Heading into the future with AI
The nicko cruises success story
The nicko cruises success story
The nicko cruises success story
Artificial intelligence is transforming the service sector
The cruise industry is experiencing an unprecedented boom, but rising passenger numbers and growing expectations around personalized service are presenting cruise lines with new challenges. Today’s guests expect fast, seamless communication across all channels, around the clock and to a high standard. The example of nicko cruises, implemented in collaboration with Vodafone Business and AI specialist VIER, demonstrates exactly how AI-powered technologies in the service sector make this possible whilst simultaneously boosting efficiency and customer satisfaction.
With the help of Vodafone and VIER, we have been able to significantly improve satisfaction levels among both our customers and our staff.
Andreas Grasberger – CTO and Executive Officer at nicko cruises
The Challenge
Efficient customer service without compromises
Selling cruises requires intensive customer support – particularly before the trip begins – as well as close collaboration with travel agencies and other sales partners. To meet these demands, nicko cruises operates three service centres across Germany. In doing so, the company fulfils its goal of offering guests an exceptional service. However, agents often had to answer frequently asked standard questions, which took time away from individual enquiries and sales-related matters. nicko cruises was looking for a solution that would boost both customer and employee satisfaction whilst increasing efficiency.
Like many companies in the tourism industry, nicko cruises is increasingly turning to artificial intelligence to tackle these challenges. The company was looking for an AI-based solution that would ensure the desired level of customer service through a voice bot on the helpline and a linked chatbot on the website.
nicko cruises decided to implement the project in collaboration with Vodafone and VIER GmbH. VIER GmbH is a company specialising in AI solutions and a long-standing partner of Vodafone.
AI is transforming customer support
The Company
International cruise operator
nicko cruises Schiffsreisen GmbH is one of Germany’s leading cruise operators. The company has evolved from a leading river cruise operator with over 30 years’ experience into one of the most renowned providers of destination-focused ocean cruises and world cruises. With its modern, comfortable fleet of 19 river ships and the classically elegant ocean-going vessel ‘Vasco da Gama’, nicko cruises sails the world’s most beautiful seas, coasts and inland waterways. The focus is on immersive travel experiences with plenty of time for exploration. Through exceptional service, a team of around 130 staff members ensures that every cruise is an unforgettable experience for guests.
With 19 river cruise ships and the ocean-going vessel “Vasco da Gama”, nicko cruises is one of Germany’s leading cruise operators.
Rising passenger numbers and increasing service expectations were putting a strain on the capacity of the agents at the three service centres.
In partnership with Vodafone Business and VIER, nicko cruises is implementing a cloud-based contact centre solution featuring AI-powered chatbots and voice bots.
AI handles routine enquiries, freeing up time for personalised advice – to the benefit of both guests and agents.
The Solution
AI chat- and voice bots for optimal customer service
The solution provided by Vodafone and VIER for nicko cruises is based on a cloud-based contact centre. It supports various communication channels, including telephone calls, emails, live chats on the company website and faxes.
As nicko cruises’ three service centres work with different partners and are based on different call centre platforms, the cloud-based multichannel solution proved particularly compelling. The high scalability of the cloud solution also makes it possible to tailor the supported contact volume precisely to nicko cruises’ needs.
The AI component of the contact centre solution was trained using a wide range of internal company data – including a cloud-based internal knowledge database, published FAQs, advertising and sales materials, and information from nicko cruises’ booking system.
The AI support was introduced gradually alongside the existing direct contact channels and tested in live operation. It handles specific use cases, such as enquiries regarding document dispatch or payment information. The generative AI implemented in the solution then generates the dialogues with guests.
AI-powered chatbots and voicebots significantly reduce the workload on our agents.
Andreas Grasberger – CTO and Executive Officer at nicko cruises
As a closed system with individual customer authentication, the solution ensures compliance with all data protection regulations, including the requirements of the GDPR.
“The AI-powered chatbots and voice bots are making a noticeable difference in reducing the workload on our agents,” reports Andreas Grasberger, CTO and authorised signatory at nicko cruises Schiffsreisen GmbH. “The close collaboration with Vodafone and VIER was a key factor in our success. The dialogue with both partners has been extremely satisfactory and constructive – we always have a personal contact available who knows and understands our business and has a complete overview of the solutions we use.”
In future, the partners intend to further develop the solution that has already been implemented. This should enable even more complex customer requests, such as booking additional services or address changes, to be automated. Furthermore, the AI solution is to be expanded with additional analytical functions that provide key performance indicators on the quality of advice delivered and, where necessary, identify areas for staff training and development.
In the long term, the AI will also contribute content to the company’s internal knowledge database.
The Advantages
Cloud-based contact centres with AI chatbots and voice bots
At three contact centres located across Germany, nicko cruises’ agents are on hand to assist customers with their enquiries. They are supported by a cloud-based contact centre solution that integrates AI-powered chatbots and voice bots across all communication channels. The AI was trained using data from an internal repository, marketing and sales documents, and information from the nicko cruises booking system. Specific use cases were modelled, such as enquiries regarding document delivery or payment details.
High customer satisfaction and excellent service
thanks to centralised management.
Top-level availability and accessibility
thanks to round-the-clock service.
Contact centre scalability
and dynamic system size.
AI chatbots and voice bots relieve agents
and create space for sales-related tasks.
5 questions for Andreas Grasberger
5 questions for Andreas Grasberger, CTO and Executive Officer at nicko cruises
"AI is a huge topic across the entire tourism industry."
As CTO of nicko cruises Schiffsreisen GmbH, Andreas Grasberger is responsible not only for the company’s IT but also for the technical implementation of new technologies. We spoke to him about the use of AI in the tourism industry and the collaboration with Vodafone Business and VIER.
What prompted your company to opt for AI support when expanding your contact centres?
Andreas Grasberger: Artificial intelligence is a major topic across the entire tourism industry. It gives us the opportunity to reduce the workload on our staff and streamline our processes, whilst at the same time delivering a high standard of customer service.
How does that work in practice?
Andreas Grasberger: The majority of enquiries our guests send us via various communication channels relate to recurring standard issues – such as payment methods or the status of travel documents. If we can answer these enquiries automatically without customers perceiving this as a drawback, our agents gain valuable time. They can then use this time to focus even more closely on individual concerns or sales-related matters.
We are extremely satisfied with our dealings with both partners.
Andreas Grasberger – CTO and Executive Officer at nicko cruises
What was required to outsource such standard tasks to AI chatbots and AI voicebots?
Andreas Grasberger: The AI bots had to be trained on our topics and content. To this end, we had access to internal data sources such as our repository, marketing and sales documents, and information from our booking system. Once training was complete, we gradually introduced the AI support in a trial phase. Initially, around five per cent of enquiries were forwarded to the AI. After some fine-tuning of the solution, we increased this proportion to ten per cent. The roll-out was continuously monitored and reviewed through analyses of advisory quality and customer satisfaction.
Did the solution meet your expectations?
Andreas Grasberger: Absolutely. The AI chatbots and voicebots have significantly reduced the workload on our human agents. Thanks to the solution implemented by Vodafone and VIER, we have seen a clear improvement in both customer and staff satisfaction. We are already considering ways to expand the system, for example to automate more complex customer requests such as adding services or updating addresses.
How would you rate your day-to-day collaboration with Vodafone and VIER?
Andreas Grasberger: We are extremely satisfied with our relationship with both partners – we always have access to a dedicated contact who knows and understands our business and has a comprehensive overview of the solutions we use.
AI in customer care
Bots, agents & co
AI in customer service: 5 benefits for businesses and customers
Artificial intelligence is fundamentally transforming customer service across all sectors. Whether they are cruise operators, retailers or service providers, companies that use AI-powered solutions stand to gain in a number of ways. Here is an overview of the five key benefits.
1. Reducing the workload for agents, leaving more time for what really matters
Recurring routine inquiries are part of everyday life for any customer service team: Where is my order? What is the account number for the bank transfer? When will my travel documents be sent? These questions are important to customers, but time-consuming for staff.
AI-powered chatbots and voice bots take on precisely these tasks. They answer standard enquiries automatically, around the clock and to a consistent standard. The result: human agents are noticeably relieved of the burden and can focus on what really matters – personalised advice, complex issues and sales-related conversations.
2. Greater availability, uninterrupted service
Today, customers expect companies to be available. Not just during business hours, but at all times. An enquiry at 10 pm should be answered just as quickly as one at 10 am.
AI solutions meet this requirement without any extra effort: chatbots and voice bots are available round the clock without the need to schedule additional staff. At the same time, peaks in demand – such as during the booking season – can be easily managed, as cloud-based solutions can be scaled dynamically. The volume of enquiries is tailored precisely to actual demand, without the need to maintain capacity on a permanent basis.
3. Greater customer satisfaction. Fast, accurate, personalised
Good customer service is characterised by short waiting times, accurate answers and a pleasant interaction. AI can excel in all three areas – provided it is carefully trained and integrated into existing systems.
The quality of the training is crucial here: AI systems trained on a company’s own data (e.g. internal knowledge bases, FAQs, sales documents and booking systems) deliver precise, context-relevant answers. Customers notice the difference: instead of generic standard replies, they receive relevant information tailored to their specific situation. And should the AI reach its limits, a seamless handover to a human agent ensures that no query is lost.
4. Cost control and efficiency: less effort, greater impact
Running an effective customer service team is costly: staff, infrastructure, maintenance, training – the expenses add up quickly. AI-powered, cloud-based contact centre solutions offer a decisive advantage here: there is no need for upfront investment in hardware or software, operating and maintenance costs are minimised, and billing is based on actual usage.
At the same time, operational efficiency increases: fewer enquiries need to be handled by human agents, the handling time per contact decreases, and the total cost per customer interaction falls significantly. This gives companies full cost control whilst simultaneously improving service quality. An advantage that has a direct impact on competitiveness.
5. Data-driven development – AI that grows with you
An often underestimated advantage of AI in customer service is that the systems improve with every interaction. Modern AI solutions continuously analyse the conversations that take place, identify weaknesses and provide valuable insights into the quality of advice and the most common customer concerns.
This data is not only valuable for the further development of the AI itself, but also provides concrete starting points for staff training and development. Furthermore, future advanced systems will be able to contribute content to the internal knowledge database themselves, thereby closing the cycle of learning, improving and optimising. AI in customer service is therefore not a static tool, but a learning partner that grows with the company’s requirements.
Conclusion
AI in customer service is no longer a topic for the future; it is already here. Companies such as nicko cruises demonstrate that the use of AI chatbots and voice bots not only boosts efficiency but also reduces the workload on staff and delights customers. The key to success lies in choosing the right solution, careful training and having strong partners by your side.
Vodafone Business supports companies with bespoke contact centre solutions and a broad network of strong technology partners – for efficient, AI-powered next-generation customer service.
