AI Guest Messaging
Crowne Plaza Perth, a 189-room IHG property steps from Australia’s Swan River, creates a premium experience for both corporate and leisure travelers. With a business center, farm-to-table restaurant and proximity to the city’s top attractions, the well-appointed hotel blends convenience with comfort in the heart of Perth.
The hotel has always prioritized communication with guests, but their previous messaging platform made this a manual, time-consuming process. Since switching to Canary’s AI Guest Messaging, keeping in touch with guests has become a breeze. We sat down with Operations Manager Kai Kankal to learn about the benefits they’ve seen.
“Before Canary, someone would have to spend at least an hour a day manually sending out pre-arrival messages to guests. Automating that has reduced our administrative work by at least 40%.”
Doubling Tripadvisor Reviews
Guest reviews are an integral part of the hospitality industry, but capturing feedback is a common challenge. With Canary AI, Crown Plaza Perth automates post-stay thank-you messages and shares a Tripadvisor review link. The result? Nearly double the number of reviews compared to the same time the year prior.
“Since adding a post-checkout message, the number of Tripadvisor reviews we get has skyrocketed,” Kai said. “And since we have more time to spend with our guests, our review scores have gone up, too.”
Instant, Helpful & Streamlined Guest Communication
Crowne Plaza Perth is near a similarly named casino hotel, leading to frequent booking mix-ups. Now, Canary’s AI Guest Messaging sends a message right after booking to set expectations. During the stay, AI checks in with guests and, if needed, automatically creates a service ticket through Canary’s seamless integration with Quore, notifying the right department instantly.
“This is an older building, so sometimes things go wrong. But often, we wouldn’t know guests had an issue until we read about it in their review“, said Kai. “Now, the AI sends messages to guests during their stay so we’re able to address issues promptly.”
Quick Implementation with Local Support
Adding Canary’s AI Guest Messaging into the existing tech stack was quick and easy thanks to Canary’s integrations with OPERA and Quore. Additionally, Canary’s local customer support provides a significant advantage over their previous vendor. Kai now benefits from a dedicated local customer success manager who’s available to address any needs.
“Having someone in Australia I can reach out to makes a huge difference,” Kai told us. “Knowing there’s a support contact in the same time zone is one of the biggest advantages of Canary, and it’s something our previous service didn’t offer at all.”
Canary Keeps Innovating With AI & Beyond
As Kai looks towards the future of hospitality, he’s excited to see how AI will continue to improve the guest journey—and he knows Canary will be at the forefront of the shift.
He told us, “I love that Canary is always innovating. AI is going to be the future of hospitality, and the way Canary AI responds, you can’t even tell it’s a bot. It’s really well designed, and it’s freed up so much time for my staff. Their reduced workload lets them spend more time with guests, which makes all the difference.”
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Frequently Asked Questions
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Not at all. One of the standout benefits reported by Crowne Plaza Perth is how natural Canary AI sounds in its communication. The AI is designed to mimic human tone and intent, so guests often don’t realise they’re speaking with a bot. In fact, the personal, timely messages have led to improved guest satisfaction and a noticeable increase in positive reviews.
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Canary AI integrates seamlessly with leading hotel systems like OPERA and Quore, making setup simple and efficient. At Crowne Plaza Perth, the implementation was quick, with no disruption to operations. The local customer support team also provided hands-on assistance, ensuring everything was up and running without stress.
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By automating pre-arrival messages, post-stay feedback requests, and in-stay check-ins, Canary AI significantly reduces manual admin tasks. At Crowne Plaza Perth, this resulted in a 40% reduction in administrative workload, allowing staff to focus more on in-person guest service, which in turn improved review scores and the overall guest experience.
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Yes. By automating timely post-checkout messages with a direct Tripadvisor review link, Crowne Plaza Perth saw their reviews nearly double year-on-year. This proactive engagement not only increased review volume but also enhanced guest satisfaction, boosting ratings across the board.
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Unlike many global tech providers, Canary offers local customer support in Australia, including a dedicated success manager. For Crowne Plaza Perth, this meant faster response times, better communication, and ongoing support from someone in the same time zone—something their previous provider lacked.