When it comes to AI Assistants, like any other product or process, there are specific guidelines to follow. In other words, Dos and Don'ts.
The Dos focus on effective practices that benefit customers. while the Don'ts are practices that hinder customer relations. Regrettably, many tech companies providing 'guidance' and services to the hospitality sector lack a deep understanding of hospitality. Consequently, their advice and final products often impede rather than improve the customer experience.
Here is our list of basic Dos and Don'ts - AI Assistants for Hospitality industry.
DOs:
Clear and Coherent Introduction
Do clearly and coherently state what your AI Assistant is there to assist your customers with. This can be achieved by a simple introduction 'bubble speech' in the iframe.
Example: Hi, I'm the Ritz London AI-Concierge. I am here to help you with information regarding Ritz London restaurants. You are welcome to ask questions about opening times, menus, ingredients, chefs, and bookings.
International Appeal
Do deploy an AI Assistant who speaks more than one language. Customers are not obliged to speak all the languages in the world. In fact, with AI Assistants, they can expect to speak their own language that differs from the language of the country where the hospitality establishment that is providing an AI Assistant is located.
Informational Foundation
Do supply your AI Assistant with appropriate, detailed material about your hospitality establishment and its amenities and services. This way, your AI Assistant will be well prepared to tackle customers inquiries.
Accessibility and Approachability
Do make it easy for customers to connect with AI Assistant. Display notifications, messages, instructions, whatsapp numbers, widgets, and in-frames related to AI Assistant in the places where customers can clearly see them, identify , and connect to. AI Assistants should be just a click away not a castle wall behind.
Customers Lead Conversation
Do let your customers lead the conversation with your AI Assistant. Customers' questions and inquiries should be the starting point of the conversation. Your customer should start, lead, and finish conversation on any note he/she has chosen to do so.
DON'Ts:
Do not apply AI Assistants in areas where they are not needed.
Example: an AI Assistant on Expedia global platform. The platform's aim to offer a 'self-service' place where customers are in control of searching, booking, and amending their reservations. When clearly designed such sites do not need AI Assistants.
Do not collect personal information such as emails, names, telephone numbers from customers. This only annoys customers and does not help to build a trustful rapport.
Do not apply AI Assistants who speak only one language. Hospitality focused establishments such as tourism related sites, hotels, restaurants etc must provide a multilingual AI Assistant. It is not about which language the team of any of the above mentioned establishments speak. It is about what languages their customers speak.
Example: Expedia.ch - where AI Assistant called 'Help' speaks only German. If an Expedia customer lives in Switzerland, it does not mean that he/she speaks German. Apart from expats from all over the world who live in Switzerlands, international tourists who visit it, there are local Swiss populations who speak in either of the two other official languages - French and Italian.
Do not use and display pre-programmed questions. Customers should feel free to choose their own wording, topic, focus, and style in the communication with your AI Assistant. Do not assume that customers are dumb.
Do not programme 'multiple choices' in the replies of your AI Assistant. This shows non-care, formal approach, and thoughtless attitude.
Do not programme your AI Assistant to re-direct customers to 'team members'. AI Assistants, if properly trained for the task at hand, should be able to help customers without redirecting them.
And, finally,
Do not deploy AI Assistants who have no informational base to answer inquiries. AI Assistants thrive on analysing information. If you do not supply the information, there is nothing to analyse and therefore nothing to talk about. Having an AI Assistant who does not have means to address questions is simply reveals the wish to tick the box for the sake of appearing 'in trend'
We hope you have learnt something new about AI Assistants today.
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