ATU Saw Higher Customer Satisfaction and Revenue with Parloa's AI Agents

Statistics:

• Staff spend 60% less time on the phone

• 1 in 3 appointments booked by Nils

• Higher customer satisfaction, more revenue

About the company

ATU (Auto-Teile-Unger) is Germany’s leading automotive service and retail chain, with more than 500 branches across the country. Founded in 1985 and headquartered in Weiden, ATU offers everything from car maintenance and repairs to diagnostics and auto parts—all under one roof.

The challenge

Every spring and fall, ATU’s phone lines heat up. It's a tire-changing season—and that means a surge in service requests, plus a mix of vehicle types that makes calls harder to handle. Customers expect fast, frictionless support. But during peak times, hold times went up.

For ATU's frontline teams, seasonal spikes meant extra hands, extra pressure, and rising costs. They needed a better way to keep up—one that could ease the load on staff and still deliver a reliable, seamless experience for every customer.

The solution: Nils, a personal, always-on AI agent

Enter “Nils,”’an AI voice agent from Parloa.

With Nils, ATU added a voice AI agent to its service team—one that’s always available, always consistent. Nils answers every inbound call, 24/7, in every branch where it's live. It handles routine requests on the spot and seamlessly routes more complex calls to the right team member, so nothing slips through the cracks.

Moreover, by automating high volumes of calls, Nils has transformed accessibility. Customers get faster answers, and staff get more time for the people who need them most. And ATU delivers on its promise: a simple, fast, convenient, and cost-effective experience—no matter the season.

Why Parloa?

ATU had two clear priorities: the solution had to scale, and it had to make business sense. Traditional call centers couldn’t keep up with demand without driving up costs or stretching resources thin.

We stood out because we offered:

• A voice-first platform built around the customer experience

• Fast, proof-of-value pilots that showed real impact early

• Seamless integration with ATU’s existing systems

• Hands-on collaboration from both our team and implementation partner MAKE RELATIONS

From the start, the partnership wasn’t just about technology. It was about a better, more sustainable customer experience together.

The rollout: Fast, flexible, and focused

ATU went from kickoff to go-live in just six weeks. Clear roles and processes kept the launch smooth and on track. They started with the basics: a rules-based setup to automate routine tasks and ease the pressure on staff. But that was just the beginning.

As ATU’s needs evolved, so did Nils. Powered by our AI agent management platform (AMP), it quickly moved beyond scripts and learned to understand natural language, context, and nuance. Instead of reciting lines, Nils adapts in real time, just like an experienced human agent. Every interaction feels natural, helpful, and on-brand.

ATU also runs regular simulations and quality checks to make sure Nils keeps up, no matter how customer needs evolve.

How Nils helps, day to day

Nils now handles a wide range of everyday requests, including:

• Smart call routing: Quickly figures out why someone’s calling and sends them to the right place

• Appointment booking: Schedules service visits automatically, 24/7

• Fast answers to common questions: Shares info on pricing, services, opening hours, and more—no waiting required.

…and more.

The results

It didn’t take long to see the impact: 

• Customers got 24/7 access and a faster, smoother experience. Today, one in three appointments is booked directly by Nils.

• Staff in participating locations now spend up to 60% less time on the phone—giving them more focus, less stress, and a better day at work.

• ATU saw higher customer satisfaction and increased revenue—proof that seamless experiences drive loyalty and growth.

What’s next

AI is now a core part of ATU’s customer experience strategy. After a successful pilot in 40 branches, Nils is set to expand to 200 more in summer 2025—with nationwide rollout planned for 2026. New use cases are already in the works, all aimed at creating value for customers earlier in the journey.

ATU’s journey with us shows what’s possible when technology and thoughtful service come together: meaningful customer relationships that stand the test of time.

If you’d like to learn more about how we can help your org, reach out to our sales team.