Premier Travel Inn has deployed a ScanSoft fully automated speech-based reservations system, called TINA (Travel Inn Now Automated). Premier Travel Inn is investing in solutions that deliver tangible operating efficiencies, and is striving to increase levels of customer care by optimizing Web investments to provide superior and more efficient services for customers.

TINA is based on speech technology and Professional Services such as application development and UI design from ScanSoft’s SpeechWorks solutions division and is built on VoiceGenie’s voice platform. Premier Travel Inn’s new automated booking system enables its customers to easily check room availability at any one of Premier Travel Inn’s hotels in the UK and then make and confirm a booking. The automated call can take as little as three minutes to make a full hotel reservation. Once a reservation has been made, customers can ask TINA to send a confirmation text message (SMS) to their mobile, which arrives as the customer is completing the phone call.

Trevor Elliott, Development Manager at Premier Travel Inn said, “Premier Travel Inn is very proud of TINA. In supporting our expansion plans, our expectation at the moment is that the system will grow over the next 12 months to handle up to 750,000 calls per year, and will generate approximately 200,000 hotel bookings.” He added: “Feedback indicates that TINA has been well received by our customers, with many commenting on the time it saves when making a booking, the naturalness of TINA’s voice, and the effectiveness of its natural language platform.”

Peter Hauser, senior vice president and general manager for ScanSoft International said, “Premier Travel Inn has recognized that speech automation from ScanSoft is an ideal way to manage an increasing volume of bookings as the company expands. Minimizing the pressure on Premier Travel Inn’s Customer Reservations Service, TINA also provides another positive connection and experience between Premier Travel Inn and its customers. Premier Travel Inn is among thousands of companies and organizations utilizing ScanSoft’s technology and expertise in speech to facilitate greater customer loyalty, higher sales and increased brand recognition.”
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