Living and Learning with New AI Business-boosting Tools 

It often falls to distributors and salespeople to develop, deliver and promote the right combination of innovative goods and equipment needed to meet the rising standards of both professional cleaners and their discerning clients. As if that wasn’t enough pressure, artificial intelligence (AI) is now quickly emerging on the scene and is proving to be a pivotal tool that can potentially offer solutions that allow distributors to automate routine tasks and strengthen client relationships. AI could even enhance operational efficiency — often on the cheap — which helps companies balance shrinking budgets and difficult employee retention conditions.  

Cleaning industry professionals, particularly business owners that might feel as if they lack a deep technical expertise, need not fret; AI tools are by nature designed to be accessible, and often need minimal training to start delivering useful benefits. By helping to streamline typically mundane processes like scheduling, customer service, and even inventory management, AI tools enable distributors and salespeople to really focus on activities that help drive growth. In short, it’s worth exploring how AI has potential to reshape the cleaning industry by taking a look at current and emerging tools and evaluating whether the potential return on investment (ROI) is worth the learning curve. 

For instance, scheduling is often cited as a challenge for distributors and salespeople alike, and AI tools could offer some powerful solutions to assist with optimizing this cumbersome process. Salespeople tasked with managing multiple client visits can use AI-powered tools to map out the most efficient travel routes, for instance, which are factoring in real-time traffic and appointment windows to minimize time and fuel costs. Distributors, meanwhile, can leverage AI to schedule deliveries that align with their particular client needs, ensuring timely restocking of essential supplies, which can strengthen the overall relationship.  

Lean and Mean Selling Machine 

"AI can streamline operations, making processes like scheduling more efficient and allowing teams to focus on high-value tasks," says Mike Marks, a founding partner at Indian River Consulting Group, Indialantic, Florida.  

Thankfully there are tools that are already widely available. For example, Google Calendar, armed with AI integrations such as Motion can suggest optimal meeting times based on availability. Meanwhile, a slight investment in paid platforms such as Calendly and HubSpot integrate with customer relationship management (CRM) systems to assist with automating follow-ups. Also, programs like Route4Me specialize in delivery route optimization.  

AI scheduling tools are expected to continue rapidly growing, and eventually incorporate real-time inventory data, predicting when clients need re-stocking and automatically scheduling deliveries. Utilizing these tools can provide productivity gains in the thousands for sales representatives by reducing repetitive tasks. And when it comes to fuel costs, distributors who can trim even 10 percent could possibly save in the thousands, depending on their fleet size and type and delivery area. 

Automated technology is also already making a notable impact in customer service, and many website users have already noticed a recent proliferation of chatbots and virtual assistants that are programmed to handle routine inquiries. Jan/san distributors can deploy these chatbots on their websites to instantly address questions about product availability or compatibility, cutting response time from hours to seconds. Utilizing this technology to handle small questions can free up personnel to tackle larger inquiries in a timely fashion, improving overall customer service. 

Saving Time and Money 

“AI helps you facilitate transactions sooner. Answering questions and handling customer claims faster will help with retention,” notes Will Quinn, author at Distribution Strategy Group.  

Free tools like Tidio can allow small distributors to get started right away, setting up basic chatbots that can handle FAQs, while paid options like Zendesk AI and Intercom offer more advanced and personalized responses.  

Emerging generative AI chatbots that distributors may recognize from the Google cloud admin interface are quickly adding capabilities to also provide multilingual support, a helpful feature considering the industry’s diverse clientele. The service can provide large returns, say experts. For example, if a distributor handling 50 daily inquiries could save 10 hours weekly at $20 an hour, that would yield a $10,400 annual savings. 

Market research and lead generation are also key components when it comes to staying competitive, and AI tools so far are useful at analyzing trends, customer behavior, and competitor offerings. (After all, they are designed to function largely on pattern recognition.) Distributors can use AI to track the overall nationwide demand for eco-friendly cleaning products or identify facilities that may benefit from incorporating specialized equipment. Salespeople can prioritize high-potential leads, such as facility managers with expiring supply contracts, using AI-driven insights.  

“One customer found that their reps who used AI were growing sales a thousand basis points faster than the reps that weren’t,” says Marks, highlighting the sales advantage. 

Google Trends is an easy way to glean free insights into product search trends, and paid tools like Salesforce Einstein and Cognism can offer advanced lead scoring and market analysis. Future tools may also integrate social media data to predict more specific regional demands. A 10 percent increase in lead conversion rates could add $50,000 to annual revenue for a salesperson with a $500,000 target, for example. 

Just Like the Real Thing  

Training is another area where AI holds potential to transform the cleaning industry; delivering personalized education on proper product usage, sales techniques, and keeping up with shifting industry trends. Salespeople can master pitching new equipment or goods through interactive AI modules (essentially taking a practice run, with live feedback), while distributors can train staff on inventory management via simulations, such as those for new product lines. AI’s potential to be of help to smaller staff and nimble companies can prove invaluable. 

“AI can create and translate original training content, including procedural guides and checklists, making it easier to onboard staff efficiently,” says Quinn.  

Free platforms like Khan Academy specialize in creating overall frameworks, while paid tools like TalentLMS and Articulate 360 customize in-depth learning paths. As generative AI continues to be refined, it could also soon create virtual-reality training environments for hands-on practice. 

Another possible game-changer for distributors and salespeople is the automation of repetitive tasks, such as order processing and inventory tracking. AI can generate purchase orders when it notices stock levels dropping, reducing the manual workloads and cutting down the hours spent on “grunt work.” For example, an AI tool that updates inventory in real-time alerts distributors to reorder supplies, minimizing stockouts — some existing equipment already incorporates these capabilities.  

Importantly, AI can perform standard workflows quickly and with reduced errors, freeing staff for valuable tasks like relationship building. Zapier’s free tier automates basic workflows, while paid platforms like NetSuite and HubSpot Sales Hub offer advanced automation for inventory and CRM tasks.  

Most importantly, though, relationship management is still the beating heart of the cleaning industry, and AI-powered CRM systems offer a chance to enhance client interactions by personalizing recommendations and predicting needs. Salespeople can suggest specific tailored products, like a certain mop for a client’s floor type, while distributors can track purchase histories to offer targeted promotions, such as discounts for clients who haven’t ordered in 60 days.  

Some AI CRMs could also soon incorporate tools like voice analysis to gauge client sentiment during calls — providing real-time insight and feedback as to how a pitch is going, creating an opportunity to course-correct.  

When it comes down to it, the ROI of AI tools is likely the most compelling factor, offering time savings, revenue growth, and cost reductions.  

AI may not fully revolutionize the cleaning industry, and there will be growing pains, but it can make a difference and help stem the tide of lower retention rates and rising costs of doing business. These tools could provide just enough free time to really help empower distributors and salespeople to streamline operations and build stronger client relationships — seems like a no-brainer. 

Jackson Silvanik is the managing editor of Sanitary Maintenance, Contracting Profits and Facility Cleaning Decisions magazines, as well as CleanLink.com.