As we’ve reached the fourth and final part in our hospitality security blog series, let’s take a few minutes to recap what we’ve discussed so far. Part one set the stage for this market, explaining the threats hotels face that contribute to their need for comprehensive security strategies. In part two, we outlined the benefits of intelligent, integrated technology solutions and how they can help the hospitality industry keep guests safe.
Part three focused on the summary of a study commissioned by Oncam that provides a guideline of best practices to help hospitality leaders mitigate risks. We covered the results about decision-making with regard to capital investments and the key drivers that influence these decisions. The last piece of this series will describe the survey respondents’ opinions about barriers to technology adoption and how they can be addressed.
Security and hotel managers indicated a few main factors as roadblocks when it comes to implementing comprehensive security solutions. The first two go hand in hand: legacy systems and convergence. Participants noted that many hotel owners look at their security systems as “one-off” purchases with no need to ever upgrade, leading to “patches” to older systems and the inability to easily replace parts. This also hinders convergence, as legacy systems tend to operate in silos and cannot communicate with one another.
But for participants in this survey, the main facet of hospitality security is the implementation of surveillance technology, making it clear that these barriers must be overcome in order to achieve the protection that is necessary in these environments. An ideal solution to achieve this goal lies in panoramic cameras, which can reduce costs and increase the coverage of large areas, such as hotel lobbies and parking lots.
Wide-angle and 360-degree surveillance can provide a complete view of a scene with no blind spots while being discreet and aesthetically pleasing so as to remain unobtrusive to hotel guests. Footage can be reviewed in both real time and retrospectively, allowing operators to detect unusual activity as it occurs or identify clues for an investigation. Security officials can also leverage these cameras in the palm of their hands through remote monitoring, enabling them to immediately respond to both security and customer service situations.
And when working with a manufacturer that offers open-platform technology, hotel security personnel can integrate their cameras with various systems such as video management, access control, fire and intrusion alarms and much more. The ability to invest in new, open-platform solutions that integrate fully with the systems already in place can ease cost and increase efficiencies.
As another benefit, specialized casing exists for 360-degree cameras, such as a stainless steel enclosure, that makes these devices optimal for hotels and resorts that have specific requirements for sanitation. The addition of cameras in a kitchen or food service area can help resorts and hotels keep track of any business operations issues while also ensuring the camera’s resistance to harsh conditions or corrosion.
Through this blog series, we’ve seen that the hotel industry is committed to delivering high levels of security and safety, integrating systems together and enhancing business operations. Deploying best practices for implementing new and emerging technology can help hotel security professionals achieve these goals and build continuity within their organizations.
To read the complete details of the study and the full white paper, visit here.