Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been touted as the transformational pivot point for nearly every industry, revolutionizing everything around us. From how we do our taxes to the ways we order goods and services, AI is already operating with ubiquity behind the scenes.

For businesses, the future of AI is in the hands of leaders who must decide how the technology can drive impact. Then comes the idea of properly monetizing the value. Is it really about the technology or software? Or is it about defining the business value and outlining parameters for how the data will be applied? The short answer is a bit of both.

Will AI provide that revolutionary transformation for building service contractors (BSCs)? We asked BSCAI members and partners to weigh in. How is it being used today? What future uses could reshape the industry? What is the best approach to evaluating and adopting the technology?

This week we catch up with Robert Hurd, Director of Sales at Kärcher North America, Inc., for his perspective on how BSCs should be approaching the idea of AI.

Why should BSCs pay close attention to AI?

AI is impacting the entire cleaning industry from smart buildings and asset management to autonomous cleaning solutions. The objective of every BSC is to get the best results with the least amount of cost associated with those results. AI is going to greatly impact the ability for BSC’s to do more with less. Cost cutting measures, such as robotic solutions and traffic counting to determine cleaning cycles, will be the norm in the next few years.

Today, AI is pervasive across many different businesses, with many well-known brands and even service organizations embracing the technology in strategic ways. What lessons can we learn from these organizations and apply to our own business?  

The main lessons will be around safety and productivity. Take for example autonomous vehicles, which are showing better recognition of people and elements deemed unsafe to encroach upon. In addition, the passenger of an autonomous vehicle can be working or dealing with other issues as the unit does what the individual would normally be responsible for. The same is true in our industry. The functions of checking to see if something needs to be cleaned, or even the cleaning task itself, will be automated, allowing for additional services or less human resource requirements. This is where the costs to performance ratios can be impacted greatly.

What are some immediate moves that BSCs can make in order to incorporate AI into their business?

Start small to get buy-in from your customers and employees. Smart trackers for paper towel or soap dispensers are simple and inexpensive. Prove the technology helps them. It is much more difficult to implement a robotic scrubber than a simple dispenser. Jumping in with both feet can cause employee disruption as well as technology disadvantages. Usually the first solution on the market is not the best solution. Small improvements will be made in the early stages of these technologies that can tremendously improve function and reliability, as well as drive out costs.

What are some fundamental ways in which companies should measure ROI (either soft or hard)?

The simplest way is to look at either the labor savings or the additional scope of work that can be billed. Most BSCs I know are not getting through the entire scope of work on a daily basis, so completing every task every day can be a positive competitive advantage.

A softer method could be a satisfaction index metric. In addition, these systems will help cover the absenteeism that many BSCs experience and still cover the scope of work required by the contract.

How will AI play a role in the future of this industry?