Monthly Archives: October 2011

by | October 20, 2011 · 7:13 pm

Hospitality Industry Guest Room Security: "Mobile Phone Master Key ByPass" Technology Allows Instant "Neutralizing" Of Lost Or Stolen Master Keys

“…when a master key is lost or stolen, each and every lock must be manually re-programmed to ensure that anyone finding the master key cannot open every door in the hotel…”

 Hotel managers have long experienced the logistical and costly hurdles of having to manage the loss of staff master key cards. With the uptake of Mobile Key by OpenWays – the industry’s first and only ubiquitous mobile phone guest front desk bypass method allowing the unlocking of guestroom doors – hoteliers have been quick to realize the additional opportunity to help mobilize their workforce. As a result, OpenWays announces the launch of Mobile Master Key.

Appropriate administration of master keys is critically important for the safe and secure management of any hotel.

With OpenWays Mobile Master Key, neutralizing a lost or stolen master key happens simply with the push of a button. There are no locks to walk to and reprogram. It’s a highly secure and easy process. Since reporting the loss now has limited consequences, staff members are more inclined to immediately report a loss vs. trying to find their plastic card for hours before eventually reporting the loss to hotel security.”

For more: http://www.hospitalitynet.org/news/154000320/4053444.html

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Filed under Guest Issues, Labor Issues, Liability, Maintenance, Management And Ownership, Privacy, Risk Management, Technology

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by | October 19, 2011 · 8:20 am

Hospitality Industry Social Media Risks: Hotel Management Must Asses Legal Risks Related To All Advertising Media Including Trademarks, Copyrights, Privacy And Data Security

“…from a risk-management and legal perspective, social media public relations, marketing and advertising efforts frequently present legal risks that are not always fully appreciated either by managers and directors, or those charged at the operations level with implementing the plans…”

The potential legal risks are wide-ranging and cover areas such as trademarks and copyrights, rights of publicity and privacy, data security, labor and employment issues, and the like. They also include compliance with the rules and regulations of state and federal agencies, such as the Federal Trade Commission.

  •  The potential legal risks are wide-ranging and cover areas such as trademarks and copyrights, rights of publicity and privacy, data security, labor and employment issues, and the like.
  • There is no reason not to proactively review the avenues of social media and begin the process of developing guidelines to mitigate risk. 
  • Fundamentally, a significant number of arising issues are no different than they are in traditional advertising mediums and require nothing more than policy tweaking.

For more: http://www.hotelnewsnow.com/Articles.aspx/6715/How-to-manage-legal-risks-of-social-media

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Filed under Guest Issues, Insurance, Labor Issues, Liability, Management And Ownership, Privacy, Risk Management, Technology, Training

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by | October 18, 2011 · 9:04 am

Hospitality Industry Health Risks: Wisconsin Hotels Respond To Complaints Of "Bed Bugs" With Swift Action

“Although the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) estimates there has been an increase in bed bugs in America over the last several years, the increase has had a minimal impact on the vast majority of hotels. Bed bugs are brought into hotels by guests; it is not a hotel sanitation issue. Education, awareness, and vigilance are critical. A trained and knowledgeable housekeeping staff is one of the best lines of defense, along with having regular pest control inspections as we have in place at the Rodeway Inn and Suites.”

The Health Department said it has gotten bed bug complains about the Rodeway Inn on Hastings Way and the Days Inn on Craig Road. These reports show how both hotels took quick action to control their bed bug problems.

But the Health Department said it’s important to remember that just because a hotel has the bugs, it doesn’t mean they’re dirty. “They can get into small cracks and crevasses and crawl out in the place they stop at and quite frequently that is a hotel,” said Courtenay Johnson, the Director of Environmental Health.

A complaint about the Rodeway Inn, filed with the Health Department by a guest claims they found six bed bugs on their bed. Another complaint about the Days Inn on Craig Road showed bed big sniffing dogs looking for the blood sucking pests. Both documents show the hotels took swift action.

“I haven’t seen a hotel or heard of one anywhere else that’s allowed a bed bug infestation to persist,” Johnson said.

For more;  http://www.weau.com/news/headlines/131902858.html?ref=858

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by | October 17, 2011 · 1:22 pm

Hospitality Industry Employee Issues: Florida Hotel Enforces Dress Code And Fires Employee For Wearing "American Flag" Pin Risking Public Backlash

“…Hotel front-desk supervisor Sean May on Thursday was fired from an historic St. Augustine, Fla., hotel for wearing a lapel pin (an American Flag), which breaks the hotel’s “personal appearance” rules that bans the wearing badges and pins…’

But May wasn’t wearing just any pin: It’s an American flag pin, which is why the Casa Monica Hotel’s move is sparking controversy in quaint St. Augustine, Fla.

According to tonight’s story, the hotel’s response has angered many. “The dress code should include a lapel pin for everybody,” Bruce Whalen, who served in the Air Force, told the TV station.

“Anybody who takes a chance on his livelihood to take a stand for patriotism is a hero and should be treated like a hero,” Whalen said.

He’s now calling on friends to boycott the hotel and its parent company.

For more:  http://travel.usatoday.com/hotels/post/2011/10/florida-hotel-fires-employee-for-wearing-us-flag-pin/553847/1?csp=34travel&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+hotelcheckincommunityfeed+%28Hotel+Check-in%3A+A+road+warrior%27s+guide+to+the+lodging+landscape+-+USATODAY.com%29

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by | October 16, 2011 · 7:06 am

Hospitality Industry Legal Risks: "Enabling Independence: Service For Guest With Disabilities" Outlines "Americans With Disabilities Act" (ADA) Compliance (Video)

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIGw7QKOJnY&feature=player_embedded]

This video “Enabling Independence: Service for Guests with Disabilities” outlines how the American Disabilities Act (ADA)affects the hospitality industry. It highlights the unique needs of guests with various disabilities and identifies how lodging employees can accommodate their desire for independence. It also covers expanded ADA requirements regarding power-driven mobility devices, service animals, and practical steps you can take to ensure the safety and satisfaction of guests with disabilities.

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by | October 15, 2011 · 5:22 am

Hospitality Industry Liability Risks: Arizona Hotel Found Guilty Of "Negiligence" On Appeal In Death Of Guest As Judges Find "Intended Use Of Stairway Required Center Handrail"; Carpet "Camouflaged" Dangerous Condition

“…An expert for the family testified that construction plans for the hotel, as well as its floor plan, depicted a center handrail where Volner fell… The expert also said that based on the intended use and width of the stairway, as well as applicable city building codes, a center handrail was required…”

“…the pattern on the carpet “camouflaged’’ the stairs, exacerbating the dangerous condition created by the lack of a handrail…”

The state Court of Appeals has upheld a $2.4 million verdict against a Tucson hotel where a woman tripped, fell down the stairs and died.

In a unanimous ruling, the judges rejected arguments by the owners of the Viscount Hotel that evidence of subsequent injuries is irrelevant to whether the business was negligent in this specific incident. They also brushed aside claims by the attorneys for the hotel that such evidence was prejudicial and would unfairly sway jurors against the business.

 Court records show that 78-year-old Harriet Volner was at the hotel in 2007 to have breakfast with friends when she fell at the stairs leading into the hotel’s atrium. She hit her head, went into a coma and died five days later after being taken off life support.

Her four children sued. A jury issued a $3 million judgment. But jurors concluded that Volner was 20 percent liable for her own injuries, reducing the verdict to $2.4 million.

A former hotel employee said there had been a center handrail but it had been removed and the carpeting changed. And an expert witness hired by the hotel agreed that the building code required a center handrail and it was a violation to have removed it.

For more:  http://www.ahwatukee.com/news/valley_and_state/article_a9ac7f01-7345-5d2f-8ebd-89ae0aa1271e.html

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by | October 14, 2011 · 6:15 am

Hospitality Industry Guest Information Risks: Hotels Are Collecting More Personal Information On Guests And Protecting "Personally Identifiable Information" Is Top Priority

“…ensuring the security of this data is so important that it’s consuming hotel IT departments’ attention right now, said Josh Weiss, Hilton Worldwide’s VP of brand and guest technology…”

 “…The stakes involved in protecting “personally identifiable information” (data that can be used to uniquely identify, contact or locate a single person) are far higher with this personal information than with credit-card information…”

As hotels collect more personal information about guests and the Epsilon and Sony data breaches earlier this year shook people’s confidence in corporate data protection, hotel guests are increasingly asking hotels how well they’re securing their personal information, Mark McBeth, Starwood Hotels’ VP of information technology, said during a recent conference.

IT execs from Starwood and also Hilton and owner/operator White Lodging said they’re responding by making guest-data security their No. 1 priority. “PII is considered high-risk because if there were to be a breach, you’re exposing the guest’s identity,” he said. “It paints some pretty scary pictures.”

A “PII” breach could potentially lead to child abduction or a murder if information falls into the wrong hands, he said.

For more:  http://travel.usatoday.com/hotels/post/2011/10/starwood-hilton-work-to-protect-personally-identifiable-information/553616/1

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Filed under Crime, Guest Issues, Insurance, Maintenance, Management And Ownership, Privacy, Risk Management, Technology, Theft

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by | October 12, 2011 · 6:54 am

Hospitality Industry Insurance Solutions: "Hotel Reputation" Insurance Policies Can Now Provide Hotel Owners With Protection For "Brand Damage" From Guest Injuries, Food Poisoning And Health Risks"

The Hotel Reputation Protection 2.0 policy will protect hotels against a range of common causes of brand damage such as death or permanent physical disability of a guest, food poisoning and outbreaks of Norovirus and Legionnaire’s disease.

 The Willis-Kiln product will provide cover for lost revenue based on RevPAR figures. RevPAR is a performance metric used in the hotel industry to measure revenue per available room. The policy will also cover the cost of hiring a crisis management consultant following a potentially reputation damaging incident. Laurie Fraser, global markets leisure practice leader for Willis, said: “In the extremely competitive hotel industry, reputation accounts for approximately 30-40% of a business’s overall worth.

 Read more: http://www.insuranceage.co.uk/insurance-age/news/2116523/willis-kiln-launch-protection-policy-hotels#ixzz1aZw3mowj Insurance Age – Serving the broker community. Claim your free subscriptions today.

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Filed under Food Illnesses, Guest Issues, Health, Injuries, Insurance, Liability, Management And Ownership, Risk Management

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by | October 11, 2011 · 10:22 am

Hospitality Industry Employee Application Risks: Video News Report Of South Carolina Hotel That Fired Employee After Police Inquired About "Identification Records"

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2hGgQUS45LQ]

South Carolina Hotel fired an employee after 15 months when she could not produce required identification.

 

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by | October 10, 2011 · 5:13 am

Hospitality Industry Health And Safety Risks: Utah Hotel Housekeeper Hospitalized After Cart Causes "Bear Spray" Can To Discharge; Hotel Guests Evacuated To Ventilate Building

“…The woman was unable to open her eyes after being exposed to the spray, so she was taken to a hospital, Baldwin said. All guests at the hotel were evacuated for about a half hour while crews ventilated the building…”

A housekeeper was hospitalized Sunday after a can of bear spray discharged in the Marriott Hotel in downtown Salt Lake City. The woman was pushing her housekeeping cart on the 6th floor of the hotel, near 100 South and West Temple, when the cart bumped a can of bear spray that had been left on the floor of the hall.

The can sprayed when it was struck, shooting out a substance that “is like pepper spray, only 10 times stronger,” said Salt Lake City battallion fire chief Clair Baldwin. Investigators were trying to determine why the can was left in the hallway.

For more:  http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/52698974-78/spray-hotel-baldwin-bear.html.csp

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