Nowadays it’s hard, almost impossible, to find hotels in America that haven’t shifted to key tags. What was previously only employed by large hotel chains is now being adopted by corner-street bed and breakfasts and local motels. Even budget hotels with limited rooms now have custom printed key tags with RFID. Why have hotels shifted from metal keys when the rest of the world still uses them? No, they are not cost effective. New age hotel lock management systems are definitely more expensive than metal locks and keys. The simple reason why hotels have shifted to key tags is convenience. A humble-looking plastic key tag is capable of doing much more than just locking and unlocking doors. ‘Unlocking’ the truth, here’re 5 reasons why most modern hotels rely on key tags.

Unlike Keys, They Are Not Easily Duplicated: Keys given to hotel guests can be taken outside and easily duplicated. Guests can simply go to any locksmith and get a key duplicated for a few bucks. This severely compromises the security of the hotel. A key tag with RFID cannot be hacked so easily. Even if it’s somehow duplicated, hotel managers can simply assign a different RFID code to the door, rendering the replicated tag completely useless.

Keeps a Log of Entry and Exit Timings: An average hotel room has thousands of dollars’ worth of furniture and electronics, let alone the precious items and cash guests bring in. Now, if something goes missing, it would take someone with a Sherlockian intellect to figure out who did it. Key tags offer a simpler solution. A key tag tracks all the entry and exit timings. Combined with the hallway CCTV footage and the exact time of the unauthorized entry, it can take mere minutes to identify the culprit.

No Worries Even If Guests Lose Their Key Tags: Much like any other small items, keys can be lost or stolen. If it’s a traditional lock and key mechanism, a lost key would warrant a replacement of the door lock. With key tags, however, hotel executives can simply reprogram the lock and assign it to a new key tag. In fact, guests are usually allowed to take the key tags home after their stays as a hotel memorabilia. This is why hotels rely on plastic key tags printing firms to restock their key tag supplies periodically.

Provides A Branding Opportunity: A key tag or a key card offers ample branding real estate. Hotels can get their key cards custom designed to feature their brands or even promote a special event. Hotel Key tags are coded to stop working after the duration of the stay. This means visitors can use the tag as a regular keychain after checking out, which a lot of guests end up doing. The printed key tags with the hotel logo become a conversation piece, which boosts word-of-mouth marketing.

It Saves Electricity: Guest cannot be held accountable for not turning off the air conditioner or TV when they leave the room. It’s their holiday and they have every right to be careless. Modern key tags can be programed to shutdown a room’s power once the guests leave and turn it back on when they return. This simple innovation drastically cuts down on the electricity bill, which spells more profit for the hotel.