How Boat Bike Tours is embracing AI and Salesforce for a better customer experience

Boat Bike Tours (BBT) is a Dutch company with a remarkable story, and we at Gen25 are proud to have partnered with them over the years. With an annual turnover exceeding €35 million, BBT leads the market in bike-and-boat tours across Europe. Catering primarily to international travellers from North America and Europe, their unique combination of cycling and cruising offers guests a one-of-a-kind way to explore the world’s hidden gems. At the end of the article, you'll find a video from CEO Laurens Winkel, sharing insights into their AI journey.

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Innovation in tourism

Founded in 1977 near Amsterdam, BBT now welcomes over 27,000 guests annually on 67 organised tours spanning 12 countries. With a fleet of 42 ships and over 2,000 bicycles, their all-inclusive tours allow customers to ride at their own pace or enjoy the comfort and hospitality of life aboard a barge.

What truly sets BBT apart, however, is their commitment to sustainability and innovation. From implementing plant-based diesel to reduce fuel emissions by 60%, to using Salesforce’s NetZero Cloud for real-time CO2 emissions tracking, BBT continues to lead the way in responsible tourism.

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Navigating challenges with technology

The COVID-19 pandemic posed immense challenges for the tourism sector, but BBT turned to technology to adapt and thrive. By leveraging Salesforce, they maintained customer relationships and operational continuity during the crisis. As a result, they rebounded swiftly, achieving a 30% higher turnover in 2022 compared to pre-pandemic levels.

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Now, BBT is taking the next step in their technological evolution: embracing artificial intelligence (AI) and Salesforce’s Agentforce platform to enhance customer experience and operational efficiency.

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Why AI and Agentforce are the future for BBT

For a company that thrives on creating personalised and seamless travel experiences, Salesforce’s Agentforce platform offers transformative potential. By integrating Agentforce, BBT aims to:

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• Streamline customer support, ensuring quicker, more accurate responses to guest queries.
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• Enhance their ability to manage customer interactions efficiently, aligning with their mission to provide exceptional service.
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• Optimise operational processes by centralising key customer data and automating repetitive tasks.
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These capabilities directly align with BBT’s values of transparency, hospitality, and sustainability, empowering them to elevate their customer journey while staying true to their vision of creating unforgettable travel experiences.

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Gen25: Supporting businesses on their AI journey

At Gen25, we specialise in helping businesses unlock the potential of AI and Salesforce to address complex challenges. We offer frameworks like the AI Readiness Assessment and the AI and Customer Experience (CX) model to help organisations prepare for and implement AI-driven strategies. Whether you’re looking to identify opportunities, test innovative tools, or scale AI adoption, Gen25 is here to guide you every step of the way.

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The power of AI in tourism

Laurens Winkel, CEO of Boat Bike Tours, perfectly captures the spirit of innovation driving the tourism industry forward. In his recent presentation held at our Business Challengers event, Laurens highlighted the transformative potential of AI and Salesforce, outlining how BBT plans to harness these tools to revolutionise customer experiences.

He says it better! Watch Laurens Winkel’s full video below to learn more about how Boat Bike Tours is charting an AI-powered future.

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