HiJiffy

Creating a positive first impression at reception is crucial for shaping the guest experience. A warm and attentive welcome makes a significant impact, especially when guests seek personalised and memorable moments. While the human touch remains vital, blending it with hotel technology is key to delivering an exceptional welcome. Want to improve your hotel’s reception […]

In this product highlight series, we examine the various features and functions of the Console – the interface of our Guest Communications Hub. This practical insight shows how easy it is to enhance your communications with guests with the support of our conversational AI. In the following article, we take a look at what the welcome buttons are and their importance for initialising a conversation. What are the welcome buttons? When starting a conversation with HiJiffy’s chatbot, the welcome message appears first, followed by welcome buttons. These are pre-set buttons that allow you to add special events that are triggered when they are clicked. By default, “Book a room” and “Other topics” are set here, but it is beneficial to customise these to your hotel and add other buttons such as “Manage reservations,” “Book additional services” or “Join the loyalty programme”. In addition, further pre-defined topic suggestions can be displayed as buttons under “Other topics” to simplify communication. Make communication accessible and convenient With this feature, hoteliers can customise the welcome message, provide guests with quick and easy access to important processes, or guide them to specific landing pages. Instead of entering their own enquiry or question, the user simply clicks on the options provided. This guides guests to the right information, makes your website easier to navigate, and answers their questions before they have to search for them. It also means there is less room for error or misunderstanding. Where can I find this feature? To edit the welcome buttons, follow these steps: Open the Console. Go to the “Chatbots” menu. Select the Pre-Stay or In-Stay chatbot. Select “Welcome messages” in the chatbot settings and click on “Add new“ Once you have configured your welcome message, you can add the buttons. Select the type of button (URL, Flow or FAQ) Save your changes. You can also manage the welcome components that have already been created here. It could look like this As soon as a prospective guest starts the chat on your website, your welcome message appears, followed by a second message with welcome buttons such as “Reserve room,” “Manage booking,” “About the hotel” and “Other topics.” The guest can now click on one of these buttons or alternatively type the topic. If they click on “Other topics,” the most popular FAQ topics are displayed as buttons, for example, “Parking,” “Breakfast” and “Check-In”. In this way, the guests can navigate directly through the topics without typing and receive answers more quickly. Do you need additional help? In our Help Center, you have access to over 200 articles dealing with practical questions about using the Guest Communications Hub. From onboarding videos and step-by-step guides to troubleshooting, it offers valuable information that is always at your fingertips. If you need further support to get the most out of your solution, get in touch with our dedicated Customer Success Team.

In this product highlight series, we examine the various features and functions of the Console – the interface of our Guest Communications Hub. This practical insight shows how easy it is to enhance your communications with guests with the support of our conversational AI. This article looks at the “No Availability” option. Note: This feature is available only for specific booking engines. Please contact your Customer Success Manager for more information. Don’t leave your guests hanging Our new feature optimises the way your guests search and book for availability. If a potential guest doesn’t find availability for the dates they want, our system immediately offers alternative options. This feature ensures that guests don’t have to leave the website in frustration, but can easily find alternative dates or available accommodation. This keeps the booking process convenient and straightforward for the guest, increasing the likelihood that they will book with you and complete the booking process. Main features Show available dates: Allows guests to book a room for alternative dates. Search alternative accommodation: Provides instantly available options at other accommodations. Thanks to the seamless integration with your booking engine, you minimise the risk of losing potential guests by offering them instant alternatives. Increase your bookings and improve guest satisfaction with this innovative solution. This is what it could look like A potential guest starts a chat with your chatbot on the website and wants to make a booking. The guest is asked for the desired dates, which they enter. Unfortunately, the hotel has no availability. At this moment, the chatbot suggests other periods that the customer can accept or, depending on the chatbot configuration, offers buttons with which the user can decide whether to search for other accommodations or display flexible dates. Once the guest has selected an alternative period or another hotel property, they can finalise their booking. Do you need additional help? In our Help Center, you have access to over 200 articles dealing with practical questions about using the Guest Communications Hub. From onboarding videos and step-by-step guides to troubleshooting, it offers valuable information that is always at your fingertips. If you need further support to get the most out of your solution, get in touch with our dedicated Customer Success Team.

The hospitality industry is undergoing a significant transformation, driven by advancements in technology and changing guest expectations. One of the most notable trends is the rise of contactless hotels. But do guests really want contactless hotels? The answer is increasingly yes. Here’s the reasoning behind this interest. The demand for contactless hospitality Guests today expect the same level of convenience in their hotel stays as they experience in their daily lives. According to a 2022 study by Oracle, 67% of travellers are interested in hotels using AI for personalised service, and 36% prefer a fully digital, contactless guest experience. This trend is not just a response to the pandemic but reflects a broader shift towards digital convenience and efficiency. Let’s take a look at a few practical implications of contactless hotel services. What is a contactless check-in and check-out? Contactless check-in allows guests to book their stay and check in without physical interaction with hotel staff; in other words – skipping the reception. This process involves: Guest data collection: Securely collecting visitor information and verifying it with the Property Management System (PMS). Room allocation: The PMS assigns a room to the guest. Digital room key: A digital key is sent to the guest’s mobile device, enabling them to unlock their room without a traditional key card. Contactless check-out enables guests to complete their departure process digitally. Guests confirm their check-out, pay any outstanding charges, and can opt to share contact information for future marketing. Advantages of contactless services in hotels Enhancing the guest experience Contactless check-in and check-out streamline the arrival and departure processes, reducing wait times and enhancing overall satisfaction. Guests appreciate the convenience of managing their stay through their mobile devices. Case Study Reducing staff workload Automating repetitive tasks with AI-powered virtual assistants allows hotel staff to focus on delivering superior service. This improves productivity and job satisfaction, especially amid staff shortages. Increasing revenue Contactless check-in can serve as a marketing channel, promoting upselling and cross-selling of additional services like room service or spa treatments. Hotels can also use collected data for future marketing campaigns, enhancing guest retention and revenue. Collecting valuable data By digitising guest interactions, hotels can gather data to better understand guest preferences and behaviours, enabling personalised marketing and improved service offerings. Hoteliers can also use automated contactless check-out to improve the hotel’s reputation. Ensuring social distancing In the wake of COVID-19, contactless services help maintain social distancing, reduce the risk of virus transmission, and align with guests’ health and safety concerns. The role of AI in contactless hospitality AI is moving beyond buzzwords to practical applications with significant implications for hospitality. Governing bodies like the World Travel & Tourism Council and the European Travel Commission advocate for adopting technological solutions to address staff shortages and enhance operations. This has spurred investment in hospitality tech, particularly in conversational AI. Critical Integrations for Seamless Contactless Services For a seamless contactless guest journey, essential integrations include: Property Management System (PMS): Centralises reservations, payments, and reporting. Mobile Key: Provides digital keys for room access. Contactless Payment Processor: Facilitates secure, wireless transactions without physical cards. Future of Contactless Hotels The popularity of contactless hotel solutions will continue to grow. Guests increasingly view convenience and independence as standard, not a luxury. Implementing contactless check-in, check-out, and other digital services not only meets guest expectations but also provides substantial benefits for hotel operations.  As technology continues to evolve, the contactless guest journey will become an integral part of the hospitality experience, driving the industry forward. However, the human touch in the industry that has personalisation and excellent customer care at its core will always need dedicated hotel staff ready to make guests feel right at home.

Hotel branding goes far beyond a sleek logo and a defined colour palette. It is an all-encompassing process that aims to position a brand in such a way that it is not only recognised and identified by potential guests but also that they prefer it over competitors’ offerings.  Create unique experiences that will be remembered You can create an unrivalled hospitality experience that expresses the essence of your hotel branding based on deep insight into guests’ needs and preferences. Digital interactions are a key element here, and conversational AI is a powerful tool for hoteliers. Imagine a chatbot that is not only able to communicate in the same language as your guest, but can also adopt the tone of voice that makes your hotel unique. This form of personalisation creates an experience tailor-made for each user, saves time, significantly improves the customer experience and ensures that the guest feels truly understood, valued and at ease. And hopefully, impressed too! To unleash the full potential of this strategy, let’s dive deeper into the meaning of hotel branding and explore how a customised chatbot experience can revolutionise your relationship with your guests. What is hotel branding? Hotel branding is the art of communicating the essence of a hotel in such a way that it clearly stands out from the competition and builds a deep bond with its guests. It extends beyond the visual aspects of branding into a process of communicating a set of values to guests, emphasising the intangible aspects of the business. The aim is to achieve uniqueness and recognisability. A hotel’s identity is created through marketing activities that include designs, symbols, interatcions and words, and is built on a clearly defined purpose, guided by the question “Why?” A key part of a branding strategy is online presence. In today’s digital world, where the first impression of a hotel is often made online, it is crucial that its digital presentation and accessibility are considered an essential part of brand-building. The way a hotel presents itself on its website and through social media, and how accessible these platforms are for guests, plays a key role. Social media has become an important source of information for travel planning, with 60,6% of the global population being active users. With thoughtful hotel branding and by using channels effectively, a hotel can not only increase its visibility, but also build a deeper relationship with its guests to offer them an unforgettable experience. Why is hotel branding important? Hotel branding is vital in remaining unique, attracting guests, and standing out from the competition. If travellers can recognise a clear, appealing brand identity, they are more likely to decide to stay at your hotel. A well-established brand is difficult to copy, especially if it is protected. Guests will remember your hotel and choose the experience of it over others because of the emotional connection they build with your brand. Key components of a successful hotel-branding strategy Hotel branding starts with the name, design style, logo, typography and philosophy of the hotel, all of which are at the forefront of branding. Similarly, your employees should express the philosophy and vision of the hotel brand and communicate with guests in a way that reflects the image of your hotel. The most important point of contact with a potential guest is your website’s quality and social media presence. Once these foundations have been established, you can consider using cutting-edge hotel technologies, such as a chatbot that communicates in exactly the desired way – in other words, on brand. Why a good website can change the experience A well-designed website can significantly impact the experience of potential guests by using visual communication to guide customers based on their problems and provide them with a trouble-free website experience. Here are a few facts about the importance of a website that is visually appealing: Hotels with high-quality photos on their websites see an increase in conversion rates of 15% as guests feel more welcome and trust the hotel more. Websites with videos are 53 times more likely to appear on the first page of Google search results. Bookings are 67% more probable when a video tour is available. 74% of customers feel frustrated when a website’s content is not personalised.  These facts underline the critical role that a visually appealing and personalised website plays in enhancing the guest experience and conversion rates. Why more and more hotels are relying on personalised chatbots Chatbots can significantly increase customer engagement by offering your website visitors a personalised experience and proactively identifying and addressing their needs. They create an emotional bond by giving the (accurate) impression that the hotel looks after every guest individually, and they thus convey a feeling of personal care and attention. In times of staff shortages, chatbots offer valuable support by giving the feeling that guests are communicating directly with the hotel reception. They also ensure consistent brand communication, as they always act in the same style and tone, which helps to strengthen the hotel’s identity. How to ensure consistency when using a chatbot To guarantee consistency when using a chatbot, it is important to choose the tone and type of communication carefully and maintain this throughout. Here are some points that can help: Set the tone of voice: Decide how you want to communicate with your guests. Should the chatbot’s greeting be formal, friendly, personal, authoritative, clear or even humorous? It is important to remain consistent without seeming impersonal. This consistency should also be maintained when answering FAQs. Note target group: The communication should appear human, not like a bot generated by default. Highlighting special features, such as a name or a specific icon/avatar for the chatbot, significantly improves the experience. Create a greeting message (a notification to draw attention to the chatbot): This should stand out and make guests feel that someone is available if they have any questions or need support, which imparts a sense of security. Select a welcome message (first message in the chatbot): Opt for an initial message that makes guests feel welcome without being too generic, which could give the impression that the bot can’t answer their questions. Ensure 24/7 availability: Guests from different time zones or researching at night or outside working hours should not have to wait for an answer. Enable multilingualism: The chatbot should be able to communicate in multiple languages to welcome guests from around the world and make them feel comfortable. Offer quick-reply buttons: Simplify communication for guests with predefined answer options for frequently asked questions without restricting the option to form custom replies. Consistency across different channels: Allow the target group to choose their preferred communication channel, but keep communication consistent, including on social media, which also serves as a source of inspiration for travelling. Your personalised chatbot should also be integrated with social media. These strategies help ensure consistent communication, improve the user experience, and increase guests’ confidence. Custom look and feel with HiJiffy’s conversational AI If you personalise your chatbot or the widget on your site, you naturally want them to be in your corporate colours and include your logo. Here’s a checklist to ensure that your chatbot is optimally personalised with HiJiffy: Add a chatbot title and logo: This can be the name of your hotel. Decide on widget placement: It’s usually in the bottom right corner, but the position, alignment and size are up to you. Use your brand colours in the widget and add an icon/logo of your hotel: It is also possible to use GIFs. Give the chatbot a name: This makes it more personal and gives it a human touch. Be creative and consider using part of your hotel name. If you wish, you can also name the chatbot after one of your employees. Examples: “Leo” at Leonardo Hotels, “Magic” at Magic Costa Blanca Select a chatbot avatar: Many hotels opt for a robot, but you can choose whatever you like. GIFs are also possible here. Design quick-reply buttons in company colours: Depending on the colour, you can select the text in white or black so that it is easier to read on a dark or light background. Even if these adjustments seem small, they are all about user-friendliness, readability and brand awareness. With these steps, your chatbot is ready for use. Chatbots are indispensable tools for customising your hotel brand Personalising your brand is essential in the hospitality industry and should be seriously considered as the opportunity to make each guest’s journey as unique as possible. Chatbots offer an excellent opportunity as they can increase efficiency and significantly improve customer satisfaction (CSAT scores) by enabling personalised interaction.  Automation does not mean that personalisation has to fall by the wayside. In fact, it is crucial to consider the personalisation capabilities of a chatbot when selecting and implementing it. Through carefully selected customisations – from the integration of brand colours and logo to naming and avatar selection – the chatbot can effectively become an integral part of your brand identity, offering guests an unparalleled, personalised experience.