[02/24/12]
Five Diamond Las Vegas, ARIA Resort & Casino, recently announced the hotel is using RFID to track uniforms to improve the operation efficiency.
This 4,000-room hotel is one of the world's most elegant luxury properties. ARIA greets guests with refined surroundings, a fine art collection, elite shopping, and it delivers personalized service with a staff of 8,000. Everything ARIA guests see and experience is supported by advanced technology that extends from casino floor lighting and environmental controls, to its custom guest-room electronics. But one of ARIA's most sophisticated technologies guests never see-because it is in the employee uniform department.
Each of ARIA's team members must be properly attired before they assume their daily roles throughout the property. The demanding job of seeing that each person has the correct, properly-fitted uniforms is the responsibility of Brigitte Rhu, director of uniform control, and her staff of laundry specialists and seamstresses. Ms. Rhu and her team oversee the purchase and maintenance of 125,000 uniforms, and process over 3,000 pieces of laundry daily with the help of some of ARIA's most advanced systems.
"My department is responsible for maintaining inventories of all the necessary uniforms based on our employee's needs," Rhu explained. "I oversee budgets for laundry and dry cleaning, and all uniform repairs to keep our people looking great. We track ARIA's tens of thousands of uniforms by providing three radio frequency identification-enabled drop-chutes where employees deposit soiled clothes, and 14 conveyors that deliver freshly laundered garments to our staff." All counting, inventory tracking, and processing is done electronically with RFID tracking tags on each garment and RFID readers that continually scan uniforms as employees drop them in the chutes or pick them up clean from the laundry room conveyor.
The right, clean uniform in less than a minute
"Prior to our opening in December 2009, we looked for a system that would enable us to deliver clean uniforms to any employee, any time of day, in less than a minute," Rhu said. "It is important that our large staff do not have to wait for clean garments like you do at your dry cleaner's." It was equally important that Rhu be able to automate ARIA's huge inventory tracking process to know at all times if a uniform was in the laundry, hanging on one of its 14 garment-delivery conveyers, or in the possession of a staff member. Most of MGM Resorts International's properties use a bar-code tracking system from InvoTech. ARIA installed InvoTech's advanced GIMS RFID Uniform Tracking inventory software system to identify and track its garments with the greatest efficiency.
Each of ARIA's uniforms has a small RFID chip sewn into the garment. Information on each garment's supplier, the item's size, purchase date, and price are entered into the GIMS inventory management software then the garment's RFID tag is scanned into the system and assigned to an employee. Employees collect clean uniforms by simply presenting their ID card to the RFID reader by a conveyer delivery door, and the system instantly rotates the conveyor to present the correct uniform. As employees drop soiled garments through the laundry chute, tags are read by GIMS and the uniform is listed as having been returned for cleaning. The system also assigns soiled garments to one of two cleaners ARIA uses and registers their destination when leaving the property. When the cleaners return the garments, the racks of clean uniforms are scanned in seconds and the appropriate uniform is placed in the employee's conveyor slot. "We implemented the system in 2009 and we have had balanced inventory ever since," says Rhu.
Ms. Rhu has been with MGM Resorts International for more than 20 years and has managed ARIA's uniforms for the past four years. "My team of 11 uniform specialists and three seamers, who handle most of the fitting, do an incredible job. Our InvoTech RFID system is a great tool in the hands of a great team."
About ARIA RESORT & CASINO
The centerpiece of CityCenter Las Vegas is ARIA Resort & Casino, a stunning AAA Five-Diamond resort featuring a combination of striking architecture, sustainable design, high-end service, spectacular amenities and premium meeting and convention space. From unique culinary offerings, to innovative nightlife, indulgent spa treatments and Viva ELVIS by Cirque du Soleil, ARIA embodies the excitement and vitality of Las Vegas. ARIA is home to an incredible collection of stylish and technologically advanced accommodations including Sky Suites, a AAA Five Diamond hotel within a hotel experience. CityCenter is a joint venture between MGM Resorts International and Infinity World Development Corp, a subsidiary of Dubai World. For more information and reservations, visit http://www.arialasvegas.com.
About InvoTech Systems
InvoTech Systems, Inc. - a Microsoft Certified Partner - is a leading provider of high quality, innovative inventory control systems for hotels, casinos, resorts, theme parks, and sports arenas. The company's GIMS asset management solutions and tracking systems manage uniforms, linens, and laundries. Its SAMS systems manage security and guest services operations. GIMS and SAMS provide ultimate control and accountability, streamline operations, improve quality and loss control, and reduce labor. The GIMS ultra high frequency, radio frequency identification (UHF-RFID) system fully automates uniform and linen tracking. This allows managers to eliminate labor from cost centers and instead put staff to work enhancing revenues. More than 500 businesses worldwide use InvoTech, including MGM Resorts International, Ritz-Carlton Hotels, Hyatt Hotels, Starwood Hotels and Resorts, Hilton Hotels, Universal Studios, and Madison Square Garden. InvoTech Systems is rooted in a culture that emphasizes long-term client relationships, superior customer service, and on-going technology innovation and integration. For more information, please visit http://www.invotech.com.
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