AI for Cleaning Businesses: 5 Tools to Fuel Growth

Published on June 6, 2024

There has been a whole lot of talk about the ever-changing role of technology, and that is especially true when it comes to AI for cleaning businesses.

While there is a little bit of a learning curve, the long-term benefits of AI for cleaning businesses is well worth it.

In fact, this technology will change the way your team operates and can help your business to be even more efficient.

We’ve got 5 powerful AI tools for cleaning businesses that will help you:

  • Schedule and route automatically
  • Provide 24/7 customer service
  • Maximize lead generation
  • Get answers to tough questions
  • And so much more!

1. Scheduling and Dispatching 

Imagine having a tool that can make scheduling and dispatching your cleaners a breeze. That's what Service Autopilot does using powerful software.

This means you don’t have to worry about plotting perfect routes, optimizing for fuel efficiency, or even keeping track of important data.

Service Autopilot helps your team take care of all of this, and it makes your team even more effective and can help you service more customers.

Grow Your Cleaning Business... Faster (and with Less Stress)

Instant invoicing

Better scheduling

Manage your clients and employees all in one system

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2. AI-Driven Customer Service and Communication 

We all know clients can reach out at all times of day or night. That said, you can have AI help you serve your clients even better.

Here’s how you can begin using AI-driven customer service and communication:

AI Chatbots 

There are a number of chatbot services that you can easily add to your website.

These services can help answer questions for your clients, relay a message, or even get the sales process started.

They can also be available 24/7 on your site, and even act as a first step before clients and leads talk to a real person on your team.

Although, there is a little bit of setup involved in terms of “training” the AI to operate, but you can typically get it set up pretty quickly.

Be sure to do some research to find the right AI chatbot service for your company.

AI Messaging

Does your team manually write out all of your customer service messages?

You can actually streamline this process with a number of generative AI services like Claude, ChatGPT, or Gemini.

Here are a few examples of the types of customer service emails you can use:

  • Welcome Email: A warm welcome email for new customers who have booked their first cleaning service. Briefly explain what to expect during the cleaning and offer any relevant resources (e.g., FAQs).
  • Appointment Confirmation: An email confirming an upcoming cleaning appointment with details like date, time, and any special requests made.
  • Post-Cleaning Feedback Request: A follow-up email after a cleaning service is complete, requesting feedback on the experience and offering a chance to schedule their next cleaning.
  • Reschedule Request Follow-Up: A friendly email following up on a customer's request to reschedule their cleaning appointment. Offer some available time slots and highlight the company's cancellation policy.

In terms of the actual prompt, here is a basic template you can use:

  • [Generate a welcome email for a new customer who has booked their first cleaning service with [Your Cleaning Company Name]. The email should be friendly and informative, explaining what to expect during the cleaning and providing a link to your FAQs page.]

Plus, did you know that you can automate all of these communications (and more) using Service Autopilot’s automations?

Automations is the  #1 way to follow up  with clients. If you’re not using it, your business might still be successful - but it won’t grow. 

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In Service Autopilot, our automations send emails and texts to:​

Every lead after an estimate is completed
Clients after their property has been serviced​
Remind leads and clients to send you customer feedback​
Update outdated or declined payment information​
Inform them when a service can’t be completed due to unforeseen circumstances (i.e. weather)​
Remind them of maintenance tips (i.e. putting a cover on the outdoor faucet before the winter)​
Start Automations Tour

3. AI-Assisted Marketing and Lead Generation 

Finding new clients is important for any business, and this powerful AI for cleaning businesses can make a massive difference for your company. 

Here are some of the ways you can leverage AI and the prompts you can use:

  • Targeted Ads: AI analyzes customer data and online behavior to identify ideal demographics and interests, allowing you to target ads on social media and search engines with laser focus.
    • Prompt: Generate a series of social media ad variations promoting your cleaning services. Each ad should target a specific audience segment (e.g., busy professionals, families with young children, pet owners, etc.) and highlight the benefits most relevant to them. Use an attention-grabbing headline and a clear call to action (e.g., "Get a Free Quote").
  • Personalized Content: AI generated content tailored to different customer segments, like blog posts addressing common cleaning challenges or targeted landing pages highlighting specific services.
    • Prompt: Generate a blog post titled "Top 5 Cleaning Challenges for Busy Professionals and How to Solve Them." Infuse the content with relevant keywords and intersperse it with CTAs encouraging readers to book your services.
  • AI-Generated Images for Ads: AI can create high-quality, realistic images specifically tailored to your target audience. This allows you to ditch stock photos and showcase cleaning scenarios that resonate directly with your ideal clients.
    • Prompt: Generate a series of social media ad images featuring happy families enjoying their sparkling clean living room after using your cleaning services.

Pro Tip: While you can use a lot of AI services for free, it can be smart to upgrade to the paid version. This allows you to unlock additional features (like creating images in ChatGPT or with a service like MidJourney) and typically allows you to create more content and/or use more prompts.

4. AI for Sales

Did you know AI can help you sell more effectively too? 

AI is perfect for creating scripts that will pre-qualify leads, get more information, and even close more sales.

While the prompts and examples we used above were pretty simple, we’ll actually make these prompts a little more detailed to create something more robust like a sales script. 

You’ll want to include the following in your prompts:

  • Some basics about your company
  • What the script will be used for
  • The style and flow of the script
  • Your company’s unique selling points

Feel free to use this template as a way to get AI for cleaning businesses sales scripts:

  • [Please create a natural-sounding sales script for my team to use on calls. We are a cleaning business in [city/area name], and our team will be using this script to call leads after they have filled out a form.]

Base the script style on the following:

Conversational and friendly: Build rapport with the potential customer.

Benefit-driven: Highlight how your cleaning services solve their pain points.

Open-ended questions: Encourage the customer to elaborate on their needs.

Clear call to action: Guide them toward scheduling an estimate or booking a service.

You can reference the following when creating the script:
Unique Selling Points (USPs):

  • [List your company's USPs here. Examples: eco-friendly products, background-checked cleaners, flexible scheduling, etc.]

Call to Action:

  • [Specify your desired call to action. Examples: scheduling a free consultation, visiting a specific landing page, etc.]

Include the following sections in the script:

Introduction:

  • Briefly introduce yourself and your company.
  • Mention your focus on cleaning services.
  • Example: "Hi [Customer Name], this is [Your Name] from [Your Cleaning Company Name]. We help busy people like yourself reclaim their free time and enjoy a sparkling clean space with our reliable cleaning services."

Needs Assessment:

  • Ask open-ended questions to understand their cleaning challenges.
  • Example:
    • "Can you tell me a bit about your cleaning routine? What areas or tasks take up the most time?"
    • "How often would you ideally like your home/office cleaned?"

Presenting Solutions:

  • Based on their answers, highlight relevant services and explain how they address their needs.
  • Emphasize USPs.
  • Example:
    • "It sounds like you'd benefit from our bi-weekly cleaning service. This includes deep cleaning of bathrooms and kitchens, along with dusting and vacuuming throughout the house. We also use eco-friendly products to ensure a safe and healthy environment for your family."

Overcoming Objections:

  • Anticipate potential concerns (price, scheduling) and address them directly.
  • Offer value propositions.
  • Example:
    • "I understand cleaning services can be an investment. However, with the extra time you gain, you can focus on what truly matters. Additionally, we offer competitive rates and flexible scheduling options to fit your needs."

Call to Action:

  • Offer a clear next step to move towards booking.
  • Example:
    • "Would you like to schedule a free consultation to create a personalized cleaning plan? We can also offer you a special introductory discount for new customers."

Pro Tip: Not getting the AI results you hoped for? Feel free to adjust the prompt or try it with a different AI platform. If that still doesn’t work you can always ask the AI a question directly like “Can you help me write a prompt that will create a sales script my cleaning team can use for upsells?”

5. Get Instant Access to Information

Among the top uses for AI for cleaning businesses opportunities, is the ability to tap into lots of information quickly.

While you can use search engines now to get access to information, AI makes this process a whole lot more streamlined.

Here are a few ways your cleaning team can use AI in the field:

Identifying the Right Cleaning Products

Choosing the appropriate cleaning products for different surfaces and materials is crucial to avoid damage and ensure effective cleaning. AI can help by providing:

  • Product Recommendations: AI-driven platforms can recommend the best cleaning products based on the type of surface or material. 
  • Safety Information: AI tools can provide detailed information on the safety and usage instructions of various cleaning chemicals, helping to prevent accidents and ensure compliance with safety regulations.

Prompts:

  • Surface or Material Specific: "What cleaning products should I use for a marble countertop?"
  • Chemical Safety: "Are there any non-toxic cleaning agents for wooden furniture?"
  • Avoiding Damage: "What cleaning solutions are safe for use on stainless steel appliances?"

Tips for Dealing with Tough Stains

Tough stains can be a major challenge for cleaning professionals. AI can assist by providing:

  • Stain Identification: AI-powered image recognition tools can help identify the type of stain by analyzing a photo or video. 
  • Proven Techniques: AI can offer tried-and-true techniques for removing specific stains, such as wine, ink, or grease. 

Prompts:

  • Stain Identification: "What is the best method to remove an ink stain from a cotton shirt?"
  • Specific Stains: "How do I get rid of red wine stains on a white carpet?"
  • General Stain Removal: "What are the most effective techniques for removing grease stains from kitchen walls?"
  • Product Suggestions: "What products are recommended for removing mold stains from bathroom tiles?"

How to Ask For Guidance

You can experiment with how you ask for cleaning advice. 

Depending on the work you're doing, try these options:

  • Step-by-Step Instructions: AI applications can offer detailed, step-by-step instructions for cleaning different surfaces, such as hardwood floors, stainless steel appliances, or delicate fabrics. These instructions can include recommended products, tools, and techniques.
  • Video Tutorials: Many AI platforms integrate video tutorials that visually demonstrate the cleaning process. This can be especially helpful for visual learners who benefit from seeing techniques in action.

Prompts:

  • Step-by-Step Instructions: "Provide step-by-step instructions on how to clean and polish hardwood floors"
  • Video Tutorial Request: "Show me a video tutorial on how to clean granite countertops."

Pro Tip: Be sure to double-check your results. AI is still a developing technology and can provide potentially false information. Use AI for cleaning businesses as a starting place, instead of a finished and accurate product.

Start Taking Advantage of AI for Cleaning Businesses

In conclusion, AI is revolutionizing the way cleaning businesses operate, providing powerful tools to streamline processes, enhance customer service, and drive growth

By embracing AI technologies, your cleaning company can:

  • Automate scheduling and dispatching for increased efficiency
  • Provide 24/7 customer support through AI-powered chatbots
  • Generate targeted marketing content and ads to attract more leads
  • Access expert cleaning advice and techniques for your team
  • Streamline sales processes with AI-generated scripts

Don't be afraid to explore these tools for AI for cleaning businesses and see how they can transform your business. 

Embrace the power of AI today and watch your cleaning business soar to new heights!


Related: 33 High-Profit Types of Cleaning Services: From Dust to Glory


Originally published June 6, 2024 12:00 PM CT

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