Security

THE KEY TO ECONOMIC STABILITY FOR HOTELS:

SECURITY AWARENESS THROUGH EMPOWERMENT

By Paul Goldenberg, President & CEO, Cardinal Point Strategies

In a little over a month, the United States will mark the 10th anniversary of one of the most significant events of our time: the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. While much has changed in the ensuing decade, one question has remained constant: "How could this have happened?"   Since that fateful day, the dynamics of terrorist methods have changed and expanded dramatically as have their targets. It is no longer just about al-Qaeda operatives flying planes into buildings. It is also about domestic terrorists living among us who aggressively plan and train to do us harm in whatever manner possible. The recent horrific events in Norway epitomize the reality that the risk of terrorism is real and unrelenting. It is no secret that lodging industry properties, like camps, are quintessential soft targets. Hotels in particular, because of their welcoming service culture, have the immense challenge of best determining how to secure their environments while continuing to deliver friendly and quality service.

The greatest challenge for the industry is in striking a balance between creating a pleasant, comfortable environment for the hotel guest while maintaining effective security and safety vigilance that does not disrupt a hotel's appealing atmosphere. One of the most important components of a successful security program is empowerment. From the parking lot attendant to the concierge to housekeeping personnel, arming frontline hotel employees with the knowledge and confidence to recognize, report, and respond to suspicious activity and items in and on hotel property is no longer an option, but a vital and necessary ingredient for a hotel's economic success and the safety and security of its guests. The lesson learned from 9/11 is to be prudently proactive and not excessively reactive.

The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA) and the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) joined forces on an initiative to encourage and educate lodging employees to recognize, report, and react to suspicious and crisis situations that occur on property.

In 2010, the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute, through the thoughtful leadership of its president and COO, Robert L. Steele, III, CHA, took the unprecedented step to partner with the DHS and produce what is the first, online interactive security and safety training solution for all hospitality personnel. Through their historic partnership and resulting initiative for the hotel industry, the "If You See Something, Say Something" campaign was used as a platform for the development of Eye On Awareness™. Eye on Awareness™ is an online, interactive program that provides a seamless, discrete tutorial that empowers hotel personnel to recognize, report, and respond to suspicious activities and items on hotel properties. Eye on Awareness™ represents 55 minutes of high-caliber training that amounts to what may be the most important 55 minutes a hotel employee can spend in his or her career. In less than an hour, any and all hotel employees can receive, in the confidential confines of the hotel property away from the guest environment, the most effective, informative, and easy-to-follow training possible to help reduce the risk of crime, injury, and terrorist incidents. The program was developed by the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute, Cardinal Point Strategies, the US Department of Homeland Security, and experts representing the AH&LA Loss Prevention Committee and working groups dedicated to industry safety and security, all of whom represent a vast array of senior executives from national and global hotel chains.

The return on investment is incalculable. The ability to access this training 365 days a year demonstrates without question that a good-faith effort is being made by hotels to improve their safety and security atmosphere and, therefore, the comfort level of their hotel guests. The training program also serves as a proactive insurance policy against risk, and as insulation from liability exposure when faced with the challenges and questions that arise in the aftermath of an incident--the most crucial of which is, "Did you do enough to reduce the likelihood of the event that occurred?"

The events of 9/11 had a profound effect on the airline industry security measures after the fact. For the hotel industry, they are a warning shot across the bow, and an opportunity to seize the advantage of preparedness through empowerment and demonstrate a responsible commitment toward the protection, safety & security of their guests, visitors, and personnel. Hotel properties nationwide and throughout the world that choose to ignore such an opportunity do so at their own risk-and that of untold victims of a terrorist attack that quite possibly could have been avoided.