During the hot summer months, people like to water-blast their terraces, façades or cars. Appliances made by KÄRCHER have become synonymous with the notion of “high-pressure cleaning,” with the German word “Kärchern” (derived from the company’s name) even making it into Duden, the German equivalent of the Oxford dictionary, meaning to clean with a high-pressure water-blaster. A global leader in cleaning technology, it is represented in 72 countries with 127 national companies and produces and sells its extensive product range around the globe. Behind it is an equally comprehensive logistics network, one in which many different moving parts must come together perfectly for its products to be at the right place at the right time: at hardware stores, garden centers or Kärcher’s stores.
An eye on everything
In Austria, the international transport and logistics company Gebrüder Weiss is responsible for distributing Kärcher’s range of products. The logistics expert developed an impressive concept characterized by proactivity, flexibility, and transparency, the centerpiece being the new digital customer portal myGW. In myGW logistics managers and customer advisors can keep an eye on an order at all times and are always up to date with the latest information: “When a customer calls us, there is normally a sense of urgency behind it. Mostly they want to know where a shipment is at the moment or why it hasn’t arrived yet. What’s important now is to provide reliable and transparent information to take the edge off any complaints. Experience shows that the subjective waiting time of customers is shorter if they know why they have to wait and how long for,” explains Bernadette Nieman, Head of Customer Service, Claims & Returns at Kärcher Austria.
New and improved
Giving reliable answers is no longer a problem since Kärcher customer service has “myGW.” The portal provides accurate information regarding the status, location and expected time of arrival of a shipment (ETA) in real-time. If necessary, the end customer can also be sent a link to check the shipment's progress.
But that’s not all myGW can do. It also provides access to all relevant documents such as invoices or delivery receipts stored online, enabling them to be viewed at the touch of a button. “Previously, we experienced difficulties rather frequently when it came to delivery receipts. Now, such requests are dealt with quickly. This is not only a relief to our customers, but also makes work easier for our employees. Long and tedious searches are now a thing of the past,” says Nieman. Data reliability and transparency represent real added value for her and her team, as does the ease with which the online tool can be used along with the general improvement in communication. “Kärcher stands for solutions that are synonymous with performance, quality and reliability. myGW won us over with the very same features, making it a perfect match.”
