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70s when there was no internet and travelers would make hotel bookings through travel agents or phone calls.

made via phone prior to their arrival was tentative and not confirmed

, they were forced to look elsewhere

With the help of AI, businesses operating in the hospitality industry can upgrade their services, processes and improve customer experiences.

AI systems, more specifically chatbots, have proved to be extremely effective when it comes to direct messaging and online chat services. Chatbots are able to understand and respond to simple questions or requests almost instantaneously. And they can do this 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Apart from discussing with customers, AI-driven chatbots can help hotel guests with a wide range of tasks, including ordering meals or drinks, controlling room temperature and lighting, managing evening reservations, as well as taxi booking and itinerary planning.

Countless hospitality industry leaders are increasingly leveraging the use of one specific tool in their hotels to increase personalization and exceed customer expectations: artificial intelligence or more commonly known as AI.

More and more hotels, especially large global hotel chains such as Marriott International, Hilton Hotels & Resorts, and Caesars Entertainment, have started implementing the use of AI in their hotels in the form of chatbot messaging, AI powered customer service, and data analytics in hopes of redefining the current industry standards on a personalized guest experience.

Marriott International, for example, has multiple chatbots including Marriott Rewards chatbots which are available on various platforms such as Facebook Messenger, Slack, WeChat, and Google Assistant (Bethesda

Consumer marketers will often send emails out about abandoned shopping carts, offering discounts and upsales based on Web behavior. These emails often prompt customers to complete their orders. B2b marketers can do the same and gain similar results.

use failed internal search terms to dictate email offers

use simple browsing data to add content to regular emails related to whatever the last thing your customers were browsing for, he said

The eCommerce world is undergoing significant changes and consumers have higher expectations. Because of this if eCommerce websites are going to be successful they need to adapt to the new realities of the market. Izzonet CEO, Tallya Rabinovich, offers guidance for both existing and aspiring online sellers.

However, as those numbers continue to increase, overall customer satisfaction with online shopping experiences seem to be on the decline. Recent surveys have shown a general downward trend in satisfaction over the past few years, something that appears to be the result of increased customer expectations. “In the past retailers thought it was enough to simply have an online store, but times have changed,” says Tallya Rabinovich.

When asked what eCommerce websites need to succeed in 2013 and beyond, Tallya offered a few useful tips. “First, it is important that eCommerce store owners are not only looking at next year, but also looking 5-10 years down the line. Keep abreast of events and developments in both the technology and business sectors so that your site can continually grow and adapt. Second, my observations show that the one thing that customers want more than anything else is personalization. As much as customers appreciate the convenience and lower prices of online shopping, they sometimes miss the personal experience of a brick and mortar store. To overcome this, make sure your online store is as personal and interactive as possible. This means have a good “contact us” page that makes you seem accessible, and, even better, have a live chat option to show your customers that there is a real person who is there for them.

Sceptre Hospitality Resources, the hospitality industry's foremost top line revenue enhancement service provider, announced today their "voice services will be powered by Thing5 LLC", the leading provider of telecommunications and reservation services to the hospitality industry

They have a long track record of helping hospitality clients achieve consistent sales revenue growth.

"Thing5 is a managed telecommunications technology leader built on the strategy of offering comprehensive, Communication-as-a-Service (CaaS) and BPO Solutions for the Hospitality and Travel Industries"

Today’s travelers are armed with three or four mobile devices to help them stay connected to office and home. They are more inclined to carry a tablet than a laptop. And, when these business travelers communicate with the home front from their hotel room, they are most likely do so with a video chat

They travel with 3-4 mobile devices.

For friends and family, nothing beats face time.

A program called Mixologists lets patrons play bartender by creating and ordering concoctions of whatever cocktails and mixers they click on. The system is able to remember users' drink orders and, one day, may be able to offer customers the same drink at other Harrah's locations, such as when they play a slot machine. Another program lets users watch YouTube videos, either by searching or choosing from a list of popular videos. Harrah's officials said they reached a licensing deal with YouTube on Wednesday. The table also includes a program called Flirt, which lets customers sitting at any such table in the lounge see and chat with each other, take and e-mail pictures and even trade cellphone numbers. "In a different point in my life, I might use Flirt a lot," Stanley said. Other programs let users play video games or get information about restaurants, shows, nightclubs and other Harrah's attractions. Pete Thompson, Microsoft's general manager of surface computing, said the table's computer was designed so businesses can customize it to meet their needs. "This is very open. There's no scripting," Thompson said. "People feel a sense of freedom." Thompson said the computer uses a camera behind the screen to detect hand movements, which become visible to the camera like silhouettes once users press their fingers on the table. That lets the table display high resolution images but still function as a table, he said. Unlike a typical computer monitor, you can still set drinks on it.

When we log onto the Internet, we take lots of things for granted. We assume that we'll be able to access whatever Web site we want, whenever we want to go there. We assume that we can use any feature we like -- watching online video, listening to podcasts, searching, e-mailing and instant messaging -- anytime we choose. We assume that we can attach devices like wireless routers, game controllers or extra hard drives to make our online experience better. What makes all these assumptions possible is "Network Neutrality," the guiding principle that preserves the free and open Internet. Net Neutrality means that Internet service providers may not discriminate between different kinds of content and applications online. It guarantees a level playing field for all Web sites and Internet technologies. But all that could change. The biggest cable and telephone companies would like to charge money for smooth access to Web sites, speed to run applications, and permission to plug in devices. These network giants believe they should be able to charge Web site operators, application providers and device manufacturers for the right to use the network. Those who don't make a deal and pay up will experience discrimination: Their sites won't load as quickly, and their applications and devices won't work as well. Without legal protection, consumers could find that a network operator has blocked the Web site of a competitor, or slowed it down so much that it's unusable. The network owners say they want a "tiered" Internet. If you pay to get in the top tier, your site and your service will run fast. If you don't, you'll be in the slow lane. What's the Problem Here? Discrimination: The Internet was designed as an open medium. The fundamental idea since the Internet's inception has been that every Web site, every feature and every service should be treated without discrimination. That's how bloggers can compete with CNN or USA Today for readers. That's how up-and-coming musicians can build underground audiences before they get their first top-40 single. That's why when you use a search engine, you see a list of the sites that are the closest match to your request -- not those that paid the most to reach you. Discrimination endangers our basic Internet freedoms. Double-dipping: Traditionally, network owners have built a business model by charging consumers for Internet access. Now they want to charge you for access to the network, and then charge you again for the things you do while you're online. They may not charge you directly via pay-per-view Web sites. But they will charge all the service providers you use. These providers will then pass those costs along to you in the form of price hikes or new charges to view content. Stifling innovation: Net Neutrality ensures that innovators can start small and dream big about being the next EBay or Google without facing insurmountable hurdles. Unless we preserve Net Neutrality, startups and entrepreneurs will be muscled out of the marketplace by big corporations that pay for a top spot on the Web. On a tiered Internet controlled by the phone and cable companies, only their own content and services -- or those offered by corporate partners that pony up enough "protection money" -- will enjoy life in the fast lane. The End of the Internet? Make no mistake: The free-flowing Internet as we know it could very well become history. What does that mean? It means we could be headed toward a pay-per-view Internet where Web sites have fees. It means we may have to pay a network tax to run voice-over-the-Internet phones, use an advanced search engine, or chat via Instant Messenger. The next generation of inventions will be shut out of the top-tier service level. Meanwhile, the network owners will rake in even greater profits.

Today’s hospitality is being transformed into a 100% digital technology-enabled industry powered by online, mobile, cloud, IoT, AI and blockchain tools and applications. Digital technology is making its way into every aspect of the industry: hotel operations, guest services, communications, revenue management, distribution, CRM and marketing.

Guest Engagement, Acquisition, and Retention Technology – these are technology applications focused on engaging and bringing the guest to the property, continuing the conversation pre-, during and post-stay and eventually turning the guest into a loyal and repeat guest. Guest Services Technology – these are on-property hardware devices and appliances, and software applications (on-premises or cloud-based) that provide or enhance guest services, improve guest comfort and satisfaction and enable customer service and communications.

Reluctance to invest in digital technology: This reluctance to invest in digital technology comes from the lack of understanding that we are serving technology obsessed travel consumers who demand a hotel technological experience be equal or better to what they have at home.

With more than 96% of modern hotel guests carrying smart devices, the obvious next step is ensuring that you provide your guests with a smart experience.

anticipates your guests’ needs.

mobile strategy should include a strong social media presence, direct digital messaging, and in-app chat.

One of the ways in which hotel brands can provide seamless experiences across multiple touchpoints is by ensuring that employees are empowered with the right guest management solutions that leverage a combination of technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), deep analytics, and customer relationship management software integrations.

Being able to communicate with customers using their preferred channel is also becoming increasingly important. Two-thirds of consumers in Salesforce’s survey said that they prefer to communicate through email, text, or chat.

For example, if a particular guest has visited the spa during every hotel stay, built-in AI capabilities will recommend a complimentary spa service for this guest. A relevant offer like this will have a much better impact on the guest experience than something that the hotel guest will not use,”

E-commerce has now become a very important and basic part of people’s lives and since it is the selling and buying of products and services via the internet it has not only impacted on the business industry but the hospitality industry as well.

The hospitality industry being one of the most essential industries must move together with the evolving world in order to fully satisfy consumers and this has brought an unavoidable combination of E-commerce and hospitality.

Roughly a quarter of the global population will reportedly shop online this year. That’s an increase of 40 percent since 2014, with more growth to come.

Know how your audience uses smartphones.

Email marketing remains critical for ecommerce, but Messenger, text, and app notifications are becoming more commonplace for shipping and delivery confirmations.