L'Oréal Reduced AI Customer Service Handling Time
The company has deployed automated tools to manage order inquiries, aiming to cut human intervention by 60 percent.
Updated on Oct. 5, 2026 in Artificial Intelligence
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L'Oréal has implemented an AI system that reduced customer service handling times by 64%. The tool is currently used by over 300 advisers to automate order status inquiries on YSL Beauty and Kiehl's websites.
Why it matters
By automating routine tasks like order status lookups, the company aims to resolve 60% of inquiries without human intervention while augmenting rather than replacing staff. The deployment reflects an industry-wide push to integrate AI into existing customer service workflows.
The system reduces average case closing time from 7 minutes to 2.5 minutes. It maintains a 100% adoption rate among eligible staff, who use the tool to summarize conversations and draft replies based on a library of preapproved language.
The players
L'Oréal
A global cosmetics and beauty conglomerate that is integrating generative AI into its digital retail and customer support stacks.
YSL Beauty
A prestige cosmetics brand within the L'Oréal portfolio that serves as a primary site for automated order status resolution.
Kiehl's
A skincare brand owned by L'Oréal that has adopted the company's AI-driven customer service inquiry system.
The details
The platform functions by authenticating shoppers and interfacing directly with order management systems to retrieve status data. When complex issues arise, such as medical-related inquiries, the software automatically routes the ticket to a human adviser. Advisers maintain control by reviewing and editing AI-drafted responses before final transmission to the customer.
Timeline
October 5, 2026: Article publication date.
The Tech Race
L'Oréal’s deployment follows a trend where 50% of Americans have now made AI-assisted retail purchases. The company’s focus on augmenting human staff sits in contrast to broader industry efforts to fully automate payment processing, an area where only 24% of consumers currently report comfort.
Customers interacting with YSL Beauty and Kiehl's websites will encounter faster order status resolution as the AI handles authentication and data retrieval. The company plans to extend these capabilities to Lancôme web chat and voice services in upcoming updates.
The takeaway
L'Oréal is prioritizing AI for efficiency in routine support while keeping human advisers in the loop for complex interactions. Interested observers should monitor the upcoming expansion of these tools into the European market for further performance benchmarks.
Further reading
For broader trends in enterprise deployment, visit the Artificial Intelligence section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by PYMNTS.
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