How can a chatbot increase direct bookings?

Every guest browsing for information on your hotel website is a hot sales lead, so you want to make sure they book with you. The key is to make them stay and eventually finish their reservation on your website instead of going to an Online Travel Agency (OTA). A chatbot can play an important role in keeping your visitors engaged on your website.  While integrating a booking engine with your chatbot can increase direct bookings.

How Can I Keep Visitors Engaged on My Website?

There are few processes that are so driven by the need for up-to-date information than the booking process. Whether a guest books or not with you depends largely on whether they receive the information they need timely and efficiently. For example, if a guest needs to know if pets are allowed in the establishment and with what fee, but they need to click through endless pages to find the answer, then they will quickly move on to an OTA or a competitor.  

A chatbot can provide your guests with all the information they need, then and there when they need it. The quick and efficient exchange of information takes place on your website, reducing the risk of your potential guests dropping off.  

Can Integrating a Booking Engine With a Chatbot Increase Direct Bookings?

When a chatbot is integrated with a booking engine, it can from within that same conversation where it was responding to your guests’ questions, guide them to the booking process. The chatbot will in a conversational manner ask for more information and pick up on details like “tomorrow” or “this weekend” to simplify the process. This ensures a smooth experience for your guests and reduces the risk of potential guests leaving your website.  

Direct bookings have been a pain point for hoteliers since forever! But the increased adoption of new technologies offers hoteliers a new opportunity: reduce friction in the booking process with the help of a chatbot and booking engine integration to keep guests engaged and increase the chance of them finishing their reservation on your website.  

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