RFID - What are you doing with it?

Radio frequency identification (RFID) is a technology that is slowing making it's way into the hotel industry. RFID is already being used globally from Las Vegas to Germany to Chicago in retail, tollways, and the automobile industry. Keyless entry uses RFID technology. The EZPass is a RFID device. It is more than just a new technology to the hotel field. RFID represents solutions to commonly faced problems throughout the industry. RFID tags can be used to track inventory, people, uniforms and of course as an alternative to magnetic strip keycards. A casino in Las Vegas is using RFID pourers on liquor to track amount poured, brand, and time. This works from up to 100 feet away. The hotel has already seen a decrease in liquor shrinkage as well as an increase in the ease and accuracy of reordering. One hotel in Chicago is using RFID technology to communicate with guests. When a group of people possessing RFID devices pass by monitors they receive personalized information. RFID devices can also be used to tag items such as bell carts, room service trays, or even guest packages that arrive days ahead of the guests. Initially, the main use of this technology within the hotel industry would be as a substitute for guest room keys. Online checkin via your i-phone would be possible, then you would use your iphone as your room key and have no need to stop by the front desk.

I find this very promising. No longer are the days of keys expiring in the middle of a guests stay, and the guest needing to come to the front desk to obtain a new key. Also, many hotels say that they have “express checkin” or (online check-in), however, they still have to come by the front desk and obtain a key or show some sort of identification. The process may be sped up somewhat but it is still far from being as speedy as advertised. With RFID technology, the middleman can be cut out. Often times when guests use luggage carts they fail to bring them back to the lobby. They either leave them in the room or in the hallway and they aren’t available for the next guest. With RFID tags on the luggage carts the staff can quickly locate them and put the carts back in circulation. RFID could very well serve as a tool to aide in inventory management. High end items such as refrigerators and televisions can be tagged with the RFID devices so that the hotel staff is alerted when such items are removed from guest rooms. I see a lot of promise in this technology within our industry. The increased efficiency this technology will provide should make not only the guests life easier but the employees as well.