GoSun is a trailblazer in the solar product industry, known for its innovative and eco-friendly solutions designed to enhance outdoor living. Based in Cincinnati, Ohio, GoSun has been at the forefront of solar technology, offering products that appeal to both casual outdoor enthusiasts and serious adventurers alike.

Their product range includes solar cookers, which use parabolic reflectors to concentrate sunlight into a vacuum tube for efficient cooking without fuel, and compact solar panels designed for charging mobile devices in remote locations.

Despite their success, GoSun faced challenges typical of small but growing businesses. With a lean team of ten full-time employees juggling multiple roles from customer service to marketing and operations, the need for efficient tools to handle customer inquiries became increasingly apparent. The small team size meant that customer service resources were stretched thin, especially during peak periods or after new product launches.

Challenge

How could GoSun provide high-quality customer interactions without expanding the team significantly due to budget constraints?

Two main challenges drove the search for an AI solution:

• First, the need to bolster customer support to handle complex inquiries about their technically sophisticated products
• Second, the need to improve conversion rates, which had seen a downturn, a trend reflective of broader eCommerce shifts.

After evaluation, Rep emerged as the leading candidate because of a simple test.

Solution

After testing the AI with Rep’s AI simulator, GoSun “hired” Rep as their off-hours 'team member' to handle customer inquiries and support the sales process.

"What sealed the deal for me was the demo. I'm asking it questions about our products, and it was giving me extremely good, competent responses without any training." — Jeff Miller, Customer Service Manager at GoSun

Results

• Reduction in Customer Support Load: The volume of support inquiries significantly decreased, allowing the support team to focus on more complex questions.
• Increase in Sales Conversions: GoSun saw an improvement in conversion rates due to the AI’s capability to engage customers and provide instant responses.

Challenge: Lean Team and a slew of complex inquiries

Jeff Miller, the customer service manager at GoSun, highlighted the dual challenge of enhancing conversion rates and managing a high volume of complex customer questions with a small team.

“We needed a solution that could handle complex and sometimes lengthy questions in a cost-effective manner,” Jeff explained.

Solution: AI handles those off-hours like a pro

GoSun deployed Rep to field complex questions about GoSun’s niche solar products, engage shoppers with accurate information, and help them through the purchase process.

“The AI chatbot has been a game-changer for us, acting as our most effective support employee during off-hours and impressively outperforming other solutions,” said Jeff.

This was particularly notable in how the AI managed to provide detailed product information and support conversions with minimal setup.

Results: Operational Efficiency and Sales

• Reduced support load: The AI’s ability to handle support reduced the team’s load by 40% compared to the previous year.
  
  "Last year, we had about 1500 support tickets in April, and this year we’re at 889," Jeff noted, highlighting the reduction in support needs due to effective AI handling.
  
  
• Increased Sales Conversions: By providing real-time, accurate answers, the AI not only retained customers on the site but also significantly aided in getting more sales. In one month, they generated $20,770 in AI-assisted sales.
  
  
• 24/7 Customer Engagement: With AI, GoSun could offer round-the-clock customer service, ensuring that inquiries were handled any time of the day, increasing customer satisfaction and potential sales opportunities.
  
  

Conclusion

Rep became a go-to GoSun team member for off-hours support and sales. Its ability to handle complex queries and support the team 24/7 has made it more than just a tool—it's a core part of GoSun’s growth and customer satisfaction strategy.

"AI is here and it's really impressive. It’s like having another team member who’s always on, doesn’t take breaks, and handles multiple customers simultaneously," Jeff concluded.

To get the latest in solar products check out GoSun at https://gosun.co/