Preparing for the AI Shift: Supercharging hospitality teams
The hospitality industry thrives on personal touch, exceptional service, and memorable experiences. In an era where technology is rapidly advancing, integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) isn't about replacing the human element—it's about amplifying it.
Especially in regions like New Zealand with lean manning on all front, where tech adoption has been gradual, there's a golden opportunity for hotels and hospitality businesses to leap ahead by miles by empowering their teams, that begins with getting key personnel equipped with AI tools tailored to their specific departmental needs.
Start With Your People
Your team is the backbone of your hospitality business. By equipping them with AI tools that enhance their capabilities, you transform them into a superhuman force, capable of delivering delivering operational efficiency in a way we never thought possible, definitely outpacing competitors.
Rather than imposing broad, generic “AI solutions”, the focus should be on empowering individual departments to identify and implement AI applications that resonate with their unique challenges and objectives.
Companies need to create “Custom GPTs” departments to use wide range of tasks. This will ensure all personel in a company maintain the same company tone, style and stick to your policies. You alget to ensure consistency with the quality of output, never being concerned about AI going rogue.
Prompt Engineering: The Key to Effective AI Use
Before diving into department-specific strategies, let's talk about prompt engineering. Simply put, it's the art of communicating effectively with AI to get precise, useful outcomes. Think of it as giving clear instructions to a new team member—you need to be specific to achieve the desired outcome.
In my early days experimenting with AI tools, I noticed that vague queries led to generic or irrelevant responses. But when I crafted clear, detailed prompts, the AI provided actionable insights that genuinely improved our operations.
Tips for Effective Prompt Engineering
Be Specific and Clear
Avoid broad generic questions like, "How can we improve guest satisfaction?" unless you’re looking for broad generic responses. Instead try "List three strategies to reduce check-in wait times during peak hours at a boutique hotel in the Coromandel factoring in the location’s constraints, with 3 front desk agents and 2 hotel duty managers."
Set the Context
Example: "You are supporting a Hotel HR advisor with responding to an allegation made by a senior chef at ____". The more details in the context, the better as it would be with humans.
Define the Desired Output
Example: "Provide 4 stage plan across 3 months involving front line staff and the HR team."
Iterate and Refine
Start with a context and the best prompt you can come up with, and then continue to engage within the same thread to sharpet up the output to your desired results.
Now that we’ve covered the basics, here are some ways AI can be incorporated in the various hospitality and hotel departments.
Human Resources:
Craft Compelling Job Descriptions & Adverts
Writing engaging job descriptions is crucial for attracting top talent. Use OpenAI's GPT-4 to generate role-specific postings that reflect your company's tone and culture.
Example Prompt:
"You are an expert at Job Descriptions for the hospitality Sector. Create a job description for a Front Desk Receptionist at our luxury resort, highlighting exceptional guest service skills and experience in a fast-paced hospitality environment. The following is the company template to incorporate {paste an old JD]"
Personalize Onboarding
Tailor the onboarding experience for new hires using AI assistants like Claude. By inputting the employee's role and background, Claude can design a customized onboarding plan that accelerates integration.
Streamline Reviews
Optimize your performance review process using platforms like Lattice or 15Five, which incorporate AI to analyze employee performance data. These tools help draft evaluations that are consistent, fair, and aligned with company policies.
Automate Meeting Minutes
Save time during meetings by employing Otter.ai for real-time transcription. Afterward, use ChatGPT to summarize key points and action items.
Marketing
Engaging High Quality Content
Streamline your content creation process using AI tools like Jasper.ai or OpenAI's ChatGPT. These platforms can produce blog posts, social media updates, and promotional material that resonate with your audience. With access to this, there’s no excuse to have a weak content strategy.
Stunning Visuals
Design eye-catching graphics without a professional designer using AI tools like Midjourney or DALL·E 3.
Customer Sentiment Analysis
Analyze Feedback
You can deep dive into your guest reviews and feedback using AI platforms like MonkeyLearn or OpenAI's GPT-4. These tools help you identify positive aspects to highlight and areas needing improvement.
Front Desk and Guest Services
Language Translation
Equip your team with real-time translation tools like Microsoft Translator. This enables seamless communication with international guests.
Self-Service
Reduce wait times by introducing AI-powered kiosks or mobile apps from providers like INTELITY, allowing guests to check in and out efficiently.
Housekeeping
Optimize Tasks
Improve efficiency by utilizing AI-driven platforms like Quore or Optii Solutions to schedule housekeeping based on real-time data.
Food and Beverage
a. Inventory Management
Adopt AI solutions like ChefTech to monitor stock levels and predict ordering needs. Outcome: AI predicts a surge in demand for certain dishes based on historical data and upcoming local events, ensuring the kitchen is well-stocked.
b. Personalized Dining Recommendations
Use AI to tailor dining suggestions to individual guests. Outcome: A guest with vegan preferences receives customized menu options and notifications about special plant-based dishes during their stay.
Sales and Revenue Management
Optimize Rates
Implement dynamic pricing strategies using AI tools like Duetto, adjusting room rates based on real-time demand and market conditions.
Forecast Trends with Revinate
Use predictive analytics to anticipate booking patterns and adjust strategies accordingly.
Target Marketing
Analyze booking data to identify valuable customer segments and tailor promotions using AI-driven CRM systems.
Embracing AI: Best Practices for a Seamless Rollout
Identify Departmental Needs
Before adopting AI tools, consult with each department to understand their specific challenges and objectives. This ensures that the AI solutions implemented are relevant and effective.
Pilot Programs
Start with small-scale pilot programs to test AI applications within a department. Gather feedback, measure performance improvements, and refine the tools before a full-scale rollout.
Invest in Training
Equip your team with the necessary skills to leverage AI tools. Training programs should be ongoing, reflecting the evolving nature of AI technologies.
Collaborate with AI Enthusiasts
Encourage employees who show interest in AI to become champions within their departments. Their enthusiasm can drive adoption and innovation from within.
Ethical Considerations
Ensure that AI implementations respect guest privacy, comply with regulations, and enhance rather than detract from the human element of hospitality.
The Competitive Edge of AI Empowerment
By starting with your people and integrating AI into the fabric of your hospitality operations, you create a dynamic where technology enhances human capabilities. In markets like New Zealand, where AI adoption is still gaining momentum, early adopters stand to gain a significant competitive advantage. The key lies not in adopting AI for AI's sake but in thoughtfully applying its capabilities to empower your team, delight your guests, and drive your business forward.
Embrace the future of hospitality by investing in your greatest asset—your people—and watch as they transform into a superhuman team delivering excellence at every turn.
