Hilton Introduces AI Customer Service Chatbot as Part of New Move in Digital Strategy

Hilton today announced the result of a month-long competition for the design of its new AI chatbot cartoon character – part of a bid to give “life” to its newly launched AI customer service chatbot with a personable animated avatar. Change Chen from DoubleTree by Hilton Shiyan took the top prize, while Issa Li from Waldorf Astoria Shanghai on the Bund and Vicky Li from Hilton Chengdu took second and third place, respectively. The competition, which was open to all guests and Hilton Team Members, drew extensive attention from the industry, with about 60 percent of designs submitted by Hilton guests.

Change Chen, who excels at graphic design and enjoys painting, said excitedly, “I wanted to interpret Hilton’s warm hospitality with a simple, charming character. I hope that ‘Xiao Xi’, who is passionate about life and travel, can provide our guests and friends with cheer and support as an indispensable travelling companion.”

Wendy Huang, Senior Vice President and Commercial Director, Hilton Greater China & Mongolia, said, “Digital innovation serves as one of our five key strategies in China. Being the first global hospitality company to introduce an AI customer service chatbot to China is a clear sign that we are committed to our guests and the market. In the post-pandemic era, guests increasingly rely on online services and resources to choose travel destinations and products so that they can have better offline experiences. Consumers are more inclined to trust authoritative information from enterprise-owned digital platforms, and Xiao Xi has been given life at this time to address such demands while providing our guests with a smooth online experience while traveling.”

Born on February 19, 2020, “Xiao Xi”, Hilton’s first AI customer service chatbot, provides Hilton Honors members and all guests with a quick and convenient one-stop source for travel advisory services. Honors members and guests can ask Xiao Xi various travel-related questions such as hotel information, local weather, Hilton Honors checking and promotion details. Xiao Xi is able to provide additional advice on travel and will even entertain guests throughout their journeys by continuously offering smart suggestions and tips through intensive trainings.

Since its launch in February, Xiao Xi has replied to more than 50,000 customer inquiries, with a 94 percent customer satisfaction rating, which far surpasses the average performance for a general AI chatbot. At present, Xiao Xi is available 24/7 via Hilton China mobile apps – including iOS, Android, and the WeChat Mini Program.

As it pursues its digital innovation strategy, Hilton has remained dedicated to creating exceptional online experiences for guests. To meet their ever-evolving and diverse demands, Hilton has been exploring different channels and platforms that can provide guests with a flawless online experience. Hilton began working with major OTA platforms in China to offer additional online customer services in 2017; launched the Chinese Hilton Honors app in 2018; and opened the Hilton corporate flagship store on Fliggy in 2019. The introduction of Xiao Xi now provides an additional online platform to provide exceptional services to guests.

Source: Hilton