This year’s buzzwords might be blockchain and (still) mobile, but it hasn’t been so long since ‘chatbots’ were the mot du jour: Buzzword no more, chatbots have now worked their way across industries, automating and often augmenting the customer service experience.

In hospitality, chatbots have had similar effect as the traditional concierge can now be embodied in an in-room smart device, letting guests communicate their needs and requests with a few quick taps on a screen. However, the value of chatbot technology extends beyond improved customer service.

At the HSMAI Revenue Optimisation Conference that took place in Singapore this week, CEO and co-founder of chatbot provider Bespoke Inc., Akemi Tsunagawa, shared how the lucrative but often misunderstood technology could be used to boost revenue in hotels.

Tsunagawa, who will also be speaking at WIT Japan & North Asia this June, described chatbots as “like a super hard working colleague that works 24/7, doesn’t need a bathroom break and is even happy to deal with complaints”. It is instant, multi-language and requires an iota of the manpower required if operated by actual staff.

“It’s definitely not for everyone, but if you know what you want to get out of chatbots, it could be a very profitable solution.”

Bespoke Inc offers Bebot, an AI-powered chatbot concierge for travellers, geared towards hotels and airports. When it first launched, Tsunagawa regarded it as “a failure, because no one was using it. Hotel guests were chatting but only very few and for a very limited amount of time.”

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