Established in 2017, it offers more than 2,000 rooms and has quickly gained a reputation for drawing interest from foreign tourists. An influx in new guests post Covid has led to heightened security measures across the hotel premises.
A global bank asked GSA to conduct a security and accreditation assessment of the hotel. With a successful history of providing quality standards and service for hotel brands, and having previously assessed and maintained the high standards set by IHG hotels, we were poised to provide a comprehensive analysis of the site.
The Process
GSA carried out a thorough assessment, analysing the security and safety service levels of the hotel group. During the assessment, we highlighted several key areas which needed to be addressed, including various aspects required in the post-Covid era.
Shaun Cresculo, Group Security & Risk Manager at Centre Island, believes security is a key priority for the hotel group and found the assessment both insightful and cost effective. ‘’We underwent the assessment in order to respond to the request by the client and, in some areas, it’s certainly highlighted we’ve become a little bit complacent, so this was a great process to direct our attention.’’, comments Shaun. “The cost was reasonable and the fact that the Holiday Inn Express Birmingham City Centre will benefit from receiving other corporate and leisure business and additional revenue made it a no brainer.”
The assessment allowed us to advise the hotel on key considerations and best practices to minimise safety risks and improve security processes, like search procedures. We then provided Holiday Inn Express with a concise action plan, complete with key directives, recommendations, and a structured timeline for completion that were well received. “We received the action plan quite quickly”, continues Shaun, “which was very clear on what we needed to do. The GSA team fully explained to each of our colleagues the requirements and the background, which was really well received’’, he added.
The assessment further highlighted the need for robust security measures as well as a dedicated body like GSA to conduct thorough checks that ensure high-quality security standards are met.
The Result
The assessment gave Holiday Inn Express Birmingham a better understanding of how to maintain high-calibre security and safety across the hotel. Furthermore, the GSA security certificate is proof the hotel chain demonstrates a high level of security and safety competency to its corporate and leisure clients, which translates to increased corporate business and additional revenue.
Holiday Inn Express found that having a professional assessment of the infrastructure gave them a fresh perspective on how to elevate overall security. “I would highly recommend the assessment because it’s a professional and external pair of eyes capable of highlighting areas that we had previously overlooked”, said Shaun. “It made us look at things from an outsider’s viewpoint instead of someone from head office”.
Our extensive action plan armed the Holiday Inn with the information required to address key pain points, improve overall security measures, and assure guests that their safety and security sat at the heart of their operations.
