The Techsplained Start Up Series presents - Hello Hosty

[00:00:00] Hello everyone and welcome to another episode of the Techsplained Series, as property managers you probably receive a lot of questions from guests. And a lot of these questions are repeated questions. Some questions are simply because people don't like to read, and some questions are legitimate questions.

[00:00:17] And if we are to offer the best guest experience, then each and every question needs to be answered as close to immediately as possible.

[00:00:25] And in a friendly professional way, no matter how bad your day may be going, or how many times you've typed the answer to that question. So why not harness some tech to do this for you?

[00:00:37] Today I'm chatting with Clive who will explain to us what hello Hosty can do. Hello Clive, how are you? I don't have very well thank you. That's good. Thank you very much for joining me today. usual first question. Clive, what does hello Hosty do in one sentence?

[00:00:56] Okay so Deborah in one sentence, hello Hosty provides an all-in-composing AI power assistant, designed for short-term rental property managers, seamlessly working alongside any and all existing channel managers and property management software. Wow, okay let's drill down. So I'm a property manager.

[00:01:17] I want to use your software, service, software. What do I do? What's the process? How do I get my property information on board? What am I seeing? How does it work?

[00:01:29] Okay so first up you visit hellohosty.com and you create an account and then you add a property. You add information such as your internal code or the address, the check-in check out information.

[00:01:43] And then the AI magic really starts when you paste in there a link to your Airbnb booking.com or via B.O. All three, one or none of these listings and an guidebook. You upload the guidebook.

[00:01:58] If you don't have a guidebook it's okay we also create guidebooks for our users, free of charge it's included. And the RAI tool takes all of this information from the online listing, from your guidebook, from the information you put into hellohosty.

[00:02:13] And it congregates it put it all into a corpus of text and then our AI tool responds to your guests using that information in a very native friendly in their own language within within minutes.

[00:02:28] So it's your AI assistant becomes very well informed, understand your property, understand how to communicate with your guests. It'll understand how to open that tricky back door.

[00:02:39] It will understand how to turn on the other which is a little bit complex or how to work with TV where the extra blank it's a kept. This kind of information provided that's been given to hellohosty.

[00:02:51] Then the Alina our assistant will be able to respond to guests messages regardless of how obscure they might be. And I guess that given that it's AI and AI is always learning if one question is, are there any spare blankets? Yeah.

[00:03:07] Okay so we'll have to come back to this but in terms of Alina understanding or knowing the answer to that question she will remember that in case someone else asked that question right. So currently the way that it works in terms of ML machine learning.

[00:03:25] The AI will have access as mentioned she has access to all of the information has been input into hellohosty.

[00:03:31] But if there's something that she doesn't know, she will if there's two options you can either automate it by pressing a simple button to say this guest is find just automate any responses or any questions are coming now Alina can just handle it.

[00:03:44] If the auto's turned on Alina will answer she doesn't have access to the information she will say to the guest.

[00:03:50] Hold on a moment or come back to shortly I'm going to ask the property manager for more information which point hellohosty contacts you the property manager and says we don't have this information can you jump in and tell us.

[00:04:02] And that inform it currently where we stand that information will only be remembered if you update the guidebook so if the guidebook's updated that information is available.

[00:04:10] It's just a very great for property managers to ensure that any information is missed once is not missed again in the future. Yeah fantastic yeah go ahead sorry. No no gone gone.

[00:04:21] So the guidebooks that we create for our users we use AI to create the bad books but we will so give the property managers a link to the guidebook so they can edit it.

[00:04:34] They can upload information more information if they need to take stuff out change things you know if the wifi pass would changes they can do this.

[00:04:41] They decide to refurbish and they put a new oven in or they get that back door repaired and it works perfectly then they can update this information themselves and and still use it beautifully designed digital guidebook. Fantastic yeah okay so let's say okay I've uploaded my properties.

[00:05:00] I'm on the hello hostie dashboard. What am I seeing? Okay so you can find in box.

[00:05:09] Yeah the first page that you'll see is a calendar so the calendar will list all of the bookings that come through which can be edited you can add notes in there you can share the calendar with your team if you like we also have the possibility for you to be able to add users with limited access.

[00:05:25] So if you've got staff if you've got assistance they can have their own hello hostie account and get in and deal with their guest communications but the first page you see is the calendar view. That's the first page. So I'm asking.

[00:05:41] Okay but but in terms of the messaging do I see the messages coming through and. Yeah so in terms of the message I mean I can show you if you'd like I can share my screen. I don't really don't do any shifts.

[00:05:54] Okay well we will do a demo maybe one day yeah right okay. So so the the first page you see is the calendar view as such you have a list all of your your listings in there and all of the.

[00:06:05] All of the bookings which you can view all of the information about about the bookings the next page is the is the properties page where you can add your properties.

[00:06:13] Then the next page is your inbox and in the inbox you have a list of all of your messages are on one side on left hand panel and then you have your whichever message you've selected is in the center.

[00:06:25] And you have a suggested message on the right hand side by a leaner. The message will show us suggested unless you've turned it onto auto which otherwise it just sends it straight away the suggested message.

[00:06:37] Which the default setting is suggested it won't automatically send the user has to select I want you to go on auto in order for the AI leaner to also massively respond.

[00:06:47] But if you see the message the suggested message if you want to adapt changes message edited you can you press edit button change a few things and then send. Or as but you can just press send straight away and we have it we have it to also on.

[00:07:04] On a web app which is mobile enabled so it works super smooth if you're out on the bell running around town. Apartments out whatever it is you're doing with your day you can you can deal with guest communications on the fly.

[00:07:18] And this is also like you know not just pre arrival this is also while the guest is there all the questions are looked after by a leaner or can be looked after by a leaner. Yeah absolutely absolutely I mean go ahead.

[00:07:32] So the thing is that you can once you've got it all set up you can sit back if you set it to auto for example you can sit back and a leaner will look after everything unless she doesn't have an answer and then she will ask you and then he said this is the answer or then you respond and then that's it otherwise all communication is looked after.

[00:07:52] Yeah yeah pretty much I mean it's it's quite interesting because it's AI.

[00:07:58] And leaner will also offer practical suggestions for example and we had a guest recently that was checked into an apartment and a guest was asking us about where the hairdryers and there is a hairdryer in there.

[00:08:11] The hairdryer may move sometimes it might be in the wardrobe in the bedroom sometimes it might be in the drawer in the bathroom sometimes it might be in the chest of drawers in the bedroom anyway the guest is the same where's the hairdryer where's the hairdryer and a leaner being rationally minded.

[00:08:26] The offer list of suggestions it may be in the bedroom in the chest of drawers have you checked the bathroom cabinet it could also be in there and I was watching this communication it was on also watching the communication unfold and I guess I can't find it in the bedroom she said okay check the bathroom yes I found it.

[00:08:43] And it's amazing that the kind of practical thinking this AI has really I mean had we not had an AI to all involved in that communication that would have been either myself remember of my team.

[00:08:57] dealing with those communications stop what you're doing because right now there's a guest in an apartment who's looking for a hairdryer. The AI knows there's a hairdryer in there because the information is detailed in our online listing and also possibly in the guidebook.

[00:09:09] The AI knew that was one in there so the AI was saying please check and if the guests are said no I've checked everywhere it's not here then they then the AI would have said okay I'm going to check him with the property management manager and I'll come back to you shortly and it would have notified.

[00:09:23] asked as the property managers it would have said your attention is required this communication has taken place and assistance is needed. Yeah that's amazing that's so great. It's an of interest I haven't actually asked this about chat GPT to anyone but does Alina have a sense of humour.

[00:09:42] Well there has to be a certain level of professionalism but this is hospitality and you sort of like can chat GPT have some warmth and humour to it. Well warmth absolutely empathy absolutely well programmed empathy.

[00:09:59] Yeah it's particularly my sense of humour but it's very kind of a very clean humour that the AI itself so where that helloasty works without getting too technical.

[00:10:12] The AI works on a principle of we have to we have to feed a lot of information in order to receive a one line or a couple of sentences response to a guest a lot of information.

[00:10:24] So Alina operates on roughly a thousand rules myself and a prompt engineer worked on on this on this for for many months refining refining refining refining to make sure that every response was perfect and in doing so we've we've figured out there.

[00:10:41] We don't really want the guests we don't really want Alina going off on tangents we want to make sure Alina stage professional if she's asked questions which diver you know she's asked personal questions such as how is your how are you.

[00:10:55] This was a common one how are you I'm fine thanks for asking we we don't want to dive diver I'm here to assist you how can help you. We want that AI the assistant to stay on topic stay on stay on a professional friendly empathetic topic.

[00:11:11] Yeah as well we've trained it to mirror the guest so in terms of selling I mean used to be an estate agent for a better or worse years ago.

[00:11:20] In terms of selling mirroring was something which we were very much aware of and that's exactly what Alina does so if the guest comes with a very formal style of writing journey typically I find have a very formal style of writing.

[00:11:34] Alina mirrors that that formality and if the guest comes extremely informal with emojis and the last one or the rest of it Alina mirrors that so.

[00:11:44] It's quite it's quite cool to see that she'll match the style of the guest so if the guest writes of informal she's informal and that's great I do like that okay so what would you say is your unique selling point.

[00:12:02] I would say is what says as a part is our assistant ability to engage with guests in a natural and familiar manner so as mentioned are as undergone kind of extensive training within our own property management company was built around.

[00:12:19] Our guests and our guest use cases so it ensures a like a seamless and authentic guest interaction.

[00:12:27] It can operate autonomously as well so as mentioned you can just press single button then it will fire off in in automatic communication with the guests without the need for constant monitoring or or over watching from the property manager and it will.

[00:12:44] It will proactively reach out when necessary to the property manager so it's a really we aim at unparalleled level of convenience and in in heightened guest satisfaction they're kind of the two pillars that we're aiming for.

[00:12:59] Because guest satisfaction is 100% at the core of what we do we have to make sure that our guests are very happy and satisfied and.

[00:13:09] The number one factor apparently in receiving a good review is staff attentiveness and that is that is what Alina does she she enabled staff attentiveness.

[00:13:20] Yeah now two things so the first thing is that when a guest asked a question Alina pretty much answers immediately right and what's sort of time different time delays there. There's about three minutes delay so close to each human.

[00:13:34] Yeah okay that that's still not bad that's almost immediate that's good. And also then with the property manager right if someone's going to take over your messaging communications with guests.

[00:13:45] How do you offer that manager confidence to hand over so there is a situation where the manager can see before Alina sends it so they get okay the Alina knows what she's doing I can handle that.

[00:14:00] Well that's exactly it I mean in in building in building this product I am a property manager first and foremost and I've I've realized that.

[00:14:11] I know the importance of of of of of the guests are so important and communication with a guest is so important so we need to ensure that whatever tool that we're implementing is not going to.

[00:14:23] I'm not going to mess things up is not going to start 10 guests there are certain things which I send topics which I consider to be.

[00:14:29] Absolutely set in stone Alina can only behave in a certain way around certain topics those topics are checking and check out times you can't have an AI I say to yes sure check out when you like it's fine you know because you got cleaners you've got other guests arriving this is kind of like.

[00:14:47] This is this is sacred you cannot touch that information that has to be accurate and so we've worked extremely hard on making sure that that stuff is is set in stone that's not moving that's not going anywhere.

[00:14:58] But to put other property managers mind is because it's not just about my use of this product is about other people's interaction with other property managers use of this product.

[00:15:07] It was very important that other property managers remain in control and and the way to do that the way that we've done that is that Alina is not automatic unless the property manager chooses for a leaner to be automatic.

[00:15:22] The way that we do that in our business and our property management business we don't turn Alina on to automatic typically until the guest is inside the property.

[00:15:31] However, I would I would feel confident to turn it on to automatic pretty much straight away but because you know is because I know the importance of remaining in control that's how we built it so it's not it's not the default setting is not automatic the property manager only turns it on to automatic when they feel when they feel that it they're when they feel confident when they feel confident.

[00:15:57] Which is yeah which gives the property manager the control. Yeah, yeah okay and with that digital guidebook you know if Alina's looking at the information in that guidebook.

[00:16:10] I could see you uploaded file to upload your digital guidebook so it's a PDF file that you upload with all the info.

[00:16:19] You can you can upload whatever file you like an image even our software can can deal with whatever kind of file you've got that in terms of the people that in terms of the file that we create the guidebook that digital guidebook that we create for our property manager users.

[00:16:36] We create a PDF and that PDF is actually stored in hello hostie with a share of link and Alina will provide that link to the guests so if there's a question that the guest comes up with.

[00:16:49] Alina is aware of the conversation is not just one message so she has the whole conversation and she will take the whole conversation into interview when she creates one line of response.

[00:17:01] So she will not continuously send the guidebook unless the guest requests the guidebook link again but she will send the guidebook so for example if the guest said hey we arriving next.

[00:17:13] We're arriving tomorrow at 5 p.m. and we plan in check we want to check straight into the property. How do we how do we get there Alina will say well here's the guidebook she will also tell the guest how to get there she will write out like you need to take you need to go this street that street take the key from the shop and all the rest of it.

[00:17:31] Here's the guidebook link and the guest will be able to click the link and an access online and the PDF guidebook stored within hello hostie but they don't need to log in with it like this is just you press the link and the PDF pops up on your on your mobile or on your on your screen.

[00:17:48] And that's obviously the document and the manager keeps up to date with where those blankets are stored etc etc. Alina's always got access to that information and it's always up to date on the guidebook.

[00:18:00] Yeah absolutely I mean this hello hostie and Alina was born out of I mean in in in our business we have assistance like virtually assistance online and the team have access to certain amounts of information they have

[00:18:16] Obviously they they're not going to turn up with a spanner and start fixing things if they need the properties the maintenance but the aim of hello hostie today was just was to solve one of the most pressing challenges that we faces property managers which is constant 24 seven guest communications.

[00:18:33] And then kind of emulates what are the assistant team are able to do. The roadmap but the future this this thing is going to be doing a lot more but for the time being with we're solving what we perceive to be the biggest challenge of property managers today.

[00:18:52] Yeah well that's leading into my next question what are the benefits and why would I use it so it is the 24 seven response responses.

[00:19:01] Yeah well I mean AI is is seen as kind of a topic of of intrigue and concern and there was a saying resonated with me that I heard.

[00:19:12] Yeah well I really resonate with me was that AI won't take your job but someone who knows how to use AI might and as property managers embracing AI like hello hostie it's a game changer it's about gaining efficiency.

[00:19:28] And and lightning our workload which I think we've really been able to achieve is certainly made us way more efficient and our workload is massively reduced.

[00:19:39] I really I mean I really enjoy watching the conversations between that the AI and humans we had a human guest we had a guest yesterday there was chatting away on auto to to to to answer a Lena and they were asking about.

[00:19:57] Check out times and how to drop the key off what to do with the key and it was so interesting to watch well Lena I know what Elena was going to say and she said it she said like okay this is what you're doing the key and I guess like okay so brilliant we can do this and like sort of reconvened and he's like yeah absolutely and then.

[00:20:13] I think that's the best thing about the new scene I hope you've had a lovely stay and I guess like yeah it's been amazing for us it's been really fantastic and then Elena always has a last word.

[00:20:21] She always has a last word and she was saying that that's great to hear and then the guest continues and yeah with the locations being great and I thought obviously the guest has no idea she's communicating with AI.

[00:20:32] But what's happening if you look at what's really going on here this guest is getting an incredible customer service deal from us as property managers she's getting what she believes to be.

[00:20:43] massive attention a digital hug and why off the night felt that in in this business way before hello is the way before AI was even around.

[00:20:53] I felt that sometimes get it's getting touch because they want a digital hug they want to feel that there's somebody at the other end of.

[00:21:00] I think that's the thing about hospitality you know someone has been hospitable to you and the guest can talk to them and it's a great.

[00:21:06] Quite often it would just be a case of having to give them that attention and this guest clearly wanted to communicate with somebody and she got to communicate but it. That's great.

[00:21:16] Yeah reviews not in from that guest yet but I'm pretty sure it's going to be a good one.

[00:21:20] Yeah I know you mean I think that that's the thing about hospitality you know someone has been hospitable to you and the guest can talk to them and it's a two-way street.

[00:21:31] I think sometimes with a lot of automation you know here get the key for the lock box let yourself in let yourself out and you know there's no discussion with anyone it's very black and white.

[00:21:42] Being able to have that conversation okay granted it's with AI but it's still it's it's the caring like he said. Yeah now in terms of white labeling first of all I'm sure that the the messaging is done by Alina can I change Alina to be Deborah.

[00:22:02] Well this is the interesting thing Alina will pick up on if your name as a property manager is used anywhere else in the thread she would then assume you're she will assume your name so if you start if you if you jump in and you sign off Deborah Alina will become Deborah.

[00:22:18] Okay. So she will she will assume your name she start the default setting is is Alina that's it there's no available for her to take on board.

[00:22:27] Yeah, okay so Alina for me Alina could be my member of staff because I'll be a bit nervous actually making her me and then the guest asked a question.

[00:22:40] Me says I have to double check with a property manager like yeah yeah so yeah so maybe it's best that Alina stays as member of the. She's trained to say that if asked if this comes up in conversation she's trained to say that she's the property manager's assistant.

[00:22:57] Oh, good okay so in terms of white labeling I mean is is hello hostie. Shearn up anywhere or was it just purely Alina and that's the only that's the only link to you.

[00:23:09] Well in terms of white labeling it's not a white label products at the moment in our roadmap we have an open API that we're looking to build so that other. Other software solutions in this base can connect with with hello hostie.

[00:23:26] And the beautiful thing about hello hostie at the moment where we stand is it's an email integration which means we can work alongside any and all other. Family members channels managers whatever well ever solutions are in a tech stack of the property manager.

[00:23:42] Hello hostie can work alongside which is amazing from my vote you can that you can use this to all alongside. That's come up a lot in conversation with with many people with many users.

[00:23:54] been a concern, but I'm going to have to change my, you don't change the thing. This works along side. Yeah. Yeah. And it's very easy to integrate. We've also got in the roadmap our own

[00:24:05] APIs which are being built out in a form of a PMS channel manager. So if somebody wants to use an API connection, they can use our a PMS channel manager solution, which will give them the API

[00:24:17] connections with not just because currently we work with Airbnb booking.com and VBO. But when the channel manager is released shortly, we're probably about 10 days away from that. That will mean that if somebody wants to, they can connect with all and every OTA or platform

[00:24:39] they wish and it will be a API connection. But it does have to be, it can be an easy email integration and it can work alongside. Yeah. So when you say email integration, that just basically means

[00:24:53] on any website, any OTA that you're on, you just provide the Hello Hostie email address that is provided that pops up for my account on Hello Hostie and automatically all of those inquiries will come through to that one dashboard. Yeah. Exactly. It means that it means that with

[00:25:10] Airbnb, for example, you make your week, we give Hello Hostie provide each user with an integration email address, which you make your username on Airbnb, you would make it your assistant on VRBO and you would make it your reservations assistant on booking.com also. And what that means

[00:25:31] and you will also give Hello Hostie an email address of yours. So that would be your, the email address you use currently for your reservations, etc. All emails that Hello Hostie receives to the integration email, get sent on all of them. Whatever the email, whatever

[00:25:46] email is sent to this integration email gets forward into your email address. However, on top of that any emails that Hello Hostie receives to that integration email that are relative to your

[00:25:57] guests and guest messaging, Hello Hostie deals with in the Hello Hostie inbox. So it kind of just sits in the middle there like sandwich between your current email solution and the booking platform. That's fantastic. Really good. Now, who is your target audience? What size company? How many

[00:26:18] properties do you have? Well, we have users that range from two properties up to the thousands. So we really aim to serve and can serve do serve companies of all sizes with an independent operator or a large-scale enterprise. If they're aiming to optimize operation and enhance

[00:26:42] guest satisfaction, Hello Hostie's here to assist. I reach extends globally so we can serve anybody over the planet. Liya is fluent in all major languages, can communicate in Japanese, French, Italian, German, you know whatever she can respond in whatever language. So I use a

[00:27:06] base pretty much spans the spectrum. That's fantastic, yeah. Great. He's pretty people watching a Lena communicate in, I mean, I speak a couple of languages, Latin languages but I don't speak German for example and I was watching a Lena communicate with a German guest.

[00:27:24] I didn't know that I didn't know verbating what the conversation was covering but I know I know a Lena's well-trained. So I knew exactly what she would be saying in certain situations and I knew that she was providing the guest with the information that guests needed but very

[00:27:38] satisfying to watch a Lena communicate in a language that I don't understand. That's incredible. Absolutely. Look, languages are really important thing when it comes to booking sites or communicating with your guests absolutely. Yeah. Yeah, it is. We have very much. So how much does it cost?

[00:27:54] Is there a monthly subscription or annual? How does that work now? Okay so it is a monthly subscription with for users with one to six properties, it's 10 pounds per month and that goes down in a

[00:28:11] tea. We have a tea of pricing so it goes down to five pounds per property per month if you have over 100 and there's a gap in between. Yeah, so it goes down in teas but it starts off with 10 pounds per

[00:28:25] property per month. Yeah and there's no contract, no locking contract you just pay monthly. Yeah, I'm a strong believer that if you are doing kind of ethical business and if your product

[00:28:36] is good enough there is no reason to lock people in which is what we do so. If people want to use hello hostie and work with the Lena then they can do so. If they feel that it's no longer

[00:28:48] suitable then there is no time they can go elsewhere. Yeah, yeah great. Do you have a 14-day free trial? What I saw when I just popped up now? Yes absolutely there's a 14-day trial. Yeah and

[00:28:59] we have of course, we of course have all you know the onboard in videos and stuff on the platform so for your spirit to give it a go they can go over there and sign up for that. And out of

[00:29:09] interest then I mean I went through the process so if I was to put it put in my properties the links and upload my digital guide book is it automatic? Is that that's it? Well you know there

[00:29:22] are a threshold as it takes 24 hours before it comes live, how long before it's live? Instantaneous. The only the only thing to note would be that with the email integration new messages what we or hello hostie processes new messaging so whenever I guess

[00:29:44] it's an new message. It's often I think it's important to make clear that new messages are what's taken into the hello hostie inbox so we won't all of a sudden just populate with historical

[00:29:56] quick etc so it's new messages but it's fairly fairly instantaneous the the challenge the only challenge there would be if you hadn't uploaded correctly the the integration email address but providing everything's been uploaded correctly then it's as soon as it gets sent to message you

[00:30:16] will get or a link and it will get a response for you. Great so within that 14 day trial period chances are you're going to have a few girls where Lynn is going to do her draw and you'll get

[00:30:25] a real taste for hey this is pretty cool. Yeah absolutely I mean the feedback I've had from from users is phenomenal I've had users say to me that they never want to send another message

[00:30:38] to a guest without a leader again and I can totally see why I mean at that one use case that I never really envisaged before before a leader was out there being being used it's a user said

[00:30:50] to me user from Portugal said to me that this guy has good English skills we spoke via a by zoom I helped him on board and he said to me that and he has good English he said to me that

[00:31:04] he always kind of felt a little bit shy about how his English kind of fed up when he was dealing with English speaking guests native English speaking guests and and a Lena obviously grammatically

[00:31:17] perfect in all of these languages and he said that a Lena had rescued him from a bad review with kind of with perfect English and and perfect empathy etc and I never really realized that

[00:31:30] is a use case that the property managers who maybe don't speak certain languages it as a native tongue would be much value from having an assistant perfectly trained I mean even with for example

[00:31:43] in my business we have online assistance that English is not their first first language and they're backed up now by a Lena and not only are there responses going to be written in perfect grammar

[00:31:58] native to the guests language but they also the information that a Lena provides she has immediate access to all of the information about all of the properties they don't she doesn't need the assistant doesn't need to sit through Google Drive and try and find files on what's going

[00:32:14] on where and everything else knows all there and instantaneously has that information to hand she's which it's a great support for our assistance as well as you know for an individual property manager it's a great thing but the images of bigger size that have more properties and

[00:32:30] they have staff that dealing with the communication this is a great support tool which kind of which kind of lifts them and helps them with efficiency and everything else yeah that's great really

[00:32:41] great we've come to the end of the usual questions was there something about hello hostie that we didn't touch on yet or that we should know about well in the in the in the very near future as mentioned

[00:32:53] we're going to be releasing a whole new a whole new range of features not just small updates to the current products but also with our own PMS and channel manager so that's something to

[00:33:05] look out for I'm super excited to see how that goes and how that can serve people. Well look I think it's a bit of a no-brainer sign up get your two weeks free check out a Lena

[00:33:17] and see what a see how she can help you. Yeah thank you. Absolutely. Oh Clive it's been a pleasure learning about hello hostie and Elena if you have any questions for Clive please pop them in the comments below otherwise I will put a link in the description below.

[00:33:32] Clive thank you very very much for your time. Thank you Deborah. Okay see you