Data First, AI Second: CIO Patrick Lawrence's Roadmap for Mid-Market Expansion

Guest Introduction

Patrick Lawrence serves as Chief Information Officer at Economy Exterminators, a growing pest control company operating across the Carolinas. With more than 25 years in technology, he blends leadership and practical IT execution to modernize operations, strengthen data integrity, and guide the company through a mid-market expansion. Patrick’s experience spans Navy service, data operations, CRM modernization, and AI adoption. He focuses on building the right foundations for growth, from call center automation and CRM integrations to brand and marketing uplift, while staying mindful of workforce impact and long-term ROI.

Here’s a Glimpse of What You’ll Learn

• Why strong data foundations are essential before pursuing AI

• How a call center used AI to convert missed calls into actionable tickets and leads

• The role of AI in asset creation and brand visibility for companies without a marketing team

• Practical steps for connecting HubSpot with an industry CRM to unify pipeline data

• How to approach ROI in AI projects when baselines are weak

• What small businesses should consider as search shifts toward AI answers

• Why content and reviews still matter in an AI driven discovery landscape

In This Episode

Patrick explains how Economy Exterminators is moving from a small company feel into a mid-market growth phase. His priority is building stable systems and trustworthy data so that new initiatives, including AI, can actually produce value. He describes a practical approach to AI: use it where it removes bottlenecks, measure what matters, and avoid replacing people without a plan for long-term capability.

A major win came from applying AI to the call center. Mondays and after-hours calls were overwhelming the team, and hiring fast enough was not feasible. Patrick put AI to work converting calls into tickets and leads in their CRM. Even without perfect ROI baselines at the start, the change boosted response rates and surfaced clearer sales activity once sales moved into HubSpot.

Without an in-house marketing team, Patrick also used AI to generate on-brand creative assets that the company’s agency could refine and deploy. That shift improved scroll-stopping ad quality and lifted engagement across social channels. He even prototyped a mascot concept that made its way into residential services. Alongside creative work, he is preparing a data bridge between HubSpot and WorkWave’s PestPac using Operations Hub to keep sales and service information in sync.

Looking forward, Patrick is exploring how AI can enhance the customer journey with self-service answers to common questions like appointment times and billing. He remains cautious about workforce displacement, citing high profile corporate examples, and emphasizes planning and compassion. On discovery, he anticipates a world where AI surfaces local service providers and wonders if paid placement will eventually enter AI results. Until then, he believes content quality, reviews, and site performance still matter, even as SEO evolves.