Smart Technology Monitoring Hotel Housekeepers in China

Hotels in East China’s Xiacheng District are testing a new surveillance system that uses smart technology to ensure housekeepers are doing their jobs properly, the European Cleaning Journal reports.

The 12 hotels have embedded smart chips in cleaning cloths, bed linens, and other items. The chips emit a warning sound when the items are used in the wrong areas. For example, the chip will sound if a cloth intended for cleaning restroom sinks is used to wipe up a spill on the floor. The chip then uploads the error to data presented to the hotel management as well as the local government.

Hotel staff are required to scan the bed sheets and quilt covers before leaving a guest’s room to indicate they have completed their cleaning tasks. Hotel guests can then check the cleaning status of their rooms by scanning a QR code.

Although some hotel patrons were concerned that the chips embedded throughout their rooms would invade their privacy, most like the technology as it provided extra assurance about the hotel’s hygiene standards.