BWRBot
PROJECT OVERVIEW
In 2018, with the hopes of scaling and enhancing their customer experience, Best Western made the thrilling leap into the world of artificial intelligence with the development of their new chatbot. I was tasked with designing the chatbot identity throughout the beta testing phase to the final launch.
Project completed as a full-time employee at Ideas Collide. To comply with the non-disclosure agreement, confidential information has been omitted from this case study. Portfolio display permission can be revoked at any time if the agency or client deems necessary.
YEAR
2017-2018
ROLE
Senior Designer
METHOD
Design, Prototyping
TOOLS
Adobe XD, Illustrator, After Effects
DELIVERABLE
Chatbot
Elevating the Guest Experience with AI
CHALLENGE
Seamless Engagement
Best Western sought to provide a quick and convenient way for members to communicate in real-time about hotel amenities, member perks, promotions, travel tips, point redemption, and more. With over 30 million loyalty members active on Facebook Messenger, it emerged as the ideal fit, boasting a vast user base of 1.3 billion active month users. Implementation would be minimal and cost effective as well.
User Needs
Allow members to link their loyalty program accounts and access personalized information including points totals and elite status
Implement both guided and open-ended conversational flows to accommodate all users varied communication styles
Business Needs
Increase loyalty program membership signups by providing a seamless signup process from Messenger app to BW’s website
Act as a social listening tool for BW to better understand what questions customers frequently need answered
PROCESS
My Role
In crafting the content and personality of the chatbot, as guided by the account team and copywriter, research revealed that customers are inclined to engage and revisit conversations where they feel entertained or motivated by an intriguing personality. Moreover, trust is fostered when a chatbot speaks the customer's language and employs familiar, informal phrases.
To visually depict the ideal personality aligned with BW's voice and values, I designed the charts below, exploring human names versus non-human names. The consensus within our team led to the selection of the playful, charming, and witty persona named BeeDub.
Steering clear of using 'bot' in the name, our internal team aimed to create a more personalized user experience, ensuring users felt like they were engaging with a person. To align with Best Western's established brand essence, the visuals and name were simplified at the company's request, resulting in the creation of the persona 'BWRBot.'
It's crucial to consider the design constraints inherent in chatbots. The UI is largely predetermined by the platform, restricting design elements to images, GIFs, and videos within galleries and image cards. Visuals may vary between desktop and mobile, as they appear full-size on desktop but are auto-resized or scaled down on mobile devices. Addressing the continuous looping of GIFs, it was imperative to ensure that the ones created strike a balance, avoiding distraction or inducing anxiety in users by being overly fast-paced
SOLUTION
BWRBot
Maintaining brand continuity, I infused the chatbot with brand colors and fonts. Utilizing the brand's blue color, I integrated subtle clouds to evoke travel aspirations. Through a blend of custom graphics, curated stock imagery, and thoughtfully designed GIFs, the chatbot came to life, ensuring cohesion in beta testing groups, promotional materials, and beyond. This approach resulted in an engaging and informative user experience, facilitating quick decision-making and guiding users toward their intended goals.
IMPACT
Achievements
Six months after launching on Facebook Messenger, the BWRBot handled more than 33K incoming messages from about 5K users. Usage overall is steadily increasing, but research has shown that 40% of Millennials say they use the chatbot daily and more than 64% of users say that 24-hour service is the best feature of the service.
Gold
2019 Gold Magellan Award winner for Best Western Rewards Chatbot -Mobile App
Silver
2019 Silver HSMAI Adrian Award winner for Best Western Rewards Chatbot - Mobile Marketing
40%
Millennials utilizing the BWRBot say they use the chatbot on a daily basis
