Jamie Biesiada
Generative AI is proving to be a useful business tool for the travel advisors willing to use it.
"I think once you get past the sort of mental hurdle of it being creepy, because it certainly comes across that way, you will find that it will change the way in which you operate almost every aspect of your business," said Brian Shultz, chief information officer for Cruise Planners.
Shultz addressed generative AI, and several other technology topics, during a recent episode of the "Trade Secrets" podcast.
Cruise Planners is using AI in a variety of ways. The franchisor recently integrated it into CP Maxx, Cruise Planners' CRM and booking tool, enabling advisors to generate content, marketing materials and travel recommendations.
It's a useful way to "get the ball rolling" with content, Shultz said. Anything generative AI produces needs to be edited, but it can be a good place to get started.
"I've worked with a lot of travel advisors in this space," he said. "It's about getting them accustomed to it and familiar with it, and once they do, they're like, 'Oh, my gosh, I can't imagine having to do this without this tool.'"
How Cruise Planners' agents use AI
According to Shultz, the top use of generative AI among Cruise Planners agents is communicating more negative things to clients. For instance, if the cabin they were looking at on a sailing was no longer available.
"They don't want to just say that," he said. So, they turn to generative AI to craft an apologetic message to clients.
After that, Cruise Planners advisors are using it to create things like blogs and newsletters.
They're also using it for vacation options, like asking it to generate five things to do for a young family in Miami in June, he said.
Generative AI is already a useful business tool, but it's only going to get more useful. Cruise Planners is thinking about its use, and AI in general, when it comes to marketing and identifying targeted groups.
In the future, he predicted, advisors will be able to use it to mine their database of customers for similar purposes.
Generative AI does have negatives, though, privacy concerns and general errors being chief among them.
To hear more on generative AI, and other technology topics like third-party tech systems versus those provided by a host agency or consortia, give the episode a listen.