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Edwardian Hotels London has announced the launch of an artificially intelligent chatbot, which will act as a concierge for guests staying at the group’s hotels.
Available at the group’s 12 hotels, the chatbot – named ‘Edward’ – will allow guests to check and request hotel amenities, receive information about local bars and restaurants, and send complaints by sending a text message.
The chatbot, which has been designed to respond within a few seconds, follows a wider project to digitally transform the way the group engages with guests.
Edward – designed by Aspect Software – uses a natural language understanding (NLU) interface enabling guests to use natural and conversational language, however the application is backed up by hotel staff allowing complaints to be immediately addressed.
Michael Mrini, director of information technology at Edward Hotels, said: “Edwardian Hotels London places a high value on our brand and it is imperative that we evolve our guest experiences to meet growing consumer demand for more digital interaction.
“The hotel’s recent rebranding is indicative of this initiative, and Edward is a fun and personalised way for our guests to enhance their experience and engage with us.”
Joe Gagnon, senior vice-president and chief customer strategy officer at Aspect, added: “Texting and messaging will very soon become the simple and central entry point for the entire customer service ecosystem, since it’s quick, private and easy to use.
“It’s already a part of most smartphone owners’ everyday lives; it is much more convenient for us to order room service, or get recommendations from Edward on the local tourist hotspots – all with a simple text.”
