Kristen Thom

Right now, the cleaning industry is facing significant challenges. According to the world’s leading trade association for the cleaning industry, ISSA, the increasing sophistication of cleaning products, industry consolidation, and new EPA regulations make navigating the industry harder than ever. These challenges have increased competition, reduced margins, and encouraged a dramatic shift toward more environmentally friendly products. Addressing these issues requires a strategic approach—and leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) for smarter selling is one of the most promising solutions. Before getting into the specifics of how you can use AI to solve these challenges, let's get an idea of how AI tools integrate into the sales process. How AI Turns Complex Data Into Actionable Insights The first step is finding a CRM solution that uses AI and integrates seamlessly with ERP systems, turning vast amounts of valuable sales and transactional data into clear insights anyone on your team can access with ease. White Cup’s AI analyzes your data for you and determines that a customer, based on their sales history, potentially has an order coming up. It can also automate tedious tasks, improve communication, and increase order value, helping distributors in the cleaning industry take a more strategic approach within their organizations and better understand which products belong in customers' hands. Simplifying Complex Products With AI Meeting the demands of the cleaning industry is a lot more complicated than selling a bottle of soap and a mop. Many products have specialized formulas that only work on certain surfaces or particular types of soiling. Some are only safe for specific industries. In many cases, a mistake here can damage property — or worse, impact the health of people exposed. Distributors need a system that provides quick and accurate information on all of their products. That's where AI comes in. An AI model with full knowledge of all the products in your inventory can provide fast and accurate product recommendations. For example, an AI tool could see that one of your clients is buying a lot of carpet stain remover and suggest carpet odor remover as an add-on purchase, using the purchase history of other customers who’ve also bought that exact carpet stain remover. White Cup’s AI uses historical data to predict future sales trends, allowing companies to plan better and allocate resources more effectively. A predictive AI system will build an understanding of your business’s seasonality to help you determine when your customers are going to need more of certain products at certain times. For example, AI can signal when to have increased quantities of disinfectant or health-related products in stock and on hand even before flu season arrives. You can instantly spot your next best actions with AI-driven decision-making, so you can order the right products to your warehouses in advance so you never run out of stock or get caught by surprise. All these features help streamline your process, but the complexity goes beyond the products themselves. Navigating Complex Consolidation With AI The cleaning industry is undergoing significant consolidation. While you have fewer competitors, the remaining ones are bigger, better funded, and more competitive than ever. This leaves you with almost no margin for error. You’ve got to adapt to keep up. Thankfully, AI provides powerful opportunities to turn your company into a finely-tuned machine. Discover Your Next Best Action With AI-Driven Tools for Distributors The cleaning industry is evolving, and distributors must adapt to stay competitive. By leveraging AI through robust CRM systems, companies can overcome common challenges, enhance their sales strategies, and improve customer satisfaction. White Cup’s AI-powered features, specifically designed for distributors, can help you take proactive steps to boost your sales, strengthen customer relationships, and grow your business. Maximize Every Move White Cup's AI technology makes it easier to identify the next best action for maximizing profitability. Whether it’s suggesting top-related products or predicting customer buying cycles, White Cup empowers your sales team with actionable insights. Imagine knowing what your customers need before they ask! With recommendations for complementary products appearing right in your CRM or BI dashboard, your sales team can seamlessly add value to every order, boosting the total order value. Additionally, White Cup helps your sales team stay on top of reordering opportunities by analyzing customer buying patterns. Your team gets automatic notifications when a customer is due for a reorder or if they’ve missed their usual buying window. This proactive outreach ensures that no opportunity slips through the cracks. Turn Inventory Liabilities Into Revenue Opportunities One common challenge for cleaning distributors is managing dying stock. With White Cup's AI, you can turn slow-moving inventory into revenue. The system identifies these items and automates targeted email campaigns to customers who are most likely to purchase, based on their past buying behavior. This not only helps you clear out inventory but also strengthens customer loyalty by offering them relevant products. Streamline Sales Planning with Predictive Sales Forecasting Stop wasting time sifting through sales data. White Cup’s predictive sales forecasting does the heavy lifting by analyzing your historical sales data, accounting for seasonality and trends unique to your distribution business. This AI-driven forecasting ensures that your sales team is better prepared, knowing when and where to focus their efforts. Work Together to Win More White Cup isn’t just another CRM or business intelligence tool—it’s a complete solution built specifically for distributors. With intuitive dashboards, AI-driven workflows, and insightful business intelligence, your entire team—from sales to marketing—can collaborate more effectively. This cohesive approach ensures that everyone is aligned, working toward the same goals, and making data-driven decisions that lead to success. White Cup provides the tools to transform raw data into actionable insights, driving smarter selling and ensuring long-term success in a competitive market. For those ready to embrace AI, now is the time to build a strong foundation with business intelligence and customer relationship management systems. Get in touch with us today.

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Kristen Thom

Vice President of Product for White Cup

Articles by Kristen Thom

Leveraging AI for Smarter Selling in the Cleaning Industry

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