The tourism sector, with its fierce competition, imperative handling of emergencies and seasonal fluctuations, poses major challenges when it comes to managing requests and optimizing the customer experience. Indeed, if 89% of customers turn to competitors following a bad experience (source: Forbes), this is even more true in the tourism sector, where good customer relations are essential both before and during the trip.
In response to these challenges, many companies are integrating or planning to integrate AI solutions into their business processes. For example, on June 29, 2023, Booking.com launched the beta version of its AI-based travel planner, designed to improve destination and accommodation recommendations. This example illustrates how artificial intelligence can transform the customer experience in the tourism sector. The aim of this article is therefore to list some of the ways in which AI can be used in this sector to enrich the customer experience.
Increased first contact resolution rate
AI significantly improves the First Contact Resolution rate by equipping agents with enriched response drafts based on contextual analyses of customer queries. This not only resolves issues faster, but also increases agent efficiency, reducing the operational costs associated with multiple interactions.
CRM update for a richer experience
Analytic AI excels inextraction anddata analysis from customer interactions as well as from the from the company's existing database. By integrating this data, AI provides a holistic view of the customer, enabling a more efficient and informed response to every request.
Empathetic and personalized responses
Some customer requests require immediate, empathetic responses particularly in the case ofemergencies and/or claims. So, thanks to the creativity ofGenerative AI. Companies can develop response proposals that not only solve problems, but also communicate them in a more effective way. empathetic and personalized.
For example, Accor, a world leader in hotels, uses an AI-powered CRM to personalize communications with its customers. This system enables customers to be segmented using over 400 distinct attributes, which has led to a threefold increase in revenue from personalized emails according to Alix Boulnois, Chief Digital Officer at Accor. This approach to hyper-personalization shows how AI can transform customer interactions, increasing both customer satisfaction and the company's financial performance.
Prioritization and automatic routing of messages
Using AI to prioritize incoming requests is particularly effective in an environment like tourism. Thanks to NLU, the AI can understand the context of each ticket, such as impending departure dates, and prioritize these messages to ensure that urgent requests are dealt with first. This not only guarantees efficient time management but also a better customer experience.
What's more, AI also enables messages to be accurately and automatically routed to the right departments or agents best able to respond effectively. Some critical customer requests cannot be handled by all agents. By identifying the content and the context of requests, AI routes requests according to the expertise required, reducing the time it takes to move from one department to another and improving the quality of the answers provided.
At the end of the day, artificial intelligence is becoming an essential strategic lever for tourism and hospitality companies, enabling them to improveoperational efficiency and enhancethe customer experience. Solutions such as those we offer, thanks to its ability to process natural language and automate the management of customer interactions, show how AI can respond effectively to the specific challenges of this sector, particularly during busy periods. By integrating such technologies, companies can not only better meet customers' immediate needs, but also anticipate their expectations, thus contributing to their long-term success.
And if you're a company in the tourism sector and want an AI solution that perfects your customer experience even further, Contact us !
