operators, quality inspectors / regulatory compliance officers, insurance brokers, etc.; ... With regard to the company security rules, they can for example refer to:.
How to start a structured hotel security program: hints for the general manager The press occasionally refers to episodes where the hospitality industry is involved or the victim of criminal activity (i.e. theft from the rooms of hotel guests). The need of protection then takes more and more and the general managers are often faced with the dilemma of what precautions to devise. The preparation of a structured security program aimed at tackling criminal events, hence, can be the answer.
Systemic approach The setting of a security system is not that different from every other model of organizational management (e.g. quality, environment, health and safety at work). Actually, the elements that characterize the method are: standards, activities, technologies and people. However, above all there is the determination of the leadership, concrete and practical goals (also financially), full participation of employees, a realistic action plan, and finally periodical checks.
Information collection Following the circular method of the so-called “problem solving”, data collection (about the various security threats / issues) generally marks the starting point in the implementation of the program. Here it comes specifically: a) to review the “insurance files” of the property (for theft, vandalism, fraud/scams, etc.); b) to look at the records of the departmental log books, in relation to incidents that may have occurred; c) to check the field notes on Fidelio Front Office or similar applications; d) to examine negative press articles about the hotel (aka “impressions”); e) to consider the recommendations and criticalities emerged from the reports of: travel agents / tour operators, quality inspectors / regulatory compliance officers, insurance brokers, etc.; f) to monitor crime news about the hotels, both at the local and national level; g) to read the travel warnings prepared by the foreign ministries of various nations, such as U.S., UK, Canada, Australia; h) to attend hospitality industry meetings (such as those organized by Confindustria or Federalberghi, in Italy), to share with colleagues and gather information about illegal activities in the industrial sector; i) to ask police officials their assessment of crime within the hospitality industry.
Situational review The next step is to examine the property from the physical point of view, in order to reveal the situational conditions and possible vulnerabilities that may allow the occurrence of crime. To this end, the property can be ideally divided into three concentric circles. In the outer ring, the following aspects should be considered, where existing / available: a) fences along the borders of the property and secondary gates; b) situation of the vegetation; c) perimeter lighting, in general; d) conditions of areas dedicated to parking of vehicles of customers and staff. In the intermediate ring, one should review, where existing / available: e) secondary entrances of the building and their closure systems; f) storage lockers at staff entrance / package control points; g) lockers for staff and contractors’ changing areas; h) entrances and closure systems of staff accomodations; i) display cabinets for service keys; l) entrances and closure systems of meeting rooms and ballrooms; m) guest lockers in the fitness / wellness areas; n) siting and placement of the front office and concierge counters; o) guest luggage storage; p) outlets / display cabinets for valuables; q) safe deposit boxes point; Finally, in the inner ring one should check:
r) service accesses and emergency exits in the corridors of the guest rooms; s) windows and related closures (eg. opening handles disabled) in the corridors; t) lighting at the point of entrance to the customers’ accomodations; u) guest room entrance doors (eg optical viewers and additional closures, in compliance with fire regulations); v) connecting doors between guest rooms (i.e. safety locks on both sides); w) sliding glass doors and windows closures (e.g. partial blockage of the opening) in the guest rooms; y) arrangements for emergency calls (eg. alarm button in the bathroom).
Identification of countermeasures Once completed the physical examination and taking into consideration the findings of the previous data collection, the possible initiatives to be taken are evaluated in this phase. And concepts such as those extrapolated from the criminological theories of the routine activity and situational crime prevention(1) are helpful in the selection of any further countermeasure (e.g. security services, technology, rules setting), that possibly are at once simple, inexpensive and easy to integrate in the hotel.
Security services When deciding to make use of contract security services, (e.g. area surveillance, remote alarm, value transport, access control, concierge service, general prevention), it will be appropriate to consider / check that: a) service requests indicate in detail: tasks, way of conduct, as well as verification methods of the regular execution of the contracted service; b) contract does not include the subcontracting faculties; c) in the case of services within the hotel, it should be provided for initial and mandatory operator training on the specific hotel standards; also contemplated the periodic replacement of staff.
Technology With reference to any security technology to adopt, it will be good to keep in mind that: a) selected products should comply with national or international safety standards; b) technology should also comply with the specifications prepared by the hotel (for instance, in the case of in-room safe deposit boxes: dimensions, weight, type of closures, emergency opening mode, type of service units, ability to perform reading events in memory); c) installation criteria provided by the manufacturer, also useful not to lose the warranty, must be met (e.g. anchoring to the floor / wall the in-room safe deposit boxes; inserting electronic locks in a way that does not cancel out the REI certification of guest room doors). And in the case of video surveillance / CCTV, leaving aside here the various applicable regulatory aspects (data protection law and workers’ statute in the first place), it will be appropriate to evaluate: d) what should be the specific purpose of the video surveillance system to be installed; e) total cost of the CCTV system (which would include: materials, installation, scheduled and extraordinary maintenance, replacements parts, staff training, etc.); f) who should handle the video surveillance system (internal or external person).
Rule setting With regard to the company security rules, they can for example refer to: a) use of identification tags / badges; b) access registration and identification of outside contractors / self-employed workers; c) Duty Manager service activities; d) how to access guest rooms for reorganization / turndown; e) service openings of the in-room safes; f) custody and use of service keys / passepartout; g) reading of the memory of the electronic locks of the of the guest room doors; h) custody and use of the emergency keys of the hotel; i) how to respond to possible activation of intrusion / panic / room emergency alarms; j) access to images of the CCTV system, possibly available in the hotel; k) procedures for activating the internal communication system, for alert and emergency evacuation.
Personnel involvement About the involvement of employees, as part of the organizational measures, the staff will be first made aware of the program and company security objectives. After this preliminary information, it will be good to organize regular meetings with department heads and workers' representatives (along the lines of the meetings on accident prevention), as well as awareness-raising sessions addressed to all. And such training situation will certainly be appropriate to treat issues such as: a) most frequent offences at the hotel and the sanctions provided by the Criminal Code; b) concept of burglary and breakdown, in legal terms, of the different areas of the hotel (room corridors, back of the house, hall, bar / restaurants, etc.); c) offences of harassment and coercion and legitimate reasons for entering and remaining in a public establishment. In addition, with regard to possible adverse events with significant impact on the hotel operation (e.g. attacks, unrest, violence), orientation sessions will be functional to the spread of company guidelines (preferably schematized in simple flowcharts), as well as to carry out practical exercises (e.g. evacuation for bomb threat).
Verification of results The final phase of the virtuous circle of the “problem solving method” is represented by the verification of the performance of the system. This activity is useful to maintain the effectiveness of the program (by adopting timely improvements and/or corrections), but also to signal to employees that the interest and attention of the management in this field continue to be high.
In conclusion, given the growing need of the hospitality industry to cope with illegal activities, impromptu or disorganized responses should be avoided. A systemic approach (divided into the stages of data collection, environmental analysis, identification and implementation of countermeasures, and verification of results) instead should be used, so to solve in an orderly and effective way the various security issues of the business.
Nelson Marin References: 1 Clarke, R.V (1997) “Introduction” in: R.V Clarke (ed) Situational Crime Prevention – Successful Case Studies, Guilderland, New York: Harrow and Heston 2-28. 2 Marin, N. Security Awareness (Against Theft) for Hotel Staff, Slideshare, 2016, in http://www.slideshare.net/NelsonMarinCPP/furti-inhotel-security-awareness-per-il-personale
