The leisure hotel industry is currently facing challenges with chronic labor shortages and maintaining consistent service quality, especially during nighttime and peak business hours. F garden group has addressed these issues by implementing HelloX. The AI accurately and instantly handles phone inquiries for orders and complex rate plans, significantly reducing the burden on staff during busy periods and enabling more streamlined operations.
Challenges Before Implementation
F garden group, which operates multiple hotels in Sasebo City, Nagasaki, was facing challenges with a high volume of calls from guest rooms to the front desk, particularly during the night and on peak days like weekends and holidays. The two main issues were "Labor Shortages" and "Over-reliance on Individual Staff."
1. Challenges Related to Labor Shortages
- Due to a chronic shortage of staff, front desk employees were often overwhelmed with phone calls, preventing them from focusing on their primary role of providing in-person guest services.
- During peak times, such as when the hotel was fully booked or during check-out hours, high call volumes led to long wait times for guests, resulting in decreased customer satisfaction.
- The situation was further complicated by the overlapping retirement of veteran staff and difficulties in recruiting new, younger employees due to the ongoing labor shortage.
2. Challenges Related to Over-reliance on Individual Staff
- Complex service details and rate plans meant that knowledge and expertise were concentrated among a few veteran employees. This created a significant risk associated with staff turnover and resulted in high costs for training new staff and sharing information.
- The speed and quality of service varied depending on the proficiency of the staff member on duty, leading to inconsistent service levels across the hotels.
What HelloX Automates
Answering Calls:
HelloX receives calls from both external lines and guest rooms to handle inquiries and take orders.
Post-Call Work (ACW):
- Saving call logs to the dashboard: It records the details of guest inquiries and the necessary follow-up actions on a central dashboard.
- Notifying staff of orders: When an action is required, such as delivering a food order, HelloX automatically places a notification call to the responsible staff member to prompt them for the next step.
Results of Implementing HelloX
The implementation of HelloX has enabled guests to receive smoother, high-quality service 24/7, while freeing hotel staff from the burden of telephone duties to focus on essential in-person guest services.
Solution to Labor Shortages: Saving approximately 1,800 calls per month through automation
HelloX has fully automated telephone operations, reducing the workload at each hotel by approximately 1,800 calls per month—a task that previously placed a significant burden on front desk staff. This has liberated employees from being tied to the phone, creating an environment where they can concentrate on what matters most: providing attentive, personal service to guests. Furthermore, it has eliminated guest wait times during peak periods like full occupancy or check-out, contributing to higher customer satisfaction. As a result, F garden group has been able to maintain high-quality hotel operations despite challenges such as the retirement of experienced staff and difficulties in recruitment.
Solution to Over-reliance on Staff: Standardizing service quality and reducing training costs
HelloX centralizes information on complex rate plans and services, providing uniform and accurate guidance 24/7. This standardizes the quality of telephone support, ensuring it no longer depends on the experience or skill of individual employees. Guests can now feel confident that they will receive the same high level of service no matter when they call. Moreover, by having the AI manage the knowledge previously held by veteran staff, the costs associated with training new employees and handovers have been significantly reduced. This also mitigates the risks associated with the departure of experienced personnel.
Comment from Mr. Yasui, Representative Director of F garden group
"We see AI not merely as a tool for operational efficiency and automation, but as a powerful partner in delivering warmer, higher-quality hospitality. We will continue to strive for the optimal balance between 'tech touch' solutions like AI and the 'human touch,' ensuring we provide the best possible stay for all our guests."
Comment from Mr. Takahashi, Head of the HelloX Business at Hello Inc.
"We are truly honored that the implementation of HelloX has contributed to F garden group's mission of providing 'higher-quality hospitality' and creating a better lodging experience for their guests. This outcome, where AI and people collaborate to expand the potential of the workforce and generate warmer service, is a significant step toward solving challenges across the entire hotel industry. We are committed to being more than just a tool for efficiency; we will strive to be an 'AI business partner' that works together with our clients to elevate the customer experience for the entire accommodation industry."
