Batteries Plus Deploys AI Suite to Streamline Retail and Franchising

The new digital infrastructure includes three distinct agents: Savannah, Edison, and Wattson. Savannah, designed by Chief Development Officer Joe Malmuth, handles franchise inquiries via SMS and voice, automatically scheduling discovery calls and providing prospective owners with business model documentation. This shift allows the development team to focus on candidates who have already cleared initial informational hurdles.

For daily store operations, Edison acts as a voice assistant capable of handling routine customer queries—such as store hours, directions, and product availability—in both English and Spanish. According to company president Jon Sica, the tool is expected to drive significant revenue by capturing calls that previously went unanswered when associates were occupied with in-store repairs. Beyond customer service, Edison filters out spam calls, further protecting staff productivity.

On the retail floor, the Wattson platform integrates directly with the company’s point-of-sale system to simplify product lookup. By streamlining the diagnostic process for automotive battery selection, Wattson allows new employees to provide expert-level service without navigating complex, multi-step search trees. Following a successful launch in the automotive category, Batteries Plus plans to expand Wattson’s capabilities across additional product lines by the end of the year.