Front office management I

Electronic Key Card System

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  An electronic locking system replaces traditional mechanical locks with sophisticated computer based guestroom access devices.
  
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  A centralized locking system operates through a master control console at the front desk which is wired to every guestroom door.
  
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  At registration, a front desk agent inserts a key or card in to the appropriate room slot at the front desk console to transmit its code to the guest room door lock.
  
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  The locks can be designed to use a magnetic key card or a special high-security card.
  

Advantages of Electronic Keys:

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  These electronic keys are relatively cheaper than the metal keys, so their loss does not matter much.
  
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  These electronic keys have cut down the number of thefts from rooms by a significant amount.
  
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  They have eliminated the time wasting process of taking keys in and handling them out.
  
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  Thus they allow the receptionist to concentrate on productive contacts with guests.
  

Control of key system

Individual heads of the departments are responsible for all the keys in their areas. The housekeeper is usually responsible for more keys than any other departmental heads.

Emergency Keys: This keys opens all doors of the property even when they are DL. This should be kept locked under the supervision of General Manager. This key should be used in case of fire or a guest or employee locked inside the room.
Master Key: This key opens all the guest room that are not DL. It has 4 levels of access.

1. 
   G. M. Key: This key opens all the guest room even the storage room as well.
   
2. 
   Master Key: This key is kept with asst Housekeeper to open any internal door that has not been DL.
   
3. 
   Sub Master or section master key: This key opens all room lock for a particular section.
   
4. 
   Floor Master Key: The guest room attendant (GRA) is given this key when he has to clean all room of a given floor.
   

Guest room keys: These keys are issued to the entire guest upon the registration. This key opens a single guest room when they are not DL.
Supply keys: These keys are used within the servicing sector of the hotel by the supervisor level staff to ensure that stocks & equipments are safely stored away when not in use.
Card keys: This type of room locking mechanism use regular door locks & special plastic cards that act as keys to unlock the doors. The system uses a computer that codes the card to lock & unlock the doors.