If chatbots are so essential then why hotels are not implementing them?
Chatbots are so essential for hotels especially in this time of the pandemic.
Guests are inquiring about every piece of information about the hotel while sitting inside their home.
And they want real-time answers to their questions 24/7. Chatbots serve as a virtual concierge service.
They will answer queries of website visitors.
They bridge the gap between getting information through face to face interaction and online experience.
For instance, What is the check-in and check-out time? Does breakfast is included in booking fees?
Are the amenities they are looking for is available?
When staffs are free from these small tasks, then they can concentrate and devote their time delivering better services to customers.
Let’s look at the benefits that one can get from chatbots, then we will find out why hoteliers are not implementing it.
Benefits
AI-based chatbots
AI-based chatbots, which are considerably more advanced than rule-based chatbots, are an alternative to rule-based chatbots.
Although rule-based chatbots will likely continue to be useful in the future, the benefits of AI-based options are undeniable.
- AI-based chatbots can understand written correspondence, interpret it, and then react appropriately.
- These chatbots have much more personalization and more natural communication.
- In future, chatbots are likely to become more voice-based rather than text-based.
- Customers find them to be easier to use, and machine learning helps in continuous improvement.
Rule-based chatbots
The most basic form of hotel bot is a rule-based chatbot.
As the name implies, these bots will communicate using a set of predefined rules.
This is generally achieved with “if/else” sentences.
- The rule-based chatbot is not efficient as AI-based chatbots but they are cost-effective and works fine.
- They are more sophisticated chatbots and, work by detecting unique words in a user’s typing.
- And then showing the next appropriate message based on the rules.
No idea of integration
Installing a chatbot isn’t enough.
You must ensure that any visitor requests sent to your bot are handled properly and do not go unnoticed.
Hence, many hoteliers are nervous that chatbots will not work well with other platforms that their hotel presently uses.
Neither, their emails integrate well with them.
They think it is just another channel to communicate and they do not know how to integrate and implement them alone.
Limitation of human touch
Machine learning system will not work on their own. They have to be human intervention.
Because using machine learning to understand humans requires a staggering amount of data.
A machine learning system requires humans to collect, select, and clean every single piece of training data.
Emotions come naturally to human beings so they can use them to understand, bond well, use phrases, words and sentences.
So all these must be present in the chatbot to attract customers.
Understanding issues
Another issue that is restricting hotels to implement a chatbot is the possibility.
That the machine learning algorithms do not grasp the customer’s queries or behaviour.
When staffs communicate with guests they can ensure that questions with the same meaning receive the same answer.
Whereas, chatbots may unable to distinguish identical questions frame differently even in the same conversation.
There’s also the problem that it lacks individuality because chat responses are all made up of text fragments from various sources.
This loses the chance to position the hotel brand.
Don’t have the finances to invest in chatbot
In the time of the pandemic, every hotelier is going through a rough time.
They don’t have much liquid income in their hands and the worst-case scenario is that their investments are also low.
Hence, acquiring new tools to operate their hotel operation is a tough call to make.
It is not about whether they should implement it or not, it is about the right time to invest in the chatbot.
Shortage of time
Even though implementing a chatbot is not a long process, but it does take time and requires effort.
The time it takes to create a chatbot might vary from a few hours to up to 2-3 weeks.
It relies on the solution’s complexity.
New customised automation might take longer to create since it must be developed according to your specifications.
The length of time is also determined by the company’s size. Hence, many are not eager to invest their time and resources.
Support multiple languages
If the hotel brand is global, then the chatbot must support multiple languages to solve visitors queries.
Furthermore, chatbots must have the ability to learn new languages as needed.
Also support a wide range of platforms, devices, and services.
A large number of chatbot development technology needs a lot of efforts to support multi-languages and channels.
So, if it is not handled properly it results in poor functioning of the chatbot solution.
Hence, the companies think it better to not have one, than to have one of poor quality.
Rules and laws
Hotels need to keep records of customer data to personalize conversation with hotel guests.
But it is important to be compliant with the regulations and laws of countries.
While many countries do not have such strict rules and regulations, but many countries may impose them in near future.
Hence, for hotel businesses, the problem is not just storing data, but also access it safely for export or deletion.
So, without a customer’s data chatbot may not turn out to be beneficial. That’s why many hotels are not reluctant to implement them.
Conclusion
Even after getting so many benefits hoteliers are still hesitant to implement chatbots.
There are various reasons to it.
For instance, they do not know how to integrate and implement them.
Machine learning system will not work on their own. They have to be human intervention.
Moreover, the machine learning algorithms do not grasp the customer’s queries or behavior.
Their liquid income is low and their investments are also low.
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