Melody Wendt
Joint technology users say the integrated solution is helping to make their properties safer for all employees and it is helping operations run more smoothly
September 21, 2021 — Together React Mobile and Amadeus are making it easier for hoteliers to adopt and implement municipal and state mandated employee safety devices (ESDs). The integration between the Amadeus HotSOS Housekeeping platform and the React Mobile panic button solution is aiding hoteliers in creating safer work environments by leveraging innovative technology.
One such property benefitting from the joint technology solution is the Sofitel Chicago Magnificent Mile. The 415-room downtown luxury hotel selected React Mobile ― the leading hotel panic button platform ― to comply with Chicago’s “Hotel Workers Sexual Harassment Ordinance” requiring them to equip all employees working alone in guestrooms and restrooms with panic buttons. By pairing React Mobile’s Bluetooth® Panic Button to employee devices running both the Amadeus HotSOS Housekeeping App and the React Mobile Hospitality App and paying a software subscription, the hotel can leverage HotSOS Housekeeping location data to pinpoint an employee’s location in the event of an emergency.
Here’s how it works. When a housekeeper begins a shift, he or she is assigned a smart device (Android or iOS phone or tablet) by management to facilitate daily tasks, along with a small wearable React Mobile panic button that is paired to the smart device. Next, the employee receives a room assignment, and enters the cleaning status into the HotSOS Housekeeping App. Once cleaned, the room status is updated in the app. The process is repeated until the attendant’s daily task list is complete. If the paired React Mobile panic button is pressed, it sends an alert from the person assigned smart device to the React Mobile Dispatch Center pinpointing his or her exact location with the data location information from the HotSOS Housekeeping app, and the appropriate emergency contact is then dispatched to provide help.
Newly effective State of Illinois legislation under Article 5 of the Hotel and Casino Employee Safety Act now requires hotels to equip all employees working solo with no other employees present in a guestroom or restroom, or on a casino floor, with an ESD. As such, in April React Mobile went back to the Sofitel Chicago Magnificent Mile and installed 451 additional beacons property wide — from service elevator landings (of which some double as linen closets) and public restrooms to the fitness center and all meeting rooms — to supplement HotSOS and provide additional coverage around the property for more employees. An additional 10 panic buttons were also provided to ensure that engineers, bell staff, minibar attendants, and room service workers have their own personal ESD when in remote areas, including stairwells and loading docks.
“After adopting React Mobile panic buttons, we saw an immediate positive impact on employee safety,” said Stephano Baik, Housekeeping Manager at the Sofitel Chicago Magnificent Mile. “These devices overcome multiple restrictions hotel workers traditionally face when calling for assistance in the event of an emergency, from overcoming language barriers to providing more accurate location data. React Mobile frequently checks in with us to make sure the system is working effectively, which is not something you expect from a digital partner. This technology is an added layer in our suite of safety measures, and our employees appreciate knowing they can call for help when needed.”
The Renaissance Seattle Hotel also selected React Mobile to help it meet municipal mandates for installing ESDs. The AAA Four Diamond accommodation also utilizes the Amadeus HotSOS Housekeeping solution, however, a Seattle ordinance requires the hotel to install Bluetooth® Beacons in each guestroom, as well as corridors, stairwells, public restrooms and other spaces where “the signal needs to operate and be detectable regardless of where the employee is located and should not be obstructed by noise from other sources or other visual alarms.” React Beacons have been placed throughout the hotel’s guest rooms and common areas; 80 employee smart devices comprised of 45 iPod Touch’s, 29 iPhone 6’s and four iPad Mini’s) are configured with both the React Mobile Hospitality App and the HotSOS Housekeeping App and paired to 80 React Mobile Sidekick panic buttons.
“Thanks to the React Mobile/Amadeus integration partnership, our hotel’s leadership is able to know the room number, recent assignments, and location data of any of our ambassadors who trigger their safety device,” said Brandon Martinez, Director of Operations at the Renaissance Seattle Hotel. “Operationally, this system makes it easier for us to locate employees and reduces the time required to reach them if they need our help. The integration also helps our property run more smoothly by pushing alerts directly to mobile devices, allowing supervisors to walk the floor and integrate themselves into the property’s operations rather than monitoring things from a back office.”
React Mobile CEO Robb Monkman said whether hotels can leverage existing technology such as Amadeus HotSOS Housekeeping like the Sofitel Chicago Magnificent Mile, or are required by law to implement a full safety solution like the Renaissance Seattle Hotel featuring Bluetooth Panic Buttons + React Mobile Hospitality App and the Amadeus HotSOS App on Smart Device + React Mobile Software Subscription, these properties are changing the employee safety culture forever and are securing the future for travel and hospitality.
“Employee safety remains one of the most important challenges facing a variety of businesses today,” Monkman said. “Adding new safety solutions doesn’t have to be a complex, costly exercise. Through our integration partnership with Amadeus, we are making ESDs much simpler to deploy and operate, and in some cases, extremely easy to afford. Together with Amadeus, we will continue to elevate workplace safety by giving hotel employees more information about a potential emergency, at the touch of a button.”
Daniel O’Keefe, Senior Vice President of Hotel Property Solutions at Amadeus, added: “We are constantly innovating to provide solutions that empower our partners and customers to adapt to evolving hospitality ecosystems. We have been working closely with our partners and their engineering teams to match our technology solutions with industry needs to help further support hotels around the globe. By adding location-based data to React Mobile’s employee safety devices, hoteliers can stay one step ahead when an alert is triggered, and employees can rest easier, knowing that they can trigger their device and have someone come to their location right away.”
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About React Mobile
Founded in 2013, React Mobile is a global leader in providing panic button solutions for hotels. Our best in class hospitality safety platform helps hotels keep their employees safe. The React Mobile system is an open and flexible platform that allows management to deploy response resources to the exact location of an emergency within seconds of an alert, getting help to where it’s needed anywhere on or off property. In an emergency quick response times are essential and React Mobile gives you the tools to react fast. For more information, visit www.reactmobile.com.
About Amadeus
Amadeus powers more personalized and authentic travel experiences. Our solutions are designed to enrich every stage of the traveler journey and help hospitality providers acquire, service, and retain guests by profitability driving demand and converting them into loyal fans.
Backed by over 30 years of experience, we design open, cutting-edge software to provide the most efficient, trusted, and reliable systems for our customers. With experts in 175+ countries, we have a deep understanding of the hospitality industry and a desire to enable our hotel partners to create memorable guest experiences.
To find out more about Amadeus, visit wordpress-543093-4002560.cloudwaysapps.com.
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