From February 24th to 26th, 2026, the CCW at the Estrel Congress Center in Berlin will once again be the European center for decision-makers from customer service, contact centers, technology and operations. For years, the trade fair has been considered the leading platform for everyone concerned with the future of customer dialogue.

Every year, several thousand trade visitors from various industries come together to learn about the latest developments in AI in customer service, automation, omnichannel communication, workforce management and data strategies.

In 2026, the CCW’s motto is: “Guided by Humans – Powered by AI” – a topic that could hardly be more current. The industry is in the midst of a profound upheaval: customers expect quick reactions, transparent processes and self-services that are available at all times. At the same time, companies are looking for solutions to address increasing service volumes, skills shortages and more complex interactions. AI-supported systems, intelligent routing mechanisms and smart workstations are central building blocks of modern contact center strategies.

In this environment, SAP presents a comprehensively renewed understanding of how contemporary customer service can be designed. The focus is on the further developments of the SAP Service Cloud – a platform that not only accelerates processes and relieves service agents, but also intelligently links the interaction between people and technology. The solution shows how routine tasks can be automated without losing personal contact.

Visitors to CCW 2026 will experience on site how a central, AI-supported agent workspace, integrated self-services and data-supported automation work together to sustainably increase service quality and efficiency. Together with long-standing partner LinkThat, SAP is also demonstrating state-of-the-art voice integration, contact center connectivity and real-time automation in practical use.

This means that CCW 2026 will not only be a showcase for new technologies for SAP, but also a platform to show how human expertise and AI will go hand in hand in customer service in the future – and how companies can successfully shape this change.

How do companies succeed in strengthening efficiency and humanity in service?

Human contact remains indispensable, especially in customer service, where trust, understanding and empathy play a central role. SAP is therefore pursuing an approach that does not juxtapose technology and human advice, but rather consciously combines them – a guiding principle that is reflected in all areas at CCW 2026.

Reimagining customer service in the age of AI

Customer service is changing more profoundly than it has in years. Companies are faced with the challenge of meeting increasing expectations while becoming more efficient and reducing the workload on their teams. Modern AI can provide enormous support here – but it does not replace human interaction, but rather enhances it. The SAP Service Cloud represents exactly this approach: It automates routine tasks, structures complex cases and supports agents with AI tips so that personal communication can take place where it makes the biggest difference.

Holistic service approach based on the multi-tier model

When it comes to customer service, SAP follows a multi-tier model that clearly structures simple and complex issues:

• Self-service & portals: Customers handle standard requests such as address changes, meter readings or status queries independently.
• Automated processes: Chatbots, workflows and intelligent classifications take over recurring tasks.
• Service agents for demanding requests: More complex cases – technical malfunctions, escalations or situation-dependent decisions – are resolved in personal contact.

The human factor in service is essential. Our AI takes the pressure off teams by taking over routine tasks. This leaves more time for the demanding interactions where experience and empathy are crucial.

Omnichannel workspace: react faster, make better decisions

The SAP Service Cloud brings together telephony, chat, email, social media and portal interactions in a central workspace – supplemented by AI-supported case summaries, multi-session processing and integrated knowledge databases.
Agents can see in seconds what the issue is, what the history is and what steps are recommended.

Initial experiences from pilot projects show:

• Processing times decrease significantly
• First-time resolution rates are increasing
• and the stress in the contact center decreases noticeably

Optimization of service processes through artificial intelligence

AI not only supports the analysis of incoming cases, but also the selection of the appropriate expertise. Intelligently controlled routing forwards inquiries to exactly the right service person depending on the request, urgency and qualifications.

In addition, SAP uses the same principles that have proven themselves in the HR sector: Where systems like Joule already answer routine inquiries efficiently, there is scope for individual support – an approach that also proves to be a decisive success factor in customer service.

Utilities in focus: digital self-services and modern fault management

Energy and water suppliers face particularly high demands. This is where the multi-tier approach pays off immediately:
Meter readings, contract changes or advance payment adjustments can be made in self-service without waiting times. In the event of disruptions, intelligent notifications and transparent routing ensure fast response times and clear communication.

In an industry with complex processes and a high volume of inquiries, every relief counts. Utilities customers benefit enormously from the new automation functions.

Data quality as a crucial success factor

Many of the new AI-powered functions rely on reliable data. The SAP news case Edgewell shows how important a clean database is, in which a data quality of over 96% was achieved through targeted data governance programs.
Only on this basis can automatic routing, classifications and personalized self-service offers work reliably.

Global rollout, strong demand and practical examples

The further developments of the SAP Service Cloud have been rolled out worldwide since the end of 2025 – with clear interest from companies from all industries. The need for scalable, AI-supported solutions is increasing, particularly in medium-sized businesses, utilities and service-intensive areas such as telecommunications or transport.

Service organizations want to know how they can lighten the load on their teams while increasing customer satisfaction. This is exactly what we will be showing live at our stand at CCW 2026.

Looking ahead: Combining humanity and technology sensibly

With the new generation of Service Cloud, SAP is setting an example for how modern service organizations will work in the future. AI takes over the routine, humans shape the complex moments.

Together with LinkThat, solutions are created that make contact centers smarter, faster and at the same time more humane.

Our aim is to design the service of the future in such a way that technology is supportive and people remain the focus!