Articles tagged “chatbots”

There’s a distinct whiff of nostalgia drifting through the swaying palm trees in San Diego, as corporate travel agencies plug chatbots at the Global Business Travel Association’s annual convention.

Looking to offer hassle-free and personalized experiences for customers, travel companies have integrated WhatsApp as an effective communications platform. But troubleshooting cannot always be left to bots. Brands also need human beings to chip in at critical moments.

The coronavirus pandemic has brought about unprecedented challenges to both travel providers and their customers. While policies and procedures are constantly in flux, there are some steps travel brands can take to clearly communicate with their customers on the right channels at the right time.

Roles are changing fast in the hotel industry. Some are gone, or going, like the chief marketing officer. Others require new skill sets. Even those at the top aren't spared. IHG's latest Asia changes remind us of this.

So is chatting with Chatbot Charlie an improved experience over Human Charlie? With more airlines undergoing digital transformations, sadly so, especially for call center workers.

Many grandmothers have tighter password security than tech vendor [24]7.ai allegedly did. A hacker had an easy time accessing the vendor's code, and through it, the payment card data of up to 825,000 Delta customers. No wonder the airline is suing.

Expedia wants to help put customers in touch with hotels to sort out travel complications. That seems like it would be a complicated dance because Expedia doesn't readily share much customer information with hotels, a longtime grievance in the lodging industry.

The funding of French startup Mindsay may be small news. But interviews with its customers Iberia and CWT suggest that a second wave of chatbot technology has stopped frustrating travelers with as many misunderstandings as the earlier tech did. That's a big deal for the sector.

Caesars had under-invested in the tech needed to support the hotel side of its business. Recently it has been playing catch up. Some of its experiments are innovative, such as mobile ordering for food at the lobby or by the pool.

Maud Bailly has been at the heart of AccorHotels' recent transformation. She'll hopefully shed some light on the company's digital strategy and how it intends to use all its new acquisitions.