AI That Actually Moves the Needle for Support and Operations
Lowe's is weaving AI into day-to-day work to improve customer outcomes and reduce friction for associates. The focus is simple: faster answers on the floor, cleaner handoffs from planning to purchase, and tighter estimates for Pro projects.
If you run customer support or operations, the playbook here is pragmatic. Use AI to remove guesswork, compress time, and make every interaction more accurate.
Lowe's: Frontline accuracy with Mylow Companion
Lowe's rolled out Mylow Companion, an AI app that helps associates give instant, precise recommendations. Typical use cases include calculating mulch quantities and identifying energy-efficient appliances with confidence.
On the consumer side, "Mylow" acts as a virtual advisor that guides projects step by step, integrated into the app and website. That creates a clean path from idea to cart, saving time for DIY shoppers and ensuring Pros start with the right materials.
Associates are also using the app to expand knowledge across departments. The result: better service, fewer escalations, and more productive shifts.
Lowe's Pro: Faster, more accurate takeoffs
Lowe's plans to integrate Foundation Building Materials' AI Blueprint takeoff technology into the Pro Desk. The system extracts material quantities and measurements from digital plans, speeding up estimates and improving accuracy.
This matters for larger Pro customers. Quicker, reliable takeoffs reduce rework, shrink change orders, and build trust.
How peers are keeping pace
- Home Depot: AI improves search and powers a "ship from best location" system for faster delivery. Same-day and next-day coverage has expanded. Reorder is simpler via an upgraded "buy it again" feature, and the Order Fulfillment Associate app enables batch picking to improve accuracy and speed.
- Floor & Decor: Focused on core systems. Investing in a new ERP for finance and merchandising, plus $35-$40 million in IT infrastructure, e-commerce, and support center initiatives to streamline operations.
- Williams-Sonoma: AI spans customer service, supply chain, and internal automation. An AI assistant improves resolution rates, while design tools and a culinary companion support discovery. A vertically integrated model supports forecasting, inventory optimization, and delivery accuracy. A proprietary platform automates workflows across finance, HR, and tech, improving productivity, conversion, and costs.
What support and operations leaders can implement now
- Associate copilot: Deploy a mobile assistant tied to your product data, inventory, calculators, and policies. Start with the top 20 questions that slow down the floor.
- Consumer advisor: Add guided project flows to your app and site. Connect advice to inventory, cart, and pickup/delivery options.
- Pro takeoffs: Standardize digital plan intake and use AI to extract quantities. Keep a human-in-the-loop for final checks.
- Search and reorder: Improve ranking, synonyms, and "buy it again" across channels. Reduce clicks to reorder staples.
- Batch picking: Equip associates with tools to pick multiple orders at once. Track pick accuracy and cycle time.
- Data quality: Tighten SKU attributes, pack sizes, local availability, energy ratings, and attachments. AI is only as good as your product and policy data.
- Training and prompts: Teach associates how to ask better questions and verify outputs. Keep examples embedded in the tool.
- Metrics that matter: CSAT, first-contact resolution, associate handle time, recommendation accuracy, average basket size, return rate, estimate turnaround, pick accuracy, on-time delivery, and cost per order.
- Rollout plan: Pilot in a handful of stores or departments, measure weekly, iterate, and scale. Keep a clear playbook for feedback and fixes.
Risk controls that keep you out of trouble
- Grounding: Force answers to cite your product and policy data. No data, no answer.
- Guardrails: Set safe responses for pricing, safety, installation specifics, and energy claims. Escalate when confidence is low.
- Privacy: Log and mask PII. Segment access by role.
- Change management: Pair launches with quick reference guides, short videos, and floor support in the first two weeks.
Suggested stack snapshot
- Data: PIM, ERP, OMS, knowledge base, plan files for takeoffs.
- Models: LLMs with retrieval from your product and policy repositories.
- Orchestration: Tools for prompt management, evaluation, and A/B testing.
- Interfaces: Mobile for associates, web/app for shoppers, and APIs for Pro workflows.
Quick checklist
- Prioritize 3 high-impact use cases: associate Q&A, guided projects, Pro takeoffs.
- Lock product and policy data sources before rollout.
- Define success metrics and a 30/60/90-day improvement plan.
- Train a champion in each store/department to drive adoption.
- Review errors weekly and ship fixes fast.
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