Executive Summary
This case study examines how a hotel chain in Multiple Locations, Europe successfully implemented a smart hotel lock system to overcome operational challenges and deliver measurable business results.
⭐At a Glance: Multi-Property Transformation
🏨Property Background
Located in Multiple Locations, Europe, this 680 total rooms (5 properties) hotel chain represents a typical property in the hotel chain segment. Like many properties in this category, it faced the challenge of balancing guest expectations for modern technology with operational efficiency and budget constraints.
🗺️Portfolio Overview: 5 Properties Across Europe
Amsterdam
🇳🇱 Netherlands
Brussels
🇧🇪 Belgium
Hamburg
🇩🇪 Germany
Lyon
🇫🇷 France
Prague
🇨🇿 Czech Republic
Total Portfolio
Prior to implementing the smart lock system, the property relied on traditional access control methods that, while functional, created friction points in the guest journey and imposed unnecessary operational overhead on staff.
⚠️The Challenge
A regional mid-market hotel chain operating 5 independent properties across major European cities—Amsterdam (200 rooms), Brussels (150 rooms), Hamburg (140 rooms), Lyon (120 rooms), and Prague (70 rooms)—faced severe operational fragmentation.
Each property had been acquired at different times between 2015-2020, inheriting disparate legacy access control systems from 4 different vendors (Assa Abloy, Salto, Onity, and an outdated Kaba Ilco system). This created a management nightmare: no centralized visibility into system health, inconsistent guest experiences (mobile keys worked at some properties but not others), and skyrocketing costs.
The IT director spent 15-20 hours weekly handling lock-related issues remotely and coordinating with multiple vendor support teams. Site visits for troubleshooting cost €8,500 annually per property, totaling €42,500.
Guest complaints about inconsistent technology across properties (loyalty members especially frustrated) damaged the brand's reputation. The chain's loyalty program couldn't offer seamless mobile key access across properties, putting them at a competitive disadvantage.
Maintenance costs varied wildly—€12,000/year at the Amsterdam flagship vs. €28,000/year at the Prague property with aging infrastructure. Management recognized that without standardization, they couldn't scale efficiently or deliver the consistent "stay with us anywhere" brand promise modern travelers expect.
Key Pain Points Identified
- ▸Guest experience friction due to traditional access control limitations
- ▸Operational inefficiencies consuming valuable staff time and resources
- ▸Lack of data visibility and real-time insights into access patterns
- ▸Competitive disadvantage in attracting tech-savvy travelers
These challenges were costing the property both in direct expenses (staff time, replacements, service calls) and indirect costs (guest dissatisfaction, negative reviews, lost revenue opportunities). Management recognized that modernizing the access control system was no longer optional—it was a competitive necessity.
💡The Solution
After a rigorous 4-month vendor evaluation, the chain standardized on Dormakaba's Saflok Quantum cloud-based access control platform, selected for its enterprise-grade multi-property management capabilities, proven scalability (managing 500+ hotel chains globally), and seamless PMS integration via HTNG OpenTravel Alliance standards.
The Saflok Quantum platform provides a single cloud dashboard (SaaS model) controlling all 680 rooms across 5 cities from any web browser. Each property received Saflok Confidant RFID Pro wireless locks with mobile key capabilities via the Dormakaba Mobile Access app (iOS & Android), connected to local property servers that sync to the centralized cloud platform via secure VPN tunnels.
The solution integrates with each property's existing PMS (3 on Opera, 2 on Protel) through standardized APIs, enabling automatic key creation, real-time room status updates, and unified reporting.
Key features include: centralized user management (single admin controls all properties), remote lock diagnostics and firmware updates, standardized mobile key experience across all properties, unified reporting dashboard with KPI tracking, predictive maintenance alerts based on usage patterns, and cross-property loyalty program support enabling guests to use one mobile key app at any property.
Cloud architecture eliminates the need for expensive on-premises servers at each property while providing 99.9% uptime SLA with automatic failover and daily encrypted backups.
⚙️Technical Specifications & Cloud Architecture
Hardware Components
Cloud Platform & Integration
🎯Centralized Management Features
🔒Security & Compliance Standards
Why This Solution?
The selection process involved careful evaluation of multiple vendors and systems. The chosen solution stood out for several key reasons:
- ✓Perfect fit: Matched the property's specific needs and budget constraints
- ✓Proven track record: Success stories from similar properties in the region
- ✓Integration capability: Seamless connection with existing PMS and infrastructure
- ✓Scalability: Room for future expansion and feature additions
The implementation strategy prioritized minimal disruption to ongoing operations while ensuring thorough testing and staff preparation. This phased approach allowed the property to validate the system's performance before committing to full deployment.
🗓️Want to See a Detailed Implementation Roadmap?
Explore our interactive 8-phase implementation timeline with tasks, deliverables, stakeholders, and risk management strategies - customized for 680-room properties.
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📅Implementation Timeline (Summary)
Phase 1 - Strategic Planning (Weeks 1-4)
Comprehensive assessment of all 5 properties, stakeholder interviews, vendor RFP process, selection of Dormakaba Saflok Quantum, detailed project plan with 18-month rollout timeline
Phase 2 - Flagship Deployment (Months 2-3)
Amsterdam property (200 rooms) selected as pilot, complete system replacement over 6 weeks during low season, PMS integration testing, staff training, 4-week validation period with guest feedback collection
Phase 3 - Brussels & Hamburg Rollout (Months 4-6)
Simultaneous deployment at 2 mid-sized properties (150 & 140 rooms), leveraged lessons learned from Amsterdam, parallel installations minimized project timeline
Phase 4 - Lyon & Prague Completion (Months 7-9)
Final 2 properties upgraded (120 & 70 rooms), Prague required additional network infrastructure upgrades due to historic building constraints
Phase 5 - Cloud Platform Integration (Month 10)
All 5 properties connected to centralized Saflok Quantum cloud dashboard, configured unified access policies, established standardized operating procedures, created centralized help desk protocols
Phase 6 - Mobile Key Rollout (Months 11-12)
Phased launch of Dormakaba Mobile Access app across all properties, loyalty program integration, marketing campaign highlighting "one app, all hotels" convenience, guest education materials in 6 languages
Phase 7 - Optimization & Training (Months 13-18)
Cross-property staff training program (40 staff trained), advanced feature activation (remote diagnostics, predictive maintenance), performance monitoring and fine-tuning, documentation of best practices for future property acquisitions
☁️Multi-Property Centralized Cloud Architecture
Hybrid cloud architecture with local property servers ensures reliability while centralized dashboard provides unified control and visibility
⏱️Total Project Duration
The complete implementation, from initial planning through final staff training and guest rollout, was completed in approximately 14-21 weeks. This timeline includes contingency buffers and allowed for careful testing at each phase.
📊Results & Business Impact
The implementation delivered measurable results across multiple dimensions—guest satisfaction, operational efficiency, and financial performance. These outcomes were tracked over a 12-month period following full deployment:
⚖️Multi-Property Operations: Before vs. After Standardization
18-month comparison across 5 properties (680 total rooms)
| Operational Metric | Before (Fragmented Systems) | After (Unified Platform) | Improvement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lock System Vendors | 4 Different Vendors | 1 Unified (Dormakaba) | ↓ 75% vendor complexity |
| Management Dashboard | 5 Separate Systems | 1 Cloud Dashboard | ✓ 100% unified |
| Average Issue Resolution Time | 4.2 hours | 1.2 hours | ↓ 72% faster |
| IT Director Time on Lock Issues | 15-20 hrs/week | 5-6 hrs/week | ↓ 70% time saved |
| Annual Site Visit Costs | €42,500 | €0 | ↓ 100% eliminated |
| Guest-Reported Lock Issues | Baseline 100% | 60% | ↓ 40% reduction |
| Mobile Key Availability | 2 of 5 properties | All 5 properties | ✓ 100% coverage |
| Cross-Property Guest Experience | Inconsistent | Standardized | ✓ Same app, all hotels |
| Total Annual Operating Savings | — | €89,000 | 💰 36-month ROI |
💰Return on Investment Analysis
Beyond the headline metrics, the financial impact demonstrates the business case for smart lock investment:
- ▸Hard savings: Direct cost reductions in labor, replacements, and energy (where applicable)
- ▸Soft benefits: Improved guest satisfaction leading to higher review scores and repeat bookings
- ▸Competitive advantage: Enhanced market positioning and ability to attract premium guests
📊Multi-Property Investment Analysis & ROI Breakdown
💸Total Investment (All 5 Properties)
💵Annual Ongoing Savings
- • 23% increase in multi-property bookings
- • Improved guest satisfaction scores
- • Scalability for future acquisitions
Payback Period Timeline (Multi-Property Portfolio)
36-month payback period • After 5 years: €137,500 net profit • Ongoing annual savings: €89,000
Per-Property Investment Summary
Consistent per-room cost across all properties demonstrates economies of scale benefits
💬What the Client Says
Centralized management transformed our operations from chaos to control. I can now monitor all 680 rooms from one dashboard, identify patterns, and proactively address issues before they impact guests. Remote diagnostics alone save us €40,000 annually in site visits. But the real game-changer is guest experience—loyalty members love using the same mobile key app whether they're in Amsterdam or Prague. The system paid for itself in under 3 years, and we've established a scalable platform for adding new properties. We've gone from managing 5 separate systems to running a true hotel chain with consistent standards.
🎯Key Takeaways & Lessons Learned
Lessons for Similar Properties:
- 1Start with clear objectives: Define what success looks like before evaluating vendors
- 2Phased implementation works: Pilot programs reduce risk and build confidence
- 3Staff buy-in is critical: Comprehensive training ensures smooth adoption
- 4Measure everything: Track metrics to validate ROI and optimize operations
- 5Think long-term: Consider scalability and future feature needs
What Worked Exceptionally Well
- • Phased rollout starting with flagship property
- • Hybrid cloud architecture (local + central)
- • Standardized per-room cost (€460)
- • Remote diagnostics eliminated site visits
- • Loyalty program drove 23% multi-property bookings
- • Single mobile key app across all properties
Challenges Overcome
- • Managing 4 different legacy vendor contracts
- • Prague historic building infrastructure upgrades
- • Coordinating 18-month multi-property timeline
- • Staff training across 5 locations, 6 languages
- • PMS integration with 2 different systems
- • Change management across diverse teams
Recommendations for Hotel Chains
- • Start with pilot at best-performing property
- • Budget €450-500/room for full implementation
- • Expect 36-42 month ROI for multi-property
- • Prioritize cloud platforms with multi-tenant support
- • Leverage for loyalty program differentiation
- • Document lessons learned for future acquisitions