Integrator-focused proposal software and product/pricing database provider Portal.io has launched the AI Proposal Builder, which allows security and AV integrators to create complete proposals in seconds.
As artificial intelligence (AI) increasingly becomes a meaningless buzzword, many professionals (and their employees) are growing weary of companies using it to promote minor features that offer little real-world value, says Kirk Chisholm, founder of Portal.
“Honestly, most AI news today is just fluff,” he says. “It’s dressed-up automation with no real impact to dealers’ business. We saw an opportunity to leverage AI to build something we’ve envisioned since I started Portal over 12 years ago: build a proposal for dealers based on the information they gather during the project discovery and walkthrough process.
“This is not just another AI feature; it dramatically improves how dealers approach the proposal process.”
How Portal AI Proposal Builder Works
With the AI Proposal Builder, dealers can dictate the full scope of the project from the jobsite or record detailed audio or video content from a project walkthrough. The AI Proposal Builder then generates a proposal outline, including the scope of work, areas with full descriptions and tasks with parts and labor budgets – in seconds.
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The proposal outline can be reviewed with the customer in real time in order to help qualify them and start setting budget expectations. Once ready, the dealer can click a button to convert the detailed proposal outline in a full proposal in Portal.
They can then refine and adjust each area as needed, giving dealers full control over the quoting process, according to the company.
The AI Proposal Builder “cuts proposal time and speeds up the process, allowing dealers to get a complete proposal in the hands of customers much faster,” according to the company announcement.
Portal Impresses CEDIA Expo 2024 Attendees
Portal’s AI Proposal Builder was first unveiled at CEDIA 2024, to rave reviews from dealers and industry leaders.
“We showed the builder to many dealers leading up to CEDIA Expo and they were so amazed that we decided to set up cameras to record live reactions at our booth,” says Chisholm.
Since the initial limited beta launch in September, hundreds of dealers have adopted the AI Proposal Builder, providing invaluable feedback that has helped Portal continue to optimize the tool.
“We’re excited to see this feature grow and evolve with customer feedback and advancements in AI technology,” Chisholm adds. “This is just version 1. This is the worst version you’ll ever see and it’s blowing people’s minds.”
As part of the launch, Portal has made available a public demo version of the AI Proposal Builder, and dealers don’t even need a Portal account to experience it.
Article originally appeared on CE Pro sister site Security Sales & Integration.
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