News for the Hospitality Executive |
Chicago—June 15, 2012—Deploying mobile-based front desk bypass solutions today helps to build a significant competitive advantage for a hotel, brand or chain. However, deployment only makes sense if the solution can be used by guest now, and not in the next five to 10 years. This month, the Hospitality Industry Technology Exposition & Conference (HITEC), held June 25-28 at the Baltimore Convention Center, will be abuzz with discussions about access control/door lock technologies, mobile device strategies and Near Field Communication (NFC). Before attending an educational session or walking the show exhibit hall, it's important that hoteliers thoroughly understand the complexities and potential pitfalls associated with deploying Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) door locks that are said to be future compatible with NFC mobile devices. Here's the situation: Although the vast majority of hotel door locks purchased today still operate using magnetic-stripe keycards, contactless technology is becoming increasingly popular. One of the motivations for purchasing contactless door locks is the claim of a “possible future compatibility with NFC phones” with the intention of offering a mobile-based front desk bypass option that sends guests straight to the room rather than standing in line and waiting for a room key. While selecting a contactless electronic-locking system may appear to be an easy choice, especially when there seems to be only a few options on the market today, hoteliers need to ensure that the solution they choose is "future proof," and that the strategy deployed today delivers immediate benefits and value to both owners and guests. "The saying 'buyer beware' is never more true than it is today when contemplating investing in NFC-compliant technologies," said Pascal Metivier, Founder and CEO of OpenWays, a global solution provider of mobile-based access-management and security solutions. "Today's modern travelers are demanding mobile self-service options to avoid waiting in line upon arrival at a hotel. While implementing a front-desk bypass program is an enviable solution -- and one that is growing in demand -- it's imperative that hoteliers know what they are buying and whether or not the solution is truly deployable today and penalty free." Potential Pitfalls RFID and NFC are both contactless technologies, yet they are NOT the same and they are NOT interchangeable. The much-anticipated take up of NFC-enabled mobile phones is very slowly becoming a reality, and it would make sense to include an NFC strategy in business decisions relating to security and electronic-locking system selection. However, the governing body for NFC technology, the NFC Forum, has several technology architectures which continually change – so future-proofing an investment could be a big gamble.
The bottom line is this: It is not accurate to say that purchasing an RFID door lock today will guarantee compliancy with the new generation NFC-equipped phones when they become widely available in the future. Some hoteliers are starting to realize that investing in RFID locks will not necessarily offer them the advantages they were initially told to expect from NFC. Critical Questions To better equip hoteliers with the business intelligence they need to make a wise buying decision related to electronic door locks, NFC-compliant technology, and the potential of offering a mobile phone-based front desk bypass solution, hoteliers must address the following questions: 1. Can I deploy a Mobile Key solution now
without waiting for years before enough phones are available with a
future technology? Can I reap the benefits now of a mobile a Mobile Key
solution to make a difference for my business?
2. Can I deploy such a solution taking into consideration my existing hotels without replacing my current door locks and my new hotels that will require new electronic door locking systems? 3. Will the Mobile Key solution I am looking at be able to be independent from a single lock vendor? Do I want to be dependent on any single lock vendor? Does it make sense for my business? 4. Will the Mobile Key solution I am looking at work with all existing phones? Does it work with all smartphones today? Does it work with any cell phone today? Does it work with all mobile Operating Systems on board of cell phones? Is it carrier dependent? As my guests may come from anywhere in the world, will it work with any of the world existing 1500 mobile carriers? Is it interoperable between all the mobile carriers? 5. Is the Mobile Key solution going to work for all my guests that desire to use it without me having to worry about what carrier they use or what mobile phone they carry? 6. How future proof is the mobile key solution offered? Can the vendor guarantee that the technology used will remain in service for the next 15 years? Is he willing to make hard commitments about the longevity of its solution? Can the vendor mix multiple technologies and standards to ensure that my investment is future proofed? 7. Are all the ongoing RFID related costs clear to me? Do I know enough about RFID key cards costs and supply conditions? Am I being offered RFID cards sufficiently secured and with a high encryption technology? What if these cards become obsolete within the next 15 years? What if the type of RFID chip set embedded in the card is discontinued by the chip makers within the next 15 years? Is the vendor willing to make hard commitments? Will I be able to source cards wherever I wish on the open market or will I be forced to buy the cards from one supplier only? 8. Are all the ongoing Mobile Key services costs clear to me and under control? What will be the NFC SIM or embedded secured element fees, the NFC download fees, the NFC transaction fees, the NFC applet development costs? The NFC applet maintenance costs? The TSM fees? The cost to upgrade my RFID lock hardware when a change of standard occurs? 9. Am I aware of the feedback from other hoteliers that pioneered RFID and NFC solutions? What challenges did they face? What solutions did they test and try? What did they eventually select for actual deployment? Did I read the following article? http://www.hotel-online.com/News/PR2012_1st/Jan12_OpenWaysPureNFC.html Mobile Key by OpenWays is the only Mobile Key solution on the market that works TODAY with ALL cell phones worldwide. It allows hotels to reap the benefits NOW of a modern mobile based self-service check-in/check-out and make a business difference including: Improving service and guest experience; reducing operating costs; driving more direct bookings at greater margins than OTA distribution; improving operating cash flow; increasing security and master key management; building up a powerful qualified mobile data base with guest opt in; and being ecological/green. OpenWays also provides Mobile Key DUAL© with PURE NFC combining the established and ubiquitous CAC™ (Crypto Acoustic Credential) technology with NFC technologies, making it hospitality's only "fully deployable today" and "fully future proof" solution. Visit OpenWays at HITEC in Booth 2315 and experience Mobile Key. It's 100% deployable today, 100% future proof, 100% compatible with the major electronic locks, and 0% dependent on Mobile Phone Operators/Carriers. Hoteliers interested in pre-scheduling an appointment at HITEC should contact Andrew Sanders at (732) 707-1869 or email him at [email protected]. To learn more about Mobile Key by OpenWays, visit www.openways.com. OpenWays is a global solution provider of mobile-based access-management and security solutions. With offices in Chicago, Las Vegas, Seoul and in Europe, OpenWays provides technology solutions allowing for the secure issuance and delivery of access rights and keys process via any cell phone operating on any network. The OpenWays solution is truly unique as it is built on the concept of credential dematerialization. The OpenWays mobile room key solution works on ALL the 6 billion cell phones in service in the world today. For more information, please contact Andrew Sanders at (732) 707-1869 or email [email protected]. More information can be found by visiting www.OpenWays.com. |
Contact: Barb Worcester PRPRO /OpenWays Tel: (440) 930-5770 [email protected] or Andrew Sanders OpenWays Tel: (732) 707-1869 [email protected] |