For many, checking into a hotel can mean the beginning of an exciting adventure, a relaxing getaway, or important moments in life. For guests who are blind or have low vision, exploring the unfamiliar surroundings of a hotel might pose unique and specific challenges that have the potential to impact their stay; Hilton’s new partnership with Be My Eyes can help.
Hilton launched this industry-first, exclusive partnership with Be My Eyes to ensure guests who are blind or have low vision can experience a more accessible, seamless, and welcoming stay. Together with Be My Eyes, Hilton is making AI-powered assistance and dedicated Hilton reservations and customer care support available to guests who are blind or have low vision across the U.S. and Canada. Be My Eyes is a free mobile app that connects blind and low-vision users with sighted volunteers and companies that can assist them through live video and AI, and now, directly connects Hilton guests who use the app with a team of dedicated, specially trained English-speaking Hilton reservations and customer care agents.
Through this partnership, Be My Eyes users in the U.S. and Canada can use their smartphone to navigate to Be My Eyes’ “Service Directory,” select the “Hotels” category, and choose the participating Hilton brand to be directly connected to Hilton’s dedicated teams. Hilton teams will be available to help users with tasks such as identifying and adjusting the in-room thermostat, operating in-room coffee machines, identifying window coverings, or navigating to the hotel’s meeting spaces and amenities such as bars, restaurants, gyms, and spas.
Assistance is available at many brands within Hilton’s portfolio, including Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, Conrad Hotels & Resorts, DoubleTree by Hilton, and Hampton by Hilton, among others. The partnership provides both leisure and business travelers who are blind or have low vision with personalized assistance for every stay occasion.
“As a leading hospitality company, Hilton is committed to creating an experience that is welcoming for every guest, at every hotel, every time,” says Mike Gathright, senior vice president of customer excellence and innovation at Hilton, in a prepared statement. “We believe that every guest—regardless of ability or any other factor—deserves a reliable and friendly travel experience, and we are proud to partner with Be My Eyes to make that more of a reality for thousands of Be My Eyes users.”
Today’s announcement marks a significant milestone in the collaboration between Hilton and Be My Eyes. Hilton first partnered with the organization last year to train and improve “Be My AI,” an OpenAI GPT-4 language model that powers the Be My Eyes app, to enhance its ability to recognize objects and navigate the furniture and fixtures found in Hilton brand hotel rooms. Earlier this year, the partnership was expanded to include the development and training of a specialized team of Hilton reservations and customer care agents who can support Be My Eyes users that may need assistance during their stay.
“Our mission at Be My Eyes is to break down accessibility barriers in everyday life, and this partnership with Hilton is a significant step along that path, helping travel and hospitality to be much more inclusive,” says Mike Buckley, CEO of Be My Eyes. “Hilton is once again leading by example, and we’re excited to provide the world’s best customer service platform to help Hilton serve blind and low vision consumers.”
In addition to leveraging Hilton’s dedicated reservations and customer care team, guests can take advantage of Hilton’s industry-leading “straight-to-room” digital self-service tools that create a seamless experience from check-in to check-out. Where available, these tools include the ability to choose your room, digitally check in, use a digital key to open guest room doors with mobile phones, and digitally check out. With this technology, guests who require additional assistance can adapt their travel experience based on their specific needs.
While Hilton’s partnership with Be My Eyes will support thousands of guests who are blind or have low vision, the hospitality leader is on a continuous journey to understand and accommodate the needs of individuals with disabilities, so all guests can experience a reliable and friendly stay.
Hilton is proud to have been recognized as a Top Company for People with Disabilities by Fair360, recognized as a Leading Disability Employer by the National Organization on Disability and a Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion in the U.S. by Disability:IN. These recognitions represent the company’s continued commitment to learning how to better serve guests with diverse needs, including members of the blind and low-vision communities.
