UK based online retailer Toolden improves customer service efficiency by 70% with Zendesk optimisation and AI roll out, implemented by Route 101
Bristol, UK – 24th February 2026 – Route 101, a leading technology systems integrator and cloud customer experience specialist, has successfully delivered an AI implementation and Zendesk optimisation project for Toolden, one of the UK’s fastest-growing online tool retailers. The initiative has increased customer service efficiency by 70%, transforming Toolden’s support operation into a scalable, intelligent function built for continued retail growth. The full story is now available in a brand-new case study, which can be accessed here.
Toolden, founded in 1987, supplies power tools, hand tools, fixings, and accessories to customers across the UK and Europe, serving everyone from DIY enthusiasts to major contractors. As the business expanded, customer enquiries grew in both volume and complexity. While Zendesk was already in place, the retailer identified an opportunity to introduce greater structure, automation, and AI capability to support its next phase of growth.
Route 101 was engaged to optimise the existing Zendesk environment and deploy Zendesk copilot, with a clear focus on efficiency, automation, and intelligent ticket handling.Following a comprehensive health check of Toolden’s platform, Route 101 redesigned forms, restructured workflows, introduced Service Level Agreements (SLAs), and reorganised triggers, automations, and views in line with best practice. Manual follow-ups were replaced with an automated “Bump Bump Solve” process, reducing administrative burden and improving response consistency.
The most significant impact came from the deployment of Zendesk copilot, an AI assistant embedded within the agent workflow. Copilot works behind the scenes to support agents, reducing staff workloads and boosting productivity.
Other AI-driven capabilities included are:
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Intelligent ticket triage, automatically identifying enquiry type and routing tickets to the correct team
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One-touch ticket handling, resolving simple enquiries automatically using configured responses and workflows
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Suggested replies, ticket summaries, and macro recommendations to support faster, consistent agent responses
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Automation of repetitive tasks, reducing manual effort and improving accuracy
By analysing historic ticket data and configuring copilot to manage predictable enquiry types, Toolden significantly reduced agent workload on routine interactions. This enabled the team to focus on more complex, high-value customer issues, improving both speed and quality of service.
“Route 101 restructured and optimised our Zendesk environment, including macros, triggers, and SLAs, and supported us in adopting copilot and AI to automate and assist repetitive support tasks,” said Eddie Grovu, Growth & eCommerce Director at Toolden. “This reduced manual effort and improved consistency across the team. As a result, our customer service efficiency increased by nearly 70%, putting us in a much stronger position to scale.”
The engagement also included comprehensive training, ensuring Toolden’s internal team can independently manage and develop its Zendesk environment as the business grows.
“This project demonstrates the measurable impact AI can have when embedded strategically within retail customer service operations,” said Russell Attwood, CEO and Founder of Route 101. “Toolden now has a support environment that is not only more efficient, but designed to be easily scalable as the business continues to grow.”
