A leading value-added distributor improves customer satisfaction with a scalable, personalized conversational AI platform
In the world of B2B e-commerce, success isn’t just about selling products—it’s about delivering seamless, intelligent experiences through fast responses, personalized solutions and the freedom for customers to manage transactions independently. For companies operating in this space, constant innovation isn’t optional—it’s essential.
Computer Gross, an Italy-based value-added distributor, found that this shift brought both opportunities and challenges. As the first value-added distributor for IBM solutions in Italy, the company has remained a partner to IBM and a leader in the distribution sector for more than 30 years.
The company’s platform has grown significantly over the years, attracting thousands of customers—from small businesses to large enterprises. These businesses rely on Computer Gross for everything from product discovery to generating quotes and receiving personalized recommendations.
However, as the company’s customer base expanded, so did the complexity of delivering a smooth experience, especially with a catalog of over 145,000 products. Support teams found themselves overwhelmed by repetitive questions that consumed valuable time, preventing them from focusing on higher-value tasks. Meanwhile, internal teams struggled to manage growing demands for quotes and product discovery. At the same time, the lack of automation limited the success of promotional campaigns and event communications.
The challenges were clear, but Computer Gross saw an opportunity. By simplifying customer interactions and providing both internal teams and users with self-service tools, the company could enhance customer satisfaction, improve operational efficiency and drive new growth opportunities.
Computer Gross didn’t just want to fix the problem—they wanted to reimagine their operations and deliver a seamless, standout experience for their customers. To address these challenges systematically, Computer Gross began evaluating AI-powered solutions that could transform their customer engagement model.
Enter IBM® watsonx Assistant®, a conversational AI platform built with IBM watsonx.ai® and designed to handle complex business interactions. This solution is designed to accelerate the development and scalability of reliable AI while providing the visibility and governance needed to use AI responsibly. As Gianluca Guasti, General Manager of Value Business and Marketing at Computer Gross, explains, “IBM didn’t just offer AI; they offered a partnership. IBM’s deep understanding of B2B commerce, combined with the advanced capabilities of watsonx Assistant, gave us the confidence to address our needs with precision. Their focus on innovation, security, and scalability made all the difference.”
To bring this vision to life, Computer Gross worked closely with IBM and their technology partners to map out every customer interaction point and seamlessly integrate watsonx Assistant into their systems using GraphQL APIs. Together, they designed the AI assistant to deliver personalized solutions at scale, going beyond answering basic questions.
With the ability to provide instant, 24x7 support, the assistant has transformed the e-commerce experience for both customers and internal teams. “It can guide users through intricate product searches, understanding natural language queries and delivering highly relevant, personalized results in real time,” said Guasti. “Even more impactful was its ability to generate tailored quotes instantly based on customer selections and conditions, a task that previously required manual effort from our sales team.”
The results were immediately apparent. Customers could interact with the platform effortlessly, and internal teams could focus on driving more strategic initiatives.
Thanks to the introduction of the AI assistant, customers can now easily find the right products, receive quotes faster and get timely updates on orders, returns and invoicing. As a result, Computer Gross has enhanced their customer interactions, delivering a better service experience and improved support.
The solution has delivered measurable impact across key metrics. By automating routine tasks, Computer Gross achieved:
- 35% increase in customer satisfaction: Faster, personalized responses delighted customers and strengthened relationships.
- 40% reduction in support ticket volume: Automating routine inquiries freed up time for support teams to focus on more complex issues.
- 25% growth in average order value: AI-driven product recommendations encouraged larger purchases.
- 50% decrease in response times: Customers received answers in seconds, creating a seamless experience.
- 20% increase in quote-to-order conversion rate: Self-service quote generation streamlined the sales process and increased conversions.
- 30% drop in operational costs: Efficiency gains significantly reduced expenses across customer service operations.
Beyond these tangible results, support teams experienced a lighter workload and could focus on meaningful customer interactions, while sales teams gained more time to pursue strategic opportunities. “The reduced workload has significantly boosted morale and efficiency across our teams,” explained Guasti. “At the same time, our customers are empowered in ways they never were before. They can find what they need, when they need it—whether it’s a product, an answer, or a quote. It’s a win on both sides.”
Following the successful implementation of watsonx Assistant, Computer Gross won the 2024 Netcomm Award in recognition of their excellence in e-commerce in Italy. The company also won awards in the B2B, Omnichannel and Logistics Services categories. Through innovation and a clear commitment to excellence, Computer Gross has raised the standard for B2B e-commerce, demonstrating how the right vision and technology can unlock new possibilities for the future.
Looking ahead, the company plans to expand the assistant’s capabilities into post-sales support, empowering customers to manage returns, track orders and resolve issues seamlessly. By integrating the assistant with their CRM and analytics platforms, Computer Gross aims to deepen customer satisfaction, automate key processes and scale operations efficiently across all digital touchpoints.
Computer Gross (link resides outside of ibm.com), headquartered in Italy, is a leading player in the value-added distribution sector of the IT marketplace. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of technology solutions and services from top vendors to resellers, system integrators and service providers.
Distinguishing themselves in the ICT market, Computer Gross plays an increasingly strategic role in delivering added value to the reseller channel by anticipating the evolving role of the distributor. This forward-looking approach has helped them grow from a turnover of EUR 7 million in 1994 to over EUR 1.9 billion in 2024.
Beyond reliable distribution, Computer Gross provides end-to-end support across their portfolio through a team of more than 600 certified professionals. Starting with just 100 resellers, the company now serves over 22,000 customers, supported by a nationwide network of area sales managers.
The deep specialization of their teams fuels the strength of business divisions dedicated to the industry's leading technology vendors.
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© Copyright IBM Corporation 2025. IBM, the IBM logo, ibm.com, watsonx, watsonx.ai, and watsonx Assistant are trademarks of IBM Corp., registered in many jurisdictions worldwide. This document is current as of the initial date of publication and may be changed by IBM at any time. Not all offerings are available in every country in which IBM operates.
Examples presented as illustrative only. Actual results will vary based on client configurations and conditions and, therefore, generally expected results cannot be provided.