'The Zonnebloem catches three birds with one stone thanks to new hotel management system'

National Association de Zonnebloem has been organizing day activities and vacation trips for people with physical disabilities for 70 years. In addition to 49 Zonnebloem cars (comfortable wheelchair rental cars), the national association has an adapted boat, which enables 69 vacation participants and 63 volunteers to make weekly boat trips to Germany and Belgium and in the Netherlands. This involves visiting various interesting cities and picturesque villages.

To offer all participants on board an unforgettable and carefree journey, Motor Passenger Ship (MPS) de Zonnebloem is equipped with all necessary medical facilities. From ceiling lift systems, high-low beds and high-low baths to connections for oxygen and a medical room with a small on-board pharmacy. In addition, the ship features extra-wide corridors and more space in the salon and restaurant so that people in wheelchairs or mobility scooters can get around easily. "During all cruising vacations, nursing and care is in the hands of qualified health care volunteers, including a licensed physician. In addition, several general volunteers go along," says helmsman Jacquo Theunisse. "MPS de Zonnebloem is 115 meters long, 11.5 meters wide and has four decks: the sun deck, the saloon deck, the main deck and the lower deck. On the main deck there are 11 single cabins and 29 double cabins for vacation participants. The volunteers stay in double cabins on the lower deck, where the crew's cabins are also located."

Mounted on the column are a white and a black wall reader on which participants and volunteers can easily sign in and out.

Triple-function
The ship dates from 2006 and has very modern technology, Theunisse says. "One of the things we have been looking for in recent years is a suitable hotel management system, in which three things were important: in addition to the opening and closing of room doors and attendance registration when boarding and leaving the ship, we also wanted to be able to use the tags/passes to pay for drinks in the restaurant. So that our volunteers no longer have to deal with money on a daily basis." Several parties made offers, he says. "Such as our cash register supplier Straight Systems, which made an offer for a software system in combination with SALTO Systems, manufacturer of electronic access control systems. Moreover, through Straight Systems we came into contact with Henk Iesberts, senior consultant and initiator of Advies & Beheer in ToegangsTechniek (ABTT), who took care of the delivery and installation of the door systems and figured out how to link an attendance registration system to it. Henk also had a preference for SALTO Systems, which has been highly regarded in healthcare environments for many years."

SALTO XS4 One trimmings combined with MIFARE DESFire technology were chosen for the access technology.

Test setup
"Together with Straight Systems, I visited MPS de Zonnebloem to survey the situation," Iesberts says. "We then set up a test setup with online SALTO components at Straight Systems' location in Druten. So that we could test the various systems in combination and make an inventory of what information was needed to integrate access technology, attendance registration and checkout of consumptions. For the access technology, SALTO XS4 One hardware was chosen in combination with MIFARE DESFire technology. For attendance registration, I designed a mobile column, which can be easily moved to the various entrances and exits of the ship. The column is made of oak, in the same color scheme as the ship. A white and a black wall reader are mounted on the column, on which participants and volunteers can easily sign in and out. In addition, the kiosk is equipped with a SALTO power supply box and battery, which functions smoothly all day long. A WiFi point secures a continuous, wireless connection." Straight Systems supplied the complete cash register part and ensures that the passes with NFC chip can be printed properly. "The passes are then activated on a SALTO encoder and inserted into special name batch holders, which facilitate identification on the ship."

The ship features extra-wide corridors and more space in the salon and restaurant so that people in wheelchairs or mobility scooters can get around easily. (Image: Peter Venema)

MPS de Zonnebloem began using the hotel management system in February 2018 and is very satisfied, Theunisse said. "The presence and absence system functions perfectly. In case of departures or emergencies, we can easily print out lists of attendees. And opening and closing the doors also works well. In our system we can easily add and remove authorizations. For example for our caregivers, which raises our (care) services and security to the highest level."