Morse Watchmans Key Control Saves Time and Improves Service

Morse Watchmans Key Control Saves Time and Improves Service

Luxurious amenities, ideal location, responsive service and fine dining are just some of the features of a first class hotel. First impressions can change quickly, however, if guests must wait in long lines when reception staff is slowed by additional chores such as dispensing and recording building keys used by maintenance or housekeeping.

At the four-star Birmingham Marriott Hotel in Birmingham, England, hotel management has moved to ensure an exceptional first impression by removing this task from reception staff. Now, authorized maintenance and housekeeping staff access keys from a Morse Watchmans KeyWatcher key control system located away from the public eye. The system automatically documents all activity, so management has an accurate record of when keys were accessed, and by whom.

“A lot of paper work and time was needed with the manual system of signing keys in and out,” said Steve Hargreaves, assistant director of finance for Birmingham Marriott Hotel. “By installing the KeyWatcher system, reception no longer has to manage this process, and they have more time to better serve our guests.”

The KeyWatcher cabinet installed at the hotel is designed with a biometric (fingerprint) access interface. Once the biometric information has been verified, the cabinet unlocks, and keys can be removed or returned. Each individual key is secured to a SmartKey locking mechanism that readily accommodates both hard keys and plastic key cards. The mechanism features a built-in memory chip, and data from the chip is stored each time a key is inserted into a key slot, providing a remotely-accessible, data trail for every key in the system.

Mr. Hargreaves commented that reports generated by the KeyWatcher system are very useful for tracking key usage and in improving overall operational and security procedures. He said, “We utilize various reports to trace missing keys, keep better control of assets and help ensure timely follow-up action, if there is an incident.”

The automated KeyWatcher management system cannot be manipulated or easily tampered with and provides the hotel with a safe, secure method of storing and tracking keys. For example, personnel cannot exchange keys during or at the end of a shift because the key management system will notate that a key was not returned or that it was returned by another user.

“The system not only keeps the keys much safer than our previous manual system, but it also makes staff more responsible for their department keys,” added Mr. Hargreaves.

While other key management systems available on the market were reviewed, Mr. Hargreaves selected the Morse Watchmans solution based on a variety of considerations, including price, performance and ease of use. He notes that the company’s reputation for quality and service also was a leading factor.

He said, “The system has exceeded all of our expectations. It’s very easy to use and Morse Watchmans has been extremely responsive to and patient with our requests.”

Featured

New Products

  • ResponderLink

    ResponderLink

    Shooter Detection Systems (SDS), an Alarm.com company and a global leader in gunshot detection solutions, has introduced ResponderLink, a groundbreaking new 911 notification service for gunshot events. ResponderLink completes the circle from detection to 911 notification to first responder awareness, giving law enforcement enhanced situational intelligence they urgently need to save lives. Integrating SDS’s proven gunshot detection system with Noonlight’s SendPolice platform, ResponderLink is the first solution to automatically deliver real-time gunshot detection data to 911 call centers and first responders. When shots are detected, the 911 dispatching center, also known as the Public Safety Answering Point or PSAP, is contacted based on the gunfire location, enabling faster initiation of life-saving emergency protocols.

  • Camden CV-7600 High Security Card Readers

    Camden CV-7600 High Security Card Readers

    Camden Door Controls has relaunched its CV-7600 card readers in response to growing market demand for a more secure alternative to standard proximity credentials that can be easily cloned. CV-7600 readers support MIFARE DESFire EV1 & EV2 encryption technology credentials, making them virtually clone-proof and highly secure.

  • 4K Video Decoder

    3xLOGIC’s VH-DECODER-4K is perfect for use in organizations of all sizes in diverse vertical sectors such as retail, leisure and hospitality, education and commercial premises.