Just a few weeks ago, we shared the groundbreaking story of Gulfshore Air’s first fully automated job, a seamless, end-to-end success story powered by ServiceTitan's Pro products. That job was an incredible demonstration of how modern automation can run a complex process, from lead generation to invoicing, with minimal human intervention.
But at the very start of that seamless workflow was a vital first step, one that might surprise you. The job didn’t begin with a human receptionist, but with a new "team member" who works 24/7, never takes a sick day, and has become a crucial part of the Gulfshore family.
That team member is Finn, their new voice agent powered by ServiceTitan's Contact Center Pro or sold as a stand alone product.
How Finn Got His Name
Krista Landen, Marketing and IT Manager at Gulfshore Air, explains how Finn came to be. For Gulfshore, the decision to give their AI a personality was a natural extension of their brand. Their mascot is a dolphin, so when they needed a name for their new virtual agent, they turned to their CSR team. The name Finn was an instant hit—not just because it's a "flipper" on a dolphin, but because it made the AI a part of the team.
Finn has been so well-integrated that he's a regular topic of conversation among the staff. The team talks about him like a colleague, often celebrating his successes. As Krista recalls, "I was swamped. I had three calls going, and you know, Finn was able to book two calls while I was on the phone." This highlights how Finn acts as a seamless extension of the team, working alongside human employees to manage high call volumes and ensure no job is missed.
So, what exactly does Finn do?
Finn is the first point of contact for many incoming calls, especially during high-volume periods like the summer heatwave that initiated the automated job. When a customer calls, they can press one to speak to Finn for an immediate response or press two to hold for a representative. If the wait time is long, Finn will even offer to help while the customer is on hold.
Finn's key tasks include:
Greeting customers and providing immediate service options.
Booking appointments for new jobs, demand services, and maintenance calls.
Identifying critical job information, like the age of the equipment, to ensure the right technician is dispatched.
Flagging sales opportunities, such as when a customer’s unit is over ten years old, so the technician can offer an upgrade or a membership.
The Power of Partnership: Humans and AI Working Together
Krista is quick to point out that Finn's success isn't just about the technology itself. It’s about the human team that has embraced and managed it. As she puts it, “Technology is only as good as the people who manage that technology.”
This isn't about replacing people; it's about empowering them. By handling the high-volume, repetitive booking calls, Finn frees up Gulfshore's small two-person team to focus on more complex, high-priority tasks.
Imagine a CSR team that can now spend their time on things like:
Following up on open estimates.
Making “happy calls” to check in with customers.
Proactively managing the maintenance renewal program to improve customer retention.
In the near future, Gulfshore's reliance on Finn will help influence their operational strategy. With Finn handling the frontline calls, the company can now use their human CSRs for things that truly require a human touch, like dedicated training days or focused outbound sales campaigns. This also allows Gulfshore to be more aggressive with their marketing. By assigning a specific phone number to automated campaigns (e.g., text message reminders for maintenance), they can direct those calls straight to Finn. This allows the company to launch new campaigns without worrying about overwhelming their limited staff, making their marketing and scheduling strategies more scalable and efficient.
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Krista's Advice: Embrace the Hard Conversations
Krista’s biggest piece of advice for other contractors considering AI is straightforward: have an open mindset and have the tough conversations with your team.
It’s natural for employees to fear that new technology will take their jobs. But Krista reframes this fear as an opportunity. This is not about getting rid of jobs, but about creating new, more fulfilling ones.
She challenges business leaders to see this change as a chance to help team members grow into roles they may have never had time for before. By leading with honesty and a focus on advancement, you can transition your team from simply taking calls to becoming strategic assets who manage and grow the business.
Krista also advises that it’s crucial to understand that no AI is perfect. Just like humans, AI makes mistakes, but those errors are a chance for growth. The key is to see the technology as a work in progress. When an error occurs, it's not a failure, but an opportunity to refine the process. This requires a strong human element—a team that is willing to provide feedback and learn alongside the AI to make it better.
Finn and the Gulfshore Air team prove that the future of the trades isn't about human vs. AI. It's about a powerful, collaborative partnership where smart technology, like Finn, handles the routine tasks, allowing your skilled, dedicated human team to focus on what they do best: building stronger customer relationships and growing the business.
