Ahlsell's personalized B2B search function drives customer loyalty and conversions

This customer case was created in collaboration with our implementation partner, Alpha Solutions.

Ahlsell, the largest technical distributor in the Nordics, boasts a vast and complex product range of over 430,000 items for the industrial and construction sectors. Ensuring that customers are presented with the most relevant products on the company’s webshop requires more than a standard search box.

To achieve this, Ahlsell has invested in a personalized search function that predicts queries as customers type, understands intent from context such as filters or basket, and improves continuously with every click and purchase on their website and app.

A personalized search function is no longer just a “nice-to-have” but a vital part of any successful e-commerce strategy. By re-ranking results in real time based on shopper behavior and preferences, the right search function can improve the entire shopping experience by helping customers find exactly what they are looking for as quickly as possible.

User-friendly and lightning-fast search function

To meet this challenge, together with Alpha Solutions, we implemented an advanced search solution developed on the Relewise platform. This solution is designed to handle complex technical naming conventions with built-in NLP features like stemming, decompounding, and typo-tolerance. In practice, it lets customers search seamlessly by product number, name, or size, while still surfacing the right result despite being misspelled or phrased differently. The system continuously adapts rankings based on real-time behavior, ensuring users are guided efficiently to the most relevant products.

The enhanced search function is highly valuable for Ahlsell’s customers in the construction and industrial sectors. These are professionals who need to progress quickly in their daily tasks, where projects and timelines must be met.

Behavior tracking utilizes "wisdom of the crowd"

Often called the “wisdom of the crowd,” Relewise learns from both individual preferences and general behavior patterns across all users. It re-ranks results in real time to present the most relevant products and highlight items likely to be of interest. Data is continuously integrated into Relewise to improve and personalize the search experience for each customer. This approach makes the search experience more intuitive and efficient for users who regularly use Ahlsell’s website for their work.

I find the items in half the time. This means that my service level towards customers is much higher than before. The functions allowing me to search for parts of product numbers, parts of product descriptions, sizes, etc., make my daily work much easier and faster.

 

Milan Bruun, Store Sales Manager

Improving service levels across all sales channels

The new search function has already enhanced service levels in both Ahlsell’s webshop and the company’s physical hardware stores. Powered by Relewise, the solution delivers the same predictive, intent-aware search across channels, ensuring consistency wherever customers interact. Not only can customers quickly find what they need within the vast product range, but sales staff can also use the same fast and precise search to locate products instantly. This improves operational efficiency and direct customer interaction.

A well-functioning search drives customer loyalty

Ahlsell’s investment in a faster and more intuitive search function underscores how self-learning personalization and continuous relevance updates can streamline daily operations.

Customer and employee reactions to the new solution demonstrate how a reliable, context-aware search experience creates and maintains customer loyalty, positioning Ahlsell as the preferred supplier in the future.

I find it advantageous that the search engine knows what I usually buy and therefore prioritizes it in the search results. It makes it much quicker to find what I’m looking for. I’ve started using Ahlsell’s website more, which has also led to more purchases on the site. This will certainly keep more users on the site.

Mikkel Ilsøe Steffensen, HVAC Coordinator at Dansk InstallationsTeknik, an Ahlsell customer

 

 

About Ahlsell

Ahlsell, formerly known as Sanistål, is a leading supplier of products and solutions for professionals in construction, industrial, and installation. The company offers a broad range of products, including tools, steel, metals, HVAC equipment, and industrial components. With a strong presence in the Danish market, Ahlsell is known for its extensive expertise and ability to deliver essential materials and equipment quickly and efficiently for both large projects and daily operations.

www.ahlsell.com