An Exploratory Study of Customer Perceptions of Usage of Chatbots in the Hospitality Industry

Abstract

This study examines the customer perceptions of the usage of chatbots in the hospitality industry. The focus of the study is on hotels, specifically chain hotels, so that the chatbots become integrated with CRM solutions, facilitating the hotels and the customers to gather information from a single source. In other sectors of the hospitality industry, such as restaurants, there is a lack of exposure of highly automated systems, leading to the failure of customers to grasp the idea of automated processes. One of the biggest challenges identified is that many players in the hospitality industry still do not understand artificial intelligence and how it can redefine the future of the industry. Younger customers were more open to use of technology and expected technology to be involved in at least one aspect of any service being provided, and generally preferred conversing with virtual assistants such as iPhone Siri and Google Assistant rather than agents, unless complex solutions were required; in the last instance, however, most customers expected service at hotels to be provided through personnel, lacking the knowledge of how technology can serve as a personal concierge.

Keywords: Artificial Intelligence, Chatbots, Hospitality Industry

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