How Not To Series: Club Med AI Assistant Who Goes in Circles
Club Med, previously known as Club Méditerranée SA, a French travel and tourism operator headquartered in Paris, has recently announced the launch of a WhatsApp-based Club Med AI Assistant.
Testing the Club Med AI Assistant
Our conversation with the Club Med AI Assistant started with an inquiry about resorts in the Alps for hiking. The response we received was lengthy, perplexing, and failed to address our question directly. Instead of providing relevant information, the AI Assistant went on about data security protocols, which was unnecessary and off-topic.
Struggling to Stay on Track
Attempting to redirect the conversation back to our initial question, we found the AI Assistant to be disoriented, repeating its introductory message about learning and understanding Club Med's services. It seemed to have forgotten our inquiry entirely.
When prompted again about the resorts in the Alps, the AI Assistant admitted its limitations, stating it could only provide information about a specific, unnamed resort. The lack of specificity was frustrating and unhelpful.
The Frustrating End Result
After multiple attempts to engage the AI Assistant, we were met with further confusion and circular responses. The AI's inability to retain information and provide relevant answers highlighted the shortcomings in its training and implementation.
While technology can be blamed to an extent, it ultimately falls on the people behind the AI system to ensure its efficacy. Thoughtless launches like this can do more harm than good, failing to assist customers or improve the hospitality industry.
It's essential to be customer-smart and avoid following in the footsteps of Club Med's AI Assistant.
Written by: Seraphima Bogomolova for Be Customer Smart
