Artificial Intelligence or AI is one of the most important modern technological developments. The concept of AI involves a machine capable of doing tasks that require human intelligence. Theoretically, AI can do almost anything a human can. This includes analyzing data, making decisions or even managing your internet usage. The concept of artificial intelligence has been around for decades. However, computers and technology only recently became advanced enough to make AI a reality. Today, AI is present everywhere from Google’s search engine to Tesla’s self-driving cars.
Artificial has close links to the push towards automation. Automation implies processes carried out with little or no human input. We live in the Data Age, where businesses of all sizes collect, store, and analyze volumes of data. This data is crucial for AIs to function within business parameters. AI can use this data to carry out analyses, solve problems and even learn languages. AI has slowly infiltrated many industries, one of which is the travel industry.
AI and the Travel Industry
So we know that AIs can perform most tasks that traditionally require a human to accomplish. This opens up unique avenues within the travel industry for AI to function. Like any business, the travel industry is all about minimizing costs. Deploying an AI to specific tasks can help businesses save both time and money. That’s just how automation works. There’s also another useful aspect. Machines are not susceptible to human failings, like errors and mistakes. Machines also tend to be far more efficient than humans. They don’t need to rest, eat or sleep. They can function at the same level of productivity at any point during the day.
In the travel industry, reputation is everything. Resorts and hotels depend on their reputations to attract more visitors. The most important part of any hotel’s reputation is its customer service. AI can assist hotels and resorts with this aspect in many ways. AI can help personalize the hotel experience for each guest. It can provide tailored recommendations to visitors based on the data it collects. It can even guarantee responses when staff is unavailable. What’s more, AI learns from each interaction it has with new guests. This helps it improve future interactions even more. AI can also assist with data analysis, decision-making and rapid calculations. Here’s how AI is making the job easier for hotel management in 3 key areas:
- Data Analysis
- Online Customer Service
- Physical Customer Service
Below follow more details on AI changing the travel industry in these three settings.
Data Analysis
This area is a prime candidate for AI deployment. AI has very effective uses within the fields of data processing and analysis. AI gathers and interprets data. It allows hotel management to make important decisions more accurately. It helps refine conclusions drawn about practices, strategies, and hotel guest requirements. AI has the ability to handle very large volumes of data with accuracy. This means it is far more suited to the task because there are no human errors or inefficiencies.
Online Customer Service
The first area where AI interacts with humans is online. AI especially comes in handy when providing online assistance and information to visitors. One of the most used forms of AI within this setting is the chatbot. Chatbots can be found on most social media and messaging apps. It uses language it learns from interactions with visitors on websites and portals. Chatbots allow the AI to immediately respond to any queries without the need for a human representative. This is crucial in the travel industry. People make travel plans at all hours of the day. With a chatbot, you can offer assistance at any time without employing a human for the job. Chatbots also respond much faster than humans. This makes for a better online customer service experience.
Related read: Are Chatbots In Customer Service A Good Idea For Businesses?
Physical Customer Service
AI is not restricted to the digital realm if the way things are going is anything to judge by. In fact, AI in online customer service has been around for years. But AI in the physical setting is a new phenomenon that is slowly growing. The Hilton deployed an AI robot named Connie to some of its more popular hotels. The robot makes use of speech recognition and AI to deal with customers. It has helped improve customer service experience. It offers speedy answers to most queries, cutting down queues and increasing efficiency. It can answer guests queries that may relate to “verizon near me” or the nearest local attractions. With each interaction, the robot learns more to improve its future interactions. Within time, we may even see fully AI staffed hotels, as Japan seems to be experimenting on. What the future holds for the travel industry is uncertain, but very exciting all the same.
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