Global TMC BCD Travel has announced it is extending its trip management platform Tripsource into cloud-based voice services on any Alexa-enabled device such as the Amazon Echo, Echo Plus, Echo Dot or any smart phone with the Alexa app loaded.
The new Tripsource skill for Alexa will allow users to request specific details about upcoming trips, including arrival and departure dates and times, hotel confirmation information and the address for rental car pick-ups.
BCD worked with a team of voice user-experience designers to enable greater personalisation of the Tripsource platform through voice, including the ability to assign ‘nicknames’ to traveller profiles. BCD gives the example of a child asking Alexa when “mom’s” flight arrives, with the assistant able to recognise who “mom” is.
The TMC says that as the technology evolves, it will extend voice capabilities to planning and booking, as well as to other popular voice assistants such as Google Assistant and Siri. Further developments will be released throughout this year and into 2019.
Yannis Karmis, senior vice president of product planning and development at BCD Travel, commented: “We want to offer business travellers access to trip information using their favourite tools and devices wherever they are – the office, at home or on the go. Virtual voice technology gives us the opportunity to seamlessly integrate natural-language technologies into our Tripsource platform and expand our self-service capabilities.”
bcdtravel.com