Scaling New Heights: Bergfreunde's CX Evolution with babelforce
Bergfreunde, one of Europe’s largest online mountain sports retailers, faced significant challenges with their previous telephony system. With a rapidly growing customer-base relying on swift, reliable service, Bergfreunde needed to improve the flexibility of their phone-based customer service. babelforce was the solution.
15% boost
30 second
Enhanced CX
Improved
About Bergfreunde
Bergfreunde is a leading online retailer for mountaineering and outdoor equipment, serving customers across Europe. With a focus on providing high-quality products and a seamless shopping experience, Bergfreunde has established itself as a trusted name in the outdoor gear and adventure market. Their team of over 700 employees is dedicated to helping customers enjoy their time outdoors by offering expert advice, fast delivery, and excellent customer service.
Industry:
Size:
Location:
Use Case:
Outdoor and mountain sports equipment
700+ employees
Germany
CCaaS with Zendesk integration and customer service automation
From Frustration to Flexibility
Before adopting babelforce, Bergfreunde’s customer service team was constrained by a rigid and outdated telephony system. A great many tasks required Bergefreunde to submit a support request to the provider…and wait for up to a week. As Carlo Hefner, CS Application Manager at Bergfreunde, explains, “We couldn’t make even the smallest changes ourselves. If we needed to switch off a specific line, we had to shut down the entire queue. It was incredibly frustrating.”
Bergfreunde’s previous system lacked flexibility, limiting their ability to adjust to high demand or efficiently manage call volumes. The retailer’s reputation for fast and reliable delivery makes it essential for the customer service team to be instantly responsive in the event of any kind of disruption.
The old system couldn’t provide this, and actually made matters worse with rigid capacity restrictions. “We had a limit of around 100 active calls, and if we exceeded that, the system simply couldn’t handle it. The rest of the company was using the same system, so no one else could use the phones either,” says Carlo.
Instead of addressing these issues, the old provider would announce inconsequential features as if they were major improvements. “We expected more in terms of system capabilities,” says Carlo. “That’s when we decided it was time to explore better options.”
After evaluating a few providers, it was clear that babelforce offered the right balance between simplicity and customization. “Other systems were either too simple or required programming knowledge. babelforce gave us control without us needing to use code or become software developers.”
The Benefits: Smarter Technology and Industry-leading Customer Service
Common-sense Call Routing and Operational Efficiency
Since implementing babelforce, Bergfreunde’s customer service operations have seen dramatic improvements in call routing efficiency and overall flexibility. Before babelforce, handling calls across multiple languages was a challenge. For instance, if their French language service was at capacity, all incoming French calls would be disconnected.
With babelforce, they can offer a number of alternative service options, like redirecting customers to an English-speaking agent when needed. “We no longer have to leave customers waiting or unable to connect because an agent is unavailable,” says Carlo. “Now, we can quickly adapt to any situation. The best part is, I can manage all these changes myself in real time.”
This new flexibility allows Bergfreunde to better handle fluctuations in call volumes, especially during peak periods. Whether it’s a logistics issue or an unexpected surge in orders, babelforce enables Carlo and his team to respond immediately, adjusting call flows to maintain smooth operations. “In the past, I’d have to ask someone to make the changes, and it could take days. Now, I have the control to react instantly, which is a huge advantage for us,” says Carlo.
“Our goal was always to answer 80% of incoming calls, but we were often around 70-75%. With babelforce, we’re now consistently at 85%.”
Carlo Hefner
CS Application Manager at Bergfreunde
Boosted productivity with CCaaS for Zendesk
Bergefreunde has reduced average handle time by 20-30 seconds by connecting their babelforce phone system to their Zendesk CRM. The two platforms work like a single system, which unlocks several ways to make interactions easier and faster.
As Carlo explains, “we can gather details from customers before they even speak to an agent, so they’re connected with the right person right away, without having to be transferred multiple times.” A sophisticated VoiceBot AI built into the phone system greets callers, puts their details on a Zendesk ticket, and pushes the caller and ticket to the best-fit agent.
Bergefreunde can also provide more convenient service for repeat customers, who are automatically recognized by the system. “When a customer calls, I already know who they are and what they’ve purchased, which saves us a lot of time,” says Carlo.
babelforce can automatically display a customer’s Zendesk profile, so that agents no longer have to stall for time while they search for information.
“Other systems were either too simple or required programming knowledge. babelforce gave us control without needing to be coders. Now, we can quickly adapt to any situation, and the best part is, I can manage all these changes myself in real time.”
Carlo Hefner
CS Application Manager at Bergfreunde
Hitting Performance Targets and Managing Costs
The efficiency gains from babelforce have allowed Bergfreunde to meet – and exceed – their performance targets. “Our goal was to always answer 80% of incoming calls, but we were often around 70-75%. With babelforce, we’re now consistently at 85%,” Carlo explains. This increased reachability has made a significant impact on both customer satisfaction and operational performance.
Additionally, babelforce has helped Bergfreunde improve cost efficiency by enabling them to handle more calls without needing to expand their team proportionately. “We’re growing by 15% in revenue every year, but we don’t need to hire 15% more staff to keep up with the demand,” says Carlo. By making agents more productive and reducing the need for additional hires, babelforce has proven to be a cost-effective solution that scales with Bergfreunde’s growth.
Gearing Up for Peak Periods
Bergfreunde’s ability to plan ahead and manage high-demand periods, such as Cyber Week, has been significantly enhanced with babelforce’s automation capabilities. Carlo explains, “We can set up different strategies ahead of time and activate them when the peak periods hit.” Whether it’s triggering pre-recorded messages about shipping delays or dynamically routing callers, babelforce’s automation provides the flexibility needed to maintain a high level of service during their busiest seasons.
By automating routine queries and streamlining processes, babelforce allows Bergfreunde to focus on more complex customer interactions. “We don’t want to waste time on calls that could be handled with a simple automated message. With babelforce, we’re able to filter those out and ensure our agents are handling the conversations that really matter,” Carlo adds.
This automation has transformed how Bergfreunde operates, providing the efficiency, control, and flexibility they need to support their growing customer base while maintaining their high standards of service.
Looking Ahead: Expanding with New Features and Integrations
As Bergfreunde continues to grow, so do their plans for enhancing customer service with babelforce. One of the key features Carlo is excited about is scheduled callbacks to give customers even more flexibility when they need to get in touch. “We want to give customers the option to receive a callback when lines are busy,” Carlo shares. This would allow Bergfreunde to manage high call volumes efficiently without leaving customers waiting on hold.
Bergfreunde is also planning deeper integrations between babelforce and their soon-to-be-implemented Salesforce system. babelforce can integrate with every system a contact center depends on and orchestrate them to support unbeatable customer service.
Evolving with the Company’s Growth
Bergfreunde’s rapid growth has presented challenges in scaling their customer service team. As the company grows, call volumes continue to rise, but hiring more agents to match that growth is not always feasible. “We’ve had to get creative with how we manage our resources,” Carlo says. By deploying advanced solutions like babelforce, Bergfreunde has been able to keep up with demand without significantly increasing headcount.
Though change management is a natural part of introducing any new system, Carlo highlights how babelforce has streamlined onboarding for new employees. “People hired after we started using babelforce are getting up to speed fast,” Carlo explains. This smooth integration has made training more efficient, allowing new hires to adapt quickly and focus on delivering exceptional service.
With an eye on continuous improvement, Carlo appreciates babelforce’s commitment to listening and responding to feedback. “You guys really care about solutions, and it shows,” he concludes, looking forward to future collaborations and innovations.
Book your demo today
We’re super proud of our no-code contact center platform, and we’d love to show you everything it can do. During your free demo we’ll:
- Show you key features designed to make your agents’ lives easier
- Demonstrate how babelforce’s intuitive builder puts contact center optimization in your hands
- Assess your requirements and recommend your ideal babelforce use case
- Answer any questions you might have!
