FAQ

Frequently asked questions about Jack The Butler.

General

What is Jack The Butler?

Jack is a free, open-source AI chatbot for hotels and hospitality businesses. It handles guest communication across WhatsApp, SMS, email, and web chat while keeping your data private on your own server.

Is Jack really free?

Yes! Jack is 100% open source under the MIT license. You only pay for:

  • Hosting (~$5-10/month for a small property)
  • AI API usage (~$5-20/month, or $0 with local AI)
  • SMS if using Twilio (pay-per-message)

Do I need technical skills to use Jack?

For one-click cloud deployment, no technical skills are needed. For self-hosting with Docker or custom setups, basic server administration knowledge helps.

What languages does Jack support?

Jack can respond in any language supported by your AI provider. Claude and GPT support 90+ languages. The dashboard interface is available in English, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Hindi, and Russian.

AI & Responses

Which AI provider should I choose?

  • Claude (Anthropic) — Best for nuanced conversations and complex requests
  • GPT (OpenAI) — Fast and reliable, good for high volume
  • Local AI — Free and private, but simpler responses

Start with Local AI (it's free), then upgrade if you need better quality.

Can Jack make mistakes?

Yes. Like all AI, Jack can occasionally provide incorrect information. That's why:

  • Keep your knowledge base accurate and up-to-date
  • Review AI responses initially (use "Suggest" mode)
  • Jack automatically escalates when uncertain

How do I make Jack's responses better?

  • Add more detailed entries to your knowledge base
  • Include common variations of questions
  • Upgrade to Claude or GPT for complex conversations
  • Review and correct AI responses to train over time

Can Jack handle multiple properties?

Currently, each Jack instance serves one property. For multiple properties, deploy separate instances. Multi-property support is planned for a future release.

Channels

Do I need all channels (WhatsApp, SMS, Email)?

No, you can use any combination. Web chat works out of the box. Add other channels based on how your guests prefer to communicate.

Can guests switch between channels?

Yes. If Jack knows a guest's phone and email, it links their conversations across channels automatically.

What happens if a channel goes down?

Other channels continue working. Messages to the affected channel queue until service is restored.

Privacy & Data

Where is my data stored?

All data stays on your server in a SQLite database. Jack never sends guest data to third parties (except for AI processing if using cloud AI).

Is Jack GDPR compliant?

Jack is designed for GDPR compliance:

  • Data stored on your server (you control location)
  • Guest data can be exported or deleted
  • Conversation history can be purged

You're responsible for your property's overall GDPR compliance.

Can I use local AI to avoid sending data externally?

Yes! Local AI processes everything on your server. No guest messages are sent to external services.

Technical

What are the server requirements?

  • 1 CPU core (2+ recommended)
  • 1GB RAM (2GB+ for local AI)
  • 500MB disk space (plus database growth)
  • Node.js 22+ (for source installs)

Can Jack integrate with my PMS?

PMS integrations are on the roadmap. Currently, you can use the REST API and webhooks to build custom integrations.

How do I backup my data?

Copy the SQLite database file (jack.db). For Docker deployments, backup the data volume. See the Docker backup guide.

Can I customize the AI's personality?

Yes, via the system prompt in Settings → AI. Define Jack's tone, language style, and how it represents your property.

Support

How do I get help?

Is there commercial support?

Not currently. Jack is a community project. For custom development or hosting, post in GitHub Discussions to find contributors.

How can I contribute?

We welcome contributions! See the Contributing Guide.