Hilton had unveiled last March the beta launch of a conversational digital concierge. Accor is following the same path, but this time on a larger scale. Following a pilot phase last year, based on over a million customer conversations, the French group has just announced the global rollout of a conversational AI assistant, ALL Concierge, on both its website and the ALL Accor app, as well as on the WhatsApp and iMessage messaging platforms.
In practice, this digital concierge follows the customer from the search for ideas right through to the post-stay stage. It suggests hotels based on the desired holiday style or sought-after experience, and then compares offers from the properties. It can also provide detailed information about the properties, whether on breakfast and spa opening times or restaurant menus. Before, ultimately, moving on to booking by directing customers to the Accor booking platform.
" ALL Concierge offers a total experience », describes Nicolas Maynard, SVP of Data Science and AI at Accor. Everything is indeed brought together in a single conversation with direct confirmation of the reservation, and management extends to Q&A on bookings already made. For example, if the guest forgot to ask whether there was a car park at the hotel or how many points their stay could earn them. And if it does not have an answer to everything, a member of staff can take over for more complex or specific questions.
" A good concierge remembers your name and anticipates your needs even before you express them. Until now, this level of attention was reserved for a privileged few. With our ALL Concierge, we are making it accessible to every customer, anywhere, at any time », commented Alix Boulnois, Chief Commercial, Digital & Tech Officer of the Accor group.
However, naturally, members of the ALL programme are also recognised according to their status and the app will offer them personalised responses based on their preferences, past stays and loyalty profile. At a later stage, ALL Concierge will be able to help members optimise their loyalty by suggesting ways to earn and make the best use of points and benefits, for example to pay for a cocktail or a meal. A loyalty coach of sorts, which will also be able to remind members who are also loyal to Air France to link their accounts to accumulate points on both programmes. As well as recommending local events and experiences selected by partners such as Fever, and bookable with their ALL Reward points.
New features expected soon
To begin with, this service is offered in 11 languages – though only in 4 on the app – before being rolled out to all languages covered by Accor by the end of the year. Among the other features that will follow shortly are the modification or cancellation of bookings, the immediate retrieval of invoices and, to refine searches, hotel comparison on a map or by destination. Lastly, this ALL Concierge also has some punch as it will answer guest calls to offer them immediate voice assistance by being integrated into Accor's customer services and hotel telephone lines.
Regarding business customers more specifically, this ALL Concierge does not yet provide information on hotels« meeting rooms and event spaces. However, this development is planned in the group's roadmap.« We are going to have a dedicated website for meeting spaces and event spaces, which will subsequently be integrated into the All Concierge platform », stated Alix Boulnouis.
