The Importance of Hotel Safety and Security

Whether travelling for business or leisure, safety and security are the prime requisite (and concern) of every traveller.  Safety – both within the hotel and outside it – cannot be undermined.

After all, no one wants to travel to a destination or stay in a hotel that poses threat to his life and/or belongings.

So, if you are a hotelier, ensuring your hotel’s safety and security should be your prime concern. It is also one of the key parameters that customers use to gauge your property’s reputation. Having a proper security system in place can help you protect your guests from unwarranted theft and crime. It can also help you to protect your staff, physical resources, and assets from damage.

Hence, it is extremely important for you to equip your property with the latest safety and security standards. Any hotel that is unable to do so is bound to be left behind.

Top 5 Ways to Protect Your Guests from Safety and Security Hazards

From installing state-of-the-art security systems to using the most advanced surveillance software and technologies, there are numerous ways in which you can optimise and foolproof the safety of your guests. Not only can they help you deliver a positive customer experience but also amplify the brand value of your hotel.

Here’s how to get started:

Keep your property well-lit and free of hiding places

Nowadays, hotels and restaurants have become soft targets for terrorism and physical crimes. However, it is mostly observed that problematic incidents happen in areas that are either isolated or dimly lit.

To ensure absolute hotel safety and security:

  • Keep your entire property well-lit and regularly maintained.
  • Check and replace all broken bulbs and non-functional lighting systems at regular intervals.
  • Keep the garden area, pool, backyard, all the entry points, and parking lot well-lit all the time.
  • Make sure there are no dark spots or hiding places in your hotel, whatsoever.

Install CCTV cameras and security systems

CCTV cameras have become a prerequisite at every hotel. Discrete and highly effective, they ensure rigorous surveillance in and around your hotel, motel, parks, and leisure centres. By guarding your property 24/7, they give an absolute sense of protection and help your guests stay absolutely comfortable.

CCTV cameras can help you keep a close watch on every spot, even the roads leading to your property, and can help deter theft, crime, and other illegal activities quickly and easily. Even during an attack, observers can seek immediate intervention and even use the footage of your cameras to track criminals.

Similarly, there are various advanced security and surveillance systems available that can offer the desired protection without being too intrusive to the guests. For example, motion sensors, face-recognition devices, anti-tempering systems, and more. These surveillance technologies can provide you with as much or as little security you need without over boarding your budget.

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Screen all employees carefully

Your employees are the lifeline of your business. Make sure you are powered by only the best. This is not only important for the growth of your business but also essential for the safety of your guests.

So, before hiring an employee:

  • Conduct a rigorous background check and get a police verification done. Make it an evergreen process and an ongoing commitment to your hotel’s safety and security.
  • Make sure there are no criminal offences or lawsuits to his name. From previous employers to place of residence, seek all the information that you may need.
  • Re-screen employees annually to maintain high-quality staff in your hotel.

Train staff in safety and security procedures

Your staff serves as visible deterrents to all types of fraud, attacks, and accidents. For the utmost safety of your premises, it is important to ensure that your staff is well-equipped and exceptionally trained in various safety and security procedures. So,

  • Educate your employees about various safety protocols to be practiced within your premises.
  • Ask them to carefully scan all guests and visitors as they walk into your hotel. They should verify visitor IDs to confirm the identities of all the guests.
  • Even after the guest has checked in, they should keep a vigilant eye to detect suspicious activity, if any.
  • Make it a point to conduct regular online training to keep your staff up to date with the latest security policies and procedures followed in your hotel.
  • Send them weekly/monthly emails and schedule regular mock drills to make sure every member of the staff is well-versed with all the Occupational Safety and Health Association (OSHA) rules and regulations.
  • Ask them to conduct periodic checks to ensure all electric and gas equipment and appliances are working as desired. This will help spot and prevent any visual fault and can help you limit the risk of electrical shocks, fires, and accidents.
  • However, the safety of your hotel doesn’t end with physical security. You must also protect your assets from cyber threats. For this, ask your team to regularly update your systems and keep all your data backed up (we recommend using a property management system such as Preno).
  • Ask your team to regularly change the passwords of their systems and perform online transactions with absolute caution.

Be prepared for all types of safety and security emergencies

You and your team should be fully prepared to deal with all kinds of safety and security emergencies. This will help reduce accidental fatalities and limit damage at the workplace. So, brief your team about your hotel’s emergency plan. Train them on what they need to do and how they need to seek help in case there’s an attack or a breach in the safety protocols of your hotel.

For example, in the case of a fire break out, your staff should:

  • Immediately inform the fire brigade
  • Turn off the gas and electricity supply
  • Evacuate the guests from the hotel through emergency doors
  • Use fire extinguishers to control the fire

You can even provide duress alert buttons to service staff. A type of wearable device, it allows your service staff to seek immediate help in case of danger, threat, or security attack.

Hotel safety and security should always be a top priority for any hotel business. By conducting thorough background checks on employees, providing adequate training, and being prepared for emergency situations, you can ensure the safety of both your staff and guests. This not only protects your hotel’s reputation but also helps create a positive guest experience. Ultimately, keeping your hotel safe and secure can lead to increased profitability and success in the long run.

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About the author

Preno's Head of Growth, Menilik, is highly knowledgeable around all things marketing & sales. He is passionate about entrepreneurship and sales, and seeks to guide hoteliers with their goals.

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