A few weeks back I was having a conversation with a plumbing and HVAC contracting business owner. During the beginning of our discussion, he abruptly told me, “I just use ChatGPT to do your job.”

Needless to say, I was a little taken aback. “Oh, that’s nice for you,” I replied. Part of me wanted to point out the irony there. How many homeowners have botched plumbing and HVAC repairs and DIY projects by watching YouTube? I’d like to think my education has prepared me to be better than an Artificial Intelligence (AI) chatbot. But, hey, who knows nowadays!

That’s not to say ChatGPT doesn’t have a place in the plumbing and HVAC world, because it can be very useful tool for contracting businesses. Currently free to use, ChatGPT is a language model developed by OpenAI. It uses deep learning techniques to generate human-like responses to text input. In other words, ChatGPT can understand human language and generate responses that sound like they were written by a person. ChatGPT can be trained on specific topics, so it can provide accurate and relevant information on a wide range of subjects. It can be fine-tuned for specific tasks such as creating website content and social posts, marketing content, answering customer service inquiries, composing emails, creating processes and much more.

There are several ways that plumbing contractors can use ChatGPT to benefit their business:

1. Customer support

Plumbing contractors can use ChatGPT to provide customer support. ChatGPT can answer common questions about plumbing issues, such as how to fix a leaky faucet or how to unclog a drain. This can save contractors time and allow them to focus on more complex plumbing issues.

2. Lead generation

Plumbing contractors can use ChatGPT to generate leads. ChatGPT can be used to ask potential customers about their plumbing needs and provide them with information about the services that the contractor offers. This can help contractors identify potential customers and generate leads.

3. Marketing

ChatGPT can be used to create marketing content. Contractors can use ChatGPT to generate blog posts, social media posts, and other content that can be used to promote their business. ChatGPT can provide accurate and relevant information about plumbing issues, which can help contractors establish themselves as experts in their field.

4. Training

 ChatGPT can be used to train new employees, as PHCC members recently learned during the PHCC Educational Foundation’s popular Super Foremen Workshop. Contractors can use ChatGPT to create training materials that cover topics such as plumbing terminology, safety procedures, and plumbing techniques. This can help new employees learn the skills they need to become successful plumbers.

5. Data analysis

ChatGPT can be used to analyze data. Contractors can use ChatGPT to analyze customer feedback and identify trends in customer behavior. This can help contractors improve their services and provide a better customer experience.

As you can see for all the reasons stated above, ChatGPT can be a valuable tool for plumbing contractors. By using ChatGPT, contractors can save time and improve the quality of their services. Still doubtful? This editor used ChatGPT to help write part of this article.

If you are a plumbing contractor, it is worth considering how ChatGPT can benefit your business. If you haven’t already played around with it, I encourage you to give it a try by visiting https://chat.openai.com/chat to create a free account. It could be a game-changer for your business. Maybe just don’t brag about AI stealing this editor’s job!