Voice assistants in hospitality: using artificial intelligence for customer service

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dimitrios Buhalis ◽  
Iuliia Moldavska
Keyword(s):  
Artificial Intelligence ◽  
Customer Service ◽  
Hospitality Management ◽  
Human Computer Interactions ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Private Households ◽  
Value Cocreation ◽  
Perceptions And Expectations ◽  
Hotel Managers ◽  
Depth Interviews

Purpose Voice assistants (VAs) empower human–computer interactions by recognising human speech and implementing commands pronounced by users. This paper aims to investigate VA-enabled interactions between hotels and guests in the hospitality context. The research positions VAs within the artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled Internet of Things (IoT) context, disrupting old practices and processes. Smart hospitality uses VAs to support effortless value cocreation for guests cost-effectively. The research examines consumer perceptions and expectations of hospitality VAs and explores VA capabilities through expert technology providers. Design/methodology/approach This empirical paper investigates the current use and future implications of VAs for hotel environments. It uses qualitative, semi-structured in-depth interviews with 7 expert hospitality VA technology providers and 21 hotel guests who have VA experience. The research adopts a demand and supply approach, addressing the VAs in hospitality holistically. Findings The findings illustrate the requirements from both end-users’ sides, hotels and guests, exploring VA advantages and challenges. The analysis demonstrates that VAs increasingly become digital assistants. VA technology helps hotels to improve customer service, expand operational capability and reduce costs. Although in its infancy, VA technology has made progress towards optimising hotel operations and upgrading customer service. The study proposes a speech-enabled interactions model. Research limitations/implications This research stimulates the transformation of hospitality services by using VAs and the development of smart hospitality and tourism ecosystems. The study can benefit from further research with hotel managers, to reflect hoteliers’ points of view and investigate their perception of VAs. Further research can also explore different aspects of consumer–VA interaction in different contexts. Practical implications The paper makes a significant contribution to hospitality management and human–computer interaction best practices. It supports technology providers to reconsider how to develop suitable technology solutions towards improving their strategic competitiveness. It also explains how to use VAs cost-effectively and profitably while adding value to travellers’ experience. Originality/value VA studies are often focussed on the technology in private households, rather than in commercial or hotel spaces. This paper contributes to the emerging literature on AI and IoT in smart hospitality and explores the acceptance and operationalisation of VAs. The research contributes to the conceptualisation of VA-enabled hotel services and explores positive and negative features, as well as future prospects.

The needs of Muslim hotel customers: evidence from Russian guests

2019 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Shnyrkova ◽  
Marina Predvoditeleva
Keyword(s):  
Supply And Demand ◽  
Research Field ◽  
Hospitality Management ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Clear Understanding ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Business Context ◽  
Hotel Managers

Purpose The purpose of this study is to identify Halal hotel attributes demanded by the Russian Muslim travelers. Following this, the study aims to investigate whether gender and types of travelers influence the demand for Halal hotel attributes. Design/methodology/approach Semi-structured interviews were conducted to localize the list of Halal hotel attributes for the Russian business context. A self-administrated online questionnaire was designed, distributed and collected from 191 Russian Muslim customers, who have stayed at Halal hotels in the past 12 months. Data analysis includes a t-test and analysis of variance. Findings The study revealed a list of Halal attributes demanded by Russian Muslim customers. Also, the findings indicate that the list of the attributes demonstrated the differences in the requested attributes between gender and types of travelers. Research limitations/implications The study came across three main limitations. The first was that the respondents surveyed were leisure tourists. Second, the majority of the respondents have university degrees. Third, the research sample is limited to approximately 200 respondents. This research primarily contributes to tourism and hospitality management, and consumer behavior literature, as this is the first study yielding insights on a new demographic: Russian Muslim tourists. Practical implications The study provides a clear understanding of the Halal hotel attributes demanded by Russian Muslims that can help hotel managers to accommodate the needs of this group while, at the same time, meeting the requirements of guests of different religions. Social implications The study contributes to improving social relationships within the Russian Federation as it improves society’s understanding of the life principles of Muslims. Originality/value This is the first study investigating the demand for Halal attributes by Russian Muslim tourists. By partly covering the empty research field on this topic, the study provides meaningful direction to future research of the Russian hotels’ Halal services from both supply and demand perspectives.

Consumers’ perception on artificial intelligence applications in marketing communication

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Huan Chen ◽  
Slyvia Chan-Olmsted ◽  
Julia Kim ◽  
Irene Mayor Sanabria
Keyword(s):  
Artificial Intelligence ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Phenomenological Reduction ◽  
Marketing Communication ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Research Project ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Depth Interviews ◽  
Analyze Data

Purpose This study aims to examine consumers’ perception of artificial intelligence (AI) and AI marketing communication. Design/methodology/approach Twenty in-depth interviews were conducted to collect data and phenomenological reduction was used to analyze data. Findings Findings suggest that consumers’ interpretation of AI is multidimensional and relational with a focus on functionality and emotion, as well as comparison and contrast between AI and human beings; consumers’ perception of voice-assisted AI centers on the aspects of function, communication, adaptation, relationship and privacy; consumers consider AI marketing communication to be unavoidable and generally acceptable; and consumers believe that AI marketing communication to be limited in its effect on influencing their evaluation of products/brands or shaping their consumptive behaviors. Originality/value According to the authors' knowledge, this study is the first research project to gauge consumers' perception on AI and AI marketing communication.

Artificial intelligence in the defense sector: an RBV and isomorphism perspectives to the case of the Lebanese Armed Forces

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Charbel Chedrawi ◽  
Yara Atallah
Keyword(s):  
Artificial Intelligence ◽  
Armed Forces ◽  
Sensitive Data ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
Interview Guide ◽  
Innovation And Technology ◽  
Depth Interviews

Purpose This paper aims to dynamically analyze the opportunities and challenges of AI in the defense sector in Lebanon or any security agency or any organization with sensitive data through a resource-based view perspective, the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI)/narrow AI applications in the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) and to diagnose the current strategic orientation toward innovation and technology within the LAF while avoiding isomorphism. Design/methodology/approach The methodology is based on a qualitative interpretive case-study approach collected from several departments of the LAF. In fact, there is a developing convention to use qualitative research approaches among which case studies to study information technology phenomena (Trauth and Jessup, 2000; Benbasat et al., 1987; Klein and Meyers, 1999). Data were collected through centered semi-structured in-depth interviews (two to three hours each) with an interview guide coded abductively between the researchers and the interviewees conducted in numerous departments of the LAF with their top officials and generals (O1, O2, O3…); the anonymity of the interviewees was kept due to the sensitivity of the data collected, which took place between September 2018 and March 2019. Data consolidation and processing were conducted using NVivo. Findings This paper shows that the LAF is undeniably facing many challenges among which isomorphism caused by the lack of resources; it also shows that narrow AI applications provide new avenues for the LAF to avoid such institutional isomorphism. Originality/value The role of narrow AI in limiting isomorphism in the defense sector.

Opportunities and risks of artificial intelligence in recruitment and selection

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Olajide Ore ◽  
Martin Sposato
Keyword(s):  
Artificial Intelligence ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Selection Function ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Effective Performance ◽  
Routine Tasks ◽  
Recruitment And Selection ◽  
Depth Interviews

Purpose The purpose of this study is to contribute to the knowledge on the opportunities and risks in the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in recruitment and selection by exploring the perspectives of recruitment professionals in a multicultural multinational organisation. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative approach was used in this exploratory study. Face-to-face, semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with ten professional recruiters who worked for a multinational corporation. Findings The findings revealed that AI facilitates the effective performance of routine tasks through automation. However, the adoption of AI technology in recruitment and selection is also fraught with risks that engender fear and distrust among recruiters. The effective adoption of AI can improve recruitment strategies. However, cynicism exists because of the fears of job losses to automation, even though the participants thought that their jobs would continue to exist because recruiters should always be humans. Originality/value This paper provides a unique exploration of the opportunities and risks in the adoption of AI for the recruitment and selection function in human resource management. The benefits are the delegation of routine tasks to AI and the confirmation of the crucial role of professional recruiters.

scholarly journals Impact of Artificial Intelligence on the health protection scheme in India

2020 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 273-281
Author(s):  
Raul V. Rodriguez ◽  
Sanjivni Sinha ◽  
Sakshi Tripathi
Keyword(s):  
Artificial Intelligence ◽  
Customer Service ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Healthcare Services ◽  
Health Protection ◽  
Healthcare Sector ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Protection Scheme ◽  
The Future

PurposeThe purpose of the paper is to highlight the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the healthcare industry through the Ayushman Bharat health protection scheme by analyzing various technologies being integrated to improve the customer service and experiences in India. The key focus lies on the understanding of the influence of AI in the healthcare system services, the clinical treatment, and the facilities to progress with accurate and precise health screening in India.Design/methodology/approachA systematic study on the emerging technologies of AI and the applications in the healthcare sector is presented in the form of a viewpoint.FindingsAI certainly enhances experiential services; however, it cannot surpass the human touch which is an essential determinant of experiential healthcare services. AI acts as an effective complementary dimension to the future of healthcare.Originality/valueThis viewpoint discusses the applications and role of AI with the help of relevant examples. It highlights the different technologies being applied and how they will be used in the future focusing upon the Ayushman Bharat health protection scheme in India.

scholarly journals Role of artificial intelligence and robotics to foster the touchless travel during a pandemic: a review and research agenda

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Loveleen Gaur ◽  
Anam Afaq ◽  
Gurmeet Singh ◽  
Yogesh Kumar Dwivedi
Keyword(s):  
Artificial Intelligence ◽  
Research Agenda ◽  
Hospitality Industry ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Hospitality Management ◽  
Protective Measure ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Research Areas ◽  
And Robotics

Purpose The hospitality industry experienced an unanticipated challenge from the COVID-19 pandemic. However, research in this area is scarce. Accordingly, this study aims to unfold a three-angled research agenda to intensify the knowledge advancement in the hospitality sector. It proposes a theoretical framework by extending the protection motivation theory (PMT) to explain the guest’s intent to adopt artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics as a protective measure in reaction to COVID-19. Design/methodology/approach The research is centered on outlining the pertinent literature on hospitality management practices and the guest’s transformed behavior during the current crisis. This study intends to identify a research agenda based on investigating hospitality service trends in today’s changing times. Findings The study sets out a research agenda that includes three dimensions as follows: AI and robotics, cleanliness and sanitation and health care and wellness. This study’s findings suggest that AI and robotics may bring out definite research directions at the connection of health crisis and hospitality management, taking into account the COVID-19 crisis. Practical implications The suggested research areas are anticipated to propel the knowledge base and help the hospitality industry retrieve the COVID-19 crisis through digital transformation. AI and robotics are at the cusp of invaluable advancement that can revive the hotels while re-establish guests’ confidence in safe hotel practices. The proposed research areas are likely to impart pragmatic lessons to the hospitality industry to fight against disruptive situations. Originality/value This study stands out to be pioneer research that incorporated AI and robotics to expand the PMT and highlights how behavioral choices during emergencies can bring technological revolution.

scholarly journals Customers’ evaluation of mechanical artificial intelligence in hospitality services: a study using online reviews analytics

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcello Mariani ◽  
Matteo Borghi
Keyword(s):  
Artificial Intelligence ◽  
Online Reviews ◽  
Service Robots ◽  
Specific Element ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Related Text ◽  
Online Ratings ◽  
Hotel Service ◽  
Hotel Managers ◽  
Service Interactions

Purpose This paper aims to analyze if and to what extent mechanical artificial intelligence (AI)-embedded in hotel service robots-influences customers’ evaluation of AI-enabled hotel service interactions. This study deploys online reviews (ORs) analytics to understand if the presence of mechanical AI-related text in ORs influences customers’ OR valence across 19 leading international hotels that have integrated mechanical AI – in the guise of service robots – into their operations. Design/methodology/approach First, the authors identified the 19 leading hotels across three continents that have pioneered the adoption of service robots. Second, by deploying big data techniques, the authors gathered the entire population of ORs hosted on TripAdvisor (almost 50,000 ORs) and generated OR analytics. Subsequently, the authors used ordered logistic regressions analyses to understand if and to what extent AI-enabled hospitality service interactions are evaluated by service customers. Findings The presence of mechanical AI-related text (text related to service robots) in ORs influences positively electronic word-of-mouth (e-WOM) valence. Hotel guests writing ORs explicitly mentioning their interactions with the service robots are more prone to associate high online ratings to their ORs. The presence of the robot’s proper name (e.g., Alina, Wally) in the OR moderates positively the positive effect of mechanical AI-related text on ORs ratings. Research limitations/implications Hospitality practitioners should evaluate the possibility to introduce service robots into their operations and develop tailored strategies to name their robots (such as using human-like and short names). Moreover, hotel managers should communicate more explicitly their initiatives and investments in AI, monitor AI-related e-WOM and invest in educating their non-tech-savvy customers to understand and appreciate AI technology. Platform developers might create a robotic tag to be attached to ORs mentioning service robots to signal the presence of this specific element and might design and develop an additional service attribute that might be tentatively named “service robots.” Originality/value The current study represents the first attempt to understand if and to what extent mechanical AI in the guise of hotel service robots influences customers’ evaluation of AI-enabled hospitality service interactions.

Does managerial efficiency relate to customer satisfaction? The case of Parisian boutique hotels

2016 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 455-470 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mustafeed Zaman ◽  
Laurent Botti ◽  
Tan Vo Thanh
Keyword(s):  
Customer Satisfaction ◽  
Customer Service ◽  
Service Industry ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Managerial Efficiency ◽  
Hotel Managers ◽  
Boutique Hotels ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between the managerial efficiency and the customer satisfaction of Parisian boutique hotels by using the multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) methods. Design/methodology/approach In the first stage, hotels’ managerial efficiency is assessed by data envelopment analysis to establish which hotel has the most efficient performance. In the second stage, the customer satisfaction of these hotels is estimated by the ELECTRE (ELimination et Choix Traduisant la RÉalité) method to assess the hotel’s ability to satisfy their customers. Findings Empirical results show that there is an inverse relation between customer satisfaction and ability to maximise the Revenue per Available Room (RevPAR). In other words, trying to improve efficiency implies a reduction in guests’ satisfaction (and vice versa). Research limitations/implications Therefore, through this research the authors can realise that hotel managers should give more attention to customer service because it has a more direct and important impact on customer satisfaction. It also positively impacts on resource management. However, there are some limitations to this study. First, this study only focuses on 12 hotels. Because the data set is very confidential, it is very difficult to have a bigger sample. Then, the evaluation is based on 2014 figures only. It could be interesting to know their performance for previous years to understand their evolution. Finally, it is necessary to know the percentage of direct reservations for each hotel. For instance, if a hotel is relying too much on online travel agents (i.e. Booking.com, Expedia, etc.), it needs to pay a significant amount of commission to these companies. As a result, it could have a good RevPAR but might pay a huge commission (for example, 20 per cent for most of sites) at the end. In terms of perspectives, it is necessary to conduct a more extensive research to test the hypothesis in a different context. Additionally, the data were taken for a single period of time. It will be very interesting to create a panel of hotels and collect data over a period of time (Barros, 2005; Barros and Santos, 2006; Barros and Deike, 2008). This would enable to better understand the relationship between managerial efficiency and customer satisfaction in a long-term prospective. Originality/value This paper presents the relationship between the managerial efficiency and customer satisfaction in Parisian boutique hotels context. Study suggests that in service industry, increase of firm’s efficiency could negatively impact the guest satisfaction. Therefore, through studying the authors can realise that why hotel managers should focus on customer satisfaction, which attributes play the vital role in customer satisfaction and how to optimize their resources. One of the originalities of this paper is that the authors use the customers’ feedback from the UGC websites (Trip Advisor and Booking.com) as the performance evaluation indicators for customer satisfaction. The data are very confidential and hard to get.

The historic Hawthorne hotel: improving customer service

2016 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 49-70
Author(s):  
Jacqueline C. Landau ◽  
Lillian Little ◽  
Myunghee Mindy Jeon
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Behavior ◽  
Customer Service ◽  
Qualitative Interview ◽  
Hospitality Management ◽  
Archival Data ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Hospitality Students ◽  
A Company

Synopsis This case focusses on management and customer service issues at a historic hotel, the Hawthorne, in Salem, Massachusetts. By 1999, when Juli Lederhaus was hired as the new general manager, the Hawthorne had a reputation of being well past its prime and customers were dissatisfied with the quality of service and outdated physical facilities. This case describes the actions she took, up to 2012, to improve service. The case ends with Lederhaus contemplating whether more changes are needed given that she had just heard a rumor that a company was considering building a new hotel just a few blocks away. The case gives students the opportunity to analyze the strengths and weaknesses of the Hotel in relation to customer service, and propose recommendations for future improvements. Research methodology A qualitative, interview based, methodology was used. The researchers held numerous, face-to-face interviews with the owner and employees of various ranks. Information was also gathered from archival data and traveler review sites such as TripAdvisor.com and Yelp.com. Relevant courses and levels The case is targeted to undergraduate business and hospitality students at a sophomore or junior level. Classes in which this case could be used include: Organizational Behavior, Human Resource Management, and Hospitality Management.

scholarly journals Cybersecurity advocates: discovering the characteristics and skills of an emergent role

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Julie M. Haney ◽  
Wayne G. Lutters
Keyword(s):  
Best Practices ◽  
Customer Service ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Interpersonal Skills ◽  
Career Progression ◽  
Service Orientation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Depth Interviews ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose Cybersecurity advocates safeguard their organizations by promoting security best practices. This paper aims to describe the skills and characteristics of successful advocates. Design/methodology/approach This study involved 28 in-depth interviews of cybersecurity advocates. Findings Effective advocates possess not only technical acumen but also interpersonal skills, communication skills context awareness and a customer service orientation. Practical implications Non-technical skills are deemphasized in cybersecurity training, limiting career progression into the cybersecurity advocate role for existing security professionals and those from other disciplines. This paper suggests improvements for professional development that encourage greater security workforce diversity. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to define and enumerate competencies for the role of cybersecurity advocate.

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