This article is part two of a three-part series on door locks. Part one can be found here.
Keyless entry is evolving to put even more convenience in the hands of hotel guests. For example, a mobile key will be able to alert guests when their room is being cleaned and when it’s ready for occupancy again.
“You’ll be able to change your ‘do not disturb’ status from the mobile key – no more hanging door signs,” said Brian Shedd, OpenKey’s VP of sales and marketing. “You’ll be able to request more pillows, towels or alert maintenance from your mobile key. The evolution of keyless entry will mirror the guest experience on property to bring all those interactions into one convenient place – your smartphone.”
Keyless entry really is becoming the future of security access and not only just in terms of the hospitality market, but also in its inevitable expansion to being used in multiple everyday locations, said Markus Boberg, VP of business development for Assa Abloy Hospitality. “With Assa Abloy Seos technology already available on mobile phones, soon users will be able to unlock their Windows computer, lock and unlock home doors as well as that of their office, for instance. A bit further down the road, users will even be able to unlock and start their personal cars using just their smartphone device.”
The further integration of mobile keys into existing hotel branded apps is what’s next for keyless entry, said Casey Fale, GM of Onity. “The use of mobile keys allows hotels to streamline the guest experience and optimize ease of use,” Fale said. “When integrated into brand loyalty apps, mobile key solutions such as the DirectKey system help offer a consistent guest experience, from booking to check-in to guestroom entry. As hotel guests become more comfortable with technology and prefer the convenience it can provide, it will become increasingly important for hotels to offer mobile-based services.”
Properties that are unaffiliated with a major brand are inquiring about mobile access, Fale said. “They will need a solution that enables them to implement a mobile guest experience without requiring investment in a large IT infrastructure, such as an externally hosted software-as-a-service model.”