Handling Event Enquiries with Cognivox
Once an event has been configured and made available for booking, Cognivox can use that information when handling customer enquiries.
The AI receptionist can guide a caller through the event booking process conversationally.
Depending on what the caller asks, Cognivox can:
- Tell the caller which events are available
- Find a particular event
- Provide event information
- Explain packages
- Explain booking options
- Check current availability
- Establish the number of attendees
- Establish the number of units where required
- Provide the booking total
- Collect customer information
- Create an event reservation
Cognivox uses the event booking system rather than the employee appointment system when handling an event reservation.
Event Bookings Are Separate From Appointments
Cognivox distinguishes between an event booking and an employee appointment.
An employee appointment normally involves:
- An employee
- A calendar
- Appointment availability
- An appointment duration
An event booking instead involves:
- An event
- Packages
- Options
- Attendees
- Units where applicable
- Event capacity
- Option capacity
- A booking price
- A reservation
Cognivox should not use employee calendar availability to determine whether an event can be booked.
Asking What Events Are Available
A caller may begin with a general question such as:
What events do you have coming up?
or:
What conferences can I book?
Cognivox can check the currently available booking events.
Only events that are currently available through the event booking system should be presented as available for booking.
Where several events are available, Cognivox can provide enough information for the caller to identify the event they are interested in.
For example:
We currently have the Scottish Conference in October and the Spring Conference in March. Which one are you interested in?
The exact response depends on the events currently configured.
Finding a Particular Event
A caller may already know the event they want.
For example:
I'd like to book the Scottish Conference.
Cognivox can search for the matching event.
If one event clearly matches, Cognivox can continue using that event.
If several events could match, Cognivox should ask the caller which one they mean.
For example:
There are two conferences matching that name. One is in October and the other is in March. Which one would you like?
Cognivox should not silently choose between ambiguous matches.
Event Not Found
If the requested event cannot be found, Cognivox should explain this and allow the caller to clarify.
It should not invent an event or assume that a similarly named event is the one the caller intended.
For example:
I couldn't find an event matching that name. Could you tell me a little more about the event you're looking for?
Event Status
An event can exist in Cognivox without currently being available for booking.
For example:
- Bookings may not have opened yet
- Bookings may have closed
- The event may be inactive
- The event may already have taken place
- The event may be fully booked
Cognivox should distinguish between an event that does not exist and an event that exists but is not currently bookable.
Event Information
Once an event has been identified, Cognivox can use the configured event information to answer relevant questions.
This may include:
- Event name
- Description
- Venue
- Start date
- End date
- Packages
- Options
- Prices
- Availability
Cognivox should use the configured information rather than guessing details that are not present.
Packages
If the event has several packages, Cognivox can explain the available choices.
For example:
There is a Conference Only package and a Conference with Accommodation package. Which would you prefer?
Package information comes from the event configuration.
Cognivox should not invent additional packages.
Options
After the caller selects a package, there may be several options within that package.
For example:
The accommodation package has Single Room, Double Room and Twin Room options.
Cognivox can explain the available options and ask which one the caller wants.
Where useful, the configured option description can help explain the difference between options.
Do Not Assume What an Option Represents
An option may represent accommodation, admission, a ticket type or another event-specific choice.
Cognivox should use the option information configured for the event.
It should not assume that every option represents a room or accommodation.
Number of Attendees
Before checking the final availability for a reservation, Cognivox needs to know how many people will attend.
For example:
How many people will be attending?
The attendee count determines how much overall Event Capacity the reservation requires.
For example:
Attendees: 2
requires two available attendee places.
Number of Units
For a unit-based option, Cognivox may also need to establish the number of units required.
For example, if a caller selects a Double Room:
How many rooms will you require?
Two attendees do not necessarily require two rooms.
For example:
2 attendees sharing 1 Double Room
means:
Attendees: 2
Units: 1
Cognivox should not infer the unit count solely from the attendee count.
Checking Availability
Before telling the caller that the requested booking is available, Cognivox checks current availability.
The check considers:
- Overall event attendee capacity
- Selected option capacity
For example, a caller requests:
2 attendees
1 Double Room
Cognivox needs sufficient capacity for both:
2 attendee places
and:
1 Double Room unit
Both must be available.
Event Fully Booked
If there is insufficient overall attendee capacity, Cognivox should explain that the event no longer has sufficient availability for the requested number of attendees.
It should not create a reservation that exceeds the event capacity.
Option Fully Booked
An event can still have overall attendee capacity while a particular option is fully booked.
For example:
Event Available: 25
Single Rooms Available: 0
If the caller asks for a Single Room, Cognivox should explain that the requested option is unavailable.
Where another suitable configured option remains available, Cognivox can offer that alternative.
For example:
The Single Rooms are fully booked, but Double Rooms are still available.
Current Availability Matters
Availability can change as other reservations are created.
Cognivox therefore uses current availability when handling a booking.
An earlier conversation or previous availability result should not be treated as a permanent guarantee of capacity.
Capacity is secured when the reservation itself is successfully created.
Pricing
Once the caller's requirements have been established, Cognivox can provide the booking total returned by the booking system.
The total can depend on:
- Package
- Option
- Price basis
- Number of attendees
- Number of units
Cognivox should use the authoritative total produced by the event booking system.
It should not independently invent, alter or estimate the booking price.
Price Changes When Requirements Change
If the caller changes their requirements, availability and price should be checked again.
For example, the caller might change:
- Number of attendees
- Package
- Option
- Number of rooms or other units
The previous availability or total may no longer apply.
Example Enquiry
A caller might say:
I'd like to come to the Scottish Conference.
Cognivox identifies the event and establishes the required package.
The caller then says:
I'd like the accommodation package.
Cognivox can explain the configured accommodation options.
The caller selects:
A Double Room.
Cognivox then establishes:
Number of attendees: 2
Number of rooms: 1
Cognivox checks:
- Overall event capacity for two attendees
- Double Room capacity for one unit
If sufficient capacity remains, Cognivox can provide the booking total.
Collecting Customer Details
Before creating the reservation, Cognivox collects the customer information required for the booking.
This can include:
- Name
- Email address
- Telephone number
The customer information is stored against the reservation.
Where an email address is supplied, it can also be used for reservation and payment confirmation correspondence.
Creating the Reservation
Once:
- The event has been identified
- The package has been selected
- The option has been selected
- Attendee count is known
- Unit count is known where required
- Availability has been checked
- The booking total is known
- Required customer details have been collected
Cognivox can create the reservation.
The booking system performs the final capacity acquisition as part of this process.
Final Capacity Protection
Availability may change between an enquiry and reservation creation.
For this reason, the reservation process protects capacity again when creating the booking.
If another reservation has consumed the remaining capacity in the meantime, Cognivox must not overbook the event.
The caller can then be informed that the requested availability is no longer available.
Booking Reference
When the reservation is successfully created, Cognivox generates a booking reference.
The reference can be provided to the caller and is also stored against the booking.
The customer should retain the booking reference for future enquiries about the reservation.
Awaiting Payment
A chargeable reservation that has been successfully created but not fully paid has the status:
Awaiting Payment
Cognivox should make it clear that the booking is reserved but payment is still required.
It should not describe an Awaiting Payment reservation as fully confirmed.
Reservation Email
Where the customer provides an email address, Cognivox can send a reservation email after the booking is created.
The email can contain:
- Event
- Package
- Option
- Attendees
- Units where applicable
- Booking total
- Booking reference
- Reservation expiry
- Notification that payment is required
This provides the customer with a written record of the reservation.
Reservation Expiry
The capacity is held until the reservation is paid or reaches its expiry time.
If payment is not completed before expiry, the reservation can expire and its reserved capacity can be released.
The caller should therefore understand that an Awaiting Payment reservation is not an indefinite hold.
When Payment Is Recorded
Once sufficient payment is recorded against the reservation, the booking can become:
Confirmed
The customer's capacity moves from Reserved to Confirmed.
Where an email address is available, Cognivox can send a payment confirmation email.
Information Cognivox Must Not Guess
When handling an event enquiry, Cognivox should not invent or assume:
- That an event exists
- Event dates
- Venue
- Packages
- Options
- Prices
- Capacity
- Availability
- Number of attendees
- Number of units
- Booking status
- Payment status
The event booking configuration and booking tools provide the authoritative information.
Internal Identifiers
The event booking system uses internal identifiers to connect events, packages, options and bookings.
These identifiers are for system use.
Cognivox should not read internal event, package or option identifiers to callers.
Customer-facing information such as event names, package names, option names and booking references should be used instead.
Keeping the Conversation Natural
The event booking process can involve several pieces of information, but Cognivox should collect them conversationally.
Where possible, Cognivox should:
- Ask one clear question at a time
- Remember information the caller has already provided
- Avoid repeatedly asking for the same details
- Avoid unnecessary technical terminology
- Explain unavailable options clearly
- Offer suitable available alternatives where appropriate
The objective is to complete the booking accurately without making the caller feel that they are completing a technical form.
Event Enquiry Workflow
A typical Cognivox event conversation can be summarised as:
- Identify the event.
- Identify the package.
- Identify the option.
- Establish attendee count.
- Establish unit count where required.
- Check current availability.
- Provide the authoritative booking total.
- Collect required customer details.
- Create the reservation.
- Provide the booking reference.
- Explain that payment is required.
- Send the reservation email where possible.
- Confirm the booking when sufficient payment is subsequently recorded.
Next Step
The core Events & Bookings help documentation is now in place.
The next help article will provide an Event Booking Administration Guide, bringing together the day-to-day administrative tasks such as reviewing bookings, checking booking status, monitoring outstanding balances, reviewing occupancy and dealing with externally received bookings and payments.