Thanks to Innovation, We Tackle Customer Service Challenges During Peak Online Shopping Periods

Between November and December 2024, we faced one of the biggest challenges of the year: the surge in requests and shipments concentrated in the final weeks of the year, from Black Friday to the holiday season.

In November 2024 alone, we managed 30% more packages than the annual average and over 50% more customer inquiries (via calls and emails) compared to the rest of the year, all while maintaining a response rate exceeding 99%. This achievement was made possible by integrating human expertise with technological innovation to respond quickly and effectively to customer needs.

“The holiday season and Black Friday put immense pressure on our customer service, but thanks to innovative technologies, we successfully handled the high volume of inquiries without compromising support quality,” said Mariella Sorce, Head of Customer Service Italy. “The intelligent chatbot SOLE, which provides real-time answers to common questions, and a new contact form that simplifies access to detailed information, have been crucial in ensuring a seamless user experience.”

One of the most frequently asked questions to the SOLE chatbot, available 24/7, is: "How can I retrieve the PIN code to collect my package?" or "How do I track my shipments?" Thanks to its machine learning system, the chatbot continuously improves the accuracy of its responses, offering instant support and minimizing wait times.

"SOLE," Sorce explains, "has allowed customers to resolve many of their requests independently, such as updating shipping labels or finding the nearest pickup points."

With the introduction of these tools, over 90% of customer inquiries could be handled without the need for direct contact with customer service. This allowed agents to focus on more complex issues, ensuring faster response times.

During the pre-holiday period, the most common inquiries were related to authorizing others to collect packages, checking shipment statuses, retrieving PIN codes, and finding pickup locations.

The introduction of SOLE, the contact form, and the efficiency of our Customer Care team are just some of the ways we continue to enhance the customer service experience. By leveraging technological innovation, we aim to make package pickup and support even smoother and more efficient for the growing number of Italians who prefer out-of-home deliveries.

"We are proud of the excellent rating we have achieved on the Trustpilot review platform. Users particularly appreciate the simplicity, security, and efficiency of our service," concludes Sorce.

And you, have you already chatted with SOLE?

InPost Group, established in Poland in 2009 and now present with more than 82,000 pickup points in 9 European countries including Italy, France, Poland, Spain, and the United Kingdom, has seen a year of significant growth, handling more than 1 trillion parcels by 2024. InPost Italy has seen significant growth, with more than 8,000 pickup points distributed throughout the country. This success is part of a strong commitment to sustainability: the Group has launched a decarbonization strategy, which is an integral complement to its business strategy. InPost has joined the SBTi initiative and aims to achieve NET-ZERO by 2040.