AI’s Role in the Travel Industry
Artificial Intelligence is starting to take shape within organisations, reducing the pressure on staff resources. According to Adobe, 31% of enterprises are expected to introduce a form of AI over the coming 12 months.
Consumers are also getting familiar with enquiring via the technology for a quicker answer. When AI is deployed tactically, 34% of shoppers will spend more money online. About 49% said they are willing to shop more frequently online when AI is present.
There are a few ways that Artificial Intelligence can be optimised within a travel company. The first way is for pre-bookings. Before a consumer commits to buying they have questions that are frequently asked. The chatbot will be able to answer enquiries such as:
- What payment types do you accept?
- How much deposit do I need to pay for my booking?
- At what age is a child considered as an adult?
- Can I pre-book my seats?
- Is there a hairdryer or kettle in the room?
Using Artificial Intelligence for this purpose reduces the involvement of an operator who would just be repeating information that in most cases is already available on the website.
The other way in which Artificial Intelligence can be used is for existing customers. They can ask questions more relevant to them such as:
- When is the balance due on my holiday?
- How do I amend an existing booking and will I be charged?
- How do I cancel an existing booking and will I be charged?
The chatbot can also ask for identifiable details including their booking reference. This allows an operator to take over the conversation at a point where they can actually start to advise the visitor rather than spending time prequalifying them.
Adobe has reported that since 2013 the share of jobs requiring AI has increased 450%.
Trusting the Technology
Artificial Intelligence is classed as an immature technology as it is still very new and not widely used. The reliability of it hasn’t been great until recently; even the top tech giants faced many challenges with their bots and assistants.
Click4Assistance has been investing heavily into comprehensive research and development to ensure we can provide a fully reliable system that continues to meet and exceed your customer’s expectations and improves their satisfaction.
Phase 1 saw the foundation for AI introduced within the Click4Assistance solution ‘Experiences’. The systems algorithm is able to match what the visitor is typing in real time to the responses available in the Predefined Reply library. The operator is then automatically presented with the most relevant answers, in which they can select and edit before sending to the visitor, ensuring their enquiry has been answered correctly.
Progress for phase 2 has begun, building a full AI service. Research into platforms such as Watson by IBM, and those by Microsoft and Google AI has helped shape the specification for the reliable solution. The service will need to extensively tested before release, however now in its final stages it won’t be long until the system is available to answer frequently asked questions or prequalify visitors on your organisation’s behalf.
Get Your Hands on AI First
To be one of the first organisations to see Click4Assistance’s AI in action why not registered your interest with theteam@click4assistance.co.uk. A few days before release we will give you exclusive access to a full demonstration of the service and set you up with an account to try out the new reliable functionality free of charge for a limited time with no obligation.
Click4Assistance has been providing live chat on your website software for over 10 years to UK organisations, ensuring their online communication is reliable and successful as possible. For more information regarding the solution contact our team on 01268 524628 or using the email provided above.