BookingCenter can link to a ‘lock system’ (whether keyless, swipe, RFID, Wi-Fi, or Low Energy BlueTooth). For most implementations we require that the Guest Services Module is purchased and installed. We have more detail on the Guest Services Module here. When it’s only the key system to be interfaced, and it's not used for Self Check-in, there is not much ‘return on investment’ due to the nature of this particular interface. With a PMS interfacing to a key system, the front desk operator needs to check in the booking in MyPMS, then insert a key in the device ‘console’, confirm the room and number of nights the Property Management System sent, then swipe/dip the card to embed that data on the key (or e-key) system. Thus, the benefit of the Property Management System is to send the Room number, Guest name (some systems), check in date, and checkout date & time to a console. Without a Property Management System interface, a similar process is followed, but the user has to manually input the Room number and number of nights. Thus, 2 extra clicks into the console are required (and no Guest name gets associated with the key). For this reason, if a customer wishes to only interface a key console, we usually recommend against the investment of the Guest Service Module, as the benefit is too little. If, however, a customer also wishes to use Self Check-in (to automate guest access to the room), or connect to to a PBX, voice mail, restaurant/bar POS system, mini bar, movie system, etc., then the investment in the Guest Service Module makes sense, because that investment delivers much more value. The key systems we can support are: - RemoteLock (a direct interface not requiring the Guest Services Module) that dynamically creates PIN codes for keypad-enabled locks of many varieties and manufacturer. . Read our documentation for how this interface works with our PMS system here.
- COMTROL vendors listed here. BookingCenter can connect to these key vendors via the Guest Service Module.
If you have a vendor who sells key systems not on this list, but you are interested in their product and support with BookingCenter, ask them if they support the same interface specification as one of these vendors on that list, and often times that works, as well. |