Our blog
Guest experience reinvented by hotel chatbot
The world has changed. 21st century travelers are always online and communicating via text, Twitter, WhatsApp, Messenger, email, and, yes, even the phone — often at the same time.
The world has changed. 21st century travelers are always on and communicating via text, Twitter, WhatsApp, Messenger, email, and, yes, even the phone — often at the same time. They're 18 to 80 years old. They depend on mobile devices throughout all stages of travel. They prefer online and digital communication (Social Media) to human interaction. And above all, they expect speed in service delivery.
The pace of technology adoption has been extremely rapid over the last 10 years, and it's been difficult for hotels to keep the pace. Now comes the era of conversational messaging communications, essentially through chatbots.
What if I send a Messenger request to your hotel? Who will reply? And more importantly, when would I receive an answer?
What if I send a Messenger request to your hotel? Who will reply? And more importantly, when would I receive an answer?
To bot or not to bot, for hotels that is the question
There's been active discussion on how hoteliers can use chatbots and AI technology to enhance their guests' experience and, more importantly, how to leverage them as an additional revenue channel. Here is my addition to the discussion.
Chatbots are conversational agents designed to stimulate intelligent conversation with its human users. Chatbots in USA/Europe are mainly developed on Facebook Messenger, these days. Why? Because with over 1.2 billion active monthly users worldwide, Messenger is one of the most popular messaging apps of all time. You probably have it downloaded on your phone. And also because, since April 2016, Facebook has allowed third-party developers to create bots for their clients within Messenger, giving businesses access to the huge number of Messenger's users. And companies aren't wasting any time.
As a communications medium, messages have one of the highest conversion ratios of all: over 99% of all text messages are read by the recipient, and 90% of all text messages are read within three minutes of their delivery. With 3.5 billion active users of messaging applications worldwide, growing at a rate of 3 to 5% per quarter, messaging apps will soon become the main communication channel between guests and hotels. In this new environment, chatbots are a dynamic solution for hotels to provide up-to-date guest experience.
Chatbots are conversational agents designed to stimulate intelligent conversation with its human users. Chatbots in USA/Europe are mainly developed on Facebook Messenger, these days. Why? Because with over 1.2 billion active monthly users worldwide, Messenger is one of the most popular messaging apps of all time. You probably have it downloaded on your phone. And also because, since April 2016, Facebook has allowed third-party developers to create bots for their clients within Messenger, giving businesses access to the huge number of Messenger's users. And companies aren't wasting any time.
As a communications medium, messages have one of the highest conversion ratios of all: over 99% of all text messages are read by the recipient, and 90% of all text messages are read within three minutes of their delivery. With 3.5 billion active users of messaging applications worldwide, growing at a rate of 3 to 5% per quarter, messaging apps will soon become the main communication channel between guests and hotels. In this new environment, chatbots are a dynamic solution for hotels to provide up-to-date guest experience.
All these services available anytime – before, during and/or after the stay.
If you're not sure if having a chatbot is right for your hotel, here are some insights:
Chatbots can help hotels in a number of areas, including time management, guest services and cost reduction. They can assist guests with elementary questions and requests. Thus, freeing up hotel staff to devote more of their time and attention to time-sensitive, critical, and complicated tasks. They are often more cost effective and faster than their human counterparts. They can be programmed to speak to guests in different languages, making it easier for the guests to speak in their local language to communicate.
Additionally, hotel guests can be encouraged to give feedback via an integrated review function. This way, hotels can collect their own hotel reviews directly from their guests, when the guest are still staying at the property (and not 2 days later). It also positively affects ratings on Tripadvisor & Facebook, of course.
Additionally, hotel guests can be encouraged to give feedback via an integrated review function. This way, hotels can collect their own hotel reviews directly from their guests, when the guest are still staying at the property (and not 2 days later). It also positively affects ratings on Tripadvisor & Facebook, of course.
We are passionate about hotels and technology
Based on our 15 years of experience in hotel operations, distribution or systems implementation, Guidewiser develops custom chatbots for hotels (hotel chains or independent properties), serviced apartments and B&Bs, that incorportate:
We can also integrate external services such as food/supply providers or content providers such as Tourism Board agendas into the chatbot.
The assistance is geolocalised, personalized, takes into account your habits of interrogation and help provided (via machine learning).
- A room reservation module (incl. payments).
- A virtual concierge (FAQ, information about local bars and restaurants, etc.).
- Promotion of internal services (room service, spa, etc.) to increase your RevPAR.
- A review module that increase the number of positive reviews on Facebook.
We can also integrate external services such as food/supply providers or content providers such as Tourism Board agendas into the chatbot.
The assistance is geolocalised, personalized, takes into account your habits of interrogation and help provided (via machine learning).
The benefits of this new kind of services are clear:
- The customer loves it because it respond within a few seconds.
- They engage with the hotel in a live and contextual way.
- The hotel knows who the customer is, what they have purchased before, and what their preferences are.
The goal is to be able to interact with guests at critical stages of their hotel journey to move them further down the booking path.
The makers
We provide smart, affordable and easy-to-use conversational messaging/voice solutions for hotels, serviced apartments, B&Bs or Airbnb hosts. We're excited about the journey ahead and reinventing hotel guest service for the 21st century. If you want to learn more, reach out here or follow us on Twitter or Facebook.