The custom integration (CI) industry is a funny place. Since 2004, I have witnessed the evolution of technology as it has both improved and impacted my life and the lives of our customers. As soon as I think I have the grasp on the latest SKUs, the new edition is released, kicking the old model to the curb. Just as hardware has done for our customers, artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming a big part of many industries. For CI integrators and home technology fans, AI tools can really help improve and run our businesses more efficiently.
As someone who has done a ton of research around AI solutions, I’ll share how these tools can make our work easier, improve customer service, and hopefully help your businesses grow.
Different Types of AI Tools to Help Run Your Business Better
Before we dive in, let’s understand what AI is. At the core, AI is a prediction machine. AI means machines or software doing tasks that usually need human smarts. This includes learning from data, recognizing patterns, making decisions, and understanding language. Never in the history of humankind has so much information been as accessible as it is today. What you do with it is up to you.
One of the best things about AI is how it can personalize our interactions with customers with real-time, 24/7/365 access. Gone are the days needing to be bothered by customers at all hours of the day. Virtual assistants and chatbots can provide quick, personalized support, making our customers happy.
AI ChatBots
By looking at lots of data, AI can help us understand what our customers like and need. These business tools can help you set up virtual assistants and chatbots to handle customer inquiries and support efficiently. Check out:
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- Intercom (intercom.com)
- Drift (drift.com)
AI Project Management
AI business tools can also change how we manage our projects. Automated scheduling and resource allocation systems can help us finish projects on time and within budget. Predictive analytics tools can show us potential problems early, so we can fix them before they become big issues.
- Asana (asana.com)
- Monday.com (monday.com)
- Smartsheet (smartsheet.com)
AI Marketing
In marketing and sales, AI is a game-changer. AI-driven marketing campaigns can analyze customer data to find the best leads and create messages that resonate with specific audiences.
These business tools use AI to help you create targeted marketing campaigns, analyze customer data, and improve your sales processes.
- HubSpot (hubspot.com)
- Marketo (marketo.com)
- Salesforce Einstein (salesforce.com)
AI Transcription
Great salespeople are naturally bad notetakers. There are AI business tools available that can transcribe our conversations, summarize key points, and import that information into a CRM. We can also leverage this information to coach our salespeople to improve using real-world examples in real-time. A few are:
- Otter (otter.ai)
- Fathom (fathom.video)
- Gong (gong.io)
The Benefits of AI Business Tools
Let me share some real-life experience at SaaviHome. We used AI-driven marketing campaigns and automations to increase lead generation by 30%. By automating note taking and project management information, we have increased our technician and project management efficiency by 3x which has led to a direct increase to the bottom line.
As the leader of my business, I have had to make the implementation of AI a priority. I have also empowered my staff by investing in both software trials and training. Our staff needs to have the right skills to work with AI tools effectively, and the only way to learn what tool can work best for our business is to give it a try.
While there are certain risks associated with deploying AI in my business, I have taken the responsible approach to data security and customer privacy. In my experience, thoughtful execution makes all the difference. How you implement these tools is up to you. My hope is to give you some new ways of thinking about the same old problems — and use technology to run a technology business.
GAVIN LANTZY is president & CEO of SAAVI Home.
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