Artificial Intelligence (AI) based technology has experienced a rapid evolution as new methods and solutions are deployed into real world applications. Large scale technologies have proven their worth in the business realm with increases in productivity and reductions in operating costs the result of AI based solutions. While AI technology is far from perfect, advances in data loading, processing and analytics have created opportunities for higher efficiency and more accurate platforms that have a singular focus, or job. These ‘purpose-built’ AI technologies can bring real benefits and conveniences to small and midsize businesses that may not have the resources of large scale operators. SMBs have ongoing challenges in time and resource management and the need for effective training of frontline staff is crucial in maintaining day to day operations and providing exceptional customer experiences if part of the business model. New hire onboarding and current worker development are crucial parts to small and midsize business operations and AI technologies can deliver critical skills more effectively and at a much faster pace than traditional methods of training.

The Purpose-Built AI Model

One of the common elements among AI models is the need to gather and process data for response generation. AI technology is evolving rapidly with many methods existing and for purpose-built models that focus on a singular task or agenda, Retrieval Augmented Generation, or RAG, provides the most efficient information conduit for these types of applications. RAG has a few central components in the overall schema:

Loaders that acquire, tokenize and embed data

Vector graphing to establish baselines and reply probabilities

Large language model integration for input and user facing response generation

Data sources or ‘knowledge bases’ that models use for learning and response generation

RAG pipelines depend on outside knowledge sources that can be in most document formats such as PDFs, Word, Excel or .csv files and in some cases, images. These data sources are easily accessed within specified target folders and can be easily updated, upgraded or changed altogether. Data flexibility in RAG technologies is a valuable benefit for fast moving and adaptable small and midsize businesses.

Small and Midsize Travel Providers Benefit from AI Tech

One category of small and midsize business that could greatly benefit from purpose-built models is the travel category. One of the lingering challenges for travel businesses is hiring and training high performing guest facing travel workers and potential gaps in service and quality can be highly damaging to the travel brand. RAG based training systems can deliver foundational customer service skills, advanced guest service skills, communication techniques and organizational habits at a much faster pace and with greater effectiveness than traditional training methods. Having highly trained and well skilled guest service representatives and entry level travel workers is critical in maintaining high quality guest experiences and maintaining brand equity. In a highly preferential business like travel, guest perceptions are extremely valuable and meeting those expectations is a key priority for any travel business or provider. AI and RAG based training platforms can ensure effective new hire onboarding and the flexible nature of the technology’s data sources can extend functionality to upskilling and developing existing workers, sharpening skills and delivering new and advanced guest service training.

hospit-AI-lity: A New AI Based Training Platform for the Travel Industry

Recognizing the need for next generation training in the travel industry, TTS is developing a new travel training technology that aims to get new travel workers contributing from DAY ONE. Using RAG pipelines and advanced loader and data processing scripting, hospit-AI-lity is that next generation training platform that delivers essential and advanced skills, organizational habits and expectations to new travel hires. hospit-AI-lity utilizes its machine learning roots to provide assessment functions as well as trainee evaluation and management reporting, ensuring new hires are on track for full deployment. Fast and effective training methods, like hospit-AI-lity, is especially valuable for small and midsize travel businesses that do not have the resources or time to onboard new hires using traditional training methods. New hires will get to know Walt, hospit-AI-lity’s training agent, as he guides workers through engaging and interactive content and in real time. Walt can adjust training pace to suit the new hire’s learning style but with a strong focus on tempo and completion of learning units. Dynamic data sources in the RAG knowledgebase can be optimized to include brand specific and job specific duties and expectations, ensuring a full and successful onboarding process and reducing or eliminating potential service and quality gaps.

The Bottom Line

Mainstream adoption has created new opportunities for AI technology application in small and midsize businesses. Purpose built solutions can be configured to effectively automate and execute singular focused jobs such as new hire training and current employee development and upskilling. SMBs in particular need fast and effective methods of training and do not have the ‘leeway’ that larger operations have. Effective training and skillset development are especially important for small and midsize travel businesses where guest experiences and preferences can greatly influence future purchasing decisions. AI powered training technologies, such as hospit-AI-lity, can deliver essential and advanced guest service skills and organizational habits much faster and more effectively than traditional methods of training. As methodology and language models evolve, AI applications will continue to provide tangible and significant business benefits to SMBs across all industries.