How AI-Powered Chatbots Will Change the Game, ET HospitalityWorld

Artificial intelligence is taking the world by storm. It has the promising potential to determine how societies live, work and function. With many benefits such as labor savings, consistent performance, reliable results and time efficiency, new opportunities are welcomed by leading and most established companies such as Apple, Meta and Microsoft. From AI-powered self-driving cars to Google’s search engine, AI is evolving rapidly and becoming the backbone of many major industries. AI has become an important part of the economy, and the hospitality industry is not entirely immune to rapid advances in AI.

The application of AI in the hospitality business may not yet be widely known to customers, but it has greatly helped staff and management. From machine learning algorithms applied to customer relationship management (CRM) platforms to understand how they can better serve their customers, to tech-savvy hotels using property management systems (PMS) to help with hotel booking and management tasks. to. A major breakthrough in helping the hospitality industry understand guest needs and deliver better performance is through the use of chatbots. Hospitality chatbots are computer software run by AI with the ability to simulate human-like conversations.

Chatbots have been added to the websites and personalized apps of many companies such as OYO and Airbnb. It has become very popular in the industry because it allows you to provide a superior level of service to your guests and potential customers because you don’t get tired, lazy or need a break. Not only does it improve the efficiency of tasks that were previously done manually, it also increases productivity by allowing staff to focus on more important tasks such as preparing rooms and suites.

The main areas where chatbots are impacting the hospitality industry are:
customer service: A recent article points out that by 2024, at least 30% of customer service tasks will be managed and undertaken by AI and chatbots. Chatbots are answering FAQs in multiple languages, helping with reservations, and revolutionizing customer satisfaction in the hospitality industry. Suggest nearby travel spots so that guests can stay with peace of mind. At the Equinox Hotel in New York, 85 percent of customer FAQs and questions are managed by chatbot Omar.

Collecting data for personalization through profiling: Chatbots and AI are not only helping hotels and other hospitality companies automate manual tasks, but also collecting user data with the help of PMS to create a better customer experience for their guests. In a recent article, he predicted that in 2023, hotels and luxury lodging establishments will begin to personalize their guests’ stays. Analyzing demographics, length of stay, spending patterns, and application of amenities such as spas, gyms and casinos will help the services the hotel offers. Offer your guests personalized and customized services and promotional offers.

Marketing campaigns: The introduction of chatbots not only saves time and costs, but also leads to conversion and sales of leads by engaging customers with attractive offers and deals through various subtle notifications, message broadcasts and pop-ups on your website. also helped increase

Personalized travel planning: One of the most amazing tasks that some hospitality chatbots can currently manage is how to ask basic questions about the purpose of a trip or the number of travelers and provide personalized travel advice. It then runs the guest’s collected search data and learned responses to provide guests with specific itineraries that match their intentions and interests, similar to the Chatbot in House of Tours.

Chatbots and AI are similarly not possible, as nothing can be perfect and achieve 100% satisfaction. Even the most advanced chatbots cannot replace the warmth and actual intelligence of human interaction. Glitches and technical failures are another chatbot downside that can affect customer service. Chatbots can help reduce costs and increase revenue, but advanced AI-powered chatbot maintenance is expensive.

Hospitality companies are unlikely to slow down in incorporating AI into their operations, as we are challenged to advance technology every day. So now is the right time to start implementing AI to stay one step ahead in providing a great stay for your guests.

-The author is Associate Director of Marketing Communications & PR for Signum Hotels and Resorts.