Case Study: KARCHER AG

Customer Service and Workshop Management with EcholoN

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Karcher Logo mit schwarzem Schriftzug und Zusatz „Karcher AG“ auf hellem Hintergrund

The Initial Situation

Karcher AG has an extensive after-sales and service division that handles repairs, maintenance, and customer support. Before EcholoN was introduced, customer service was primarily managed through a central email inbox. There was a complete lack of transparency regarding responsibilities, processing statuses, and case histories. The result was duplicate work, difficulties with covering for absent staff, and an inconsistent public image. Since there was no documented communication history, customers were able to pit employees against one another. In addition, there was a lack of reliable analytics on service cases and workload. The goal was a scalable, centrally managed service organization with clear processes and full traceability.

Conclusion:

In 2021, Karcher AG introduced EcholoN, a centralized enterprise service management platform. Today, this platform manages all core processes in customer service, workshop management, and field service. The system went live within just a few months.

Approximately 51 service employees work with EcholoN. Between January 1 and February 4, 2026, 1,186 tickets were logged with an average processing time of 4.58 hours. Despite a rising service volume, the number of staff required for first-level support was reduced from six to 3.5 employees. EcholoN is thus the key driver of efficiency, transparency, and professional service management at Kärcher.

About KARCHER AG

Karcher AG, headquartered in Birkenfeld (Baden-Württemberg) , distributes its own brands as well as products from international manufacturers in the areas of household appliances, consumer electronics, consumer goods, and mobility. In addition to sales, the company operates a structured after-sales and service division offering repair, maintenance, and B2B customer service.

“For us, ticketing is the key driver of efficiency. Since we started working with EcholoN, our processes have become more structured and transparent, and our workload has been significantly reduced. When the service is set up professionally, the sales team can really get back on track. EcholoN is therefore a solid foundation for further revenue growth.”

Christoph Schwaab
Head of Service, KARCHER AG

Goals and Challenges

Replacement of a purely email-based service organization

Establishment of complete transparency across all service processes

Reduction of duplicate work and inefficiencies

A professional public image toward customers

Introduction of reliable KPIs and analysis capabilities

Scaling of the service division without a proportional increase in staff

Solution Approach with EcholoN

Following a structured selection process and a weighted list of requirements, Karcher AG chose EcholoN in 2021. The project began in April, and the system went live in June 2021.

Approximately 80% of the service processes were implemented right from the start and subsequently expanded in stages. Today, EcholoN supports the core processes in customer service, workshop management, and field service. Control is managed via service desk queues, dispatching, a knowledge base, templates, and KPI views.

EcholoN is integrated into the system landscape, including via the IFW ERP system. The Data Workflow System (DWS) is used to implement interfaces, data transfers, and API-based connections—for example, to integrate external service partners and automate cost estimates.

Key Measures

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Launch of EcholoN as a central service platform (2021)

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Productive Go-Live with mapping of core processes

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Development of a Structured Service Desk Model

Introduction of clear 1st- and 2nd-level processes

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Implementation of a centralized dispatch system

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Development of a digital knowledge database

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Introduction of standardized communication templates

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Integration with ERP and email systems

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Use of the Data Workflow System (DWS) for system integrations

Results and Added Value

  • Significantly shorter processing times.
    The average processing time is 4.58 hours.
  • Transparent response times.
    The average response time is 500 minutes and is fully analyzable.
  • Reduced staffing requirements despite growing volume.
    In first-level support, staffing was reduced from 6 to 3.5 employees. Without EcholoN, additional support staff would have been required.
  • More equitable workload distribution within the team. Dispatching and transparent queues ensure balanced ticket distribution.
  • Seamless handoffs.
    All information is documented chronologically in the case file—handoffs occur without any loss of efficiency.
  • Professional public image.
    Text and process templates ensure consistent customer communication.
  • Fewer escalations.
    Structured case handling minimizes conflicts both internally and externally.
  • Centralized 360° transparency.
    Not just master data, but complete communication and case histories enable informed decisions when interacting with customers.

Implementation and Operation

Although the rollout was ambitious, it proceeded in a structured manner. Initially, technical issues such as performance and storage had to be optimized. Today, all project communication takes place via the EcholoN service portal. This ensures that all open issues are documented and managed transparently. Support from mITsolutions is described as flexible, helpful, and solution-oriented—even outside of standard business hours. Requests and requirements are addressed promptly.

Future Outlook

Kärcher plans to further expand its digital service portal, including through the use of a chatbot to pre-qualify customer inquiries. The goal is to further increase automation and reduce the workload on the service team. EcholoN remains the central platform for managing and further developing the service organization.

About EcholoN

EcholoN is mITsolutions’ modular enterprise service management platform. With ITIL-based processes, workflow automation, a service portal, reporting functions, a knowledge base, and the powerful Data Workflow System (DWS), EcholoN helps companies manage service processes in a centralized, transparent, and scalable manner—from ITSM to field service and after-sales.

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