Key Control programs are designed to protect the property, privacy and personal safety of the hotel guests. An added benefit is the protection of hotel property from unauthorized access, use or theft.

Key Control encompasses the use of traditional metal ("hard") keys, Ving cards and magnetic stripe ("electronic") cards, now prevalently used throughout the hospitality industry.

Putting a key control program in place takes very little time, but does require ongoing and documented compliance and enforcement procedures.

Getting Started.

• Define the rooms or areas that should have limited access.
• Identify who will have access to those areas.
• Document to whom and when access should be granted.
• Establish follow-up procedures to ensure that all aspects of the program are kept current, and documentation is kept up to date.

"Key" Points to Limiting Access.
 (Employees/Management):

• Limit access to all key blanks, Ving card blanks and electronic cards.
• Limit the use of the cutting machine for traditional hard keys to the Director of Engineering and one designated trained assistant to include a procedure requiring written authorization by the General Manager prior to any key/card being cut or issued.
• Maintain records of all keys/cards cut and all cards issued to employees to include the access area for the key/card authorization, date, who cut or issued the key and in what quantity.
• Number stamp the Grand Masters, Emergency Masters and Sub or Floor Masters.
• Master keys/cards should never be issued as a matter of convenience or prestige. Master keys should only be issued when absolutely necessary. Master keys pose a high degree of risk to the hotel and should be treated accordingly.
• A daily sign-in and sign-out procedure must be established for those employees needing a key/card as part of their normal duties (i.e., Housekeeping, Engineering). These logs should be maintained as permanent records for 8 (eight) years.
• Emergency Master keys/cards should be issued only to the Manager on Duty, Engineering and Security (or one other Emergency Response Team member if a security team member is not assigned to the property).
• Under no circumstances should keys/cards be allowed to leave the property.

(Guest Room Keys/Cards):

• Guestroom keys/cards should be maintained at the Front Desk.
• If a traditional hard key or Ving card is lost, the lock should be changed and a new key/card issued. This also means the guestroom is kept out of available room inventory until this process is completed. This procedure is quickly replacing the traditional "par system," whereby the lock is changed after a predetermined number of keys are lost or stolen. If it is still the policy of the hotel to use the traditional "par system," be sure to keep your "par" as low as possible before changing the locks.
• Guestroom keys should be issued only to the person registered to the room and in no larger quantity than the number of persons registered to the room.
• Requests for additional keys/cards, after initial registration, should be considered only when presented with proper picture I.D. from the "Registered Guest."
• Keys and Ving cards should not be marked with the guest room number. Any key/Ving card identification coding must make use of a "scrambled" code number only known to hotel personnel.
• All requests for lock by-pass should be referred to the Front Desk for proper identification and verification.
• All Grand Masters, Emergency Masters, Sub Masters or Floor Masters should be accounted for daily.

We know that the safety and security of your guests is of utmost importance to you and your hotel, as it is to us. All of the above factors are needed to achieve proper key control. If you have any questions about your key control program, please don't hesitate to contact us at Marsh Hospitality.

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