Booking.com chatbot trialled worldwide

Booking.com chatbot trialled worldwide

Booking Assistant merges AI tech with the customer service support Continue reading

A pilot version of Booking.com’s new service and support chatbot has been expanded to cover English-language bookings worldwide.

The Booking Assistant uses natural language processing technology to identify the most frequently asked questions from customers.

These include topics such as payment, transportation, arrival and departure times, date changes, cancellation requests, parking information, extra bed requests, pet policies, Wi-Fi and internet availability, as well as a wide variety of greetings and thank-you messages.

The Booking Assistant merges proprietary Artificial Intelligence technology with the company’s customer service support.

The chatbot can currently respond to 30% of customers “stay-related” questions automatically in less than five minutes.

If the Booking Assistant has identified a question it can’t solve on its own, depending on the nature of the query, it pulls in support from either Booking.com customer service team or the property, adding their response directly into the conversation.

Company research covering 19,000 travellers in 26 countries found that half did not mind if they deal with a real person or a computer, so long as their questions are answered.

Global customer service director James Waters said: “For us, AI is not about replacing human interaction, but is instead a vehicle to facilitate an even more personalised, instantaneously gratifying and frictionless travel experience for consumers.

“As we operate in an industry that is incredibly personal, emotional and complex, maintaining the right balance between genuine human interaction and efficient automation is something we’re always trying to fine-tune and optimise throughout every stage of the consumer journey, including with the Booking Assistant.”