Björn Wilhelmsen knows his trade inside out. He has been working as a pest controller for 20 years, and five years ago he ventured into self-employment with Wilhelmsen Biotec. What began as a one-man operation is now a team of five employees. But with growth came a challenge that many craft businesses know only too well: How do you reach your customers when you are on site yourself?
"In the beginning, I had set up call forwarding to my cell phone," recalls Björn. "You're at the customer, leave the phone in the vehicle, come back and have missed five customer calls." A problem that has a direct impact on business success - because if you can't be reached, you lose orders.
Björn tried out various approaches. The classic answering machine? "It simply has a very high hang-up rate. If the call isn't answered, the customer dials the next number straight away and you're out of the running."
So he tried a call center. "It went so-so," says Björn diplomatically. When he made his own test calls, he discovered: "The company name wasn't pronounced properly, it echoed and sometimes there was music playing in the background." Not exactly the professional impression you want to make.
The situation improved significantly when an office worker was hired. But even here there were limits: Vacations, illness, peak times - a solution was needed that was always available.
Today, Björn has found a solution that he is "completely satisfied" with: his AI telephone assistant Ida, which he uses via Ask Maxi and the Meisterwerk platform. And Ida is more than just a technical tool - she is a fully-fledged team member.
What makes Ida special? She understands the business. "For example, she recognizes the keyword 'rats' and then asks specific questions: Are the rats inside or outside the building?" explains Björn. "Ida engages the customer in a conversation and records the data at the same time."
The value is particularly evident during peak season: "During wasp season, the phone never stopped ringing. Ida asks: Are there allergy sufferers in the house? Are the wasps in the apartment? She puts emergencies through directly."
Björn himself was critical at first: "I'm one of those people - hammered in the old German way. As soon as I hear a computer voice, I hang up." His fear was that customers would react in a similar way.
The opposite is the case. "I was more skeptical than my customers," he admits. "One customer praised Ida for her friendly voice. It's a natural voice, not so mechanically ticked off." Of course, there are individual cases who prefer to speak to a human. "But for the most part, Ida is received very positively. I also receive kind regards for Ida."
Björn has tried out various configurations and optimized his setup:
Björn makes full use of the personalization options: "We're in the far north here and that's why Ida says 'Moin' on the phone."
Even better: known contacts are greeted by name. "You call and you're no longer a stranger. You are greeted directly by the AI."
Björn has deliberately focused on the essentials when it comes to call reasons: "I have the most necessary information, what I think is most important. Where does the infestation come from? How long has it been there? I had the feeling that it's better to keep it simple so that the caller doesn't lose patience."
The figures speak for themselves. While an estimated 60% of new customers hung up on the answering machine, the rate with Ida is only 10-15%. "I definitely have hang-ups, but I also have them with the answering machine. But it's really low," confirms Björn.
A decisive factor for Björn: "Everything works on the move. I see the summary during my assignment and can assess it: Is it urgent or can it wait until the evening?"
This allows him to concentrate fully on the current customer without having to constantly look at his phone - and still know what's going on.
"With AI phone assistance, you feel better picked up than with an answering machine. You get a call back during the course of the day," says Björn, summarizing the customer perspective. For him, Ida means one thing above all: "The way I have the settings now, I'm completely satisfied."
From call forwarding to the cell phone to bad call center experiences to the perfectly configured AI telephone assistant - Björn Wilhelmsen has gone through the journey that many craft businesses still have ahead of them. His advice? Give the technology a chance, try it out and adapt it. Because in the end, it's not skepticism that counts, but the result.
And Ida is now a permanent member of Björn's team.
Björn Wilhelmsen has been running his own pest control company in northern Germany for 5 years. With 20 years of experience in the industry and a team of 5 employees, Wilhelmsen Biotec offers professional pest control for private and commercial customers.
Click here for the company website.