Using AI for Identification

Imagine having a tool that quietly scans your upcoming reservations and highlights guests who could potentially become your hotel’s strongest advocates. While all guests have influence, some guests possess more sway than others in shaping perceptions and driving word-of-mouth recommendations. Wouldn't you want to identify these influential guests?

BHPeople an innovative app in development uses artificial intelligence to analyse open-source information and identify VIPs or influential visitors before they even arrive. By understanding which guests have greater influence, you can tailor your service to create memorable experiences that turn them into ambassadors for your brand. This enhances guest satisfaction and significantly increases your sales potential.

Improving Service by Understanding Guests

As hotel operators, wouldn't you want to know more about the guests that stay with you? Gaining insights into their preferences and behaviours allows you to offer the right service tailored to their needs. Furthermore, knowing your guests can also help you identify opportunities for additional sales, and foster lasting relationships that contribute to your hotel's growth. By leveraging the insights provided by this tool, you can not only enhance the guest experience but also strategically position your hotel for future success. Understanding your guests is key to building a loyal clientele and maximising your revenue potential. With these insights, let's explore how AI can help identify influential guests.

This blog explores how AI can transform guest recognition, the benefits of stealth service, and practical steps for hoteliers to implement this technology effectively.

Why Identifying Influential Guests Matters

Hotels thrive on reputation and word-of-mouth. Guests who have influence, whether through social circles, business networks, or public profiles, can bring significant value beyond their stay. They might:

• Share positive experiences with their followers or contacts

• Return frequently, boosting loyalty

• Recommend the hotel to peers or clients

  
  

Yet, many hotels miss these opportunities because they don’t know who these guests are until it’s too late. Traditional methods rely on manual research or chance encounters, which are time-consuming and inconsistent.

Using AI to analyse reservation details alongside publicly available data can reveal guests’ profiles, interests, and potential influence. This insight allows hotels to prepare personalised, discreet services that impress without overwhelming.

How AI Can Identify VIPs and Influencers

AI-powered apps can scan reservation data such as names, company affiliations, and travel patterns. Then, they cross-reference this information with open-source databases, news articles, social media profiles, and event attendance lists. The process includes:

• Name recognition: Matching guest names with public figures, industry leaders, or frequent travelers

• Contextual analysis: Understanding guest interests, professions, and social reach

• Opportunity scoring: Assigning a potential value score based on influence and fit with the hotel’s brand

  
  

For example, if a guest is a well-known author attending a nearby conference, the app might flag them as a VIP with influence. The hotel can then prepare a welcome gift related to their work or offer a quiet workspace tailored to their needs, complimentary upgrade if available with fruit platter and personal GM welcome letter, and other additional extra touches including recognition by the team at every touch point.

Benefits of Stealth Service for Influential Guests

Stealth service means delivering exceptional, personalised experiences without making the guest feel singled out or uncomfortable. It’s about subtlety and respect, which builds trust and loyalty. Benefits include:

• Enhanced guest satisfaction: Personalised touches show attention to detail

• Increased loyalty: Guests feel valued, understood and seen

• Positive word-of-mouth: Happy guests share their experiences naturally

• Competitive advantage: Hotels that anticipate needs stand out in a crowded market

  
  

For instance, a hotel might discreetly upgrade a VIP’s room or arrange a private dining experience without announcing it publicly. These gestures create memorable moments that guests appreciate and remember.

Practical Steps to Implement AI Guest Identification

1. Choose the right app: Look for solutions that integrate smoothly with your reservation system and respect privacy laws.

2. Train your team: Educate staff on how to use the insights and deliver stealth service without being intrusive.

3. Set clear privacy guidelines: Ensure guest data is handled ethically and transparently.

4. Start small: Pilot the app with select properties or guest segments to measure impact.

5. Gather feedback: Ask guests about their experience to refine your approach.

   
   

Potential Benefits of an AI-Driven Guest Recognition App

The advantages it could offer to the hospitality industry are significant. Here are some potential benefits:

Enhanced Guest Experience

Personalised Services: Hotels could leverage AI to recognise returning guests and tailor services to their preferences, such as room temperature, pillow type, and favorite snacks.

Proactive Communication: An AI-driven app could send personalised messages or offers to guests based on their previous stays, enhancing their overall experience.

Increased Guest Satisfaction

Higher Satisfaction Scores: Hotels that adopt AI-driven guest recognition may see an increase in guest satisfaction scores, as personalised experiences lead to happier guests.

Positive Reviews: Establishments could benefit from an increase in positive reviews that highlight personalised service.

Boosted Repeat Bookings

Loyalty Programs: The app could facilitate the implementation of loyalty programs that reward repeat guests with tailored offers, encouraging them to return.

Targeted Promotions: By identifying guests' preferences and behaviours, hotels could send targeted promotions that appeal to their interests, increasing the likelihood of repeat bookings.

Operational Efficiency

Streamlined Check-In: AI could expedite the check-in process by recognising guests upon arrival, reducing wait times and improving operational efficiency.

Data-Driven Insights: The app could provide hotels with valuable insights into guest preferences, helping them to refine their services and marketing strategies.

In conclusion, an AI-driven guest recognition app has the potential to transform the guest experience, improve hotel operations and build brand awareness is immense. The hospitality industry could greatly benefit from such innovative technology, leading to enhanced satisfaction and loyalty among guests.

Challenges and Considerations

While AI offers exciting possibilities, hoteliers should be aware of potential challenges:

• Data accuracy: AI depends on quality data; errors can lead to wrong assumptions.

• Privacy concerns: Guests may feel uneasy if they know their information is analysed.

• Staff adaptation: Teams must balance technology with genuine human interaction.

• Cost: Implementing AI tools requires investment and ongoing support.

  
  

Addressing these challenges involves transparency with guests, continuous staff training, and choosing technology partners committed to ethical data use.

Looking Ahead: The Future of Guest Experience

AI will continue to evolve, offering deeper insights and more seamless integration with hotel operations. This is merely automation of a manual process that some hotels currently undertake. Combining AI with human intuition can create guest experiences that feel both personal and effortless.

Hotels that embrace this technology early will build stronger relationships with influential guests, turning stays into lasting partnerships.