Franchise Marketing Radio: Roland Ligtenberg on How AI is Transforming Franchising and Home Services

The home services industry, traditionally reliant on manual processes and legacy systems, is undergoing a massive shift. With the rise of AI-driven automation, businesses are streamlining operations, improving customer experience, and unlocking new efficiencies. Housecall Pro, a leading SaaS platform for home service professionals, is at the forefront of this transformation.

On a recent episode of Franchise Marketing Radio, Roland Ligtenberg, co-founder of Housecall Pro, shared insights into how AI is reshaping the home services landscape and why franchises across industries are rapidly adopting these technologies to stay ahead.

From Mobile-Only to an AI-Driven Platform

Founded in 2013, Housecall Pro initially launched as a mobile-only solution designed to help home service professionals manage their businesses from the field. However, as the industry evolved, so did the platform. Today, Housecall Pro offers both mobile and web solutions, catering to technicians in the field and office managers coordinating operations.

Key AI-Powered Features of Housecall Pro:

✅ Automated Scheduling & Dispatching – Helps technicians optimize their routes and daily job schedules.
✅ Integrated Payments & Invoicing – Enables seamless payment collection in the field, reducing administrative overhead.
✅ Marketing & Customer Communication Tools – Keeps businesses connected with clients through automated follow-ups and service reminders.

AI-Powered Innovation: The Future of Home Services

Ligtenberg emphasized that AI is not just a buzzword—it’s a game changer for small businesses and franchises. One of Housecall Pro’s major AI innovations is CSR AI, an AI-powered customer service representative that answers calls, schedules appointments, and ensures that service professionals never miss a lead.

"40% of work comes in after hours. But you can probably imagine why—because the people that are calling for you have to work themselves. And so when they have time off is when it’s time off on everyone’s calendar." – Roland Ligtenberg

In addition to CSR AI, Housecall Pro has introduced:

📊 Analyst AI – Generates reports and provides actionable business insights.
📈 Coach AI – Monitors key performance metrics and suggests adjustments in real time.
💼 Accounting AI – Automates bookkeeping and financial tracking.

These AI-driven solutions not only boost productivity but also enhance customer trust and experience—a crucial factor for franchise brands looking to scale efficiently.

Empowering Franchisees with Standardized Operations

For franchises, consistency is everything. Housecall Pro allows franchisors to create golden accounts, where they can pre-load checklists, pricing structures, and operational workflows. This ensures that every franchisee, regardless of location, follows the same proven processes.

"If you’re a franchise-style company and you’re not using software like Housecall Pro, you’re falling behind." – Roland Ligtenberg

The Future of AI in Franchising Across All Industries

While Housecall Pro is transforming home services, its AI-driven approach is part of a larger trend reshaping franchising across industries. AI is rapidly becoming an essential tool for franchise efficiency, scalability, and customer engagement in sectors such as restaurants, retail, healthcare, education, and professional services.

🚀 Smarter Lead Generation & Sales – AI-powered chatbots and virtual sales assistants qualify leads, personalize outreach, and increase conversions.
📢 AI-Driven Marketing & Brand Consistency – Automated content generation and AI-powered ad campaigns ensure brand-aligned messaging at scale.
🔧 Operational Efficiency & Automation – AI standardizes processes, automates workflows, and reduces administrative burdens, allowing franchisees to focus on customer experience.
👩‍💻 AI-Powered Training & Support – AI-driven training modules and AI chat assistants provide real-time coaching and support for franchisees, enhancing performance and reducing onboarding time.

With the skilled labor shortage impacting many industries, AI is not replacing people—it’s enhancing their ability to work smarter. By automating routine tasks, franchisees and employees can focus on delivering better customer experiences and scaling their businesses more efficiently.

Why Franchises Must Embrace AI Now

The future of franchising is AI-driven, data-powered, and automation-enhanced. Brands that integrate AI into their operations today will gain a competitive edge in efficiency, cost reduction, and customer engagement. Whether it’s through automated scheduling, intelligent customer interactions, or data-driven insights, AI will continue to transform how franchises grow and operate.

As AI continues to evolve, franchise brands that embrace innovation will be the ones leading their industries—leveraging AI to create smarter systems, optimize performance, and ultimately, deliver better experiences to customers.

👉 Is your franchise AI-ready? Now is the time to explore how AI can revolutionize operations, enhance efficiency, and future-proof your brand. 

Learn more at FranchiseNow.ai