Virtual Concierge System Matching Inquiries to Assistants
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Solution Overview
Problem
Hotels often lack the resources to provide effective concierge services due to limited budgets, physical space, and availability of knowledgeable staff, resulting in unsatisfactory guest experiences and limited exploration of the hotel's surroundings.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented virtual concierge system that matches user inquiries with online assistants based on profile data, enabling text-based communication and providing local knowledge, tips, and information through a data communication system, accessible 24/7, without the need for physical space or personnel.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a traditional human concierge is employed, then personalized guest service and local knowledge are provided, but operational costs and labor requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a virtual concierge system that copies the knowledge and service functions of a human concierge into an automated digital assistant. The system uses natural language processing to understand guest inquiries and provides recommendations for local attractions, dining, and activities, replicating the information-providing function of a human concierge without requiring physical presence or human labor.
Solution Approach 2:
The virtual concierge system enables guests to independently obtain information and make reservations through automated interactions. The system autonomously processes guest requests, searches for relevant information, and provides recommendations without requiring human intervention, allowing the concierge function to serve itself.
2Ease of operation
If a human concierge is available, then guest inquiries are answered with local expertise, but service is limited to lobby hours and physical presence
Solution Approach 1:
The virtual concierge system provides service beyond the normal operating hours of a physical concierge. While a human concierge would be available during lobby hours, the automated system operates 24/7, providing excessive service coverage that extends well beyond what a single human employee could deliver, ensuring guests can obtain assistance at any time during their stay.
3Productivity
If more concierge staff are hired, then guest service coverage improves, but labor allocation and budget constraints are exceeded
Solution Approach 1:
The virtual concierge system performs multiple functions that would traditionally require different specialized staff members. A single automated system handles information provision, reservation making, recommendation generation, and guest assistance across various topics and time periods, replacing what would otherwise require multiple human employees with diverse skill sets.
Data Source
AI summary
Described are systems and methods that receive from a virtual concierge system a text-based inquiry from a user having an interest; store the inquiry in a queuing system, generate a match between an online assistant and the user based on content of the stored inquiry and profile data of the online assistant, and establish a text-based communication between an electronic device of the user and an electronic device of the online assistant in response to generating the match, the text-based communication including the content of the stored inquiry.