In the hospitality sector, the duty of every staff member is to create the best conditions for guests, right? However, as many of us know, that isn’t always easy. Juggling staff requirements with guest needs is tough; it can get in the way of staff routine. For example, take the cleaning process. While your staff need easy access to your cupboard spaces that store housekeeping equipment, there is a need for quality cupboard locks. This helps to stop guests from gaining access to your supplies.
As you might already have discovered, though, finding cupboard locks that are easy to use for staff but secured from unwanted access is not easy. There are many types of cupboard door locks out there, from magnetic cupboard locks and digital locks to heavy-duty cupboard locks. To help you find the right type of lock for your hotel housekeeping supplies, we spoke with UK experts at Locks & Hardware.
Given their experience in the lock industry, we felt there were no better experts to ask for advice. From storing cleaning supplies to linen and other room amenities, how can you keep everything secure without making life harder for your staff?
Why Hotels Need Locked Housekeeping Cupboards
There are many reasons why a hotel should take its cupboard lock selection very seriously. Your hotel has a set budget for supplies and equipment, so minimising the risk of theft and/or property damage is key. The main reasons why you should make investing in reliable cupboard locks a priority include:
- Making sure your staff can easily access cupboards without leaving them unprotected
- Protecting guests from accessing chemicals that could potentially cause them harm
- Negating the risk of guests ‘helping themselves’ to linen and other useful supplies
- Limiting wastage and shrinkage, keeping your hotel’s supply budget under control
- Making it easier to accurately manage inventory, keeping stock levels high
- Preventing access to equipment that should only be used by your staff
These reasons alone should give you a pretty good reason to pay close attention to your choice of cupboard locks. If your hotel has a problem with shrinkage, or you find that supplies seem to ‘go missing’ a lot more often than is reasonable, it might be time to get some new cupboard locks fitted. New locks can go a long way to make sure that the above issues become a concern of the past.
How, though, do you go about choosing cupboard locks that are suitable for the hospitality sector?
The Best Cupboard Locks That Suit Hotels & Hospitality
Of course, if you have shopped around for cupboard locks in the past, you will know just how varied your options are. From magnetic cupboard locks that self-lock to keyed locks and the rise of digital cupboard locks, there are many choices on the market. That can make it tough to pick what is the ideal choice for your hotel in terms of functionality, features and budget, right?
When we spoke with Locks & Handles, they focused on three key areas when deciding:
- Durability so the locks cannot be easily tampered with or broken through
- Ease of access so your staff can get the job done without any worries
- Specific access methods to limit guests ‘exploring in the wrong place
Generally, you should be looking for cupboard locks that meet the above criteria. Some of the best considerations to take into account here include:
Magnetic Locks
Magnetic cupboard locks are one of the best options. These provide a magnetic field that keeps the lock nice and secure, no matter how much someone tugs on it or pulls. Without the right access, such as a key, the locks remain watertight. However, these do require power to keep them operational. In the event of a power failure, your magnetic cupboard locks will stop, so keep that in mind.
Keyed Locks
You should make sure that every cupboard lock has a key to access it, at least where reasonable. Your staff can be given a key (or senior staff can have a master key) so they can easily access these cupboard spaces when needed. That keeps the cupboards otherwise locked from guest access. That said, be vigilant about key loss; have your security staff create a clear process for key collection. To avoid keys going missing, you can have GPS trackers fitted to all housekeeping key sets for tracking.
Digital Locks
If your hotel wants to really splash out on security, go for digital locks. When fitted correctly, these help to stop access to any part of the building without the right access credentials. You can have staff use biometric scans, PIN codes, key fobs or app-controlled access. Staff can then be given the right access codes and credentials so they can access where they should be able to, whilst preventing access to other areas of the building. Guests, then, cannot access anywhere they shouldn’t.
Protect Your Guests & Staff With Quality Cupboard Locks
All three options recommended above, then, match up with the requirement for ease of use, durability and access control functions. What is the right option for your hotel or hospitality venue?
As your staff go about their housekeeping duties, they might struggle due to the presence of guests. Cleaning rooms when guests are present is not easy; it can often feel awkward for both parties. That said, staff can also find cleaning communal areas, like bars and gardens, a challenge. Even sweeping the hallways and vacuuming the stairways can feel difficult due to having guests around the place.
By investing in some quality cupboard locks, though, you can make it easier for your staff to stay nice and efficient. They can easily store away the equipment and supplies they need in the right areas, safe in the knowledge that guests cannot simply take a look for themselves.
Locks & Handles also recommended one final tip: invest in a master key system. These systems offer easy management of all keyed areas, especially your cupboard locks. Now, guests cannot open the doors to your cupboards as they do not have the security clearance. This means that you can limit who has access within your staff, reducing the risk of staff taking a little complementary gift home, too!
