Hotel & Motel Management - May 19, 2008 - (Page 8)

8 Legal FAQ H&MM May 19, 2008 | HotelMotel.com www.HotelMotel.com/digital_edition Develop plan to protect guests’ information, belongings IN THE details Safety, security guidelines Secure credit information Use in-room safe regulations Ensure good safe installation By Stephen Barth H&MM Columnist Q What are some tips to protect sensitive information from credit and debit transactions? A processor before making any changes to your point-of-sale system. Build and maintain a secure network by using a POS system that complies with Visa’s Payment Application Best Practices and Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards. Protect cardholder data by storing only the portion of the customer’s credit card data that is essential to your business, such as receipts and reports, in a secure area limited to authorized personnel only. Additionally, you should encrypt all transmissions across open, public networks. Encryption soft- Consult with your card ware is required for POS systems connected to the Internet for cardholder data transmission. Sensitive information, such as magnetic stripe data or card validation codes, should never be stored beyond what is required for business, legal or regulatory purposes. Destroy all documents with obsolete transaction data that includes cardholder information. Each card association recommends a timeframe for retaining these kinds of documents. Install and/or update your Internet ﬁrewall security on all computers and POS systems using IP connectivity—including those with dial-up Internet connections. Implement access control measures. Only allow the most senior company ofﬁcials to have access to cardholder data. Protect access by issuing user IDs and passwords and assigning access control rights through your network. Make sure everyone who will have access to cardholder data has had a background check performed and does not have a criminal record. Lastly, delete logons and update all company passwords when an employee leaves the company. Regularly monitor and test your networks, and update your anti-virus software. This includes computers, POS systems and anything storing or processing cardholder data. Maintain tracking records to demonstrate your security systems and processes are tested and validated regularly. Enforce an information security policy. Document and maintain an enforceable policy that addresses details of information security. All employees handling sensitive information should know and understand the rules. Report card theft immediately. A rapid response minimizes your risk and protects your customers. Special thanks to Dennis Carpenter, with Heartland Payment Systems, for the above information. Q What are some guidelines for innkeepers when installing an in-room safe? A ful, complete compliance with the Innkeeper Liability Statute in the state in which the inn is located. (Pay particular attention to the notiﬁcation requirements, how many notices there are and where they must be located. Note: Notices in a drawer or closet do not equate to Make sure there is care- “conspicuous.”) The safe should be large enough to hold laptops. If an electrical outlet is provided, make absolutely certain there is no risk of shock. Ensure secure installation with hidden attachment apparatuses. Retain as broad a warranty as possible from the safe provider on forced entry and/or removal of the safe itself. Place the safe in a convenient location for guest access. Provide sufﬁcient lighting to read the directions and operate the safe. Provide clear operating directions in appropriate languages for your guest base. Implement a secure key or code control system. Provide accessible safes for disabled guests. If an additional fee is charged for the usage of the safe, be sure to clearly and accurately disclose the fee to the guest. Unless speciﬁcally authorized to do so by your state, do not sell insurance or advise the guest that the fee is for insurance. Establish a policy for changing the master code in a timely fashion when an employee with access to the master leaves the company for any reason, or any other time the conﬁdentiality of the master code could have been compromised. Install a hard-to-miss message asking the guest to leave the safe open upon departure. Implement a checklist item for housekeepers to ensure the safe is open for the next guest, and if the safe is locked upon guest departure, to take appropriate steps to unlock the safe (contact security, advise g.m.) without compromising the master code or key. Check with your insurance company for a potential premium discount. An interrogation feature is preferred to allow tracking of historical usage. If using mechanical key safes, use a high-level security key that cannot be duplicated and has an inﬁnite number of key ways. Special thanks to Stephen Barth, founder of HospitalityLawyer.com and the Hospitality Law Conference series, and professor at the Conrad N. Hilton College at the University of Houston. Stephen Barth is an attorney and the founder of HospitalityLawyer. com and the annual Hospitality Law Conference series. He can be reached at (713) 963-8800 or sbarth@hospitalitylawyer.com. What Women Want Girlfriend getaways make up $6-billion travel segment IN THE details Trend in female traveling Four percent market share Getaways promote bonding Options attract women By Renie Cavallari H&MM Columnist A spire and AAA Worldwide Travel performed research on the girlfriend getaway market and un- covered that this once emerging trend has developed into a $6billion dollar segment. Though girlfriend getaways represent 4 percent of the U.S. travel industry sales, most hotels aren’t in on it. Of the 1,529 women interviewed, we uncovered many interesting facts: 60 percent of those taking girlfriend getaways are between the ages of 35 and 45; 88 percent have children less than 18 years old; and 72 percent are married. The primary reasons for getting away is to bond with friends and leave their responsibilities at home to “refuel.” Dr. John Gray, the author of “Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus” and his latest book “When Men and Women Collide” indicated there actually is a physiological component that reacts in women when they get away and bond: “Oxytocin is the bonding hormone, and research shows that oxytocin is the primary hormone in a woman’s body that is responsible for helping her cope with stress effectively. Friendships between women appear to stimulate oxytocin to greater levels as women tend to nurture each other when they get together, particu- larly on girlfriend getaways.” Here are a few tips on capturing this new blue ocean: Understand that girlfriends go shopping for their girlfriend getaway options, and the Internet is the ﬁrst place women go to shop. Have a girlfriend getaway tab that promotes special services, amenities, getaway tips and packages. Keep everything easy, from reservations to onsite coordination. Girlfriend getaways are about bonding—not necessarily activity. Promote property areas as spots to catch up and talk. 1 2 3 If you have rooms with sitting areas, suites or even connecting rooms, be sure to leverage this. Girlfriends want to be on the same ﬂoor, and the closer the better. Offer a “we hold your lounge chairs pool side” service so regardless of when we hit the pool (a major bonding spot), we have chairs together. If you have cabanas, offer them as a package option. Girlfriends like options, so be sure to share added value components like manicures, pedicures, facials, gift cards, personal shoppers, make- 4 5 6 See Getaways | page 24 http://HotelMotel.com http://www.HotelMotel.com/digital_edition http://HospitalityLawyer.com http://HospitalityLawyer.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Hotel & Motel Management - May 19, 2008

Hotel & Motel Management - May 12, 2008 Contents Hotelier of the Year Leads Team to Victory Sheraton Builds on International Success Slower, Smaller Transactions in First Quarter Perspective Legal FAQ What Women Want Sales Clinic AAHOA Update Franchise Law Family Business Travel Trends Guest Column HotelWorld Update Trends & Stats Cleaning and Maintenance H&MM's 2008 Franchising Fees Guide FACs Evolve to Meet Brand, Owner Needs The Importance of Branding When Buying Ad/Editorial Index Marketplace Classifieds Checking Out

Hotel & Motel Management - May 19, 2008

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