In this session, Mak Abdelkafi, Senior Sales Manager at Mews, explains how artificial intelligence can help hoteliers address three key challenges: customer experience, environmental responsibility and data security. From automating personalized services to integrating environmentally-friendly practices and strengthening payment protection, AI is becoming a strategic ally in redefining hotel operations.
The hotelier's first challenge is to stand out from the crowd: “offering a unique experience, either in terms of the brand, or in terms of the customer experience itself”. - Mak Abdelkafi, Senior Sales Director at Mews
For Mak Abdelkafi, there are two other major challenges facing the hotel industry today: “sustainability, the environment, and cybersecurity”. Two essential points that, in his view, “are part of the equation”. -Mak Abdelkafi, Senior Sales Director at Mews
As far as the environment is concerned, the idea is clear: “we're going to do it intelligently, so as not to impact the customer experience”. - Mak Abdelkafi, Senior Sales Director at Mews
The aim is to set up intelligent equipment regulation, adapted to customer habits.
He insists: “Our priority is to put customer satisfaction first”. But that doesn't mean we can't take action to protect the environment: “cut energy consumption, reduce consumption, remove all plastic, etc.”. And “with data, we can document this”.
He points out that certain hotel practices, such as leaving towels on the floor to signal that they need replacing, are fine initiatives. “AI can do that too, depending on the history of that particular customer.”
At Mews, this environmental commitment takes shape with the integration of an application called Hotels for Trees: “if a customer decides not to renew the towel, we commit to planting a tree in the world with an association.” AI plays an active role: “it will retrieve: ‘ah, yesterday, 20 customers made that choice’, and we will plant 20 trees with that association” - Mak Abdelkafi, Senior Sales Director at Mews.
The second major challenge is cybersecurity. He distinguishes two aspects: “customer data - my personal data - and after that, credit card data.”
On personal data, he reminds us of the importance of the RGPD: “the standard we know, the European standard”. And recommends that hoteliers work “with serious partners at this level” to guarantee the protection of customer information.
As far as payments are concerned, Mews is “certified level 1 with the PCI Compliance standard - Payment Card Industry - which will ensure security when the hotelier, at reception, receives the credit card”. - Mak Abdelkafi, Senior Sales Director at Mews
“With AI, it can go even further,” he asserts. AI could, for example, “validate Monsieur Dupont's credit card to secure it”, by comparing “his address, his history, his phone number”. The aim: “to revalidate the card itself with processes like that, to validate that the right card belongs to the right gentleman, to the right customer”.
