Insights Type: Best Practices

From Bots to Agentic AI: 4 Contact Center Trends to Watch

HSMAI Contact Center SIG Fireside Chat

Steering Committee Co-Facilitators

Fatima Fisher, Director of Global Reservation Support, Pyramid Global Hospitality

Denise Pullen, Founder & CEO, Daisia Consulting

The HSMAI Contact Center SIG, a community for guest engagement leaders, recently hosted a Fireside Chat. These informal conversations give members a space for discussing emerging trends, shared learning, and industry connection.

At a recent call, contact center leaders discussed all the ideas that surfaced at the HSMAI Commercial Strategy Conference. Read on for the top 4 trends that surfaced from the discussion.

  • AI’s Next Phase

Participants discussed agentic AI, virtual agents, web chat, AI call scoring, and agent-assist tools. Questions centered on privacy, voice recordings, content accuracy, and how AI-generated information is managed. One participant reported that their web chat solution is successfully handling nearly 80% of website engagements and has tripled web chat conversations. Another described how they learned different companies approaches to employee AI use, with some allowing approved AI tools and others limiting employees to company-approved platforms.

  • Routing the Right Calls

Call routing generated significant discussion. Participants shared efforts to redirect operational inquiries away from reservation consultants through IVR updates, direct property routing, and digital channels. One participant reported redirecting nearly 40,000 calls back to hotel resources. The goal was to ensure guests reach the right resource as quickly as possible.

  • A Seat at the Table

Technology purchasing and marketing campaigns surfaced as common challenges. Participants discussed the importance of involving contact center teams in technology evaluations, noting that those who use the systems often have valuable operational insights. Marketing and promotional campaigns created similar concerns. Several participants described receiving little notice before launches, while others shared examples of being included earlier in planning discussions to prepare staffing, training, and guest-facing resources.

  • Organizational Alignment

Reporting structures varied, with participants sitting under revenue, sales, commercial, and commercial strategy organizations. The conversation also touched on collaboration with revenue management, marketing, distribution, operations, and analytics teams.

Navigating Contact Center Terms: Acronyms & Terminology Explained

Stephanie Poirier, Senior Team Leader, Sales Support & Quality Performance,  Accor, Contact Center SIG Steering Committee Members 

Megan Becker, Manager of Hiring and Training, Reservations, Hershey Entertainment & Resorts Company, Contact Center SIG Steering Committee Members 

At the heart of guest interactions, Contact Centers often serve as the first point of contact. In the fast-paced and service-driven world of the hospitality industry, communication is key to delivering exceptional guest experiences. Internally, the same holds true — specialized acronyms and phrases have developed within the sector to streamline operations and drive greater efficiency. 

These terms symbolize processes, technologies, and metrics that ensure smooth operation in hospitality contact centers. Understanding these definitions is essential for anyone working within the industry, from front-line colleagues to upper management, as they play a critical role in improving service quality, boosting performance, and ensuring guest satisfaction. 

In this article, we will share the top 25 most used call center acronyms and phrases and their significance in driving success. 

Term Definition
Abandonment Rate The percentage of callers who hang up before speaking with an agent
ACD Automatic Call Distribution – telephony system that receives calls and distributes them to agents/representatives
ADR Average Daily Rate – average income per occupied room a hotel earns in a set period of time; key indicator of hotel’s success
AHT Average Handle Time – the average duration to handle a call; includes talk time and after-call work (ACW)
ASA Average Speed of Answer – the average time it takes to answer a call
ATT Average Talk Time – average time an agent spends talking with guests per call
BPO Business Process Outsourcing – delegating specific tasks to 3rd party service provider to optimize internal operating costs related to HR, technologies, knowledge base, etc.
Conversion The percentage of calls that result in a sale/reservation (some contact centers may measure the percentage of all calls, others may measure the percentage of lead calls that result in a sale)
C-SAT Customer Satisfaction – a method of monitoring and measuring customer satisfaction levels, usually through surveys
CTI Computer Telephony Integration – a technology that connects telephone systems to computers, enabling agents to access customer information during calls
Disposition Status that describes the outcome of the call (booked, not booked, etc)
FCR First Call Resolution – The percentage of calls resolved during the first contact
FTE Full-Time Equivalent – a unit of measurement that represents the number of full-time employees an organization would have if all employees worked full-time; used to standardize headcount and assist with determining staffing levels
GDS Global Distribution System – a computerized network that allows travel agencies to book travel services from multiple suppliers
IVR Interactive Voice Response – plays a pre-recorded message and allows customer to respond with voice commands to select the type of service they need
KPI Key Performance Indicators – Measures used to determine the quantity and quality of contact and support provided by individual contact center agents, and the center as a whole
Occupancy The percentage of time agents spend actively handling calls and other work activities
PCA Percentage of Calls Answered –
QA Quality Assurance – an assessment process to ensure agents’ customer interactions meet hotel quality standards
Rev per Res Revenue per Reservation –
Rev per TT Revenue per Talk Time – measures the amount of revenue generated per unit of “talk time” during a sales call or customer interaction; measures the direct return on time spent talking to potential clients
SL Service Level – Percentage of calls answered within a specific time frame.
Speed to Proficiency / Time to Proficiency The amount of time it takes for a new employee to learn and develop to meet performance expectations for the role
Transfer Rate The percentage of calls transferred by an agent
VOC Voice of Customer – customer’s feedback about their experience, expectations, and desires for the business’s services, products, and offerings.

Now that you’ve had a chance to familiarize yourself with a number of contact center terms, it’s time to expand on the conversation and join us at our quarterly Contact Center SIG meetings, or monthly Fireside Chats! This is a unique opportunity for professionals within the hospitality contact center space to dive into the latest trends, share knowledge, and drive service excellence together. Attendees will gain invaluable insights to enhance their operations. For more information, visit HSMAI’s Contact Center Special Interest Group: A Community for Guest Engagement Leaders.

And be sure to join us at the Commercial Strategies Conference in Orlando next June 29-30, 2027 for an inspiring, informative event! 

CSC Session Recap

From Disjointed to Dynamic: Hotel Marketing Framework for Commercial Performance 

Kimberly Erwin, Principal at Lotus Marketing, HSMAI Marketing Advisory Board Member

This article recaps my session at HSMAI’s Commercial Strategy Session, where I shared the work Lotus Marketing has undertaken to create a strategic marketing framework. Our work connects how strategy should drive revenue, to align teams, vendors, and systems to make marketing more effective.  

The hotel marketing framework helps hotels understand, prioritize, and continuously improve their marketing for maximum impact. Built around five core pillars, it creates momentum by revealing where focus and refinement will drive the greatest results.  

  1. Foundation establishes who the hotel is and who it represents. This is the strategic core of the framework and defines the hotel’s identity, narrative, values, and differentiation, and translates them into clear visual and verbal standards.

  2. Alignment defines what the hotel is trying to achieve commercially. This pillar connects the brand foundation to real business objectives, ensuring marketing efforts are driven by measurable goals rather than just activity. Alignment ensures that marketing, sales, revenue management, and leadership are working toward the same outcomes, using shared priorities and a common understanding of success.

  3. Expression governs how the brand shows up across every touchpoint. This pillar ensures that all guest-facing materials and channels consistently reflect the hotel’s identity and commercial intent. In a world where guests evaluate hotels across dozens of platforms, consistency is not optional.

  4. Immersion defines why guests will remember their stay. This is where marketing moves beyond communication and becomes tangible. Immersion translates brand promise into experience through programming, amenities, activations, and moments that guests can feel.

  5. Outreach determines where the brand reaches and influences beyond the hotel itself. This pillar extends the hotel’s presence through partnerships, community engagement, media, and third-party advocacy.

When the pillars are strengthened in sequence, momentum begins to build naturally because each layer reinforces and amplifies the one before it. As each pillar compounds the next, marketing becomes more effective. The narrative is clear, priorities are defined, and campaigns require less reinvention because they are grounded in strategy rather than reaction. Resources are used more efficiently, and the guest experience reinforces the brand promise. 

In this environment, marketing shifts from a series of disconnected efforts to a coordinated system where each action builds on the last. In other words, hotel marketing stops behaving like a perishable expense and becomes a compounding asset. 

Take the hotel marketing assessment tool to evaluate hotel marketing effectiveness: https://iq.lotusmarketinginc.com/lotusiq 

The tool translates the five pillars into clear criteria that reveal where the hotel is strong, where gaps exist, and what actions should be prioritized. It enables hoteliers to benchmark marketing performance, diagnose root issues, and identify the priorities that will deliver the greatest commercial impact.

What 2026 Is Demanding from Revenue Teams

Derek Boyle, CRME, Sr. Director, Account Management, IDeaS – a SAS Company, Rising Revenue Optimization Leader Council Member 

This article comes from a recent discussion of the revenue rising leaders council, where the discussion shifted from forecasting what revenue management might become to operating as if the next phase is already underway. 

The conversation centered on execution. AI is no longer emerging and no longer optional, but the group was clear that access alone does not create advantage. Advantage comes from learning faster, applying selectively, and staying focused on outcomes that matter to the business. The group felt that efficiency carried more weight than experimentation, with repeated emphasis on tools that reduce friction, improve forecast accuracy, and ultimately show up in dollars rather than dashboards. 

At the same time, restraint was called out as a leadership skill. AI fatigue was acknowledged openly, alongside the reality that technology is not a shortcut to strategy, nor a replacement for judgment, alignment, or clear priorities. One participant summed it up, “I think the reality is that AI is not a band-aid to fix all of our problems.” 

The group had examples of how strategic revenue management showed up in practical behaviors, such as cross-training across commercial silos. By sharing systems instead of parallel workflows, you end up with fewer isolated revenue calls and more integrated conversations that include marketing, operations, and leadership with revenue positioned at the center. The role of the revenue leader continues to evolve toward translator, connector, and decision driver. Elevating revenue management now is less about proving its value and more about embedding it into how the business  runs. 

Recommended Reading 

  • Review takeaways from previous meeting recaps 
  • The Future of Revenue Management Is Strategic Leadership 
  • 8 Revenue Management Trends that Define 2025 & Beyond 
  • EHL Insights Hospitality Outlook Report 2026 

 

Questions for Teams 

  1. Innovation & Future Focus: What bold ideas or emerging trends could elevate revenue management in 2026? Consider technology, automation, or creative approaches that could reshape how we work—and how we measure success. 
  2. Making Collaboration Real: How can we turn the concept of breaking down silos into practical action? What steps or initiatives would make cross-functional alignment a reality next year, and how can we track progress against clear goals? 
  3. Defining Success for People & Teams: What would meaningful progress look like for revenue leaders and their teams by the end of 2026? How do we apply what we know to set tangible outcomes and KPIs that demonstrate impact?

Building a Commercial Glossary GMs Will Actually Use

Katie Davin, Associate Professor, Johnson & Wales University, Sales Advisory Board Member

Scott Muety, VP, Revenue & Distribution, Viceroy Hotels, Revenue Optimization Advisory Board Member

General managers and operations leaders are stepping deeper into commercial conversations, but often still don’t speak the language. That gap slows decisions, softens confidence, and keeps too many leaders quiet in rooms where they should be active.

These recommendations come from discussions during the Sales and Revenue Advisory Boards. In both we looked at how a shared glossary could help GMs better navigate conversations with revenue, sales, marketing, distribution, and even owners. 

The discussions surfaced what actually helps, including:  

  • Definitions tied to actions 
  • Persona‑specific subsets so ops leaders don’t wade through what they won’t use 
  • Confidence to participate in revenue conversations instead of deferring 
  • Onboarding that includes commercial orientation 

The revised version is broader and more actionable, making it much easier to link to, reference, and use. 

Some teams are already moving this way offering short commercial primers for new GMs and re‑emphasizing terms in revenue meetings. This glossary is meant to be an aide in these conversations, and a practical tool to support everyday decision-making and cross-team collaboration. By using the glossary, we hope it ensures everyone on your team is speaking the same language and can confidently participate in commercial conversations. 

Explore the Glossary

Team Discussion Questions 

  1. Which terms in the glossary matter most for our property’s daytoday decisions? 
  2. Where do communication breakdowns happen between ops and commercial teams? 
  3. How do we make the glossary easy to use, not another PDF lost in someone’s downloads folder? 
  4. What personaspecific terms should our team understand to collaborate better?

Marriott Bonvoyland Lands Digital Best of Show

Marriott Bonvoy’s innovative approach earned them the HSMAI Adrian Award’s Best of Show honor in the Digital division for Marriott Bonvoy Land. The campaign successfully engaged younger generations by leveraging strategic partnerships and creating immersive experiences.

 

Learn more about the 2024 Adrian Awards Winners Here:  https://adrianawards.hsmai.org/winners-gallery/

Best Practices in Travel Advertising, Digital, PR/Communications & Integrated Marketing

2022 Adrian Awards: Platinum and President’s Award Honorees Special Report

In a year that started heavily impacted by the pandemic, destination travel marketing became more prevalent, especially highlighting the ecotourism trend of sustainable and responsible travel. The focus area of recruitment brought us entries that pushed the envelope creatively. We were awed by multi-faceted campaigns with great integration of all platforms, from traditional channels to new and exciting ones like VR, TikTok, and Twitch. We found beautiful storytelling, high quality content, and skillful use of influencers to really engage with guests. Finally, many brands and destinations are focusing on inclusive travel. Winning entries in the diversity, equity, and inclusion focus area included engaging, thoughtful, and authentic storytelling.

HSMAI Adrian Awards Best Practice: Moxy APAC Campaign

The 2023 Adrian Awards are now open! Take some inspiration from last year’s Best of Show –Marriott – Moxy APAC. Submit your entry for the 2023 Adrian Awards by September 8, 2023.

In a new Special Report, we profile all of the Platinum and President’s Award winners — including Marriott – Moxy APAC, which was honored for this Audience Marketing on New Platforms-Focus Category entry:

BEST OF SHOW WINNER: MOXY APAC BRAND CAMPAIGN “MOXY UNIVERSE, PLAY BEYOND”
AGENCY PARTNER: MEDIAMONKS

Background
Moxy is a young and trendy brand for travelers who are young at heart. As a relatively new brand in APAC, having only entered the market in 2017, Moxy needed to make a splash with its 2021 China launch and focus on dramatically increasing brand awareness and establishing a compelling positioning with fast-growing generation Z consumers. Moxy took the rising trend of Metaverse and gaming culture, and gave its own spin, creating a first of-its-kind campaign in the APAC hospitality market.

Campaign
“Moxy Universe, Play Beyond,” was an integrated campaign that broke the boundaries between offline and online, bringing a hotel experience designed to delight, capture and win the hearts of fun-loving generation Z consumers. They embraced generation Z values of diversity & inclusivity and continued to shape their identity through Avatar customization
and creativity and tied it with Moxy experiences.

Results
As the first hotel brand doing LIVESTREAM on Twitch, Moxy showcased its unique experiences and AR engagement with its audience. They hosted 4 offline events in Xi’An, Shenzhen, Osaka and Bandung with over 90 media and influencers. Through the campaign they achieved over 101MIL brand impressions, and a brand lift increased by 237% in TikTok/Douyin search trend and 77% in WeChat search trend index. They drove significant social buzz including over 7.2 million in PR reach and 872K engagements.