How travel and hospitality companies can transform customer and employee experiences with Twilio Voice and AI

How travel and hospitality companies can transform customer and employee experiences with Twilio Voice and AI

Experiences are the beating heart of travel and hospitality. And in today’s landscape, the quality of those experiences can prove pivotal for business performance. Consistently good customer experiences drive loyalty and repeat business, while good employee experiences keep team members satisfied and retention high. 

However, in fast-evolving industries like these, challenges persist. For many organisations today there’s significant pressure to develop and enhance how we offer these experiences to remain competitive.

Labour shortages

In industries where consistency is everything, labour and workforce shortages are creating tension. With ongoing retention issues and fluctuations in staff levels, the quality and efficiency of certain services is being impacted.

Rising costs

Simply offering a service is one thing. Ensuring that that service is held to the highest standard is another – and can be the difference between a great and excellent customer rating. However, an ongoing increase in operational costs is affecting profit margins, threatening to compromise service delivery.

Higher expectations

Unsurprisingly, with the advancement of new technologies, customers today are increasingly expecting more for their money, and personalised, consistent experiences. A big part of this involves expectations around technology and digital-first services for seamless experiences, whether for check-in, easier payments or customer service.

Voice first

Despite automated services streamlining customer support, today’s travel and hospitality customers still place high importance on Voice – and being able to speak to a human when the time is right. In fact, 48% of the people we surveyed said they feel listened to by a brand when they speak to a human, demonstrating that the power of voice is evergreen (Twilio, 2024).

AI and Voice technology in particular present an opportunity for organisations to navigate ongoing cost pressures and increasing demands, all while improving employee and customer experiences. Let’s explore how.

Deliver faster and more personal experiences

AI and Voice technologies are capable of reshaping travel and hospitality altogether. In an increasingly technology-driven world, customers are craving connection more than ever, together with emotional resonance and understanding. On the employee side, AI tools are helping workers save over 30 minutes per day, with 92% saying it boosts creativity, helping them manage workloads and focus on high-value tasks (Microsoft, 2024).

Organisations can use Twilio solutions to meet the evolving needs of their customers, while improving the wellbeing of their staff. 

Streamline communication

Offering a great service can be difficult when teams are already trying to do more with less. With increased employee turnover, travel and hospitality staff are trying to do what they can with reduced numbers across the workforce. Voice and AI solutions can lighten the load, streamlining staff communications, supporting with shift scheduling and aiding efficiency.

Automate processes

Time is usually of the essence in customer service, meaning employees need faster ways to do their job well. By automating processes such as check-ins and bookings through chatbots, organisations can relieve pressure on staff while reducing any burden on operational costs and optimising services for convenience. Meanwhile, AI agents can handle simple routine call requests – such as wake-up calls or booking confirmations – freeing up staff to take of more complex queries. 

Provide 24/7 support

A whole range of circumstances can cause the needs of travel and hospitality customers to change at any given moment. If an AI-powered voice assistant can’t solve the issue, the conversation is smoothly relayed to a live agent with no starting over and no friction. No matter the hour, guests can get support through natural, conversational voice interactions, building trust and exceeding expectations. What’s more, virtual agents can help with simple customer requests, reducing human agents’ workload and helping get to a resolution quicker.

Personalise experiences

As today’s customers expect personalisation in the services they receive, there are a range of ways to speak to them on a deeper level. Voice technology can help organisations unlock actionable insights from past customer conversations, helping to build personalised experiences and anticipate needs, in turn boosting satisfaction and retention.

Cut complexity with customisable solutions

Both employees and customers stand to benefit from innovations in technology, particularly with the game-changing advantages of Voice and AI. In fact, 73% of hoteliers consider emerging technology to be pivotal in hotel performance (Hospitality Tech, 2024). 

Despite this, resistance remains among employees. Organisations should therefore consider solutions that go the extra mile in supporting the day-to-day of employees, with those that both integrate seamlessly and begin streamlining tasks from the offset.

With scalable, customisable Voice and AI solutions, Twilio can seamlessly integrate technologies that improve both customer and employee experiences, without complex set-ups or off-putting costs.

Elevate customer and employee experiences with Twilio Voice and AI solutions.