Case Study Retail · Germany · 95,000+ employees

From In-House Support to a Multichannel Outsourced Operation

METRO needed to move customer support from an internal contact center to an outsourced model without disrupting service or compromising customer data. Simply Contact built a structured multichannel operation supported by centralized CRM, retail expertise, and performance monitoring.
METRO, International Wholesale Retailer: №1
METRO, International Wholesale Retailer: №3 Challenge

Protecting customer experience through a complex transition

METRO needed to transition from an internal contact center to an outsourced model while preserving service continuity, customer data integrity, and consistent support quality across a complex retail operation.

01

Seamless operational transition

The move to outsourcing had to happen without interrupting day-to-day customer support or creating gaps in service during the handover.

02

Secure customer data transfer

Customer profiles and interaction history needed to remain accurate, accessible, and securely managed as processes moved into the new operating environment.

03

Consistent multichannel service

Customers contacted METRO through several channels with requests ranging from product availability to complaints and wholesale inquiries. The new model needed to deliver the same service standards across every touchpoint.

METRO, International Wholesale Retailer: №4 OPERATING MODEL

A structured outsourced model built for continuity

Simply Contact took over day-to-day support through a model designed to preserve service continuity, maintain clear ownership, and improve visibility across a high-volume retail operation.

01

Smooth transition

Processes and responsibilities were transferred without disrupting customer support as METRO moved from an in-house to outsourced model.

02

Multichannel support

The team handles requests across multiple service channels, helping maintain consistent service regardless of how customers contact METRO.

03

Retail-ready team

Agents support both individual shoppers and wholesale or HoReCa clients, working across a broad range of retail inquiries.

04

Performance oversight

Analytics, reporting, and ongoing performance reviews provide visibility into service quality and help identify areas for improvement.

METRO, International Wholesale Retailer: №5 CRM TRANSFORMATION

One customer view across every channel

As part of the outsourcing transition, Simply Contact implemented a CRM environment that centralized customer profiles, interactions, and support data in one system. This gave agents better context while improving data control, monitoring, and reporting.

METRO, International Wholesale Retailer: №6

Unified customer profiles

Customer information and interaction history are maintained centrally, giving agents consistent context across requests.

METRO, International Wholesale Retailer: №7

Multichannel case management

Requests from different service channels are captured and managed within one support environment.

METRO, International Wholesale Retailer: №8

Secure data handling

The CRM setup strengthened control over customer information and supported reliable data management throughout the transition.

Better analytics and reporting

Centralized support data improves performance monitoring, cross-channel reporting, and visibility into customer activity.

METRO, International Wholesale Retailer: №9 Project Lead

Vadym Stoliarov

Quality Manager · Simply Contact

Vadym oversees quality and operational standards for the Metro Cash & Carry project, managing performance across a high-volume multichannel support operation handling up to 12,000 requests per month.

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METRO, International Wholesale Retailer: №10
METRO, International Wholesale Retailer: №11 SCOPE OF SUPPORT

Customer support across retail and wholesale needs

STORE & PRODUCT SUPPORT

  • Store locations and opening hours
  • Shopping-center rules
  • Product prices and availability
  • Promotions and special offers

LOYALTY & CUSTOMER CARE

  • Loyalty program questions
  • Customer consultations
  • Full-cycle complaint handling
  • Resolution of service-related issues

WHOLESALE & PARTNER SUPPORT

  • Wholesale customer inquiries
  • HoReCa-related requests
  • Partner support
  • Business customer guidance
METRO, International Wholesale Retailer: №12 QUALITY MODEL

Quality managed across every channel

A dedicated quality function supports consistent service standards across METRO’s high-volume multichannel operation.

Performance is monitored through structured analytics and reporting, giving the team visibility into response quality, speed, and customer experience across channels.

Ongoing quality oversight helps maintain consistent communication standards and identify areas for operational improvement.

METRO, International Wholesale Retailer: №13 Industry EXPERTISE

Retail expertise for consumer and business customers

METRO support requires more than general customer service knowledge. Agents work across a broad product range and support both individual shoppers and professional customers.

01

Wholesale & HoReCa context

Agents understand the needs of wholesale and HoReCa customers and can handle business-specific requests alongside consumer inquiries.

02

Broad product knowledge

The team works across food and non-food categories, helping customers with availability, pricing, promotions, and product-related questions.

03

Customer-specific guidance

Agents adapt communication and recommendations to different customer types, from individual shoppers to partners and professional buyers.

METRO, International Wholesale Retailer: №14 Results

Fast response, consistently high service quality

The outsourced multichannel operation combines high request volumes with fast resolution and strong customer satisfaction across retail and wholesale support.

98%

of requests are resolved within 120 seconds

95%

of customers rate service quality as excellent

12,000

customer requests handled per month

5

service channels managed within one operation

OPERATIONAL OUTCOMES

  • Customer support transitioned from an in-house to outsourced model without disrupting service continuity
  • CRM implementation centralized customer interactions, data, and reporting
  • Consistent support maintained across individual, wholesale, HoReCa, and partner requests
  • Multichannel visibility improved through structured analytics and performance monitoring

Olga Syomkina — Quote

METRO, International Wholesale Retailer: №15
We've been working with Simply Contact since May 2020. Currently, the Simply Contact support team handles up to 12,000 customer requests per month while providing a high level of customer satisfaction. They set up a CRM system that allows accumulating customers’ queries through multiple channels and ensures the security of clients’ data. Simply Contact proved themselves as a reliable partner, and we appreciate their input in customer experience development.

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