TALK WITH YOUR HANDS
TRENDING
TALK WITH YOUR HANDS
By CHLOE RILEY , ASSOCIATE EDITOR
In October , Spanish chain Room Mate Hotels launched a tablet-based interpreting service for deaf and hearing-impaired guests . How it works : Upon check-in , guests use a tablet with a video-call program linking them to sign-language interpreters certified in Spanish and international sign language , allowing guests to make requests in real time . The service has been implemented in Room Mate ’ s hotels in Spain , and international hotels will get the technology this year . The collaboration , with Madrid-based Comunicados en Lengua de Signos , supports hotel beyond check-in and check-out to other situations that may arise during a stay .
Do staff need additional training ? Here ’ s Elena Marrero , Room Mate ’ s executive managing director :
“ This is a really simple system and , due to the enthusiasm of our staff , the implementation has been more than easy ,” she says . “ We have created a protocol with which our front desk managers have been trained to be the person in charge of sharing how it works to the rest of their teams .” What about the bigger picture in terms of technological opportunities ?
“ We are living in the technological era and it is currently an essential tool that contributes to the improvement of the industry ,” says Marrero .
“ In Room Mate we always say that the technological improvements are important but without losing the human touch ,” she continues . “ The interpreting service is an example of this . We will never use technology to impersonalize customer service . Rather , we always welcome you with a big smile in our faces .”
Room Mate Hotels ' interpreting service for the deaf and hearing-impaired uses a tablet .
AMPING UP
SECURITY
Contributed BY LAURA KOSS-FEDER
Hoteliers , particularly those who manage large properties , are looking to the safety and security of their guests and employees more than ever following a mass shooting in October at a Las Vegas hotel . Walt Disney World , for instance , recently replaced its “ Do Not Disturb ” signs with ones that say “ Room Occupied ” – which don ’ t stop employees from entering ( the company did not specify what prompted the move ).
“ Keeping the balance between guest safety and security and guest privacy and freedom of movement is the biggest challenge ,” says Chad Callaghan , security consultant for the American Hotel & Lodging Association and a retired vice president of safety and security at Marriott International .
Training programs must filter down to every level of hotel employee – those who can be the eyes and ears to what is happening daily , Callaghan says . From a front desk clerk to busboys and housekeepers , employees who interact frequently with guests need to be trained as to what is suspicious behavior and what could be a warning sign – like guests who appear nervous , avoid eye contact or always seem to be in the lobby and don ’ t leave the premises .
“ There is situational awareness . One size does not fit all properties in all locations ,” Callaghan notes . A property “ in East Africa does not have the overall same security threat as a hotel in Hawaii ,” for example , concurs Mac Segal , Copenhagen-based head of hotel and fixed site security consulting for AS Solution , a global security and executive protection company .
Adding to this challenge is deciding what kind of security protocols best serve your particular guests , with additional considerations if you have high-profile guests such as celebrities or executives , Segal says .
“ Yes , we know that guests want their privacy ; they deserve that . But they also deserve to be protected ,” notes Russell Kolins , chairman of the hospitality , entertainment and tourism security council at ASIS International , a worldwide organization for security professionals .
Knowing your market is also critical if your area hosts political rallies , concerts , parades and other open-air events . “ You want to monitor advance asocial media posts , just to be aware if there could be any disturbances or possible incidents and be on high alert ,” says Jason Porter , Ann Arbor , Michigan-based vice president of the eastern region at Pinkerton , a worldwide private security guard and detective agency .
There must be response procedures in place , particularly in hotels where an emergency can get out of hand very quickly . Active shooter drills , similar to regular fire drills , should be conducted with staff once every six months , Segal recommends . New staffers should get training via video presentations .
20 hotelsmag . com January / February 2018