Hospitality Management
Article | July 4, 2023
The travel industry is reviving. Tourist spots across the globe are packed with excited explorers. Though it feels like everything is going back to normal, the way people travel has changed. The hospitality tech revolution is making mundane tasks easier and the customer experience richer.
Most travelers prefer self-service over waiting to be served. Online planning and bookings have picked up pace, so have contact-less check-in and 24/7 digital concierge. Hotels must swiftly meet these evolving demands or risk losing in the race. They must incorporate technology into their day-to-day operations to eliminate human error, increase their service efficiency, and, above all, offer an outstanding customer experience.
One of the technology trends reshaping the travel and hospitality industry is digital concierge—hotel chatbots that bring the concierge desk into the palm of a guest’s hand. Convenient, right?
A Sneak Peak into Hotel Chatbots
Hotel chatbots are software applications that communicate with your hotel’s website page visitors and resolve their queries. They are either programmed to behave a certain way or can be AI-powered. Programmed chatbots are configured to answer a limited set of questions. However, they can collect visitor information so your customer executives can get in touch with prospects to resolve their queries or provide them with booking assistance.
On the other hand, AI-powered chatbots use NLP (Natural Language Processing) and ML (Machine Learning) to analye human behaviour and accordingly answer questions.
Digital Concierge Brings in Conversions
Personalized communication forms the crux of customer experience. A desired, non-intrusive interaction between a guest and a chat bot can create strong engagement and help the guest to make a booking at your hotel. In such cases, the bot will forward the booking inquiries directly into the IBE (Internet Booking Engine) and strengthen your direct sales. 30-50% of the chatbot-prospect interactions result in IBE forwarding of booking inquiries. This statistic shows how accepting the guests are of the chatbot’s services. (Source: DialogShift, Olga Heuser)
Chatbots can also be integrated into social media platforms and instant messenger platforms so that guests can directly make bookings from a platform of their choice.
How are Hotel Chatbots Redefining CX?
Apart from bringing in revenue through direct sales, hotel chatbots also create a solid customer experience for the guests, so they don’t go home unsatisfied and give you a good review online.
Here are the ways in which they enhance the customer experience:
24/7 Availability- Chatbots promptly respond to guest queries round the clock
Multi-Lingual Support- Languages are not a barrier for them
Efficiency- They lighten your hotel staff’s load of answering guest queries
Customer Retention- They collect guest information, which helps in retention and follow-up
Brand Awareness- They are brand representatives and increase brand awareness through responsiveness
Additionally, AI- powered chatbots can also:
Highlight the hotel’s special features upon check-in
Recommend places and activities to do around the hotel with pictures and links
Request feedback from guests about services
Assist with table reservations or pool-side orders
The Cosmopolitan, Las Vegas Used Rose to Impress Guests
The introduction of Rose, a smart chatbot that converses with guests on The Cosmopolitan’s website, changed the game for the hotel. The bot’s playful personality wooed hotel guests. Those who made a booking directly from the website ended up spending 37% more than those who did not engage with her.
Let’s Wrap It Up
A hotel chatbot refines the concierge experience for guests through rapid response times and enhances your hotel’s AI marketing efforts. It can be an invaluable asset for hotel business owners looking to stay ahead in the race.
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Hospitality Management
Article | July 18, 2023
Discover the solutions and services of the top 25 revolutionary travel management companies that are transforming the industry in 2023. Integrate the one adhering your business needs and budget.
Businesses seeking stress-free and streamlined corporate travel solutions can rely on travel management companies. These experts provide customized travel arrangements, taking care of every aspect of business travel, from flight and hotel bookings to travel policy compliance, support, car rentals, and more. With advanced technology and online booking tools, they offer cost-effective deals while ensuring adherence to corporate travel policies. Additionally, they empower businesses to design their travel expense policies, resulting in an enhanced corporate travel experience for employees.
1 Expertise in Field
Travel management companies (TMCs) are experts in the field of business travel. They handle emergencies with proper understanding and remedy measures. Some travel risk management companies are specially devised for this purpose.
2 Being More Organized
TMCs organize the operations of business travel more efficiently. Business travel involves massive paperwork, especially in big groups and itineraries. The paperwork associated with corporate travel is managed by international travel agencies in a way that is organized, thereby enabling travel companies to allocate their attention to other crucial matters.
3 Making Informed Decisions
Employees must adhere to the corporate travel program or policy when they travel for business. Travel policies vary across different organizations and typically encompass guidelines that employees are obliged to follow while traveling. They make travel decisions for the company according to their travel policy. TMCs also advise employees to meet business travel requirements without breaking the company travel policy.
4 Enhanced Networking
TMCs have established relationships with travel and hospitality companies worldwide over the years sent in the industry. Business travel companies or clients could get exclusive rates on travel occasions through TMCs. They provide better deals within a travel budget than any direct travel booking.
5 Expense management
TMCs are specialized in finding and negotiating the best travel deals with enterprise providers and partners. They have special access to lower rates on the airline, hotel rooms, and transportation. As a result, they reduce overall business travel costs and offer competitive name-brand selections.
6 Business Travel Support
The companies can reach out to the travel consultant day and night with business travel support. Furthermore, the employees are free from the stress of tracking various vendors, as they can get all of them on one platform, which is accessible through a variety of different channels.
Top 25 Revolutionary Travel Management Companies
To enhance their business growth, travel companies can utilize the following list of travel management companies as a reference:
1. Emburse
More than 12 million business professionals, including CFOs, finance teams, and travelers, trust Emburse in spend optimization for expense, travel management, and payment solutions. It helps FORTUNE 100 corporations, startups, public sector agencies, and nonprofit organizations, through automation, analytics, and spending control. It streamlines processes and increases spending visibility, compliance, and positive financial outcomes.
2. East West Hospitality
East West Hospitality has more than 30 years of success in businesses like association, vacation rental and property management, developer support, hotels, spas, fitness, restaurants, and retail operations. It simplifies complicated travel operations. It makes stay effortless with its extensive experience and local expertise. It offers memorable destination experience through its trusted hospitality services.
3. Wexas Travel Management
Wexas Travel Management is a full-service travel provider to companies and organizations that travel on business. It works with businesses in different sectors like financial, legal, marine, oil and gas, insurance and pharmaceuticals. Its consultant-managed and digital tools are customized to individual requirements. With the support of a well-established account management team, it provides a broad range of travel-related services.
4. Nomadix
With over 25 years of experience, Nomadix has over 5 million daily internet connections in 150 countries. It helps hotel and property owners, brands, property management groups, and managed service providers (MSPs) with solutions like internet access gateways, application management appliances, visitor-based networks, digital voice assistants, bandwidth management, and managed Wi-Fi.
5. HotelKey
HotelKey has direct connectivity to major OTAs or GDS channels. Its all-in-one system includes core PMS, built-in CRS distribution, automated revenue management, property website hosting, and a no-commission direct bookings engine. In addition, its platform provides web apps for the back of the house and mobile apps for the front desk, housekeeping, and maintenance teams.
6. Bonotel Exclusive Travel
Bonotel Exclusive Travel, an inbound tour operator for luxury travel, offers exclusive deluxe hotels, resorts, and upscale boutique properties. It has a vast network of suppliers, direct access to the international client base, and tour operators worldwide. It has developed strong business relations with tour operators and can provide access to hotel partners which makes it unique.
7. Peachtree Hospitality Management
Peachtree Hospitality Management, a division of Peachtree Hotel Group, is a best-in-class hotel management company that creates loyalty among the stakeholders like associates, guests, and owners. Its proprietary systems and processes maximize financial performance, enhancing efficiency and customer experience. In addition, it provides dedicated hotel management services with the extension of expertise to owners as a third-party hotel manager.
8. AmTrav
AmTrav enhances the productivity of business travel. It offers services for expense management, corporate travel, software, travel productivity, and business travel management. In addition, its platform provides personal service with travel experts and relationship managers through advanced technology, which is helpful for business travelers, travel arrangers, and travel managers.
9. Boatsetter
Boatsetter, a leisure, travel & tourism company, is specialized in boat rental and charter, collaborative consumption, marine industry, travel, and adventure. It has partnered with GEICO and BoatUS to design an exclusive Peer-to-Peer Boat Rental Policy, inspiring boat owners’ engagement and encouraging entrepreneurship on the water. It helps to review the booking requests and inquiries from renters, manage all their bookings on the website or the application, and the payouts, which are processed quickly and connected to their bank account directly.
10. Norse Atlantic Airways
Norse Atlantic Airways offers affordable transatlantic flights with environment-friendly and comfortable Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft. It offers affordable fares to destinations and service on board modern and fuel-efficient Dreamliners for corporate and personal travel. It strengthens the employer-employee relationship and has entered into collective bargaining agreements with cabin crew and pilot unions in the U.S., U.K. and Norway. It incorporates a low-cost business model and approach for the cost-efficient airline without prior financial restraints.
11. InsureMyTrip
InsureMyTrip, an online travel insurance comparison site, serves customers worldwide with its licensed customer services. Its unique customer advocacy program provides assistance throughout the travel journey. It provides recommendations of best plans per the trip details and the best travel insurance plan that matches the traveler’s need, irrespective of the commission or company, with a money-back guarantee. In addition, its licensed representatives, Anytime Advocates, help with the insurance claim process.
12. Sonder Inc.
Sonder Inc., a hospitality company, provides a seamless business travel management experience through technology and innovation. It offers a variety of accommodation options, from rooms to suites and apartments. Its application empowers guests with self-service features and 24/7 support. Without any formality, it offers simple self-check-in to boutique bathroom amenities.
13. Operto Guest Technologies
Operto Guest Technologies, a hospitality automation and IoT operating system for vacation rentals, hotels, and serviced apartments, is revolutionizing hospitality management. It provides personalized stays, contactless check-in, guest satisfaction, operational efficiency and more revenue opportunity through technology that connects teams, guests, managers, smart devices and ancillary third-party service providers. With purpose-built software and smart IoT devices, it offers property managers unique real-time visibility and control. Its automation features include integrated keyless entry, energy savings, noise and occupancy monitoring, and personalized in-suite technology.
14. Life House
Life House is a vertically integrated hotel software, brand, and management company. It provides operational expertise to build robust software to enhance profitability and operational ease in independent hotels. It specializes in hotel software development, financial reporting, interior design, product management and operations, hotel management, and enterprise SaaS.
15. PCH Hotels and Resorts
PCH Hotels and Resorts is a franchised management company with Marriott. Beginning with the acquisition of the Grand Hotel Resort & Spa, PCH has grown to become the top hospitality employer in Alabama. Currently, PCH manages four Renaissance Marriott resort properties, three Marriott resort properties, one Autograph Collection resort, one select service IHG property, and one Outlet Shop. Each property is minutes from the extensive world-class Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail.
16. Spotnana
Spotnana powers unparalleled global travel experiences. It modernizes the travel industry's infrastructure to bring travelers freedom, simplicity, and trust everywhere. Its travel-as-a-service platform makes travel simpler and affordable for corporations. It's our ecosystem of agency, supplier, and technology provider partners to increase operational efficiency, new revenue opportunities, and innovation.
17. GetYourGuide
GetYourGuide is a travel bookingplatform connecting travel enthusiasts, experts, and technologists with people. It helps in discovering the destination’s best activities and attractions. In addition, it simplifies the digital travel reality by offering data-driven insights, technology, and market expertise through its destination management company database.
18. VTrips
VTrips offers services for vacation rental property management, guest management with dedicated property managers and best advertising and marketing approach. It is the premier property management company serving in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Maryland, New Mexico, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas. It also provides vacation rental guest experiences through its quality management and personalized services for real estate and corporate travel.
19. Trip.com
Trip.com specializes in OTA, flight tickets, hotel booking, train tickets, and internet services. It has an extensive hotel network for a diverse choice of accommodation. Its flight network has over 2 million individual flight routes connecting more than 5,000 cities around the globe. It combines 24/7 English customer service and various travel products necessary for a successful trip.
20. Deem, Inc.
Deem, Inc., a corporate travel booking software, helps in policy adherence, better travel decisions, employee engagement, and cost control through secure solutions. It allows travel managers to customize their travel programs. It integrates into travel and expense management companies & travel agencies with powerful APIs and design.
21. Mondee Holdings, Inc.
Mondee Holdings, Inc is a group of travel technology, service, and content companies driving innovation in the leisure, corporate, and retail travel markets. It delivers a revolutionary technology platform of SaaS, mobile, and cloud products and services to a global customer base. Major corporations, SMBs, travel agencies, and new gig economy workers use its easy-to-use technology platforms to access global travel content, services, and products. Corporations like Rocketrip and TripPlanet trust it for cost-saving, employee safety, and sustainable future.
22. Priceline
Priceline, a part of Booking Holdings, Inc., provides the best deals for hotel rooms, flights, rental cars, vacation packages and cruises. It specializes in online travel services and ecommerce through its internet publishing platform. It uses cloud computing to provide personalized and alternative recommendations for travel.
23. Egencia
Egencia, an American Express Global Business Travel Company, is a B2B travel tech platform. As part of the valuable marketplace in business travel, it provides data insights and AI-driven innovation that power the travel programs of 9000+ companies in more than 60 countries. It specializes in online business travel booking, purchasing, technology, travel management, corporate travel management, and travel app.
24. Forbes Travel Guide
Forbes Travel Guide renders hotel, restaurant, and spa reviews, travel advice, learning tools, service training, guest experience, and customer services. Its star rating standards reflect the industry's highest levels of service and facility measurement worldwide. With experience in the industry, it provides more reliable information about the travel recommendations and booking.
25.ADTRAV
ADTRAV provides technology solutions for business travel management of corporations, government agencies, and non-profit organizations. Through the help of federal contractors, it maintains compliance with federal travel regulations and fulfills the audit requirements of the DCAA with its government travel expertise.
Conclusion
Collaboration with travel management companies has many advantages, like expense management, business travel support, enhanced networking, making informed decisions, being more organized, and expertise in the field. However, business travel must integrate with the companies according to their budgets and requirements. The travel companies must keep aside the stress of planning, booking & tracking the travel vendors for employees' business travel and rely on TMCs for a cost-effective and comfortable corporate travel experience.
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