Securing Keys, Assets & People - Blog

Managing Electronic Devices With a Hotel Equipment Management System

Written by Jay Palter | Jan 19, 2023

By its very nature, the hospitality industry is constantly searching for ways to improve the customer experience. Quicker sign-ins, improved staff workflows, and personalized experiences for each customer are all ways hotels aim to set themselves apart in an increasingly competitive industry. 

As a result, hotels and other venues are looking for new technologies to give themselves a competitive edge. The most recent trend in hospitality is using tablets, smartphones, and other handhelds. Hotels are distributing these devices to front desk staff, concierges, and housekeepers, and also placing them in rooms for customer use.  

Where do tablets and handheld devices help in hotels?    

Tablets are a simple way to improve your customers’ experience. For example, tablets give hotels more ways to make customers aware of additional products and services. And customers, in turn, are increasingly happy to use no- or low-contact interactive services. They offer a range of new ways to interact with customers and improve their stay.

Are there issues when hotels acquire many new handheld devices?   

The use cases for tablets and other electronic devices in hospitality are many. But hotel tablet tracking and management comes with its share of challenges. 

Managing a large number of electronic devices can be a logistical nightmare    

Hotel operations managers suddenly find themselves keeping hundreds of devices accounted for, charged, and ready daily. And then there’s tracking who had each device last and where they last used it. Done manually, that can be hours of work. 

Also, these valuable assets are frequently targets for theft. Even discounting malicious behavior, because tablets and handhelds are designed to be very portable, it is easy for staff members to lose them. 

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One solution is to use smart asset lockers    

Many hotels have turned to smart asset lock systems for hospitality asset tracking to manage these huge numbers of devices better. These systems automatically maintain a digital audit trail of all devices while keeping them charged and ready for use.

Smart lockers are built for managing powered devices 

Asset lockers allow you to assign and charge multiple items in a single compartment, saving you big when securing many devices. In addition, the hotel tablet management software will monitor which items have been plugged in or removed in each compartment and will only release devices once they have been fully charged. That means greater efficiencies for your staff, as they’ll never struggle using half-charged devices.

 

 

 

Smart terminals automate recordkeeping   

Hotels require a large staff who all share keys and equipment that are constantly changing hands. With smart asset lockers, you can easily keep your staff accountable. The smart terminal that controls the hotel locker maintains an audit trail of every transaction and other important events.  

It enables you to schedule and restrict access for certain times, certain users, and when certain conditions are met—for example, when a signout limit has been reached or when a device has reached maximum charge. The terminals connect to a web management dashboard that gives you a full read-out of items in the locker, including charge level and error codes related to devices. You can even automatically open support tickets if a device is malfunctioning.

Modular design fits any footprint    

Every hotel has unique needs, so why build a one-size-fits-all locker? Advanced asset locker systems have a modular design that you can stack and customize for your unique mix of equipment and your floor plan. First, combine a range of stackable locker modules, including compartments sized for 2-way radios, tablets, laptops, and phones. Then, you customize each compartment with charging ports and content surveillance asset tracking.

 

 

Positive outcomes using smart asset lockers for hotel tablet management     

Automating your hotel electronic device management with smart lockers offers a range of benefits.

  1. Increased productivity 

    Automating manual device management tasks allows your staff to focus on customer service and revenue-generating activities. Smart lockers automate the tedious administrative work of managing a large volume of equipment. Smart terminals automatically track every transaction, manage maintenance schedules, and instantly report any irregularities to managers.      
  2. Reduced equipment losses 

    Another benefit of automating hotel asset tracking is you remove human error almost entirely from the equipment management process. There’s no human inventory manager to forget to record a transaction. If someone forgets to return the equipment at the end of their shift, you can have the smart locker email or text them and their supervisor. Your team can immediately begin searching for the missing device, significantly increasing your chance of recovering it.
  3. Increased accountability for equipment use 

    Because all the transaction information is accurate and the system can immediately report losses, it is much harder for theft to go unnoticed. In addition, curfew alerts provide instant awareness for any late returns. 

    You can also apply RFID hotel asset tracking tags to devices and scan them inside compartments. The smart locker system can verify that users returned the corrected device every time. Users can’t report a return and withhold the device. The system will know. 

  4. New insights into asset use 

    RFID tag and content surveillance hotel asset tracking give detailed insights into how hotel staff members use your tablets and other handheld devices. For example, you’ll be able to see in real time who has which tablets, where they’re using them within your venue, and their current tasks. You’ll also be able to analyze performance trends over time in detailed reports. Those reports can reveal trends you might not otherwise notice during day-to-day activities.  

 

Hotel Tablets and AssetTracer Smart Lockers: A Winning Combination       

New smart technology is poised for more and more use in hotels and the wider hospitality industry. Tablets and mobile technology can help venues offer superior customer service and streamline operations. 

With a huge influx of expensive new assets and equipment, smart asset lockers—like Real Time Networks’ AssetTracer systems—provide a way to protect your investment and ensure each item is charged, accounted for, and assigned to the right individual.

Schedule a live demo today to see AssetTracer smart lockers in action