Why Must You Opt for Hotel Chatbot in 2023?

Since the emergence of tourism, the hotel industry has seen a boom in innovative ways to automate many tasks, such as direct bookings and finding the right location, customer service, broadcast messages, marketing, and customer support. Hotel chatbots are an excellent tool for automating tasks for hoteliers.

The 2022 most popular trend was chatbots. These tiny pieces of software employ natural language processing (NLP), allowing you to interact with them naturally and mimic human behavior in a conversational setting. It can be integrated across multiple channels, such as the hotel website, social networks, or mobile apps, and let the hospitality industry “humanize” its brand, reach a wider audience, and enhance the customer experience (CX).

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What is a Hotel Chatbot?

AI chatbot for hotels can be a digital technology that can respond intelligently to human interactions. It can be deployed for the benefit of hotels or other businesses in the hotel sector. Chatbots are designed to replicate customers’ interactions with real employees, typically through text.

The hotel industry will most likely use the chatbot to answer specific questions, respond to queries, and provide helpful information. Therefore, the underlying technology will determine the sophistication of a hotel chatbot.

What Does a Hotel Chatbot Do?

A hotel chatbot interprets and understands customer conversations, providing pertinent answers to their questions or information on request, thus enhancing customer satisfaction. There are two main types of chatbots:

• Chatbots for Hotels Based on Rules

The most basic type of hotel bot is the rule-based chatbot. These bots can communicate with each other using clear rules, as their name implies. These rules are typically about “if/else” statements that work to increase user satisfaction by asking them if they would like to see our special offers. A different message might be displayed if the user does not answer.

Moreover, they can control these chatbots using labeled on-screen buttons. The user clicks the buttons to continue the conversation. In addition, advanced chatbots can detect specific words in the messages that users send and display the relevant message based on established rules.

It is very cost-effective and simple, which is the main advantage. However, chatbot communication can be less natural than interacting with a person, which could be confusing.

• Chatbots for Hotels Using Artificial Intelligence

AI-based chatbots are a better alternative to rule-based chatbots. These bots are much more sophisticated. Artificial intelligence powers them to understand written communication, interpret it, and respond accordingly. This results in highly realistic chat interactions similar to those with customer service representatives. This again gives a boost to user satisfaction.

The most advanced AI bots go one step further and use machine learning to pick up data as they move and adjust their communication accordingly. For example, a hotel chatbot can use this to learn a variety of preferences and then make smart recommendations.

AI-based Chatbots offer greater personalization and more natural communication. As a result, customers find it easier to use, and machine learning leads to continuous improvement.

Also Read: How to Choose a Mobile App Development Company?

Four Use Cases for the Hotel & Travel Chatbots

Chatbots are one of many technological advances that could be used in the hospitality sector (and wider travel). Bots are the next step in the evolution of personal assistants. They can perform a wide range of tasks depending on their domain. Every industry, from hotels to airlines, uses chatbots to improve its marketing strategies, up-sell performance, and guest service. Chatbot platforms allow travel brands to answer customer questions and enhance their relationship with them via text, and improve customer engagement. Let’s take a look at the primary uses of chatbots in travel.

• Chatbot for Reservations Agent

Booking.com, Skyscanner, and many other reservation services allow business travelers to search for flight and hotel recommendations and then book them via Facebook Messenger or Slack. These chatbots provide a better, more personal customer experience than websites and apps. They are often comparable to calling a human staff.

The user enters their destination and start date. This will allow the bot to search hundreds of websites for the best deal. Travelers can also expect extra functionality like hotel chatbot example “Route Tips” from Skyscanner, which shows the best weekdays to travel, and the “Inspire Me” option on Cheapflights. 

• Chatbot Customer Care

Vendors find it challenging to keep disruptions private and avoid bad word of mouth in a social-media-dominated world. Chatbots allow users to address customer support privately. AI can prioritize and categorize complaints for easier handling. Instead of searching for contact numbers or complaining to employees, customers can now use chatbots to ask for assistance. Travel businesses can also track and respond to problems, helping to reduce stress for their employees.

Hotels can use Checkmate to respond quickly to customer feedback and avoid posting negative reviews. Checkmate provides a channel for automated and personalized communication between staff and visitors. Customers can leave a message via chat and have their request transferred to the appropriate staff member. Employees can address problems immediately rather than waiting for TripAdvisor to post a negative review.

• Chatbot for Online Travel Agency

Due to the natural language processing (NLP) capability, chatbots can understand or recognize vague queries such as “romantic beach getaway” to offer complicated services, from transportation to places to stay and visit. The bot will recognize the trigger words and use them to search the results. Customers can complete a short survey with limited reply options because a bot will help them find the perfect hotel and flight deals. It will also locate a rental car company and provide local weather forecasts. This is done without taking into consideration your budget and dietary preferences.

• Chatbot for Local Insider Concierge

Many travelers are now looking for ways to travel like locals and experience new places as if they were natives. Assist, Marsbot from Foursquare and Uber bots allow travelers to explore cities by reading local reviews and making recommendations. These chatbots can take information from nearby places and offer options to travelers based on what they are looking for, such as brunch or laser tag with a price comparison range. In addition, customers can search social media for the best places or view discussion boards.

Also Read: Healthcare Chatbots: Promising a Patient Care Industry Transformation or a Failure?

How can chatbots be a benefit to both customers and travel service providers?

Here are some ways hotel chatbots can enhance the customer experience. These can be used to immediately respond to messages.

We’re all used to receiving the information we need immediately in this age of instant news and information. Hubspot says that 57% of consumers are interested in chatbot interface because they offer instantaneity. Hotels across the industry use chatbots to improve customer relationships by responding instantly to messages across channels, especially to appeal to millennials. This is a smart way of overcoming the limitations in your resources that prevent you from answering all inquiries immediately. It also allows you to stay ahead in a service-based environment where immediate action is crucial.

• Messaging apps

Your hotel can respond quickly to guests who use chatbots to reply to their messages via social media apps or messengers like WhatsApp. This is a crucial feature at all stages of customer service, but it’s essential when potential customers are trying to decide whether to book your hotel brands.

Chatbots can be created for almost any social media channel. You just need to ensure you are using the right chatbot platform for your needs. Facebook Messenger released its own platform in 2016 to provide personalized experiences.

•  Text messages

SMS messaging allows you to build text-based support services that you can use for almost all communication needs. This replaces the traditional call center and provides a faster, more convenient way to answer customer queries. Text messages are a great channel with a 98% open rate. That’s hard to beat!

• Improve your booking system

Chatbots for hotel bookings can offer a more personal experience than the traditional booking process. This is why companies like Skyscanner have created bots. These chatbots mimic the natural experience of speaking to a travel agent rather than clicking on a screen. First, a customer needs to send a message detailing their destination and stay dates. The bot will then find the best options and suggest them to the customer directly through the messaging app.

• More efficient customer Service

Chatbots can not only provide 24/7 customer support online, but they also can improve the customer experience in person. Moreover, a chatbot can assist you with your mobile check-in and checkout process using technology.

 Modern customer service departments can become overwhelmed in modern times. They may have to deal with customers who call, email, or visit them in person.

The chatbot in hotel industry can relieve this pressure by providing quick responses to reduce backlogs. However, it also sorts many simple customer service requests and leaves staff with more complex cases.

• Personalised promotional efforts

Marketing emails are a common method used in hotel marketing. However, these methods do not always work well. Many people ignore marketing emails even though they have ticked the box to receive them. They are often repetitive and generic.

Chatbots for hotels can improve the customer experience by allowing them to personalize their messages. Chatbot messages sent via social media platforms or on the hotel website can result in a more personalized, two-way conversation that is more likely to lead to a sale.

Also Read: 9 Things You Need to Know About Chat Gpt: Chatbots that Provide Answers

• Keep in touch with your guests

To get feedback, hotels increasingly realize the importance of following up after guests check out. Chatbots are an excellent tool for this. They can reach out to guests via various channels and learn what they liked and didn’t like, what improvements they would recommend, and their overall impressions of the hotel. 

Chatbots powered by AI or data can be used to personalise follow-up efforts and provide updates on the hotel that helps to build customer loyalty which leads to repeat visits.

• Chatbots can communicate in any language

Language is an effective way to communicate with others. One of the best ways to use them is to create a chatbot that understands multiple languages to allow your guests to contact your hotel directly.

It’s easy for guests to send you questions and inquiries without even learning the language. You can send the best to your customers through a messaging app such as Facebook Messenger.

• Promotions and profiling of guests based on your needs

Chatbots are a great way to increase conversion rates by learning about customers’ preferences and habits. This information will allow you to tailor your offers to them. Moreover, you can use this information to create customized offers that may result in guest loyalty.

What’s more?

You can use the chatbot data to provide excellent service. You’ll be able to know what your guests like and dislike, the most recent consumer trends, and any information they have difficulty understanding.

Your hotel or travel agency would generally be able to make personalized recommendations to customers that will improve their experience.

• Mobile apps offer comprehensive care

Many hotels offer innovative control options for guests as soon as they arrive. Customers can use a dedicated mobile app to control their stay, lock their rooms, adjust the temperature, and order drinks while using their mobile phones.

Chatbots are a vital component of customer service. Hotel guests can use chatbots to communicate with them.

• Ordering food or drinks
• Suggesting special dishes
• Lighting control and room temperature
• Scheduling dinners/lunch
• Management of evening reservations
• Booking a taxi and planning your itinerary
• Recommendations for interesting sightseeing and visiting
• Answering critical queries

• Intelligent travel companions

Due to the huge amount of data that hotel staff and visitors have, operations can become complicated. This creates critical challenges for flawless customer service. Intelligent chatbots can help in this area.

The chatbot assists guests as soon as they enter their rooms.

• GPS capabilities
• Gamification and amusement
• AI-powered chatbots for in-built hotel app
• Unlimited data access and international calling
• A handy guide to tourist attractions
• Promotional Offers
• Services for booking return travel
• Hotel service assistants are available quickly.

 What’s the future of hotel chatbots?

Chatbot technology is advancing rapidly, and AI-based chatbots are likely to be used in more online customer touchpoints. Livechat & Chatbots could be deployed via the hotel’s website, social media platforms, and the hotel app using various digital devices.

Although rule-based chatbots will continue to be helpful in the future, AI-based options offer many advantages. This technology is becoming easier to use and more affordable to implement. As a result, you can expect many rule-based bots in hotels and other business type using artificial intelligence.

Chatbots will become more voice-based as voice recognition technology advances and users feel more comfortable using it. The future will see improved language translation via voice recognition that lets anyone, anywhere in this world, communicate verbally with a chatbot and be understood. They also receive a reply in their language.

Hotel Chatbot – Today’s Greatest Challenges

• Small hotels are limited in resources

Because of the changing nature of online marketing, small hotels need more resources or time to be online marketing experts. They can save time and money by creating a chatbot for hotel booking that handles repetitive administrative tasks. They can shift their efforts to improving their web presence.

• Technology systems are becoming more complex

Large hotel chains have the resources to keep up with new communication technology developments and update their online services and systems to appeal to tech-savvy guests. However, smaller hotels, more focused on customer service and personal touches, may be overwhelmed by modern technology’s complexity. These hotels can achieve a balance by using chatbots for hotel development. They can accept booking requests from multiple devices and stay connected to their customers via chat scripts.

3. They can’t provide that ‘human touch

Some situations call for human intervention. Unfortunately, chatbots that respond to stressful guests with automated responses can make things worse.

Some engagement solutions allow you to set precise triggers to send the conversation to the right person at the right moment. For context, the human can read previous messages, so users don’t have to repeat the same message.

4. Chatbots can be expensive

Building a chatbot from scratch can prove very expensive. It is a difficult task to create a helpful, reliable, and friendly bot. So expect to spend a premium.

Chatbots can be used cost-effectively. Our Digital Concierge offers a cost-effective chatbot solution.

Important Features to Consider When Choosing a Bot for Your Hotel

• Integration with Booking Engines & PMS Systems

Integration with property management systems and booking engines is another essential feature your hotel bot should have. This allows you to offer real-time bookings to your customers, which will increase bookings and reduce commissions that you would otherwise have to pay online travel agencies. In addition, Chatbots communicate with customers and can offer relevant and timely special deals to seal the deal.

• Multilingual Support

Travel industry professionals often receive queries and contacts from people who live in different parts of the world. This can lead to hotels and other travel companies having to deal with multiple languages. You need a multilingual hotel bot who can understand and respond in the most common languages your customers speak. Chatbots can communicate in various languages, which is one way they can outperform human beings.

• Concierge Functionality

Concierge functionality is a feature that hoteliers often overlook when looking for the best AI chatbot. If a bot can offer concierge functionality, guests can request assistance via their smartphone or your chat feature. For example, a chat widget allows customers to request fresh towels, help with booking restaurant tables, or order room service. This can be more efficient and convenient. 

• Access to Performance Analytics & Reports

Undoubtedly, hotel chatbots can provide performance metrics. These should be available in report format to analyze the bot’s performance and make necessary adjustments. For example, the bot should provide information such as the average time it takes to resolve a customer issue, the most popular languages and devices used by customers, and conversion success rates.

• Multi-Channel Functionality

Multi-channel support is one of the essential aspects when selecting a hotel bot. The chat widget should be accessible from your hotel’s website and compatible with multiple messaging platforms. Customers will have different preferences, including WhatsApp Messenger, Telegram, and Facebook Messenger. WeChat is popular in China.

Hoteliers can use automation to improve their productivity, efficiency, and consistency. Accuracy and timely information delivery are critical factors in running a profitable business in the highly competitive hospitality and travel industry. Chatbots have attracted much attention over the years because of their convenience and benefits for hoteliers and customers.

Consult with Techugo to Develop Your Own Hotel Chatbots!

Chatbot development offers hospitality brands many opportunities to smoothen customer loyalty and improve the guest experience.

Chatbots have changed the face of the hotel industry, providing efficient management, a satisfying guest experience, and tailored administrative skills.

Hospitality brands are also the most enthusiastic adopters of chatbots and integrate them into their daily operations. Chatbots will be a big step forward and help hotels stand out and increase their market share. Techugo: a leading chatbot app development company is always available! For more information and to build your chatbot app, contact us today.