Group 10 Management Puts Guest Safety First with Reliable Door Locks
Group 10 Management is a family-owned business with corporate headquarters in Southfield, Mich., just outside of Detroit. Detroit has its ‘big three,’ and so does the hotel business. Group 10 operates 12 properties in Michigan and prefers Hilton, Marriott and IHG brands in its portfolio.
Group 10 is passionate about excellence in property operations. Excellence is more than just a word to us, it is our standard. We specialize in asset management and our success depends on our ability to exceed the expectations of our owners and property guests. Group 10’s focus is on operating select, highly visible properties in central business districts of major cities, major airports and similar locations.
Group 10 has more than 30 years of major-flag hotel development and management experience. We pay attention to door locks because most of our guests are experienced business travelers that expect their doors to work perfectly. Over time, we learned that a reliable, secure guestroom door key and lock system is absolutely essential to smooth hotel operations. If the doors do not work, we cannot sell the room and we have nearly 1,500 doors. More importantly, when we sell a room we are welcoming that guest onto our property and we want them to feel and be secure. Therefore, reliable guestroom door locks are a huge part of guest safety.
Successful hotel operations for Group 10 is based on service and trust. We expect the same from our vendors. We worked with several lock providers as we expanded our portfolio and retrofitted acquisitions with flag-mandated electronic guest door locks. Door lock technology has to be reliable and easy for guests to use. And if anything needs fixing, we expect the vendor to respond the same day. We watched the quality of service the vendors provided to our hotels and liked what we saw from dormakaba’s teams.
We protect our owners’ investment by regularly researching lock options. We compare price, product quality and service agreements to ensure we are providing cost effective systems. In the 20 years since we began using its equipment, dormakaba continues to be price competitive, which is always important. For efficient property operations, the number one deliverable is engaging a vendor that provides locks that work well. Number two is knowing that the vendor is ready with fast, professional service we can trust. If there is a problem we know they will support our hotels. dormakaba can install one of our 100-room properties in a week or so.
Several years ago Group 10 purchased a property that had old magstripe locks that were completely unreliable. We had to get the property open as fast as possible to protect our owner’s investment. I told dormakaba what we needed and when, and they retrofitted the property in 30 days to have our hotel open for business.
Today we have updated electronic door locks on all Group 10’s 1,480 rooms, most of them RFID units. Guests like RFID door locks because their door code cannot be ‘erased’ by coming into contact with a cell phone or small pocket magnet. The RFID locks dormakaba currently installs for us are mobile access ready. Mobile access is already a reality at many properties. We verified with Marriott and Hilton that they approved dormakaba mobile access locks and already have thousands of dormakaba’s mobile locks in use across the country. We will begin renovation of a Baymont Suites during the fourth quarter of 2017, and we expect to install Saflok mobile access in that property. Group 10 has dormakaba’s Saflok Quantum electronic door locks in its new-builds. Its Marriott and Hilton properties have Saflok MT RFID units.
Business is about trusted relationships and dormakaba and its people have always been ready to help. Several years ago Group 10 installed another company’s electronic door lock system to honor a franchise agreement. We had problems with the other company’s door lock system. When that company could not fix the problem, I called my dormakaba rep for help. They fixed the problem even though it was not their product. dormakaba continues to help Group 10 put guest safety first with reliable guest door locks and exceptional vendor service.
Frank Altawil is Area Manager for Group 10 Management. Altawil has more than 15 years of hotel management experience. Before assuming his Group 10 area manager role in 2014, he was general manager of the SpringHill Suites by Marriott Detroit-Metro Airport, and GM of the La Quinta Inn Detroit-Metro Airport.
Group 10 is passionate about excellence in property operations. Excellence is more than just a word to us, it is our standard. We specialize in asset management and our success depends on our ability to exceed the expectations of our owners and property guests. Group 10’s focus is on operating select, highly visible properties in central business districts of major cities, major airports and similar locations.
Group 10 has more than 30 years of major-flag hotel development and management experience. We pay attention to door locks because most of our guests are experienced business travelers that expect their doors to work perfectly. Over time, we learned that a reliable, secure guestroom door key and lock system is absolutely essential to smooth hotel operations. If the doors do not work, we cannot sell the room and we have nearly 1,500 doors. More importantly, when we sell a room we are welcoming that guest onto our property and we want them to feel and be secure. Therefore, reliable guestroom door locks are a huge part of guest safety.
Successful hotel operations for Group 10 is based on service and trust. We expect the same from our vendors. We worked with several lock providers as we expanded our portfolio and retrofitted acquisitions with flag-mandated electronic guest door locks. Door lock technology has to be reliable and easy for guests to use. And if anything needs fixing, we expect the vendor to respond the same day. We watched the quality of service the vendors provided to our hotels and liked what we saw from dormakaba’s teams.
We protect our owners’ investment by regularly researching lock options. We compare price, product quality and service agreements to ensure we are providing cost effective systems. In the 20 years since we began using its equipment, dormakaba continues to be price competitive, which is always important. For efficient property operations, the number one deliverable is engaging a vendor that provides locks that work well. Number two is knowing that the vendor is ready with fast, professional service we can trust. If there is a problem we know they will support our hotels. dormakaba can install one of our 100-room properties in a week or so.
Several years ago Group 10 purchased a property that had old magstripe locks that were completely unreliable. We had to get the property open as fast as possible to protect our owner’s investment. I told dormakaba what we needed and when, and they retrofitted the property in 30 days to have our hotel open for business.
Today we have updated electronic door locks on all Group 10’s 1,480 rooms, most of them RFID units. Guests like RFID door locks because their door code cannot be ‘erased’ by coming into contact with a cell phone or small pocket magnet. The RFID locks dormakaba currently installs for us are mobile access ready. Mobile access is already a reality at many properties. We verified with Marriott and Hilton that they approved dormakaba mobile access locks and already have thousands of dormakaba’s mobile locks in use across the country. We will begin renovation of a Baymont Suites during the fourth quarter of 2017, and we expect to install Saflok mobile access in that property. Group 10 has dormakaba’s Saflok Quantum electronic door locks in its new-builds. Its Marriott and Hilton properties have Saflok MT RFID units.
Business is about trusted relationships and dormakaba and its people have always been ready to help. Several years ago Group 10 installed another company’s electronic door lock system to honor a franchise agreement. We had problems with the other company’s door lock system. When that company could not fix the problem, I called my dormakaba rep for help. They fixed the problem even though it was not their product. dormakaba continues to help Group 10 put guest safety first with reliable guest door locks and exceptional vendor service.
Frank Altawil is Area Manager for Group 10 Management. Altawil has more than 15 years of hotel management experience. Before assuming his Group 10 area manager role in 2014, he was general manager of the SpringHill Suites by Marriott Detroit-Metro Airport, and GM of the La Quinta Inn Detroit-Metro Airport.