Understanding ChatGPT and Hospitality Prompts (Part Two)

ChatGPT is a state-of-the-art language model with the ability to generate human-like responses for a wide range of applications, including chatbots, customer service, and content generation. One of the key features of ChatGPT is its ability to handle multiple turns in a conversation. This means it can understand the context and flow of a conversation and generate responses that are appropriate for the current state of the conversation. This makes ChatGPT particularly useful for business applications, as it can handle the back-and-forth nature of interacting with a human user. Simply stated, ChatGPT incorporates the history of its conversation with a user into its results, allowing it to simulate real conversation.

While traditional AI is focused on detecting patterns, decision-making, honing analytics, classifying data, and detecting fraud, generative AI starts with a prompt that allows a user to enter a starting query to guide content generation. This can be an iterative process to explore content variations. Despite traditional AI processes using captured data to return a simple result, generative AI models are designed to generate various applications, including language generation, image synthesis, and creative content generation. More specifically, ChatGPT is a language model based on GPT (Generative Pre-trained Transformer) architecture. GPT models are trained on large text data files found on the internet. ChatGPT starts with a prompt that could be in the form of a statement, image, video, or musical design that a system can process. For example, the ChatGPT prompt “Define American Hotel and Lodging Association in two sentences” entered at chat.openai.com, returned the following response:

While ChatGPT is a notable application of generative AI, it's important to recognize that it refers to the implementation of generative AI for chat-based interactions. After an initial chat response, the user can refine the prompt to customize the results with respect to style, tone, graphic, or other elements.

ChatGPT works through a technology called natural language processing. It has been fed massive amounts of text-based data by its programmers to then be able to generate its own, human-like responses. However, the quality of responses are only as good as the questions, or prompts, provided.

ChatGPT Prompts

One of the most critical variables in working with OpenAI is the use of prompts. While the OpenAI prompt area appears as a simple search bar, it is actually the entry point for initiating a session to acquire information through free-form communication. When crafting a prompt, it is essential to be clear and concise while also supplying sufficient detail for the AI to comprehend the context and desired result. The saying "garbage in, garbage out" has never been more fitting when it comes to prompt creation.

Factors that could confuse the system or result in "garbage" include:

• Context—unclear context may lead to poor output quality in responses;
• Domain knowledge—it might be unaware of events, discoveries, or information changes since September 2021;
• Ambiguity—ambiguous information or questions in the input message;
• Language—its primary focus and strength lie in English, and it may offer less accurate responses in other languages, idiomatic expressions, and slang; and
• Fact-checking—it depends on the data it was trained on and cannot independently verify facts.

To maximize the potential of ChatGPT, it's crucial to understand the components of a good prompt and provide clear, concise input with sufficient context while using the model within its knowledge and capabilities.

Prompt-Writing Tips

It’s important to include five steps in your ChatGPT prompts in order to get the best results. Those would be:

1. Context.
   For example: You are an experienced content writer with high levels of expertise and authority within the tech industry.
2. Task.
   For example: Your task is to write content that will be published online on websites, social media, email newsletters, and in advertisements. Your writing style is informative, friendly, engaging, while incorporating humor and real-life examples.
3. Instruct.
   For example: I will provide you with a topic or series of topics and you will come up with an engaging article outline for this topic.
4. Clarify.
   For example: Do you understand?
5. Refine.
   Rewrite using more natural, expressive language and include some examples to accompany this information.

Source: https://blog.cloudhq.net/how-to-write-chatgpt-prompts-for-email/

The following applications were generated by ChatGPT in response to the OpenAI prompt “Identify and explain the top 10 applications of ChatGPT for the U.S. hospitality industry.”

ChatGPT, with its natural language understanding and generation capabilities, can be a valuable tool in the U.S. hospitality industry. Here are the top 10 applications:

Customer Service Chatbots: ChatGPT can power AI-driven chatbots on hotel websites and apps, providing guests with instant answers to common questions, room booking assistance, and concierge services.

Reservation Assistance: It can assist guests in making or modifying reservations, checking availability, and providing personalized recommendations based on preferences.

Guest Assistance: ChatGPT can serve as a 24/7 virtual concierge, helping guests with requests, such as room service orders, local attraction recommendations, and transportation inquiries.

Language Translation: In a multicultural country like the United States, ChatGPT can facilitate communication between staff and guests who speak different languages.

Feedback and Surveys: After a guest's stay, ChatGPT can collect feedback and conduct post-stay surveys to gauge satisfaction and identify areas for improvement.

Staff Training: It can be used as a training tool for hospitality staff, helping them learn about hotel policies, amenities, and customer service best practices.

Marketing and Upselling: ChatGPT can assist in upselling services and amenities by providing tailored recommendations based on guest profiles and preferences.

Event Planning: For guests planning events or conferences at a hotel, ChatGPT can assist in coordinating details, room bookings, catering, and logistical support.

Maintenance and Service Requests: Guests can use ChatGPT to report maintenance issues or request additional services like extra towels, ensuring a prompt response from hotel staff.

Emergency Information: In case of emergencies or unforeseen events, ChatGPT can disseminate critical information to guests, helping them stay informed and safe.

These applications enhance guest experiences, streamline operations, and improve the efficiency of hotel staff, making ChatGPT a valuable asset in the hospitality industry.

By Michael L. Kasavana, Ph.D., CHTP, CFTP, MSU Professor, Emeritus, AHLEI Author of the Eleventh Edition of Managing Front Office Operations.