Previously 250 calls daily – today an AI agent resolves 80% of the issues themselves.

Night Shift Advisor

General Overview

August 24, 2025

• 80% of manual telephone inquiries were processed automatically, saving €15,000 per month.

• Customer receive immediate answers – 24/7, in their native language.

• Complaints about long waiting times decreased by 75%.

• Improperly disposed waste decreased by 30% because clear instructions were available in the native language. 

Challenge

The local waste management company faced a rapidly growing challenge: the city had experienced strong immigration in recent years. Thousands of new residents from different countries had settled in the area, enriching cultural life but also creating serious communication difficulties.

The main problem was language. Many of the new citizens spoke little or no German, but they still needed to access essential information:

• Collection schedules for household and organic waste.

• Rules for recycling and hazardous waste disposal.

• Registration procedures for bulky waste.

• Fees for containers and disposal services.

As a result, the number of service requests skyrocketed. Citizens often called the hotline or showed up at customer service offices with the same standard questions. However, due to language barriers, these requests were difficult to handle. Conversations lasted longer, required translators, or had to be repeated several times.

The consequences were significant:

• Call centers were permanently overloaded, leading to long waiting times.

• Service costs rose sharply due to translation services and additional staff.

• Waste disposal errors increased – bins left unemptied, waste sorted incorrectly, or bulky waste placed on the street without registration.

• Public satisfaction declined, and the company’s reputation began to suffer.

It was clear: if the company did not act, it would face exploding costs, decreasing efficiency, and growing dissatisfaction among both staff and residents.

Action

The company decided to implement a Self Service AI Agent capable of supporting up to 95 languages. The goal was simple: to provide every citizen with direct access to information in their native language, reduce call center workload, and improve overall efficiency.

Needs Analysis

The first step was to analyze the flow of inquiries. The results were clear:

• Over 70% of all inquiries concerned routine questions.

• Language barriers extended the duration of these inquiries by up to 200%.

• The costs for translation services and multilingual staff training were among the highest in customer service.

This demonstrated a massive potential for automation.

Technological Implementation

The Self Service AI Agent was designed with multilingualism at its core.

Key features included:

• Chatbot on website and mobile app: Citizens type questions in their mother tongue.

• Real-time translation: The AI automatically translates both input and output, ensuring seamless two-way communication.

• Integration with internal systems: Collection schedules, recycling guidelines, container fees, and bulky waste registration are connected directly to the company’s databases.

• Scalability: The AI agent can handle thousands of inquiries simultaneously – without any increase in personnel costs.

Accessibility for All Citizens

To ensure adoption, the system was designed for maximum accessibility:

• QR codes on invoices, recycling calendars, and containers led directly to the chatbot.

• A user-friendly interface was created so even less tech-savvy residents could use the service.

• For elderly citizens, a telephone version with voice recognition was prepared, offering multilingual support.

Employee Involvement

Employees were trained to collaborate with the AI agent. The bot handled standard inquiries, while staff focused on complex cases such as complaints, legal exceptions, or custom waste management solutions.

Public Communication Campaign

To encourage adoption, the company launched a proactive information campaign:

• Multilingual explanatory videos on the website.

• Flyers and posters in all major languages spoken in the city.

• Social media campaigns presenting the AI agent as the fastest, free, and always-available solution.

Result

Within just a few months, the results were both measurable and impressive.

1. Cost Reduction

• Call volume decreased by over 60%.

• Call center personnel costs remained stable despite the growing population.

2. Improved Service Quality

• Citizens received instant answers in their native language, 24/7.

• Complaints about waiting times fell by 75%.

• Incorrectly sorted waste decreased by 30%, as clear multilingual instructions were provided.

3. Employee Relief

• Staff could dedicate more time to complex cases.

• Employee satisfaction improved significantly due to fewer repetitive routine calls.

4. Customer Satisfaction and Integration

• New residents felt more informed, respected, and included.

• Communicating in one’s own language lowered the barrier to using the service.

• The system promoted social integration by ensuring equal access to information.

Perspective

The project was not an endpoint but the beginning of a larger digital transformation strategy.

The next steps include:

• Expansion with WhatsApp and telephone AI agents, also supporting multiple languages.

• Integrations: In the long term, the system will be integrated into other areas of the company.

Do you have any questions or need further information?

You want to know more about the process of AI implementations or how to start the usage of AI? Arrange a meeting with us and we explain your how you can use AI in  your business.