CMO Roundtable: Jack Bachinsky, Chief Marketing Officer of Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa - Franchising.com

[Franchise Update Media]

“How do you use technology, such as AI and ChatGPT, to enhance your brand’s overall customer experience?”​

Jack Bachinsky

Chief Marketing Officer

Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa

In the past two years, artificial intelligence has exploded onto the scene. While we’ve been anticipating this explosion for years, no one could have predicted how rapidly it would be in demand—from consumer requests to business optimization. This year has already proven to be pivotal for the future of AI as businesses, including franchises, have sought out different ways to integrate this technology into our everyday operations.

At Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa, we have strategically integrated various kinds of advanced technology, including AI and ChatGPT, to significantly enhance our brand’s customer experience. Our recent endeavors highlight the sophisticated use of AI to optimize marketing efforts and improve customer interactions.

We have just completed the productization of our Marketing Mix Model Optimizer, a cutting-edge tool leveraging AI to analyze thousands of variable points. This helps us determine the impact of specific media channels on sales and new trials at varying levels of investment. By refining our approach using the data collected from AI, we can develop highly efficient local and regional advertising plans for our franchisees, maximizing ROI without additional expenditure. This proactive adoption of AI places us ahead of industry trends as evidenced by WPP’s GroupM midyear forecast, which anticipates a significant acceleration in AI-driven ad placement and optimization. According to GroupM, 69.5% of advertising revenue will be AI-enabled by the end of 2024 with AI projected to power more than 90% of ad buying by 2029.

Incorporating ChatGPT into our operations has further revolutionized our customer experience. We implemented ChatGPT early on for both guest and employee chatbots, enhancing communication and engagement. Additionally, we utilize ChatGPT to generate content that boosts our SEO efforts. This is done with careful consideration to ensure high-quality, original content that meets Google’s standards, thereby avoiding any adverse effects on search rankings. Our meticulous approach guarantees that AI-generated content is robust and effective.

Additionally, we apply the same thoroughness in managing consumer reviews through our partnership with Reputation.com. Our deliberate rollout of AI options ensures that AI-generated responses align closely with the authentic voice that has consistently improved our online reputation. This integration streamlines our operations and maintains the trust and satisfaction of our customers.

Hand & Stone’s strategic use of AI and ChatGPT demonstrates our commitment to leveraging advanced technology for superior customer experience and operational efficiency. By staying ahead of industry trends and ensuring quality in our AI applications, we continue to enhance our brand’s engagement and reputation in the market.