Doubletree
Hotel Universal Adds $3,000 Monthly Revenue with Pay-Per-Use Safemark
Guest Room Safes
ORLANDO
(April 23, 2007) — Best known for serving warm, delicious
chocolate chip cookies, it’s no secret that Doubletree Hotels
make guest service and well-being their number one priority. So
when it came time for management at the Doubletree Hotel Universal
to upgrade its 10-year-old guest room safes, they wanted to be sure
the end result would receive high marks from guests in ease and
convenience, yet not put a strain on the hotels capital expenditures
or operating budgets.
A
Better Alternative
Having purchased the existing safes from another supplier, Doubletree
might have continued to work with the company to dig up costly,
hard-to-find and replacement parts or simply bought newer models
and paid the hefty installation fees. But research by the hotel’s
General Manager Bill Worcester, showed that Orlando-based Safemark
Systems offered an enticing new alternative called SafeCom™
— fully automated, wireless, online, pay-per-use guest room
safes that can be leased with no capital outlay and free installation
and 24/7 technical support.
Real-Time
Reporting
The automated online system is operated by a turnkey computer system
called Safemark Communications Manager (SCM) enabling a variety
of features that go above and beyond traditional guest room safes.
Through the SCM, the hotel can maintain an online status of every
safe in the building. Batteries never run out
Page 2…Doubletree Hotel Universal Adds Revenue with Safemark
because
the battery status is also displayed at the fingertips of hotel
staff. Should a guest report a missing item, the online system can
display the date and time of each access to the safe. And, a report
is immediately generated if a guest forgets to remove belongings
from the safe before check-out. Best of all, the SCM program is
designed to interface with a variety of IT infrastructures currently
found in hospitality properties.
Modern
Considerations
Safemark guest room safes are designed with today’s high-tech
traveler in mind. They’re large enough to accommodate laptops
as well with purses, iPods, video equipment, cameras and cell phones.
The LED illuminated keypad is easily visible and user friendly for
guests.
Guest-Service
Solutions
Perhaps most exciting to Worcester was that the hotel was able to
acquire the new state-of-the-art safes without raising its daily
room rate and without dipping into its capital budget — a
savings of $150,000. Safemark’s industry leading pay-per-use
program means that guests pay for the SafeCom™ service only
if they decide to use their in-room safe and only on the particular
days the safe is used. Guests are informed about the $10,000.00
Safemark exclusive warranty against forced entry and the daily charge
by a label prominently displayed on the safe. Once the safe is used,
the charge is generated and posted to the guest’s folio, another
advantage of the Safemark Communications Manager which Worcester
says has been “flawless and efficient.”
Guest
comments about the easy-to-use optional safe system have been consistently
positive. “Doubletree’s savvy and cost-conscience travelers
appreciate being given an option and not being charged a higher
room rate or flat fee for an amenity they may or may not decide
to use,” said Worcester. “At a minimal charge per day,
guests who need the safes don’t hesitate to use them.”
Page 3…Doubletree Hotel Universal Adds Revenue with Safemark
Cost-Saving,
Revenue Generating Results
The hotel not only saved $150,000 of its capital expenditure budget
by choosing SafeCom™, but has also added $3,000 per month
in revenue from guest safe usage. The hotel and Safemark split revenue
generated from each safe. For the last three months of 2006, the
pay-per-use SafeCom™ system exceeded revenue expectations
by 12 percent. Furthermore, the hotel reports that labor hours spent
by its security team have dropped by 80 percent since the installation
of the new guest room safe system.
Professional,
On-Time Service
Additionally, said the general manager, the Safemark team provided
thorough, professional service from the first three detailed, initial
planning meetings through the installation process and even now
in the monitoring stages. The installation was completed effortlessly
and on schedule.
“A
Win-Win Situation”
“It’s clear from the revenue generated by our SafeCom™
system that guests do indeed place a high value on the well-being,
security and convenience they get from placing their valuables in
their in-room safes,” said Worcester. “The hotel has
found the investment in the Safemark product both financially and
operationally successful. Using SafeCom™ has been a win-win
situation for our guests and for the hotel.”
About
Safemark Systems
Safemark operates an extensive sales and distribution network throughout
North America, and enjoys alliances with such prominent hospitality
organizations as Avendra, Best Western, Cendant, Choice, Carlson
(Radisson), Interstate Hotels and Resorts, Marriott, USFS, Wyndham
and Walt Disney World. Safemark is a portfolio company of American
Capital Strategies (NASDAQ: ACAS). For more information about Safemark
Systems and its products, contact John Foley, Vice President, Safemark
Systems, at (214) 495-9500 or e-mail jfoley@safemark.com, call 800-255-8818
or visit www.safemark.com.
Page
4… Doubletree Hotel Universal Adds Revenue with Safemark
About
Interstate Hotels & Resorts
Part
of the Hilton family of hotels, with more than 167 locations in
the United States, Canada and Latin America, Doubletree Hotels,
Guest Suites, Resorts and Clubs is the full-service hotel brand
that provides all the conveniences travelers might expect, in a
warm and welcoming environment. Comfortable accommodations, extensive
meeting facilities, delicious dining options, health and fitness
facilities and state-of-the-art technology are just a sampling of
the amenities and services guests enjoy whether they stay for business
or pleasure. Everything the hotel does - including welcoming millions
of delighted hotel guests with warm signature chocolate chip cookies
at check-in is inspired by a commitment to our CARE culture. www.doubletree.com
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