CHLA Lodging News Sept/Oct 2020

www.calodging.com September/October 2020 13 Meet Pierre Your Mobile Concierge CHLA Member Benefit CHLA HAS RECENTLY PARTNERED with SEL Global for “Pierre,” a new Mobile Concierge app offering innovative solutions for hoteliers and innkeepers. Pierre’s leading-edge technologies will not only greatly enhance the hotel guest experience but will also help keep guests and staff safe during these COVID-19 times. Pierre provides guests with many of the concierge services typically offered by hotels but now these services can conveniently and safely be accessed through a guest’s cell phone. Imagine guests being able to order food delivery, book ride sharing, car rentals, eBikes/eScooters restaurants and wineries, access personalized local maps, and so much more all through an app that the hotel has provided for free. The time saved, the ease of use and the contactless service provided will be a win-win for your staff and for your guests. Importantly, Pierre gives hotels the option of using their own branding and logos in the app. Pierre has also partnered with many well known brands to offer discounts and offers exclusively to Pierre users. Globally, the hospitality industry has become a rapidly changing industry. OTAs have dramatically altered the landscape over the last decade, and now COVID-19 is proving to be the biggest disruptor yet. To entice travelers back and regain loyalty post-pandemic, hoteliers need to build better one-on-one relationships with guests. Pierre will be the tool needed to make the strongest impression. Prioritize Guest Safety with Touchless Everything Even before the pandemic, hotels had been inching towards contactless check-in. Now, it’s being fast-tracked as a priority. Utilizing their built-in WiFi and Beacon location-based solutions, Pierre can inform hotels when guests are within half-a-mile or closer and trigger a personalized message upon arrival—“Please pick up your key here. Your code is 62541,”—allowing guests to pick up their key from an envelope or a key lockbox. Curate Personalized Hotel Guest Experiences with Live AI In a recent industry research study, consumers were asked what technology they believed hospitality brands could leverage to create the most compelling customer experiences. Lo and behold, digital representatives (chatbots, voice automation, etc.) came out ahead. That’s why SEL is excited about bringing out their Live Hotel Guest Chat through AI. Adding state-of-the-art AI using voice commands, Pierre offers “before/during/after” prompts for guests, sparking conversation and collecting data in real-time. With Pierre, hotels can start interacting with guests right after booking, which is a great way to get information before arrival and ensure they’re having the best experience possible. During a stay, Pierre can ask, “How is your room?” or “Can we book your favorite winery?” Additionally, it can provide safety and cleanliness updates and share local reopenings in the area. Robyn Glue, SEL Global Co-Founder states, “Sparking conversation is the first step towards building brand loyalty, and Pierre’s AI makes it easy for hotels to do that at scale.” After checkout, a simple, “How did you enjoy your stay?” prompt can encourage feedback, without pushing a survey on people who are resistant to filling one out. Plus, AI can gather hundreds of data collection points to build a profile on guests’ passions, which they can then use to surprise and delight loyal guests on the next visit. Reopen With Confidence The hospitality industry has dealt with setbacks before, remerging each time with increased vigor. Moving forward, guests will expect enhanced tools, like Pierre’s AI-powered support channels and personalized communications, not to mention reducing physical touchpoints. Hotels that cater to these needs will win the brand loyalty and the much needed repeat guests. When travelers return, hotels will be transformed, replete with new technology to provide a safer, more personalized post-pandemic environment. With Pierre’s easy-to-deploy app, even smaller hotels and innkeepers—who may not have an IT department or huge technology budgets—can begin to prepare now for guests’ new demands and expectations.  For more information about how Pierre Mobile Concierge can help you bring back guests safely, contact us at https://selglobal.com . 1 1 “Sparking conversation is the first step towards building brand loyalty, and Pierre’s AI makes it easy for hotels to do that at scale.” – Robyn Glue, SEL Global Co-Founder