As the ski industry evolves, small teams find themselves juggling more responsibilities than ever, including repetitive tasks and time-consuming processes that take them away from other, more critical priorities. What to do? Utilize technology. AI assistants like ChatGPT can step in to simplify operations, enhance guest experiences, and streamline marketing efforts.
AI can be the extra team member you’ve always needed but never had. Building your own AI assistant might just be the game-changer your resort needs—and it’s easier to do than you might think.
CHATGPT
If you’re unfamiliar with ChatGPT, it is an AI-powered conversational tool that can answer questions, generate ideas, create content, and assist with complex tasks. Its advanced language capabilities make it a versatile tool for ski resorts looking to save time and increase efficiency.
To build a customized assistant, you’ll need a paid version of the service.
Why upgrade to paid? I speak at conferences nationally on AI, and I am always surprised how many people aren’t using the paid version of ChatGPT. They’re missing out on some serious benefits. The Plus, Team, and Pro versions offer faster responses, priority access to new features, improved security, and enhanced capabilities like building a Custom GPT.
What is a Custom GPT? A Custom GPT is a tailored version of ChatGPT that adapts to your specific needs. By uploading branding copy, past marketing examples, and operational guidelines, you can create an assistant that aligns perfectly with your resort’s voice and goals. Think of it as training the AI to become an expert in your resort’s brand and operations.
Among other things, a Custom GPT can:
Generate marketing content that fits your brand.
Answer guest FAQs based on your unique policies.
Help your team with operational tasks, like snow reports.
HOW TO BUILD A CUSTOM GPT
Creating a Custom GPT isn’t terribly complicated. You just need to have at least the PLUS version of the service to do so. Here’s a step-by-step guide:
1. Open ChatGPT:
Visit chatgpt.com
Upgrade to PLUS if needed ($20 per month, you can cancel at any time)
2. Click your profile icon, top right:
Click “My GPTs”
Click “Create a GPT”
Click the “Configure” tab
Give your Custom GPT a name (only for you)
Describe the purpose of your Custom GPT in a short sentence (only for you)
Fill out the instructions (this is the most important step!)
3. Use the R.I.S.E. framework for your instructions: The R.I.S.E. framework helps guide the AI toward the best possible output by clearly defining its role, providing precise instructions, outlining manageable steps, and showcasing examples to align its capabilities with your specific needs.
Role: Define the AI’s expertise and purpose.
Instructions: Provide clear, detailed guidance.
Steps: Break tasks into manageable pieces.
Examples: Include sample outputs for context.
4. Try the prompt tool: Not sure where to start for your prompt instructions? I’ve built a free Custom GPT tool to help you create effective prompts using the R.I.S.E. framework. Visit https://bit.ly/promptgpt25 to try it out. Just write a brief sentence or so about what kind of assistant you want to create, and it will output an initial set of prompt instructions. You can refine these as needed and then use the output as a basis for filling out the “instructions” box.
5. Upload files: Provide content branding materials, examples of past posts, and any guidelines you want the AI to follow by uploading them as .doc or .pdf attachments. This will train the Custom GPT to sound like you and be grounded in knowledge of your property.
6. Enable capabilities: I recommend making sure that all options are checked here:
Web Search: Enables real-time information retrieval from the web.
Canvas: Supports the ability to live edit the outputs from your GPT and correct specific elements, like a mini-Google Doc for your outputs.
DALL·E Image Generation: Allows the AI-powered creation of unique images.
Code Interpreter & Data Analysis: Helps with data analysis, coding tasks, and in-depth analytics.
I have yet to find a case for not having all capabilities enabled, just in case.
7. Click “Create”: Now, you can click “create” in the top right of the screen to save your GPT—and define who can access it, just like with Google or Microsoft Docs. Click “update.” You did it. You are now ready to test out your custom GPT.
USE CASE: SOCIAL MEDIA CONTENT
By uploading examples of past posts and branding guidelines into the Custom GPT that you just made, you can train the AI to generate engaging, on-brand content in minutes.
When you engage with your new Custom GPT, you can ask it for content ideas about specific events or specials, or to simply surprise you. It’s like having an infinite, on-brand social content idea generator at your fingertips—without having to give it a detailed, long prompt every single time because that logic is already baked into the Custom GPT. For example:
Facebook / Instagram Post: “Après-Ski Vibes”
Image: A cozy firepit scene with skiers holding hot cocoa and laughing, OR a cheers moment with après-ski drinks.
Caption: “The best part of a ski day? Après, of course! Whether you’re warming up by the fire or swapping stories over drinks, there’s no better way to end a day on the mountain. What’s your go-to après-ski drink? ”
CTA: Book your winter getaway now & experience the magic!
Hashtags: #ApresSki #SkiLife #MountainVibes
Utilizing a custom GPT to generate ideas not only saves time but also ensures consistency across your social platforms. This social media GPT idea is just one example to get you started. Pick tasks for your GPT that you feel will truly save you time every day.
CHATGPT TASKS
Speaking of tasks, one of ChatGPT’s newest features, “Tasks,” allows you to schedule specific actions at designated times or intervals, making ChatGPT feel more like a true digital assistant.
How Tasks works. Plus, Team, and Pro subscribers can use Tasks to accomplish things like:
Automatically generate daily snow report drafts at 6 a.m.
Pull in a daily digest of state, national, or global ski industry news every Monday.
Analyze a competitor’s website for changes bimonthly.
To enable this feature, select “4.0 with scheduled tasks” in the model picker. From there, simply type out what you need and when you need it done. Tasks can be managed directly in chat threads or through the new “Tasks” section in your profile menu, making it easy to modify or cancel as needed. Notifications will update you when tasks are completed.
THE ADVENTURE STARTS HERE
Building your own AI assistant might sound like a futuristic dream, but it’s a practical solution that can make a real difference for your resort today. By embracing tools like ChatGPT, Custom GPTs, and the new Tasks feature, you’ll free up your team to focus on what truly matters: creating unforgettable guest experiences.
Mike Lannen is the founder of Eternity, a Burlington-based web design and AI consulting firm. For a deeper dive on AI, see the SAM and Eternity “Ski Resort AI Bootcamp”: saminfo.com/ai-bootcamp.
