Batteries Plus Unveils Proprietary Artificial Intelligence Platform to Support Franchise Growth, Amplify Store Experience

September 09, 2026 // Franchising.com // HARTLAND, Wis. – Batteries Plus is introducing its latest technology innovation: a platform of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools designed to strengthen the franchise network while enhancing the store experience for associates and customers alike. Built through a combination of vendor partners, consultants, and its own in-house research, Batteries Plus has added three new tech tools to the system:

• Savannah: An AI-driven SMS voice agent developed specifically for franchise inquiries
• Edison: An AI voice assistant that ensures no call goes unanswered
• Wattson: An AI-powered search tool that helps store associates and customers navigate products with confidence

Deployment is underway across all Batteries Plus locations, with full system rollout expected to be completed by the end of September.

“As a brand deeply rooted in the technology space, Batteries Plus is proud to be leading the charge in the age of AI,” said Scott Williams, CEO of Batteries Plus. “This is not creating AI for the sake of breaking into the world of AI. This is creating tools that genuinely assist our entire proprietary business model, so that everyone from the corporate level to our store associates can work efficiently and confidently as the Experts in Charge dedicated to serving our customers.”

Savannah: Driving Franchise Growth

Savannah was developed from the ground up under the leadership of Joe Malmuth, with the underlying goal of turning qualified franchise leads into long-term, sustainable growth. Aspiring entrepreneurs can call into Savannah, a go-to resource trained to answer any question related to the Batteries Plus franchising opportunity.

At the conclusion of each call, the prospective owner receives a detailed email that includes a link to an overview of the Batteries Plus history and business model, a franchise application, and a franchise discovery call already scheduled on the calendar, moving that lead directly to the next phase of the franchise process. In addition, Savannah has outbound prospecting capabilities, SMS functions, and is compliant with all regulations.

“Savannah is changing the game in our franchise growth strategy,” said Joe Malmuth, Chief Development Officer of Batteries Plus. “We built Savannah in-house because nobody understands what a prospective Batteries Plus franchise owner needs to hear better than the people who talk to them every day. By the time we get on a discovery call now, we’re speaking with someone who genuinely understands the Batteries Plus franchise opportunity, changing what our team spends its time on and who ultimately ends up in our system. The result has been a dramatic increase in overall engagement and franchise development activity – a true win-win.”

Edison: Helping Answer the Call

Edison serves as the customer-facing counterpart, ensuring calls to all 700+ Batteries Plus stores are answered. The voice agent handles the most common questions customers ask when they call a store, such as hours, directions using nearby landmarks, battery advice, product and service inquiries, and more, all while answering with consistent branded messaging on every call.

“Each of our stores receives an average of 30 calls a day. While we know the importance behind answering every call, we also understand the reality that some may fall through the cracks,” said Jon Sica, President of Batteries Plus. “That’s not indifference; it’s an associate mid-way through a device repair who can’t walk away from the customer standing in front of them. By reversing that course, we’re capturing business we were previously leaving on the table, and we’re giving our store teams the ability to devote their undivided attention to the people who walk through our doors. We see this as a multi-million dollar move.”

Edison offers conversations in both English and Spanish. Developed in partnership with SynthFlow AI, Edison was built on the foundation of years of research from the Batteries Plus team.

“We’ve all experienced the frustration of a poorly designed voice agent that doesn’t understand what you’re saying or can’t answer some of the most basic questions,” said Angela Geib-Boland, Vice President of Technology and Strategy at Batteries Plus. “It was essential we kept those challenges in mind as Edison was created, so that the level of service our customers have grown accustomed to in our stores carries over to the phone.”

An additional benefit that quickly surfaced in early deployment: Edison intercepts the significant volume of spam calls stores were absorbing, before an associate ever loses a minute to one. For customers who would rather not speak with an AI assistant, Edison listens for key words and phrases throughout the conversation, escalating the call to the store team when necessary.

Wattson: A Store Associate’s Favorite Assistant

Wattson, connected to the Batteries Plus POS system, is helping new store associates operate with the efficiency and confidence of a tenured employee. Previously, finding the right automotive battery required a lengthy process of detailing engine size, sub-model, and a chain of additional details before reaching a solution. Wattson strips that drill-down to only the questions that actually change the answer. If the solution is identical across a year, make, and model, the associate never sees the extra steps. The result is a near-instantaneous answer.

That same logic also extends to customers directly. The search tool at BatteriesPlus.com has been simplified in tandem, surfacing additional vehicle specifications only when those details are genuinely the deciding factor in which battery a customer needs. Wattson launched with the automotive category and is live system-wide. Additional product categories will roll out through the end of the year, prioritized by sales volume.

As Batteries Plus continues to evolve its technology strategy, the company remains focused on leveraging innovation to better serve customers and support franchisees across its locations, further strengthening its presence in essential retail.

SOURCE Batteries Plus

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