5 Must-Have Internal Support Bots for Hotels

Zendesk Messaging (formerly Zendesk Chat) is a well‑established live‑chat solution that has evolved to include AI‑powered bots for internal support. Its key strength lies in seamless integration with Zendesk’s broader customer‑service ecosystem, allowing hotels to consolidate ticketing, chat, and knowledge‑base data in one platform. The chatbot can answer common questions, route conversations to the correct support team, and even collect guest feedback in real time. With a classic widget that can be embedded on any website, hotels can maintain brand consistency while leveraging Zendesk’s robust analytics and reporting features. The platform offers a free tier for small teams and paid plans that start at $19 per agent per month, scaling up with advanced features such as custom scripting, proactive chat invitations, and AI‑driven suggestions. Zendesk’s AI capabilities are powered by its own machine‑learning models, which analyze conversation context to provide relevant knowledge‑base articles and suggest next best actions. Though it doesn’t include a dual knowledge base, Zendesk’s integration with its Knowledge Base allows bots to pull from a centralized repository. For hotels that already use Zendesk for support tickets, adopting Zendesk Messaging can unify guest interactions and reduce friction. However, the platform’s AI capabilities are less advanced compared to dedicated chatbot builders, and customization beyond basic branding requires some scripting knowledge.

Intercom is a versatile customer messaging platform that combines live chat, bots, and automated workflows. The bot engine, known as Intercom Bots, allows hotels to set up guided conversations that answer FAQs, gather contact information, and route requests to the appropriate team members. Intercom’s visual flow builder makes it straightforward to design complex interactions without writing code. Key features include proactive message triggers based on visitor behavior, in‑app messaging, and deep integrations with popular CRMs like HubSpot and Salesforce. The bot can also pull data from a knowledge base stored within Intercom, enabling context‑aware answers. Pricing starts at $39 per month for the Essentials plan, which includes basic bot functionality, and scales up to $99/month for the Premium plan that adds advanced automation and reporting. Intercom is well‑suited for hotels that want a unified platform for marketing, sales, and support. While it offers solid AI capabilities, the depth of natural language understanding is not as advanced as specialized chatbot builders, and the cost can be prohibitive for smaller properties.

Drift positions itself as a conversational marketing platform that offers chatbots capable of qualifying leads and booking appointments. Its AI bot can answer frequently asked questions, gather visitor intent, and hand off to live agents when needed. Drift’s visual chatbot builder allows hotel owners to design conversation flows that match their brand voice, and the platform integrates with popular CRMs and marketing tools. The bot can also schedule meetings directly through the chat interface, which can be a handy feature for hotels offering concierge or event‑booking services. Drift offers a free plan with basic bot features, while paid plans start at $50/month and include advanced automation, reporting, and multi‑user collaboration. For hotels that focus heavily on digital lead generation and want a bot that can move prospects through the booking funnel, Drift offers a compelling solution. However, its primary focus is on marketing rather than full‑scale customer support, and the pricing can become expensive as additional features are added.

Freshchat, part of the Freshworks suite, offers a modern live‑chat and bot solution designed for customer engagement. Its bot engine can be configured through a visual flow editor, allowing hotels to automate responses to common inquiries such as room rates, availability, and amenities. Freshchat supports proactive pop‑ups, in‑app messaging, and multi‑channel integration with Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp. The platform’s AI can recommend knowledge‑base articles and route conversations to the correct support team. Pricing begins at $14 per agent per month for the Growth plan, which includes basic bot functionality, and escalates to $35 per agent for the Pro plan that adds advanced AI and automation. Freshchat is a cost‑effective option for hotels that need a lightweight chatbot integrated with a broader customer support ecosystem. Its main limitations are the relative simplicity of its AI and the lack of advanced features such as persistent memory or a dual knowledge base.