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Check in security/deposits

Front Desk Operations

Hostel Witness started this discussion 17 years 5 months ago

I was wondering what sort of security and deposit system people are using.

I've been in hostels where they ask for nothing, just money up front and give you the key. I've been in other places where they want deposits and forms to fill with all sorts of questions.

I guess it depends on region to region and country to country, but I'm just wondering what the checkin/security is for anyone who runs a place. I was thinking perhaps payment up front, plus a deposit, refundable after. I also thought perhaps a form with rules and regulations to sign, then maybe scan a copy of their passport to my computer.
That way if there is any damage and they try and skip out I can pass their details on to the authorities - I mean you never know what people could do.
I would also have the whole place covered by CCTV; outside the front door, directly behind the desk, along the corridors and in the common room. (but not the rooms or bathrooms obviously)

I'm sure some ppl might think that somewhat excessive, but in my experience, when it comes to people, it's always best to be prepare for the worst, that way it's always a joy when you see the best. Strong security also acts as a deterrant, ppl are less likely to mess around when they know you're watching them and can catch up with them.

It's a conflict of interest really, deep down I'm an advocate of privacy and I'm repulsed by the "camera culture" we've become yet @ the same time I know that this is the age of ignorance and as long as society as a whole continues to eschew personal responsibility, the self-employed people need the invest in all this draconican crap.

Oh well, what kind of security and deposit systems do you all use or have you come across - what's the most common, and, in your opinion, what's the safest and most practical.

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gordo

17 years

some countries require guest information - including passport number - at check in. whether its enforced is another matter. other places make you fill in check-in forms purely for market research. a place i worked at in melbourne made people fill in a check in form... of course we werent required to and then did naff all with the information gathered, so it was a massive waste of time. something i constantly mentioned to the GM. apparently we held the information incase the computers went down, and then we'd know who was in the hostel. that said, if the computers died we'd have been so far up sh*t creek that all the check in cards in the world wouldnt help.

CCTV is a great asset if the size of the hostels requires it - you'd be surprised how well you can keep an eye on a small place. but having it filming anywhere that money is kept, entrances and exits and the common room/bar is def. a good idea.

deposits are usually required because cutting keys is a pain in the arse and it discourages running off with them. personally im a big fan of them - from a management POV - because you can use that deposit money to ensure people check out on time (no check out = no deposit refund). the problem i have noticed with key deposits etc is that they can easily go wrong - in terms of accounting. id keep all deposit money separate from the rest of the till, to avoid confusion. a form of ID is also a great idea as it reduces the number of shifty characters you'll get (thieves are pretty loathe to hand over their details) but i wouldnt want to have 200 passports behind my reception in case something goes wrong.

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Hostel Witness

17 years

some countries require guest information - including passport number - at check in. whether its enforced is another matter.

We were in Morocco recently, they take it very seriously. Everywhere, from the smarmiest French ooh-laah-laah 5 star to the dingiest hovel we always had to fill out a who we are/what we do/where we're from form complete with our passport number - the staff of every place would keep pestering us to fill it out, and when we said we'd fill it out later there'd always be some guy hovering by the door or out in the corridor eagerly awaiting our forms. "Pleez Pleez!" and pointing at the forms all sheepishly. After a while we got into the habit of filling the forms out before we even unpacked our bags.

As far as I can tell it's compulsory for all accomodation to do so, and, considering Morocco's usually pretty lax when it comes to rules and regulations (anyone who's ever driven there can attest to that) they must have pretty heafty fines for non compliance. I understand why though, the country needs its tourist industry, but there's always that fear of terrorism,so their vigilance is understandable.

deposits are usually required because cutting keys is a pain in the arse and it discourages running off with them.

Or loosing them, or forgetting about them or waking up, hungover in a carpark without them... oh we've all done it!:D

id keep all deposit money separate from the rest of the till, to avoid confusion.

Aye, and making sure there's enough of a float and enough change so you don't dip into one then get distracted by something else and forget and then have to go back over it all days later....
Been there too - ah the joys of self employment!

a form of ID is also a great idea as it reduces the number of shifty characters you'll get (thieves are pretty loathe to hand over their details)

I'd imagine when you're offering cheap beds for a night you're gonna get all sorts of "colourful characters" arriving, at exotic hours of the night.
It's also a great way of deterring them - by bamboozling their poor drunken brains with forms and deposits and passport scans - so that they just turn, somewhat gracelessly, utter a few sticky-mouthed expletives before shambling back out the door again and collapsing in a car park... :p

but i wouldnt want to have 200 passports behind my reception in case something goes wrong.

Indeed, a small fire in the office and that's a few dozen holidays ruined.
"Hi! You enjoying your stay? ...You are? Well in that case you'll be happy to hear you can't go home!"
That's why I reckon a scanner would be the job. I've a Brother scanner that I use here, one of those multifunction dealies, well handy, prints, photocopies, faxes and scans. Reckon it'd be the biz for a hostel. Scan the passports onto the PC, just in case.

As for the marketing thing, I guess that's not a bad idea either but I suppose it would be much better if it was voluntary, rather than part of the check-in process, ppl are more likely to fill in something before they check out, like drop the form in when the rooms are being cleaned/changed or even at the desk, as they wait for a bus or whatever. It's always a good idea to do one's market research though your GM's idea was pretty time-wasting and self-defeating. Though I was thinking maybe being really clever about it, like a monthly raffle, you can win a free night or whatever if you give us your suggestions/ideas/feedback. Always a good idea to know who's coming to your place and why.

Anyways, thanks for the feedback - I've a feeling I'm going to like this forum. :)

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Josh Hostels

17 years

I've been in hostels where they ask for nothing, just money up front and give you the key. I've been in other places where they want deposits and forms to fill with all sorts of questions.

The deposits are useful even if you are using electronic keys because it reminds people that they have to stop by the front desk before they leave. If you don't collect a check-in depost, guests will often leave without telling you and then it becomes difficult to tell who is inhouse.

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Josh Hostels

17 years

but i wouldnt want to have 200 passports behind my reception in case something goes wrong.

Indeed, a small fire in the office and that's a few dozen holidays ruined.

Another difficulty with holding passports is that the guests often forget to ask for them back and the front desk oftens forgets to give them back. I know at least one hostel that has a small box full of passports and IDs (mostly driver's licenses) that were forgotten...

Scanning the passports is a good idea...

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Hostel Witness

17 years

What kind of money would you consider a good option for a deposit, usually the cost of the bed itself is pretty small, so would you charge more than this?

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gordo

17 years

a token amount is ok - 5 or 10 bucks/euros/whatever

its got to be enough for people to care about, but not more than theyd have in their pockets on arrival

and electronic keys are soooo much better - but the magnetic strip ones arent that durable, smart-card is the way to go.

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Josh Hostels

17 years

At the hostels I've worked at it the deposit has been either $10 or $20 (USD). At the hostel with the $20 deposit they were using the key cards. The cards cost about 5 cents each so we gave the deposit back even if they lost their key card. We made a point not to call the deposits "key deposits" because their only purpose was to make sure that the guests stopped by the front desk before checking out...

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uktrail

17 years

Another difficulty with holding passports is that the guests often forget to ask for them back and the front desk oftens forgets to give them back. I know at least one hostel that has a small box full of passports and IDs (mostly driver's licenses) that were forgotten...

Scanning the passports is a good idea...

As a guest, I think it is a very bad idea to leave your passport at the hostel desk, and I feel angry when I am forced to, as in Croatia and Greece. One hotel kept a battery of passports on the counter, within reach of any guest if no one was watching.

At Zadar YH (Croatia) I had a few things to ask when checking out and forgot to take my passport. To the hostel's credit, the clerk phoned the Bus Station who managed to contact me, and the clerk then drove to the bus station to give me it back! I did miss my bus though (there was another 1 hr later).

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Josh Hostels

17 years

I wonder why they keep the passports...is it a law in Greece/Croatia, or just hostel/hotel policy?

I can't remember if they took my passport in Greece...

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Plakian

17 years

For the past 11 years I have managed a hostel. We have no keys and we take no deposits, we trust folk. We do not take passports, it is illegal to do so in most countries including Greece! However, name, country and passport number are recorded in a registration book, principally for the guest's own safety. Surely scanning passports is a form of identity theft, no way would I allow mine to be scanned.
If you start off with all that security stuff what message are you giving to your guests?

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