Artificial Intelligence: Navigating the AI frontier: Opportunities for the commercial flooring contractor – August/September 2024

By Grant Petruzzelli

Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping industries, and while commercial flooring contractors are often slow to adopt emerging technology, embracing this wild frontier could pioneer a new era of growth, scalability and efficiency for those willing to explore it. Since the launch of ChatGPT, speculation has swirled about what AI is and what it could be, for better or worse. So far, I have yet to deploy an autonomous robot on a jobsite, but I have found several meaningful ways that AI has improved my bottom line and everyday efficiency.

UNDERSTANDING AI’S LIMITATIONS
At a recent tech conference, Elon Musk was quoted saying, “AI and the robots will provide any goods and services that you want.” The fact is, while our industry might be a slow adopter of technology, it is a skilled trade that operates in unique and ever-changing environments. A team of knowledgeable and professional human beings is the best asset your organization has when it comes to getting work done each day. While robotics might factor in someday, AI is not likely to replace the craftsmen who bring complex designs and custom patterns to life. Instead, as Mark Zuckerberg recently said, “The future is not going to be one AI. … It’s going to be a lot of AIs with a lot of different people being able to create different things.”

AI tools should be viewed as powerful assets designed to enhance human efficiency, expand knowledge and increase productivity. As you explore how AI tools like ChatGPT can help you grow your business, it’s crucial to understand what AI is not:
• AI is not a replacement for human expertise: AI tools are designed to assist and augment human capabilities, not replace them. These tools can provide valuable insights and automate routine tasks, but they do not possess the nuanced understanding and expertise that flooring professionals bring to their roles. Within the construction industry as a whole, so much of what is learned and understood is rooted in on-the-job training, which cannot be replicated. The collective understanding of your team, a technical-manufacturer’s rep or an experienced installer often remains your best resource to navigate challenges and find solutions.

• AI is not infallible: AI systems can make mistakes or generate inaccurate information. They are biased by the data they are trained on, and thus, it is essential to critically evaluate and verify the output they produce. ChatGPT is often no match for an installation manager’s wisdom.

• AI is not an autonomous decision maker: While AI can provide recommendations and automate certain processes, final decision-making should always rest with a human. AI lacks the judgment, ethical considerations and contextual awareness required for complex decision-making. Human beings are dynamic, and their understanding of issues is layered in the human experience, making them best equipped to evaluate circumstances and make the right decisions for all stakeholders involved.

• AI is not a one-size-fits-all solution: AI tools are specialized and may not be suitable for every task or industry. Their effectiveness depends on how well they are integrated into specific workflows and how accurately they are tailored to meet the unique needs of the user. Consider that many public resources, like ChatGPT, have not been trained on information rooted in subject matters like flooring before. Therefore, it’s important to think critically about the information these tools can provide and how it might be utilized to support your mission.

MODERNIZING WORKFLOWS WITH AI
Now that we have established what AI tools are not, the question becomes, how can AI help commercial flooring contractors modernize their workflow?

By integrating tools like ChatGPT and Microsoft’s Copilot, flooring contractors can significantly improve their workflows and outcomes by streamlining operations, enhancing customer interactions and driving business growth. AI tools are designed to enhance the efficiency, knowledge and bandwidth of skilled professionals. They are most effective when used by individuals who already possess a complex understanding of their field-a prerequisite for successful flooring contractors. With a critical lens, the information these tools provide can be scrutinized to meet the needs of your project, customer or business.

From prospecting to data analysis, scope clarification to staff training, here are some practical examples that I have discovered over the past year and a half.

Prospecting: Every week, potential customers and trade partners are profiled in business journals and local news outlets. Stories about land developments and big lease deals often include mentions of architects, design firms, commercial real estate brokers and property management companies. Award-winning projects highlight the manufacturers that you rely upon each day and, sometimes, your competitors too. There’s so much information already at our fingertips, but with all the work that needs to be done each day, who has time to piece it all together?

What if AI could help? Large language models have the unique ability to interpret data from multiple sources and provide coherent responses to prompts or questions in seconds. With the capability to upload documents and reference websites, ChatGPT can quickly provide you with a synopsis of the data you are seeking. Best of all, most AI tools maintain histories of your searches, allowing you to organize your prospects into unique tabs to reference later. By stacking information in one place, you can learn a lot about your prospects, and when you ask your digital assistant to piece it all together, it can provide an unbiased analysis of data from different times and various sources. This is like adding a research assistant to your business development team.

Optimizing Historic Sales Data: Finding and engaging potential clients is a constant challenge. Often, your best prospects are customers who need a little more attention and some re-engagement. AI can significantly enhance your sales prospecting efforts by filtering data and identifying high-value targets. By analyzing historical sales data and your recent bid activity, AI tools can pinpoint potential leads that are most likely to convert into new projects. This targeted approach not only saves your sales team time but also increases their effectiveness. Your sales team can focus their attention on the customers and projects that best complement your business, which should lead to higher conversion rates and business growth.

Enhancing Customer Interactions: Once you convert those prospects into clients, customer satisfaction is paramount. AI tools like ChatGPT can revolutionize how you interact with them. Imagine having an automated assistant that handles initial customer inquiries, embedded on your website. This assistant can provide instant, accurate responses to frequently asked questions about services, pricing and scheduling, ensuring potential clients receive the information they need without delay. Moreover, AI can generate personalized follow-up emails after meetings or project completions, enhancing customer engagement and fostering long-term relationships.

Innovative Training and Professional Development: Training and development are critical for maintaining a skilled workforce. As many in our industry exit without sharing decades of knowledge, AI can create customized training programs that help address specific skill gaps within your team. One exciting application is using AI for roleplaying exercises. Like a mentor who coached you about salesmanship or conflict management, ChatGPT can simulate customer interactions, allowing your staff to practice and refine their communication skills in a controlled environment. If you can describe your customer’s personality type, AI can play the part. This interactive learning approach not only improves customer service but also boosts employee confidence and competence when they are face to face with decision makers.

Qualifying Scope Gaps: Remember that time you started a takeoff only to find that the project’s specifications didn’t match constructability requirements? That never happens, right? When it does, it screeches productivity to a halt. With the help of AI, you can prompt your digital assistant to review project specifications and compare them with technical data sheets, installation instructions and warranty requirements across multiple products. Ask ChatGPT to identify discrepancies and draft a Request for Information (RFI) that you can pass along to your customer in minutes instead of hours. Not only will this trim hours off your estimators’ workflow, but it will also encourage more interaction and differentiation between you and your customer. That’s a win-win!

Streamlining Project Management: Change management is synonymous with project management. Schedules push, budgets get constrained and unforeseen issues arise. For a commercial flooring contractor, the ability to respond to change can be paramount to both profitability and the project’s overall success. With AI, project managers can compare schedules and budgets quickly. Taken a step further, automation around scheduling, budget tracking and work authorization can alert stakeholders when milestones are reached or change order requests remain unanswered. Real-time monitoring and automated adjustments ensure that any changes are promptly addressed, keeping projects on track and within budget.

Improving Financial Management: Financial health is the backbone of any successful business. AI can assist in monitoring and managing your finances by identifying trends and anomalies. For instance, AI tools can analyze expense patterns, detect unusual spending and provide real-time insights into your financial status. This proactive approach allows you to address potential issues before they escalate, ensuring better financial stability and informed decision-making. Moreover, AI can assist in creating accurate financial forecasts and budgets, aiding in strategic planning and resource allocation. It’s like having a digital CFO at your fingertips.

EMBRACING THE AI REVOLUTION
This is by no means a full and complete list of AI use cases or capabilities. In fact, it’s focused on the tools that are most accessible today, like OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Microsoft’s Copilot. As artificial intelligence continues to evolve, I have little doubt that pioneers in our industry will take their usage to another level. For some, that will mean incorporating AI into CRM and ERP systems. For others, it might mean transforming their takeoff processes entirely.

As Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang says, “Software is eating the world, but AI is going to eat software.” In each use case, commercial flooring professionals will need to think critically about a project’s unique needs. They’ll need to collaborate with other trades and stakeholders to transform concepts and ideas into beautiful designs and unique installations.

Incorporating AI into your own commercial flooring operation can lead to significant efficiency gains, improved customer satisfaction and enhanced business growth. While the big players might push the boundaries of AI’s capabilities, these tools are available to anyone with a little imagination and creativity. By focusing on customer interaction, training and development, project management, sales prospecting and financial management, you can harness the power of AI to transform your business. Embrace these technologies to stay ahead in the competitive flooring industry and drive your business to new heights.

Copyright 2024 Floor Focus

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