Embracing AI in sales and in the trades: Bara Gafari on The Tradepreneur Show

Patrick Somers, President and CEO of General Air Conditioning & Plumbing, hosts The Tradepreneur Show. In this episode he sits down with Bara Gafari, Head of Customer Success at SalesAsk, to talk about what actually happens when a trades business puts AI into its sales process.

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Why some contractors move on AI and others wait

Patrick opens with the question every operator is quietly asking: why are some trades businesses already running AI in the field while others hold off. Bara answers from her own route into the work, from welfare to real estate investing to an audience of more than 100,000 followers, and makes the case for why the timing matters now rather than next year.

What separates SalesAsk from conversation analysis tools

Most of the conversation is about putting the technology to work rather than admiring it. Bara explains what separates SalesAsk from other conversation analysis platforms, how roleplaying with Coach Dean works, and how insights from real calls get turned into coaching a rep will actually act on.

Getting technicians to buy in

This is where these projects usually stall, and the two spend a long stretch on it. They cover how to win technician buy in for sales coaching technology, and how to handle recording customer conversations, including the consent questions that come up on the doorstep.

It is worth noting that General Air ran its own SalesAsk rollout onsite, with the team in the building alongside the technicians, for exactly this reason. Read the General Air customer story.

Training built on data, not on a calendar

The last section is about training strategy. Bara argues for training built on what the data shows each rep needs, rather than putting every rep through the same session. She also makes the case that adopting early is an advantage and hesitating costs deals.

Patrick raises the objection everyone raises, whether AI will replace jobs. Bara's answer is that it streamlines the process while the human side of the sale stays with the person.

Who is on the episode

Patrick Somers hosts The Tradepreneur Show and is President and CEO of General Air Conditioning & Plumbing, a SalesAsk customer. The show covers trade businesses and home services, and he interviews operators about what is working in the field.

Bara Gafari is Head of Customer Success at SalesAsk. On this episode she covers onboarding and support, getting technicians on board, and how recorded sales conversations turn into coaching reps will use.

Running time 26 minutes 8 seconds. Published 8 April 2026.

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