Marc Freundlich, President and CEO of VingCard North America, informed the industry trade press and several others gathered at the event, that Signature has quickly become the new locking system of choice for hotels and resorts due to its: minimal door hardware, variety of designer handles, upgradeable technology, and host of design options and flexible configurations. He announced that Marriott Hotels & Resorts (Marriott Hotels, Fairfield Inn and Courtyard by Marriott), Hilton Hotels & Resorts (Hampton Inns and Homewood Suites), Starwood Hotels & Resorts (W Hotel and St. Regis), Best Western International, ACCOR (Novotel) and InterContinental Hotel Group (Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express) are just some of the brands which have selected Signature by VingCard in North America. Internationally, Signature by VingCard has become the electronic lock of choice for LeMeridien Hotels & Resorts, Courtyard by Marriott, Rezidor SAS Hospitality (master franchisor for Carlson Hotels), and Movenpick Hotels & Resorts.
RFID Technology Gaining Momentum
Based on immediate interest at HITEC from hoteliers and independent owners alike, Freundlich said he anticipates that Signature RFID will see equally-rapid industry adoption due to its open platform, ability to establish brand differentiation, and capacity for making hotel corridors look great.
“Proximity is not new to hospitality, but RFID certainly is,” Freundlich told the group. “Signature RFID is developed as an open-platform RFID lock that is design centric, guest friendly and compatible with all main RFID ISO standards (ISO 14443 A (MIFARE), ISO 14443 B, ISO 15693) and the new Near Field Communication (NFC) secure transaction platform soon to be deployed in cell phones worldwide. As a result, VingCard customers will be able to use their guests’ NFC-ready cell phones to open their room doors. In addition, it will be the first electronic-locking solution that offers the unique ability to establish brand differentiation through customized RFID keys while making hotel corridors look great at the same time.”
He explained that 125kHz proximity locks that were installed in hotels in the late 1990’s have limited functionality and security, compared to the newer more secure and flexible, 13.56 MHz Contactless technology employed in the Signature RFID. In addition, earlier systems are not likely to be compliant with today’s RFID standards, secure transaction protocols and compatibility with other RFID devices.
”Hotels do not want to invest in RFID if they are going to be stuck with one standard,” Freundlich said. “We designed Signature RFID to support all three standards for maximum flexibility. Now the customer can choose what is best for their application.”
A ‘Preferred’ Partner
Deana Kauffman, Senior Vice President, Revenue and Distribution Management for Chicago-based Preferred Hotel Group, also was present at the VingCard Elsafe booth to announce an exclusive security partnership. According to Kauffman, VingCard Elsafe was chosen as the sole provider of electronic locks and in-room safes because of its ability to “provide better products, better pricing, and better service” when compared to other solutions on the market, and for its ability to “consistently deliver reliability worldwide.”
“There are a lot of good locking systems in the market and at this show, but only a few can create an exceptional security system—from encoders and mechanics to design features that are not obtrusive to the guest—and only one can be the BEST,” she said. “For Preferred Hotel Group and our four brands —Preferred Hotels & Resorts®, Preferred Boutique®, Summit Hotels & Resorts® and Sterling Hotels® —VingCard is the undisputed leader when it comes to electronic locking systems. Equally we find Elsafe to be the No. 1 industry solution for in-room safes due to its advanced audit trail, modular design and upgradeable technology to suit any budget.”
Brown concluded the event by saying: “As technology continues to evolve, security-conscious hotels can rest assured that VingCard Elsafe’s technology will continue to evolve with it. VingCard always has been focused on providing the best security technologies to protect guests’ valuables and owners’ assets. We are proud of the success we have had with Signature and are equally excited about our development of Signature RFID. We anticipate that it will be embraced by the global lodging industry as openly as Signature and the other coveted VingCard solutions.”
