"Just ask EVA" - how Laverana's workforce systematically learned AI skills

Laverana, a pioneer in the natural cosmetics industry known for their brand lavera, with over 500 employees, faced the challenge of enhancing productivity while addressing the ever-present issue of skilled labor shortages. In October 2023, they embarked on a journey to integrate generative AI into their operations with the help of Langdock.

Laverana's Chief Transformation Officer, Thorben Warnebold, recognized the need to innovate: We know that if we miss out on technological leaps, we'll quickly fall behind, especially in the competitive cosmetics industry. The company had experimented with AI tools like ChatGPT but needed a more secure and efficient solution.

Langdock provided the perfect platform, offering multiple language models hosted in Europe, ensuring compliance with Laverana's strict data security and privacy standards.

Laverana named their Langdock workspace "EVA" (short for Enterprise Virtual Assistent). The implementation of Langdock's platform was strategic and inclusive. Laverana initiated a 'Discover and Learn' phase, where employees were encouraged to explore AI's potential in their daily tasks. This open experimentation phase quickly demonstrated AI's practical benefits, such as drafting Laverana customer communications and analyzing legal documents.

One of the main challenges was ensuring employee buy-in and overcoming initial skepticism. Warnebold shared, 'I was worried that strict guidelines might stifle innovation, but Langdock helped us find a balance between exploration and security.' By involving employees in the process, Laverana minimized resistance and fostered a culture of innovation. To ensure effective usage, the company introduced quarterly basic training sessions, led by Oliver Sponholz, both in-person and online, to bring employees up to speed with AI capabilities and limitations.

Recognizing the diverse levels of familiarity with AI, Laverana also organized tailored workshops focusing on practical applications of Langdock in specific teams. These sessions encouraged employees to list all their main tasks, regardless of initial automation feasibility. Sponholz explains, 'We wanted employees to write down all tasks, even if they seemed impossible to automate. This approach was important because it often resulted in surprising aha-moments about which tasks AI can do already today.

Adopting Langdock's platform led to significant improvements in productivity across various departments. A few examples include:

• In some departments, Laverana now does translations fully in-house, whereas previously, they used external services, saving significant costs.
• Researching resources or active ingredients for products would routinely take 5-6 hours. Now, it can be done in 30 minutes.
• Time to answer tickets from study subjects was reduced by up to 90% , thanks to a Langdock assistant

In addition, EVA replaced a lot of Google Searches, writes responses to product reclamations, is a sparring partner for ideation, and saves Laverana's IT department from answering many questions about the recent introduction of Microsoft 365.

Importantly, Langdock also addressed Laverana's workforce challenges in filling skilled positions. Oliver Sponholz says, "In some locations, positions fill quickly, but not everywhere. AI helps to buffer workload, offering stability for our staff even when a colleague leaves us abruptly."

More than 70% of Laverana's office employees now use "EVA" regularly, of which 75% use EVA monthly. EVA has become an integral part of the team, with employees often saying, "Ask EVA" during meetings.