Artificial Intelligence (AI) is no longer a futuristic concept reserved for tech giants and innovative startups—it’s becoming an essential tool for small business owners across various industries. For tanning business owners, AI offers a wealth of opportunities to streamline operations, attract more customers, and increase profitability.

This article explores how tanning businesses can begin utilizing AI to transform their business. From enhancing customer engagement to overcoming common operational challenges, we’ll delve into practical applications and actionable strategies for implementing AI.

You might be surprised to learn that the paragraphs above were written by Artificial Intelligence. While AI tools like ChatGPT are often associated with technical tasks or basic automation, their ability to produce articulate, professional, and highly engaging writing is remarkable. Whether it’s drafting polished emails, creating persuasive marketing copy, or brainstorming creative ideas, AI can mimic a natural human writing style effectively and produce thousands of words in seconds.

This capability showcases the ability of AI to streamline communication and help business owners tackle everyday challenges with ease and sophistication. Using ChatGPT to help you brainstorm, format, or even provide a finished version of any written communication is the tip of the iceberg with AI that can help save you time and improve your communications moving forward.

Businesses of all types and sizes are now using AI to create incredibly complex business solutions, but for small, owner-operated businesses, the technology can truly be a revelation on the simplest levels. While large companies have dozens or hundreds of employees who perform functions like marketing, customer support, graphic design, social media, and much more, the majority of tanning businesses tend to only have owners, managers, and hourly employees who dedicate their time to interacting with clients in the salon. So, as an owner, it can be that much more valuable to rely on AI to act as your personal assistant, customer support agent, social media specialist, copywriter, and more.

“It opens the door to a lot of possibilities for small business owners in general,” says Jeff Davis II, son of Chili Pepper’s Tanning founders Jeff and Charise Davis, who operate the largest tanning chain in Michigan. “It’s just a lower barrier to entry for a lot of things that may have been expensive that are now taking a lot less time.”

Davis has developed AI software that Chili Pepper’s now uses to perform a variety of task, with the most notable piece being a customer service chatbot that handles customer inquiries on their website and social media. He’s also created customized AI solutions for other small businesses and hopes to share his expertise with other businesses in the tanning, an industry he has been well acquainted with for virtually his entire life.

“The biggest difference for me is my knowledge of the industry. I test these bots extensively before integrating them. I have a very deep understanding of what these people want and need out of these bots,” Davis says. “We compile a giant data set that contains everything this bot may need to know about your business. This is something we change dynamically, so if you change prices or add a new service, we go in the same day and make changes. We set the bot up and don’t even start payment until you’re happy with the training.”

AI technology is advancing at an incredible pace, with its capabilities expanding daily. While small business owners don’t need to master AI overnight, it’s essential to start exploring its potential now. Embracing the technology early can help businesses stay ahead of the curve and be well-prepared to leverage the even greater innovations and opportunities on the horizon.

“I think a lot of people aren’t fully aware of the exponential growth and improvement going on with these things. Even in the past year, they’ve become so much more reliable and outperform people for a lot of tasks. For $300 a month, it can do the work of a full-time employee,” Davis says.

Click here to read the entire article in the latest issue of Smart Tan Magazine online.