Front-Desk Bypass Cell Phone Solution: OpenWays Announces First Pilots at a Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express Hotel
OpenWays and IHG will pilot a new cell-phone-based front desk bypass solution that offers guests the option to use their personal cell phone as a mobile room key
OpenWays, developer of the hospitality industry's first mobile-based front desk bypass solution, will give guests at the Holiday Inn Chicago O'Hare Rosemont and the Holiday Inn Express Houston Downtown "freedom of choice" like never before. As part of a summer pilot beginning in August, travelers visiting the two IHG properties can choose between "Mobile Key" access to their guestroom, enabling them to bypass the front desk upon arrival, or continue to check-in the traditional way and obtain a plastic keycard prior to going to their room.
"We are thrilled that IHG has agreed to pilot the OpenWays technology by introducing our front desk bypass solution, which offers true guest-centric services to their guests," said Pascal Metivier, OpenWays CEO. "It is our goal through this test program to validate the wide-reaching returns that such a cell-phone-based front desk bypass solution brings, including: improving the guest experience by offering more choice and control for guests and reducing environmental impact and operational costs by decreasing the need for plastic keycards.”
OpenWays uses the principle of Crypto Acoustic Credential (CAC™) and text messaging (SMS) to securely deliver an encrypted tone or "credential" to the right user anywhere in the world. Installation of the technology at hotels involves a simple upgrade to all existing room locks with an OpenWays CAC decoding device. And, the solution is compatible with the latest smartphones (including the new Apple iPhone 4 and 3GS, the Google Android-based phones, Blackberry’s, etc.) and every other cell phone and carrier worldwide as well as all the major electronic-locking systems and access-control systems.
The easy-to-use Mobile Key invites each guest via e-mail to "enroll" for the mobile room key service before their check-in date. The day of arrival the guest receives a text message containing both the room number and a secured link to retrieve the room key. When the guest arrives at the hotel, he or she can bypass the front desk, go directly to the room, and via cell phone open the door lock. Each CAC “aural” key produced is encrypted, unique and becomes obsolete from the moment it is used for optimum security.
During the pilot, which involves all of the guestrooms at the Holiday Inn Chicago O'Hare Rosemont and the Holiday Inn Express Houston Downtown, guests will have the option to “enroll” for Mobile Key via the e-mail sent prior to their check-in date or at the front desk. If they choose to participate in the pilot, they will be among the first guests to use Mobile Key.
"Technology allows us to find new ways to continue to improve the guest experience at our hotels. More and more of our guests – especially Gen Y and business travelers – are looking for simpler, more efficient ways to check-in and get to their rooms,” said Bryson Koehler, senior vice president of revenue and guest technology. “Due to the proliferation of mobile devices, a Mobile Key could prove to be a great option for those guests who want to go straight to their room and bypass the front desk. We are excited to start the pilot program this summer at two of our hotels, and we look forward to hearing from our guests about their experiences with Mobile Key.”
IHG has 1,300 hotels in its development pipeline, which will create 160,000 jobs worldwide over the next few years.
InterContinental Hotels Group PLC is the Group's holding company and is incorporated in Great Britain and registered in England and Wales.
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Barb Worcester
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