How Is the Security Screening Landscape Evolving to Meet New Expectations?

Reopening any organization during a pandemic is complicated. Doing this task at an aquarium and a hotel is even more complex because of the logistics behind the job. Both facilities attract large crowds, and they must take special care to make sure customers stay safe.

Webinar host Neil Sandhoff, VP of North America, Evolv Technology, and moderator, Anil Chitkara, Co-founder, Evolv Technology, talked with Anthony Rivera, Vice President of Guest Experience and Hospitality, Georgia Aquarium and Todd Fasulo, Vice President of Security, Corporate Investigations, and Crisis Management at Wynn Resorts.

The group talked about the specific demands and challenges of reopening during this time. Rivera spoke about the innovation at the Georgia Aquarium, which has helped set the venue up for success during this critical period where visitor expectations are higher than ever.

They had to use innovative thinking to take care of their exhibits, and one of the most important aspects that customers might not think about is the water, itself. The aquarium holds 10 million gallons of water. During the pandemic and the reopening, they’ve had to figure out how to take care of it.

“It is a fun fact to say that the water we started with 15 years ago still exists today in the aquarium,” Rivera said. “95% of that water is still in circulation in our aquarium.”

At Wynn Resorts, where guests gather overnight, keeping guests safe during a pandemic presents a significant security challenge.

They wanted to make sure they created a safe environment for employees and guests, according to Fasulo. When it came to COVID-19 and figuring out how to operate the business during a constantly changing environment, it proved crucial to have outstanding leadership.

“It has to start at the very top of your organization,” Fasulo said. “The mantra that your CEO, your GM or your top echelon operations take is crucial to playing out the environment that everyone feels comfortable.”

During this period (and into the future, as consumer attitudes have changed for good), it’s critical to balance security with a hassle-free experience. Guests want to feel safe, but they also want touchless, frictionless solutions that don’t feel overbearing.

Venues also need to think about specific challenges related to COVID-19, such as temperature screening and social distancing.

Balancing all of this is possible, but it will require next-gen physical security solutions. In other words, the days of the metal detector are over.