TTC Labs - A Localised Way to Identify Hotel Guests

A Localised Way to Identify Hotel Guests

5th Oct 2020

Trabble’s vision is to consolidate the fragmented travel industry, by providing a Guest Engagement solution that is flexible, transferrable and revolutionary to travel businesses globally. We are a personalised chat-based concierge service; answering travellers' questions real-time, providing travel services and; recommending activities or places to experience in their location. We help businesses leverage technology to upskill staff and automate operations, and level the competitive landscape for smaller industry players especially in post-COVID travel. Additionally, the Trabble platform also provides other services to clients in the hospitality and travel industry such as booking and inventory management.

Trabble-Screen 01
Product Context

Founded by Jian Liang Low, Trabble has been partnering with hotels, hostels, tour operators and travel destinations in the Asia Pacific region since 2015. Trabble’s SaaS platform helps to provide guests with a contactless experience throughout Enquiries, Bookings and Services. We empower businesses to seamlessly serve their guests 24/7 via chat on their own mobile devices, from Pre-Trip to Post-Trip. Integrating Chatbot, Machine Learning and AI, Trabble automates and streamlines business operations, unifying multiple chat platforms onto a single platform for easy, efficient and productive management by businesses. Ultimately, we help businesses increase revenue channels, guest satisfaction and operational efficiency.

Trabble-Screen 01

Problem & Opportunity

In the lead up to the workshop, Trabble wanted to develop a best-practice digital check-in flow as an inspirational reference and customer experience template for their business partners. This design would demonstrate how to provide notification and gain consent for data sharing in a manner that respects guests’ needs for security and convenience, as well as educate clients on data privacy and regulation.

How might we...

...gain consent for data sharing in a way that is respectful of users security?

Design Features
The people who use the service

For the Design Jam, Trabble identified three personas as a B2B2C startup:

  • Annie-Sophie is the owner of a boutique hotel who has implemented the Trabble guest engagement platform for her business, and has a high level of familiarity with with the platform;
  • Oumar is frequent recreational traveller who is a moderately confident user of online services that help him holiday on a budget and someone who is concerned about digital privacy, and;
  • Sandra is a busy business traveler who values convenience and reliability whose trips have often been organised by a travel agency engaged by her company.

The design challenge (created during Design Jam)

During the Design Jam, the team decided to pivot from designing for their business persona to designing for their guest personas. Our initial aim was to discourage Trabble’s clients from collecting unnecessary and sensitive information from their guests. However, a discussion in the team revealed that the underlying issue was that some guests had incorrectly confirmed their details and then checked into the wrong room occupied by somebody with a very similar name! Clients were asking for additional identifying details to be able to double check the identity of their guests.

Our new challenge was to address the underlying customer pain point. The team asked: how might we clearly explain to guests what personal data is required, why it is needed and how it is used, especially its importance in assigning guests to the correct room?

The data being used

In order to book and check-in guests, Trabble collects:

  • Basic guest details:

    • First Name,
    • Last Name, Email Address
    • Date of Birth, City of Residence, or Last 4 digits of NRIC

  • Credit card and payment details

  • Passport details (in compliance with Singaporean laws)

Trabble-Sketch 01
Design Features
Key features of the prototype

Using tailored language

Trabble demonstrated how the conversation flow of the new chatbot onboarding process could be customized to suit expectations of both guests and businesses. Establishing a genuine tone of voice and repeating back important information is the foundation for keeping guests engaged and attentive throughout the experience.

Varying interactivity

Interaction patterns such as slide to confirm helped slow down guests at key moments of the process where they are asked to confirm details they have submitted.

Succinct explainability

Requests for personal data are accompanied by explanations for use in the flow: “You will be required to provide this information for identity verification upon Arrival.” In another example, the notification of the need to collect passport details links through to further details about the relevant Singaporean Immigration and Customs Authority laws.

Prototype screens

Guests notified that they will be required to provide the details again upon arrival. Guests given a choice between date of birth, city of residence or the last 4-digits of their NRC.

Reiterating that their details will need to be confirmed when arriving at their hotel.

Guests must confirm their details before checking-in. A slide to confirm interaction slows down the flow, distinguishes this step from others with a regular button style call-to-action and encourages the guest to spend an extra moment to corroborate their information.

This screen explains why passport details are required for a hotel booking and allows guests to refer to official Singaporean government documentation if desired.

Trabble-Screen 01