why your hospitality business needs a chatbot API
According to the report from Gartner, around 15% of the customer services in the world will be handled by Artificial Intelligence. More than half of consumers prefer businesses that use chat apps. This data clearly indicates that chatbot tools visualize the future of Facebook Messenger marketing and customer support- and when it comes to customer support, the hospitality industry is the first thing that comes to our mind.
Chatbots are AI-powered platforms that allow businesses to support their customers in a much more efficient way. It is a computer program designed to simulate conversation with human users, especially over the internet.
Just this year, Google said about 1 billion Google Assistants are being used in the market today. Moreover, a report by Salesforce suggests that 53 percent of hospitality businesses are expected to utilize chatbots within 1.5 Years and will experience a growth rate of more than 100 percent. These are big numbers and the statistics explicitly showcase how chatbots are going to be a necessity in hospitality businesses in the coming time.
How can hospitality businesses gain a competitive edge using chatbots?
Chatbots have become one of the most popular technology trends in the hospitality industry today as automation and self-service play an essential role in improving customer service in terms of accuracy, cost-effectiveness, and speed.
A smart chatbot will allow customers to research and make travel bookings easily through messaging apps such as Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, etc. The main purpose of integrating a chatbot in regular business tasks is for hoteliers to assist their guests in solving queries, providing regular notifications and booking reminders and making the entire reservation process more simpler and smoother than ever.
We prefer having almost all the information we need at our fingertips, and so do businesses in all other domains. Obsolete communication processes can make life extremely difficult especially for hospitality businesses as they require manpower, which is prone to error and time is of the essence in an industry like this. A chatbot for hospitality business can convey information faster than a human customer service agent and be readily available at any hour of the day without fail.
Evidently, the use of chatbots in the hospitality industry is gaining traction. Currently, chatbots serve in areas like bookings, customer service inquiries, pre or post-stay inquiries, and general travel advice among other functions.
How can hospitality businesses use chatbots before, during, and after Check-in?
With over 2 billion messages exchanged between customers and businesses each month, you need to scale your operations and find newer approaches to stay one step ahead of your competitors and apply the first-mover advantage. Here’s an example of a basic marketing funnel for hospitality brands using chatbots:
Before Check-in
- Create ads targeting common hotel guests.
- Auto responds to comments using a messenger chatbot.
- Grow leads with a contact list growth tool like Instagram post autoresponder. ● Send a message at the right time.
- Travelers who abandon the booking process in the middle can be converted into leads by using chatbots to send them Coupons, Extra discounts and many more benefits.
- Segment your leads with attributes.
- Send reminders before check-in.
During Check-in
- Regularly Ask whether the customer needs anything.
- Upsell hotel events and onboard meal offer.
- Send reminders before check-out.
After Check-In
- Get feedback.
- Retarget customers.
Chatbot development can present a pool of opportunities for hospitality brands across the world to increase customer loyalty and improve guest experience manifolds. These smart virtual assistants can significantly transform the routine operations of hotel industries by providing effective management, satisfactory guest experience, and seamless business-customer interactions.
Moreover, hospitality brands have been the highest adopters of this revolutionary technology and have integrated chatbots as part of their day-to-day services. Chatbots are set to revolutionize every domain in sight to help different industries stand out and increase their share of the marketplace. Hospitality businesses are just the beginning.