AI Agent Handling Customer Return REQs

This success story shows how ThickDot helps e-commerce & B2B brands by improving operations and user experience with faster processing.

Case Details

Clients: E-commerce & B2B

Tags: AI/Automation

Project Duration: 1 Month

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The Return REQs Nightmare

Our B2B e-commerce client had to deal with a large volume of product returns, a necessary part of customer service, but also an operational headache.

Manual Process:

Customer emails (or using portal) return request with invoice attached

Staff manually opens PDF, verifies invoice details

Cross-references with ERP to confirm original order

Verifies return eligibility (timeframe, condition, authorization)

Generates return shipping label

Tracks return shipment

Processes refund or replacement

Each return required 15-30 minutes of manual work. At scale, this consumed entire FTEs. Worse, there was no standardization in the process, decisions depended on who was handling the request, leading to inconsistencies in customer experience and compliance risks.

And there was no clear audit trail. If a dispute arose weeks later, it required sifting through email threads and outdated information to figure out what happened.

Why This is Perfect for AI (When Done Right)

Return processing is a high-volume, rules-based task with some exceptions, the perfect sweet spot for AI augmentation.

Most steps follow predictable logic: read invoice, check order history, verify timeframe, apply policy. But there are also edge cases: defective goods, partial returns, special customer agreements. Full automation would fail here. Fully manual processing wastes human talent.

The Solution: AI-Powered Return Processing

So, AI handles the routine 80%, humans handle the complex 20%. We built an AI agent that reads invoices, verifies them against ERP data, applies business rules, and escalates exceptions to humans only when confidence is low or manual judgment is required.

How AI System Works

Customer submits return request via [web form/email]

AI extracts invoice data using document understanding

System queries ERP to verify original order details

AI applies business logic: return window, product eligibility, customer status

If confidence is high, AI auto-generates return label and confirmation

If confidence is low or an exception to the policy is found, it is sent for human review

All decisions are logged with reasons for full auditability

Technology Approach

AI document processing for invoice data extraction

ERP integration for order validation and customer history

Business rules engine for applying return policies

Human-in-the-loop workflow for handling exceptions

Analytics dashboard tracking return patterns and AI accuracy

The Measurable Impact

Reduced labor costs saving $50K+ annually. AI handles most returns without human intervention.

Faster processing. Returns that previously took 15-30 minutes are now completed in less than 2 minutes for straightforward cases.

Fewer errors. AI doesn't misread invoices, forget to check eligibility windows, or misapply policies.

Full auditability. Every return has a complete record: original invoice, validation checks performed, decision logic, and who (human or AI) approved it. Disputes are resolved in minutes, not hours.

Insights into return patterns. The system identified which products were returned most frequently, the common reasons for returns, and seasonal patterns, data that helps with product improvements and inventory planning.

The Human Element

This wasn’t about eliminating jobs. It was about eliminating boring and tedious tasks.

Staff who previously spent their days processing returns now focus on complex customer issues, supplier negotiations, and process improvements. AI handles the mundane tasks. Humans handle the tasks that require intelligence, empathy, and creative problem-solving.

And customers receive faster, better service. A win-win situation.