Stevie Awards for Customer Service

HTS (Hopper Technology Solutions) is delighted to announce that Jo Lai, our SVP of AI Solutions and Customer Experience, has won Silver in the AI & Tech Focused Customer Service Innovator of the Year category in the 20th annual Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service.

The Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service are the world’s top honors for customer service, contact center, business development, and sales professionals. The Stevie Awards organizes nine of the world’s leading business awards programs, also including the prestigious American Business Awards® and International Business Awards®.

Jo was named a winner in recognition of her leadership and innovation in developing HTS Assist, a fully autonomous AI agent designed for modern airlines and travel providers, launched in the fall of 2025. Judges cited her “visionary leadership” in developing a “groundbreaking agentic travel AI with proven cost, speed, and revenue impact.” Another judge noted that “Jo stands out as a visionary who has moved beyond simple automation to build a truly 'agentic' AI that solves complex travel crises with human-level empathy."

Deployed today across several of HTS’ global banking partners, including SMBC and Lotte Card, as well as live on the Hopper app and website, HTS Assist has already delivered strong results, including an average 65% reduction in servicing costs and 15% conversion of AI-driven service interactions into sales. The panel of judges recognized Jo for the product’s adoption to date and “incredible measurable results”, highlighting HTS as “leading in the industry based on vision to deployment.”

“We’re proud to see Jo recognized for her leadership and innovation in AI-driven customer service,” said Dakota Smith, President and co-founder at HTS (Hopper Technology Solutions). “Her work building and deploying HTS Assist is setting a new standard for AI-powered travel support, moving beyond simple automation to deliver truly agentic AI that resolves complex travel issues with human-level support.”

Details about the Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service and the list of Stevie winners in all categories are available at http://sales.stevieawards.com. 

About The Stevie® Awards 

Stevie Awards are conferred in nine programs: the Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards, the German Stevie Awards, the Middle East & North Africa Stevie Awards, The American Business Awards®, The International Business Awards®, the Stevie Awards for Great Employers, the Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service, the Stevie Awards for Technology Excellence, and the Stevie Awards for Women in Business.  Stevie Awards competitions receive more than 12,000 entries each year from organizations in more than 70 nations and territories. More than 1,000 professionals around the world participate in the Stevie Awards judging process each year. Honoring organizations of all types and sizes and the people behind them, the Stevies recognize outstanding performances in the workplace worldwide. Learn more about the Stevie Awards at http://www.StevieAwards.com. Sponsors of the 20th annual Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service include SOCAP International and ValueSelling Associates, Inc. 

About HTS

HTS, a leading global travel technology platform, uses its data advantage and AI-driven travel technology to help partners address modern traveler needs. The company has developed several unique fintech ancillaries that address everything from pricing volatility to trip disruptions. Working with the world's leading banks, airlines and travel providers, HTS supercharges its partners’ direct channels with its travel fintech, AI, and e-commerce products.