When Lawrence England and his business partner, Jack Schroeter, began exploring franchise opportunities, technology was one of the factors that drew them to Pool Scouts. England had spent more than a decade working in software consulting and data transformation, so he understood how much the right systems could contribute to a growing business.

Now, as the owner of Pool Scouts of Northern Baltimore, England is putting that technology to work. In his first season, he's already seeing how the brand's investment in AI and operational tools can help him manage customer inquiries without the expense of a dedicated office manager.

"The big, obvious one is that it answers the phone, right?" England said. "Especially at our early scale, we don't have the staffing or the scale to afford a dedicated office manager. Having the AI answer the phone immediately is a big deal."

Making Every Customer Call Count

In January 2026, Pool Scouts added AI-powered chat to its franchise websites, followed by AI voice and text tools for franchise owners. These tools help owners respond to customer inquiries they might otherwise miss while cutting down on time spent handling calls and other administrative tasks.

For England, the AI-powered voice assistant has been particularly valuable when he and Schroeter are both working in the field. The system answers incoming calls, responds to customer questions and collects information that would otherwise require a callback.

"Having the AI field calls, answer questions and make bookings saves us so much time and so many sales compared to having to check a voicemail," England said. "By the time I'm able to get back to it six hours later, they've probably called three competitors, and one of them answered the phone."

England estimates that the system converts roughly one in every four or five inquiries from prospective customers. Even when it doesn't complete a booking, the information it collects gives him a head start when he follows up.

Building Technology Around Franchisee Needs

Using the AI system, England can adjust how the AI assistant handles calls based on the services his location offers. He can also see what callers have already discussed through ServiceMinder, the company's customer relationship management platform, so he can pick up the conversation where they left off.

Pool Scouts also provides franchise owners with analytics dashboards that help them spot opportunities to grow their businesses. These tools give owners access to business data without having to spend as much time compiling and interpreting reports.

For England, the technology provides an operational foundation he would otherwise have to develop himself.

"Coming from a software background, scalability is kind of everything, especially if we're talking about anything in the realm of automation," England said. "As we scale the business, we can focus our time on making sales, doing the marketing and getting the word out."

Combining Technology With Human Support

England emphasized that technology is only part of the equation. Pool Scouts' business coaches work with franchise owners to refine their operations, while franchisee feedback helps guide improvements to the company's software.

England is among a group of franchise owners who meet regularly with the corporate team to discuss improvements to the AI system.

"Software is nothing if it's not configured correctly," England said. "So shoutouts to the Pool Scouts team for purchasing the software and giving us a boilerplate, but also for continuing to help and guide us as we evolve it in the right direction."

Following its 10th anniversary, Pool Scouts has grown to 35 franchise owners operating 69 open territories across 17 states. As the system grows, the company is adding new services and investing in the technology and coaching available to its franchisees.

For England, AI helps manage customer inquiries and frees up time for other aspects of the business. But he believes personal interaction remains essential, particularly when it comes to discussing customers' needs and finalizing service appointments.

"We need a human face. The human connection, especially in the realm of sales, is what makes it happen," England said. "Every change has been about making the experience as streamlined as possible so customers can then get to a human face."

The startup costs for a Pool Scouts franchise range from $96,662 to $133,787. To learn more about franchising with Pool Scouts, visit https://poolscoutsfranchise.com/.