Safe Security in a Hotel

Safe Security in a Hotel
by Erin Mulfinger

My friend Todd Brown is the general manager of a major hotel located in the city, and has been for quite some time now. He frequently informs me of what's going on with his business, and recently something very interesting Even though the neighborhood the hotel is located in is a relatively safe place, safety and security have always been key considerations for Todd whenever making decisions about the hotel. He feels that if his guests feel safe and secure, their stay in the hotel will hopefully be more positive.

One measure of security Todd has installed in his hotel is the use of security cameras. He has at least three security officers on duty at all times, and one is always watching the cameras. He also has created a system in which people must show their hotel room keys as a form of proof of staying the hotel when they enter the hotel after 9:00 pm.

However, even with the security measures, and all the other amenities Todd implemented in his hotel, there were still complaints from the hotel guests. Although there were many reasons for complaints, security was very high on the list. Specifically, many of the guests expressed apprehension over feeling secure enough to leave their valuables in the hotel when they left. There were very few complaints of thievery, but Todd was unhappy that there were any complaints.

Todd felt the security in the hotel was not up to the standards of his guests. Todd and his management team decided that one way to guarantee better security may be to get three or four safes and keep them downstairs, allowing guests to leave anything they want in these safes. However, he realized there could then be problems with thievery among those who have access to the safes, such as employees.

Therefore, Todd and the others investigated to see how much it would cost to put a fire resistant safe in each room of the hotel. They then polled various guests to see how much more safe and secure they would feel in the hotel, and how much more comfortable they would be, if they were provided with a safe in which to store anything of value, whether it be jewelry, money, traveler’s cheques, or even something such as a passport. Todd was very surprised by how much the guests would appreciate having a safe. They expressed such great interest in the security safes that he immediately ordered them for each room. This turned out to be an incredibly smart, and timely decision.

Todd ordered security safes that had the added bonus of being fire resistant safes. Two weeks after setting the safes up in each room, there was a fire in the building. Although it did not spread far, it was able to do significant damage to nine rooms, seven of which were occupied at the time. Due to Todd’s fire alarm system, everyone was evacuated safely from the building. However, many people left behind things of value to them.

Five of the families staying in the rooms affected by the fire had taken advantage of the security offered by the fire resistant safes, and had stored various things in them, such as plane tickets home, and an expensive pair of earrings one man had just bought as a gift for his wife. The people who used the fire resistant safes expressed gratitude to the hotel, and one man informed the local newspaper of the situation. Todd’s hotel was written up in the paper the following week for being a wonderful, safe place to stay. At Todd's hotel, the well-being of the guests obviously came first.

In addition, following the installation of the safes, complaints of thievery went down. Even with the most high-tech security systems, people can break-in places and steal whatever they believe they should have, whether or not it is rightfully theirs. The guests at Todd’s hotel now feel incredibly safe and even if there never is another break-in to any of the rooms at the hotel, the guests will feel much safer just knowing they have a safe to store anything of valuable they brought with them.