CLS Holdings touts use of AI to enhance cannabis retail

Company also plans to integrate AI into cultivation operations.

CLS Holdings USA, Inc., operating as Cannabis Life Sciences, is highlighting advancements made in user experience and revenue growth through implementing AI tools and solutions.

With the integration of Pluggi, POSaBIT and Springbig, CLS harnesses the power of artificial intelligence to improve how customers interact with and shop for cannabis. CLS says these developments have enhanced the user experience and also led to significant average basket increases.

"We are thrilled to report the remarkable success achieved through the utilization of our AI tools and solutions," said Andrew Glashow, CEO at CLS Holdings. "Pluggi, POSaBIT and Springbig have revolutionized the cannabis retail experience, resulting in increased customer satisfaction, revenue growth and investor value. CLS Holdings remains committed to driving innovation in the cannabis industry, continually seeking opportunities to enhance user experiences and optimize operations."

At the forefront of CLS Holdings' AI strategy is Pluggi, an AI budtender chatbot developed to simplify dispensary shopping and provide customers with relevant product recommendations. Pluggi's ability to generate personalized suggestions has yielded strong results, with 72% of users returning to Pluggi for recommendations. CLS reports that the implementation of Pluggi, known on its Oasis Cannabis dispensary website as "Bud", has provided a 15.6x return on investment, with an average monthly revenue increase of $3,900, compared to a $250 monthly cost.

"The AI-powered budtender Pluggi has been able to provide our customers with expert product recommendations,” Glashow said. “Customers can feel confident when exploring new products, and Pluggi's personalized guidance has elevated the store's basket size and order totals. Pluggi is transforming the online shopping experience one recommendation at a time.”

CLS has also partnered with POSaBIT, a leading point-of-sale (POS) system provider in the cannabis industry. POSaBIT provides a comprehensive payments infrastructure with full debit processing, inventory management, real-time data, customer profiles and transactional efficiency. The implementation of POSaBIT has enabled revenue growth, ensured compliance and provided an outstanding customer and staff experience.

Additionally, CLS has enlisted the expertise of Springbig, a leading cannabis marketing platform, to manage the dispensary loyalty program. By leveraging Springbig's loyalty program tools, Oasis Cannabis engages customers through text messages, informing them about exclusive discounts and rewards. The Springbig loyalty program, which offers cash-back points, incentivizes customers to spend more on each purchase, thus increasing customer retention. Additionally, its harmonious integration with any POS system allows seamless tracking of data and customer information.

Future AI-driven solutions on the horizon for CLS Holdings include Autonomous Cannabis Cultivation, a technology that utilizes data to create reports and recommendations to enhance cultivation operations, as well as Drone Imaging Cultivation, an AI-powered drone that scouts and assesses cultivation operations.

Alyse Thompson-Richards has held many positions with BNP Media, first serving as an intern at Candy Industry Magazine in summer 2012. She joined Candy Industry's staff full time as associate editor in August 2016 after a few years at newspapers in West-Central Illinois, becoming managing editor in March 2019. Alyse has also served on Cannabis Products Insider since March 2019. She has bachelor’s degrees in journalism and Spanish from Western Illinois University.