Tools.com (E commerce)

About the Client

At Tools.com, we're passionate about putting the right tools in the hands of every Australian — from seasoned tradies to weekend DIYers. Founded and proudly Australian-owned, we've built our reputation on offering a wide range of quality tools, automotive, and safety equipment at competitive prices, all backed by knowledgeable, friendly service.

Whether you're shopping online from the comfort of your home or visiting us in-store, we make it easy to find exactly what you need. We believe that great work starts with great tools — and we're here to help you get the job done right, every time.

The Challenge

As Tools.com expanded, two critical pain points emerged:

IT Department Strain — The internal IT team was overwhelmed, struggling to maintain systems, support staff, and keep up with digital transformation projects simultaneously.

Customer Care Overload — A high volume of daily customer enquiries — order tracking, product questions, returns, and general support — was stretching the customer service team thin, leading to slower response times and inconsistent experiences.

The business needed a scalable, cost-effective solution that didn't rely solely on hiring full-time staff, while still maintaining — and improving — the quality of service their customers expected.

The Solution

Surfnet AI partnered with Tools.com to deliver a two-pronged approach:

1. Staff Augmentation

Surfnet AI provided on-demand, highly skilled IT professionals to supplement Tools.com's existing team. This allowed Tools.com to fill capability gaps quickly — without the long lead times and overhead costs of traditional recruitment — keeping critical IT projects on track and systems running smoothly.

2. AI Agent Deployment

Surfnet AI designed and deployed a custom AI-powered agent directly on the Tools.com website. The AI agent was trained on Tools.com's product catalogue, FAQs, order processes, and return policies, enabling it to:

• Handle routine customer enquiries 24/7

• Provide instant product recommendations

• Guide customers through the order and returns process

• Escalate complex issues seamlessly to a human agent