Are Robots Taking Over Your Job?

There is a type of technology that’s impacting almost every industry across the world—and also directly impacting our lives. It’s called artificial intelligence (AI).

Simply put, AI is when a machine can learn and act in the same fashion as a human. You may not realize it yet—but you are already taking advantage of this phenomenon. How many times have you signed on to your Netflix account and the platform has recommended a new series for you to check out? This example of AI looks at your viewing history and recommends similar titles it thinks you will enjoy. I might just be speaking for myself, but these recommendations are usually pretty spot on.

And while we’re all enjoying our binge-sesh, 57% of people out there believe that AI is a threat to the human race. And to be honest, there is some truth to this, because you have to apply AI in the right way to really benefit from it.

AI, tech trends, and the wellness industry

There is a huge debate going on right now about how AI is going to impact jobs—and maybe as a business owner in the fitness and beauty space, you’ve contemplated this as well.

In the graph above, you’ll see jobs that are highly structured on one side and highly creative on the other. You’ll also notice it’s divided into professions that require social interaction and little-to-no social interaction.

If you’re in a job that requires a lot of creativity and socialization—like the fitness and beauty industries—you are in the safe zone. But your industry is also in an amazing spot to take advantage of AI. Here’s how:

How your business can take advantage of AI and technology

AI can help you as a business owner because it enables you to provide a personalized experience for your clients at your fitness or beauty business. You can also use AI to have more insight into running your business more efficiently.

AI is actually helping to grow your business by retaining your clients. By using something like Messenger^[ai] at your business, you can help capture clients even when you and your staff are busy. Let's look at some data first. 

According to Mindbody research and other surveys: 

• 44% of people still prefer to call a business to book an appointment or class
• 62% of phone calls to businesses go unanswered
• 80% of callers won't leave a voice mail
• 85% of callers wont call back

Let those numbers sink in. Looking at that last statistic, I think we can all agree that number represents a ton of lost revenue for a beauty business.

With Messenger^[ai], when a call goes to voicemail, the caller will automatically receive a personalized text message to help them book an appointment or class at your business.

To show you how this works, we'll use a beauty business as an example. Let’s say someone calls hoping to book an appointment for Thursday—but when this client calls, you and your staff are busy with clients and unable to pick up the phone. Messenger^[ai] delivers a text message showing the caller all of the available times on Thursday the caller can choose from. Once they select a time, this appointment is automatically added to your beauty businesses calendar—all of this gets done without you having to lift a finger. You know what this means—you’re able to increase your bottom line while keeping your customers extremely happy with your customer service. All of these capabilities apply to fitness businesses, as well. 

In fact, if you own a fitness business, the power of AI can go a step further. You can also use tech to provide an unforgettable in-studio experience that works in your favor and in the favor of your clientele. How? Let’s use our class check-in app as an example.

How many times have you had a line of people waiting at your front desk to check in to one of your busiest classes? Probably more times than you can count. Well, the class check-in app is an extremely valuable tool because it enables your clients to check themselves in before class to help you avoid a traffic jam in your studio’s waiting area. This helps take the pressure off your front desk staff and ensures your classes start on time. Your front desk staff is also free to welcome people and answer any questions before class.

At the end of the day, even though AI and tech trends can seem daunting, the reality is your business, your staff, and your clients will benefit greatly from it. Not only will you be able to serve your customers more efficiently, but you and your staff also get to spend time doing what people in this industry love doing the most—connecting with your clients. 

To learn more about what Messenger^[ai] can do for your business, check out our guides for fitness studios and beauty businesses. 

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