Hapag-Lloyd Cruises is expanding its digital service for travel agency partners, introducing a chatbot.
Available on the luxury cruise line’s B2B platform, Chatbot Henry Hansen is new assistant who supports travel agencies 24/7 with all questions relating to products and services of the brand. The virtual travel officer has special know-how, especially with regard to product-specific topics.
“With Henry Hansen we create great added value in terms of availability for our partners,” said Julian Pfitzner, CEO of Hapag-Lloyd Cruises. “It gives us the opportunity to answer inquiries automatically and without delay with the help of ‘machine learning’. The application shows how diverse and far-reaching the possible uses of chatbots are. It is a good solution for further service models in times of digital change. Nevertheless, our DNA is and will of course remain personal service,” Pfitzner added.
Chatbot Henry, described by Hapag-Lloyd Cruises as a “cosmopolitan” 38-year-old from North Germany, gains further artificial intelligence with every dialogue.
For process-related questions, Henry defers the enquire to the service team.
“If the chatbot still doesn’t know what to do, Henry Hansen refers to his human colleagues who provide support by phone or e-mail,” Hapag-Lloyd Cruises said.
Interested travel agencies can register for the B2B platform, ZEIT IST LUXUS, here.
Meanwhile, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises will operate three ships in Antarctica for the upcoming winter season. HANSEATIC nature, the first ship in Hapag-Lloyd Cruises’ new expedition fleet, sets off from Cape Verde towards Antarctica next month. As soon as her two identical sister ships, HANSEATIC inspiration and the HANSEATIC spirit follow her in December, the expedition travel provider will be in the Southern Ocean with its three sister ships.