Appointment scheduling with the click of a button – CSS Lite makes it possible
How INICOM Service GmbH significantly reduces the manual coordination effort in customer service while simultaneously increasing customer satisfaction using the proaxia Customer Service Suite
At INICOM, scheduling between end customers and the scheduling department was a completely manual process: Each service appointment was arranged individually over the phone between the end customer and the dispatcher. Each appointment coordination took an average of 5–10 minutes of work time—often involving multiple calls because the customer could not be reached. There was no self-service channel available for customers to confirm or reschedule appointments on their own.
An overview of the key challenges:
- Significant manual effort is required to coordinate individual appointments by phone (approx. 5–10 minutes per transaction)
- Repeated calls when customers cannot be reached increase the planning workload
- No self-service option for customers to schedule appointments on their own
- Scheduling resources tied up by routine operational communication
The result: Valuable dispatcher time was tied up in routine operational coordination tasks that could be handled much more efficiently with digital support. At the same time, there was no modern, digital point of contact for customers that meets their rising service expectations.
“Straightforward, solution-oriented, sympathetic, and on the same level — exactly the kind of partnership you’d hope for.”
About INICOM Service GmbH
INICOM Service GmbH, headquartered in Illmensee in the Sigmaringen district (Baden-Württemberg), is a specialized industrial service partner in the field of sanitary and building services. The company acts as a OEM-authorized service provider and exclusive service partner for premium manufacturers—particularly in the field of sanitary technology (including Geberit)—and serves both residential and commercial customers.
With approximately 90 full-time employees and about 30,000 service calls per year, INICOM is one of the larger specialized customer service providers in Germany. Its service portfolio includes customer service, maintenance, and repair work in the fields of plumbing and building services, installation, showroom support, on-site training, and the sale of plumbing and building services products. In addition, INICOM offers the rental of specialty tools (approximately 1,000 tools on-site) as well as tool repairs (approximately 7,000 per year).
To digitally manage its service processes, INICOM relies on SAP Field Service & Asset Management (FSA) as its central system for scheduling and managing field service operations.
INICOM Project Goals
_
At the start of the project, INICOM defined clear objectives that address both operational efficiency and strategic customer focus:
Specific KPI Targets
The Solution for INICOM
Together with proaxia, INICOM decided to implement proaxia CSS Lite—an SAP BTP-based self-service solution that integrates seamlessly with the existing SAP Field Service & Asset Management system. This decision was based on the existing partnership with proaxia for SAP FSA support and the long-standing relationship with the consultants.
CSS Lite Features in Use at INICOM:
Why proaxia CSS Lite?
The decision to go with CSS Lite was driven by its simplicity: no need for end customers to install an additional app, no complex onboarding process—customers receive their personal appointment link directly via email. The solution is built on SAP BTP and is therefore scalable from the start to accommodate future digital transformation initiatives.
Project Implementation
The implementation of proaxia CSS Lite at INICOM Service GmbH proceeded in a structured, fast, and agile manner—with an approach clearly tailored to the customer’s needs. No particular challenges arose during the course of the project.
Collaboration with proaxia
INICOM describes the collaboration as “partnership-based, iterative, and on an equal footing.” Together, the two companies gradually refined the existing solution. The long-standing relationship with the proaxia consultants from the FSA support team created a foundation of trust for the joint project.
The Results
The introduction of proaxia CSS Lite brings INICOM Service measurable improvements on several levels:
Project at a Glance
Outlook:
AI & Digitalization
INICOM has a clear vision for its next steps in digital transformation: Improved digital customer interaction and AI-powered service features are already in the works—with a focus on increasing efficiency and meeting customers’ rising expectations.
Other areas of innovation for INICOM:
- Omni-channel customer engagement, meaning that customer communication will also take place via WhatsApp and text message in the future
- Efficiency Gains Through the Automation of Additional Service Communication Processes
- Improving Customer Satisfaction Through Proactive, AI-Powered Interaction
CSS Lite laid the technical foundation on SAP BTP—the platform’s extensibility enables INICOM to seamlessly build on these innovations within the existing architecture.
Possible next stages of CSS development are:
- Digital Recording and Tracking of Customer Inquiries (Ticket Management)
- Digital Service Reports and History
- Maintenance and Service Contract Management
