innovation in hotels and the booking process are creating new challenges for security managers; the gradual removal of the reception desk and the advent of instant check-in was just one.

"Once your reservation is made, as a customer, you can literally check in while walking into the hotel, your room key drops onto your phone via an app, you walk through the door, and we as security practitioners may not even know that you've arrived," Carter says. "Good thing or bad thing? It's a complicated question."

Access-control systems

Unpicking the effect of such innovations within, and external to, the security arena was a key theme of the evening, with the relative merits of different systems being discussed. Carter, for example, highlighted the wide applications of access-control systems, including providing wearable key-card technology for guests, granting access to spa facilities and personal lockers, helping control movement through the building and facilitating overnight access to the property.

With sponsors Hikvision on hand, it's no surprise that guests were also keen to discuss CCTV. In fact, even before product marketing manager Adler Wu outlined the company's advanced technology in his presentation after dinner, delegates were eager to bring up the potential of capturing clear, high-resolution images at low-lux levels. This is a problem that many of the security managers around the table had experienced, and which HIKVision's cameras can help address.

Guests also expressed the difficulties of capturing high-quality images in areas with polished surfaces and changing light conditions. With this in mind, Carter emphasised the importance of gaining recommendations from counterparts in the industry for brands, consultants and installers of CCTV and other technology when purchasing new equipment, as well as the advisable step of first insisting upon a trial of any new product within a hotel's most challenging environments.

A variety of camera applications were discussed throughout the evening, from using ANPR within car parks, to whether CCTV facial recognition is worthwhile. But, as guests tucked into the Hereford beef of the main course, questions and comments around the table emphasised that with board executives keeping a tight rein on budgets, justifying investment into technology requires an innovative approach of a different kind.

To this end, one suggestion was that advocating the sharing of technology among departments could assist security managers in making their case. Beyond its obvious applications, CCTV analytics can offer additional functions such as helping operations to identify frequently crowded areas, pointing food and beverage outlets towards strategic areas for their marketing literature, or letting reception staff know when a VIP guest is approaching.

Another challenge brought to bear on the discussion was the increasingly thin blue line. With further cuts anticipated to the Metropolitan Police and services across the country, some delegates expressed concern at the need to self-police, with less involvement and help from state forces. In this the merits of detailed and reliable CCTV was again emphasised, particularly with regard to crimes such as theft committed within the hotel, where the onus of gathering evidence and tracking down culprits may lie more than ever with the hotel.

And taking politics in another direction, one delegate was emphatic in arguing that just as safety and hygiene obligations are enshrined in UK law, so too should regulation for minimum security requirements be introduced.

Security's eyes and ears

Against these differing takes on the regulatory and political environment, what emerged as a unifying belief was the important role of staff members in upholding security.

Whatever the level of support from police, within the hotel itself, staff in their different roles and areas of the hotel must act as security's 'eyes and ears'. It was agreed that thoroughly training staff to look out for security considerations, and ensuring that fail-safe protocols and countermeasures are in place are essential.

Carter summed up this sentiment in his earlier address: "Service is the first and most effective line of defence; this is how we end up getting an inclusive and mutually supportive security culture."

Aligning practices with those of other departments is also desirable. Delegates discussed the importance of being involved in decisions about event planning, building and refurbishment projects, and information systems from a security perspective. IT departments especially should be engaged within a number of areas, including introduction of new security technologies.

In this vein, the importance of maintaining close contact across the industry and sharing learning with fellow security professionals were also highlighted. While other divisions are only too aware of the competition for sales, guests and sparkling reviews, it is in everyone's interest to tighten security. Such communications become increasingly important as hotels face new kind of threat.

While advances in technology bring the benefit of new security tools, they can also help fraudsters and cybercriminals, and the theft of guest data and payment information is becoming a more common occurrence in hotels. Sharing experiences within these areas will be vital to tackling such problems.

As delegates gathered their thoughts over coffee and the last of their desserts, many questions remained unanswered and debates unfinished.

But as they shook hands and made their farewells - old colleagues, regular acquaintances and contacts who had finally put a face to an email address - the value of raising these subjects in the company of like-minded individuals was a unanimous conclusion.