Owned and Operated - A Plumbing, Electrical, and HVAC Business Growth Podcast
Episode #173: "We Booked 400 Calls a Week": How Avoca AI is Shaping Home Services
Release Date: February 27, 2025
Hosts: John Wilson and Jack Carr
Guest: Tyson Chen, Avoca AI

Introduction to Avoca AI

In this episode, hosts John Wilson and Jack Carr welcome back Tyson Chen, a representative from Avoca AI, to discuss the transformative impact of AI on home service businesses. Tyson provides an overview of Avoca AI's mission to revolutionize call centers in the electrical, HVAC, and plumbing industries through advanced AI technologies.

Notable Quote:
Tyson Chen [00:00]: "The vast majority of folks were very hesitant, and we had to show them this is empirically better. They were booking at a 43% rate, and we instantly were able to bump that up to the low 90s."

Avoca AI’s Core Products: Coach and Responder

Tyson delves into Avoca AI’s two primary offerings: Coach and Responder. Coach is designed to enhance the performance of Customer Service Representatives (CSRs) by analyzing calls and providing feedback for improvement. Responder, on the other hand, is an AI-driven tool that handles incoming calls, managing overflow and after-hours inquiries, thus freeing up human agents for more critical tasks.

Notable Quotes:
John Wilson [00:27]: "We've been consistently improving our scores, which has been awesome. The other product they have is just conventional booking, and it's an AI tool that books over the phone."
Tyson Chen [02:25]: "Evoca is the leading AI agents platform for the home services focused on call center."

Impact of AI on Call Centers

The conversation shifts to the significant improvements businesses have experienced using Avoca AI. For instance, a large company in Tennessee saw their booking rate leap from 43% to the low 90s within a week of implementing Avoca AI. This dramatic increase not only boosts revenue but also necessitates the hiring of additional staff to manage the surge in bookings.

Notable Quote:
Tyson Chen [08:23]: "Within the first week, the previous answering service was booking at a 43% rate and we instantly were able to bump that up to the low 90s."

Competitive Landscape and Industry Adoption

Tyson discusses the competitive environment, comparing Avoca AI’s position to that of early cloud CRM providers like Salesforce. Despite the influx of new entrants, Avoca AI remains a leader due to its robust, production-ready products and continuous technological advancements. Tyson emphasizes that AI adoption in the home services industry is still in its infancy, with less than 1% of the market utilizing such technologies.

Notable Quotes:
Tyson Chen [05:11]: "We view the competition as validating more than anything... this market is really going to grow."
Jack Carr [06:44]: "It feels like heavy adoption, but Service Titan only has like 10,000 customers out of millions of potential."

Success Stories and Case Studies

Jack and Tyson share compelling success stories demonstrating the efficacy of Avoca AI. One notable example involves a national brand struggling with low booking rates, which saw immediate and substantial improvements after integrating Avoca AI’s Responder.

Notable Quote:
Tyson Chen [08:23]: "They got so much. They had to hire new technicians, they had entire new personnel to keep up with the demand."

Emerging Features: Outbound Calling and Enhanced Functionality

Avoca AI has recently introduced new features, including outbound calling capabilities. These functionalities enable businesses to conduct “happy calls” post-service, schedule routine maintenance automatically, and run promotional campaigns. Tyson explains that these outbound features are designed to maximize customer engagement and increase booking rates.

Notable Quote:
Tyson Chen [16:26]: "With AI Outbounding, there's really a few different use cases... happy calls, routine maintenance, and running promotions."

Addressing Legal and Technical Challenges

The hosts discuss the legalities surrounding AI outbound calls, particularly regarding compliance with regulations like the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA). Tyson reassures listeners that Avoca AI adheres to these regulations by requiring written consent and clearly identifying AI agents during calls. Additionally, Avoca AI employs strategies such as rotating phone numbers and using local area codes to prevent their calls from being marked as spam.

Notable Quotes:
Jack Carr [15:47]: "Is that legal? Because I thought there were some restrictions on outbound AI calls."
Tyson Chen [21:25]: "We use new numbers and local area codes to ensure compliance and prevent spam labeling."

Onboarding and Implementation

Jack inquires about the onboarding process for Avoca AI, seeking to understand the effort required to transition from a traditional call center to an AI-driven system. Tyson outlines a streamlined two-week onboarding process that includes understanding a business’s scheduling needs, integrating with existing CRM systems like Service Titan, and rigorous testing to ensure seamless operation before going live.

Notable Quote:
Tyson Chen [35:53]: "It usually just takes like, with your call center manager, around three to four hours. And yeah, you get a dashboard."

Adoption Trends: Full AI vs. Hybrid Models

The discussion pivots to the adoption rates of full AI versus hybrid call center models. Tyson indicates that while larger companies (over $10 million in revenue) prefer hybrid models to maximize booking rates, smaller businesses (under $5 million) are increasingly adopting full AI solutions due to their cost-effectiveness and substantial impact on booking rates.

Notable Quote:
Tyson Chen [38:07]: "Companies under 5 million, there's a larger percentage that use full AI, maybe like 60, 70%. For companies larger than 10 million, the vast majority use hybrid."

Future Outlook and Technological Advancements

Looking ahead, Tyson emphasizes Avoca AI’s commitment to maintaining its leadership by continuously enhancing their AI capabilities. He predicts that the next few years will be critical in establishing a clear market leader as technology rapidly evolves. Avoca AI aims to stay ahead by not only improving booking rates but also integrating AI into broader marketing and operational functions.

Notable Quote:
Tyson Chen [29:35]: "Technology is moving at such an incredible pace... the next two years is really when I think we'll start to see a clear market leader emerging."

Conclusion and Call to Action

As the episode wraps up, Tyson provides information on how listeners can learn more about Avoca AI, encouraging them to book a demo through the Avoca website. The hosts express enthusiasm about the potential of AI in transforming home service businesses and hint at future episodes that will continue to explore innovative solutions.

Notable Quotes:
Tyson Chen [42:04]: "The easiest way is to just book a demo on our website, www.avoca.AI."
Jack Carr [42:28]: "If you like what you heard, check out ownedandoperated.com and make sure you look. Check out our upcoming workshop."

Key Takeaways

• Significant Improvement in Booking Rates: Avoca AI’s Responder can dramatically increase booking rates from existing services, sometimes doubling them.

• Comprehensive AI Solutions: Avoca AI offers both monitoring and coaching tools (Coach) and automated booking systems (Responder), enhancing both human and AI components of call centers.

• Competitive Advantage: Despite growing competition, Avoca AI maintains a leadership position through continuous innovation and a focus on high-quality AI interactions.

• Flexible Adoption Models: Avoca AI caters to both large and small businesses, offering full AI solutions for smaller operations and hybrid models for larger enterprises seeking maximum efficiency.

• Future-Ready Technology: Avoca AI is poised to remain at the forefront of the industry by rapidly iterating and expanding its suite of AI tools to meet evolving market demands.

For more insights and resources, visit www.ownedandoperated.com and explore upcoming workshops featuring Avoca AI.