VoiceSpin deployed an AI call center solution and a WhatsApp AI Chatbot across the customer support and service department of Decathlon Israel, integrated natively with Zoho CRM, freeing reps from at least 50% of the routine contact handling that previously filled their day while supporting 700 customer contacts daily.
Key Results
- At least 50% of rep time released from routine handling and redirected to complex service work
- 700 customers handled daily through the deployed stack
- AI Chatbot deployed on WhatsApp, the channel customers already use to reach the brand
- Native integration with Zoho CRM, the department’s existing customer record system
- 18 months of continuous partnership
About Decathlon Israel
Decathlon Israel operates the local arm of one of the world’s largest sporting goods retailers, running a nationwide store network alongside an online store and a mobile application. The business spans dozens of sport categories, from water sports and camping through cycling, running, racquet sports, and fitness equipment, with house brands including Quechua, Domyos, Kipsta, Oxelo, and Btwin.
The customer service operation supports a whole lot more than just answering product questions. To be exact, they also offer a bunch of services that are free to use: exchanges and returns for up to 365 days after you make a purchase, free delivery on orders that reach a certain threshold, and you can even pick up your order from the branch the same day. And let’s not forget, they also run a customer loyalty club – a nice way to thank regular customers for their business, a B2B division catering to companies and institutions, and a handy workshop for repairing and maintaining products. All of these services generate a steady stream of customer queries that all funnel into the same department.
The Challenge
For a retailer operating at this scale, the service policies that win customer loyalty are the same ones that generate contact volume. A 365 day returns window, same day branch collection, and a nationwide store network combine to produce a steady flow of inquiries that are entirely routine but must still be answered accurately every time.
Customers ask where their order is, whether an item can still be returned, what the exchange process involves, which branch holds a product in stock, and how loyalty club benefits apply to a purchase. Each of these consumed the same rep time as a genuinely complex service issue, and volume rose sharply around seasonal peaks such as the back to school period and summer sale campaigns.
To make matters worse, customers are increasingly turning to WhatsApp to get in touch with the brand, which puts the department under pressure to respond fast – faster than a queue allows. Every routine question on WhatsApp is taking up the time of a rep who could be dealing with something that actually needs their expertise, and the customers with the really tricky problems are stuck waiting behind all the ones asking the basics.
The Solution
VoiceSpin deployed a communications stack built around the operational profile of a high volume omnichannel retailer, combining voice infrastructure with conversational automation on the channel customers were already using.
AI Chatbot on WhatsApp
The AI Chatbot operates on WhatsApp, taking first contact and carrying routine inquiries through to completion. It handles order status, returns and exchange eligibility, product availability, and branch information in natural conversation, without asking the customer to move to a different channel or wait in a queue. When an inquiry requires judgment or falls outside its scope, the conversation escalates to a rep who receives the full context of what has already been discussed.
Deploying on WhatsApp rather than through a separate support portal mattered for adoption. Customers did not have to learn a new route to the brand, which meant the automation began absorbing volume immediately rather than after a period of behavioral change.
AI Call Center Solution for the Customer Service Department
VoiceSpin’s AI call center solution manages the department’s voice traffic alongside the conversational layer, covering queue logic, distribution rules, and escalation paths across a nationwide operation. Voice and conversational contacts are handled within a single operational picture rather than as separate systems with separate reporting.
Native Zoho CRM Integration
The stack integrates with Zoho CRM, the customer record system already in daily use across the department, so contact activity and customer history remain synchronized in a single workflow. Reps are not required to move between separate systems during a live conversation, and every interaction, whether automated or human, is written back against the customer record.
The Outcomes
After 18 months, the department handles 700 customer contacts every day through the deployed stack, with the automation carrying the repetitive volume that previously consumed rep capacity.
At Least 50% of Rep Time Redirected to Higher Value Work
Reps have been freed from at least half of the routine contact handling that previously filled their day. That time did not disappear from the department, it moved. Reps now spend it on the inquiries that genuinely require a person, including complex returns, cases spanning several branches, B2B account questions, and the service conversations where experience and judgment change the outcome.
The shift came from removing routine contacts from the queue entirely rather than from pushing reps to work faster. Nobody was asked to compress their handling time. The team is the same size, coverage did not shrink, and the department continues to support the full nationwide operation. What changed is the composition of the work rather than the amount of it.
700 Customers Handled Daily
The department processes 700 customer contacts per day across voice and WhatsApp. Seasonal peaks are met by the automation scaling with demand, which means the team is not carrying the strain of periods like back to school or summer sale campaigns through extended hours and pressure to move faster.
Automation on the Channel Customers Already Chose
Placing the AI Chatbot on WhatsApp meant the automation met customers where they were already making contact. Routine inquiries are resolved in the same conversation thread the customer opened, at the moment they asked, which removes the wait that a queue would otherwise impose on a question with a straightforward answer.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does a WhatsApp AI Chatbot work in a retail customer service environment?
An AI Chatbot on WhatsApp does the heavy lifting on customer inquiries from the very start. It answers the easy questions in the same thread where the customer originally reached out – stuff like order status, returns and exchanges, when products are in stock, and where your branches are. When a customer hits a question the automation cannot resolve, the conversation gets escalated to a live human rep who gets the full context of what’s going on – giving your team more time to focus on the trickier problems that actually need their expertise.
Why deploy conversational automation on WhatsApp rather than a support portal?
Adoption. A support portal requires customers to go through the hassle of learning a new way to get in touch with your brand. But by deploying on a channel people are already using, your automation can start working right from day one.
Can VoiceSpin integrate with Zoho CRM?
Yes. VoiceSpin integrates with Zoho CRM, as well as other leading systems including Salesforce, HubSpot, and Pipedrive. Customer information stays synchronized without requiring reps to move between systems during a live conversation.
About VoiceSpin
With over 19 years of experience in the industry, VoiceSpin is a provider of cloud VoIP telephony and AI contact center software solutions serving thousands of customers across the globe, including SMBs and large-scale enterprises. VoiceSpin’s solutions enable businesses and government organizations to manage inbound and outbound voice and digital communications effectively, increase rep productivity, and improve customer service experiences through AI and automation. VoiceSpin’s platform seamlessly integrates with leading CRM systems, including Salesforce, HubSpot, Zoho, and Pipedrive, among others.
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