At the Travel Tech Symposium, Stephan Haller, Managing Director at Dr. Fried & Partner, showed how Gardena has consistently realigned its customer service with the help of AI. These kinds of projects should not be seen as a mere investment in technology itself, but as a clear contribution to increasing quality, resolution speed, and satisfaction on all sides.
The starting point was a typical challenge for seasonal business models: sharp peaks in summer, significant downs in winter. The fluctuating volume of inquiries led to long processing times during high season and inefficiencies in quieter periods. In addition, customers often had to switch between different communication channels, even though they usually expected a direct and quick solution to their problem.
The solution addressed the source of the complexity: the initial contact with customer service. Today, a structured contact form guides customers through the relevant questions, reduces free text, and improves data quality from the beginning. Based on this information, an AI algorithm trained on a curated FAQ database immediately generates a suggested response. This is automatically sent to the customer who then decide for themselves whether the information is sufficient or whether further processing is required. This means that standard issues are resolved in real time, while more complex cases are prioritized and handled by service staff. Transparency remains the top priority. It is always made clear that the email has been generated by AI.
A second lever is consistent system integration. A specially created SAP interface provides both hardware stores and customers with reliable status and availability information. Delivery dates, spare parts inventories, and repair progress can thus be viewed directly. This has resulted in a decline in inquiries and an increased first-time resolution rate. The visual component is particularly impressive. Customers can upload images, and the system identifies the device and automatically generates a suggestion for a suitable replacement part. What could potentially be a lengthy service process between customer and employee becomes a precise self-service process that minimizes incorrect entries and speeds up processing. On this basis, it is possible to fully automate emails in suitable scenarios, especially for confirmations, standard updates, or simple instructions.
The effect is clearly noticeable. For customers, this creates a clear “single point of contact” that provides fast and consistent answers, regardless of whether the request comes from a retailer or directly from the end customer. For the service teams, the burden of repetitive tasks is reduced. The time saved is now spent on cases that require tact, technical expertise, and personal support. The result is not only a better service performance during peak season, but also a measurable increase in employee satisfaction and a significant cost reduction.
This project impressively illustrates the synergy effects that result from combining AI and customer service. The targeted use of employee resources and the development of consistent, digital customer experiences as part of a joint transformation project have resulted in a faster, more reliable, and more scalable service.
Many thanks to the Travel Industry Club for organizing the Travel Tech Symposium in Frankfurt and for the inspiring exchange of tried-and-tested use cases.