NATIONAL REPORT— In the world of hotel security these days, there is an emphasis on customer service, and increased scrutiny by the media, according to experts in the field. “The biggest trend in hotel security isn’t related to equipment, it’s the focus on customer service,” said Brian Wand, director, security and risk management, Arizona Biltmore. “We’re trying to convince people to use security as a resource to assist them rather than view the security officer like a bouncer.” Wand noted that the Biltmore’s 20-member security staff is assisting guests in several ways. “We were getting so many items in lost and found, we’ve been taking steps to help guests remember items when they leave. We now have a form when they check out asking them if they’ve left anything in the room safe or elsewhere,” he said. One of the most frequently forgotten items is cell phone chargers which plug into a wall outlet. “We’ve seen a dramatic drop in lost and found items overall,” Wand said. Security officers also assist guests having trouble locating or locked out of their rooms. “We have a 39-acre property and 732 guestrooms; we’re pretty spread out,” Wand said. “In the case of guests getting to the room and realizing they’ve misplaced the key, we don’t make them walk back to the front desk; we’ll have the security officer do that.” Wand also wants guests to ask his staff to assist them with any uncomfortable situations. “If a guest sees someone who appears suspicious, we want them to let us know so we can ask that person if they need help. Often, it’s a case of a guest who is lost on the wrong floor,” he said. There is a dedicated security line for all house phones including those in guestrooms. By dialing 11, the guest is immediately connected to a security officer who will go to the room if necessary, he added. Discretion is important, Wand said. A guest’s name and room number are never transmitted together. “A code is used telling the security officer to go to another channel,” he explained. “The officers [also]wear earphones so as not to disturb the guest” with a crackling radio. Meetings and conventions “present challenges” because of the number of people, Wand said. “But there is a trend [now]for groups to bring their own security or use our staff as special duty officers to provide more coverage checking badges, watching computer equipment or things of that nature,” he said. Security is a top priority at Wyndham International, according to Quentin Richardson, vp/risk management. “We always want our guests to feel safe and secure,” he said. “There is a move to standardize training and certification,” Richardson noted, adding the goal is to increase professionalism among security staffers. Richardson noted that there are differences in the security staff depending on the property’s size. “For larger luxury properties, the duties are more specialized and training is similar to that for a police force. We want an experienced staff that can handle different situations,” he said. “At a smaller, economy operation, the manager on duty might operate as a security officer. In that case, the manager might call in the police sooner when there is a breach of security.” Richardson added Wyndham’s larger hotels frequently host foreign dignitaries, politicians and celebrities, and it’s not uncommon for security staff to be interfacing with law enforcement agencies. There are also times when Wyndham contracts with national security firms including Brink’s and Wackenhut to boost coverage. “There are special circumstances when we need to do this. For example, in 1998 after a major hurricane in Puerto Rico, we hired outside security to protect a property,” Richardson said. While Wyndham’s general policy is not to have armed security, there are occasions when they carry weapons. “Some of the security personnel, especially contract personnel, are off-duty police officers required to carry weapons,” Richardson said. “[Plus], security personnel
