How Boender Outdoor reduced response time from 4 hours to 20 minutes with Bugalou
From chaotic customer responses across multiple channels to a central inbox with lightning-fast response times. Koos Boender shares how Bugalou transformed customer service at Boender Outdoor.
The challenge
Boender Outdoor is a fast-growing online store specializing in garden furniture. With a wide range of lounge sets, dining sets and garden accessories, the company serves an ever-growing customer base across the Netherlands and Belgium. But with that growth came challenges.
Customer inquiries flooded in via email, WhatsApp, Instagram, and website chat. The team had to constantly switch between platforms to keep up. Messages were left unanswered, replies came in duplicate or too late, and overview was lost. The average response time climbed to around four hours — unacceptable for customers who are about to make a major purchase like a garden furniture set.
Especially with garden furniture, where customers often have questions about dimensions, materials, delivery times and assembly, a fast and reliable response is crucial. A slow reply often means a lost customer who goes to a competitor.
“With so many orders coming in from different channels, our customer responses were chaotic. Bugalou brought everything together and our team can now reply immediately.”
— Koos Boender, Owner at Boender OutdoorThe solution: all channels in one central inbox
Bugalou changed everything. All communication channels — WhatsApp, email, Instagram and website chat — were merged into a single central inbox. The team no longer has to switch between different platforms. Every customer inquiry arrives in one place, regardless of which channel it was sent through.
Incoming questions are automatically assigned to the right team member based on availability and expertise. This means nothing falls through the cracks and every customer gets a quick, personal response. The result: a team that works more calmly and customers who are noticeably more satisfied.
Multichannel: customers choose their own channel
The modern consumer wants to reach out via whichever channel suits them best. One prefers to send a WhatsApp, another emails, and yet another asks a question via Instagram or the live chat on the website. At Boender Outdoor, that is no longer a problem.
Thanks to Bugalou, all messages come together in a clear dashboard. It does not matter which channel the customer chooses — the team sees everything in one place and can respond directly from that same place. No message is ever missed and the customer experiences seamless service, regardless of the channel.
Average response time after implementing Bugalou
Handling seasonal peaks with automation and AI
The garden furniture industry has pronounced seasonal peaks. In spring and summer, orders explode and so does the number of customer inquiries. Previously, this meant stress, overtime and the need to hire temporary extra staff — with all the associated costs and onboarding time.
With Bugalou's smart automations, frequently asked questions about delivery times, stock and return policies are answered automatically. The AI chatbot is trained on Boender Outdoor's product knowledge and processes, handling a large portion of standard questions — 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This allows the team to focus on more complex questions and personal advice, without needing extra staff.
“Our customers are so much happier too! During peak season we now operate with the same team that we previously needed extra staff for.”
Thanks to the combination of automatic replies, smart routing and the AI chatbot, Boender Outdoor no longer needs to hire extra staff during busy months. The existing team works more calmly and efficiently, and customers get lightning-fast answers to their questions even during peak season.
The result
The impact of Bugalou on Boender Outdoor's customer service is clearly measurable. The average response time dropped from four hours to just twenty minutes — an improvement of more than 90%. Customers are noticeably more satisfied and show it through their reviews and repeat purchases.
The team works more calmly and with better overview. No more missed messages, no duplicate replies, and no stress during seasonal peaks. All communication runs through one platform and everyone knows exactly what is going on.
For online stores struggling with customer communication across multiple channels, Boender Outdoor's story is proof that it can be done differently. With the right tools, customer service becomes not a bottleneck, but a competitive advantage.
