Challenge

The DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in Windsor Locks, CT, was grappling with a critical challenge. Keys to sensitive areas of the hotel falling into the wrong hands was an omnipresent concern, with the problem of key management at the heart of the matter. Each day, keys needed to be distributed to and collected from the hotel’s 90-person team to maintain smooth operations. However, without a robust system in place to monitor and control these exchanges, the hotel was left vulnerable. The risk of keys being misplaced was high, posing an ever-looming threat to the premises and a potentially expensive bill to replace locks.

The challenge was twofold: ensuring a mechanism for storing keys when not in use, and tracking the issue and return of keys with precision. The latter was crucial not only for minimizing the risk of theft but also for establishing clear accountability. Their existing system was cumbersome and lacked the necessary safeguards to prevent unauthorized access or misuse. As a result, the management team was unable to ascertain who had a particular key at a specific time, making it difficult to trace any security breach back to its source. This absence of an effective system hampered operational efficiency and posed serious security risks, necessitating an urgent solution.

Solution

Having heard about Keycafe from a sister Hilton property, the management team decided to try a SmartBox for secure and efficient key management. With this system, the employees self-manage key pickup and dropoff at the start and end of their shifts using PIN codes, without the need for administrative oversight. This creates a sense of responsibility among the staff, ensuring they are held accountable for the keys in their possession.

Keycafe’s real-time tracking capability further enhanced the system, providing a comprehensive record of key usage. The solution allowed the team to monitor who had which key at any given time, adding a layer of transparency to their operations. Besides safeguarding the keys, this also provided them with a sense of control that was previously lacking.

Moreover, the user-friendly interface of Keycafe ensured a smooth transition for the staff, enabling them to quickly get accustomed to the new system. "We know exactly who had what key and who didn't return keys, which gives us complete control of our building”, says Mohamed Anwer, DoubleTree Hardford’s Director of Food and Beverage.

Result

The introduction of Keycafe into the operations of DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel brought about a radical transformation. The solution's immediate impact was evident and welcomed by the entire team, who were astonished by the level of control it offered over every single key. The hotel's key management process, once a point of concern, was now a model of efficiency.

The staff are now more accountable, knowing that their key usage is tracked and recorded. This led to an overall improvement in their responsibilities and a reduction in the instances of misplaced keys. The solution was so user-friendly and efficient that it quickly became an integral part of the daily routine for all staff members.

The time and resources previously expended on managing keys are now redirected towards enhancing guest experiences and other essential operations. "Keycafe is a must-have tool. Now we have a system that works" Mohamed concluded.