Italiaonline Selects Vendasta’s AI Workforce Platform to Power “MARiO,” Democratizing AI for 100,000+ Italian SMBs

The partnership democratizes enterprise-grade AI for local businesses, replacing fragmented digital tools with a unified AI Workforce that captures revenue and automates growth.

SASKATOON (SK) / MILAN (IT)— APRIL 21, 2026 — Italiaonline, Italy’s largest internet company, and Vendasta, the AI workforce platform for local business, today announced a landmark strategic partnership to deploy AI at national scale. The collaboration launches MARiO — Italy’s first AI employee purpose-built for small and medium-sized businesses. MARiO answers calls, captures leads, and books appointments around the clock and in every language. It is live today for 100,000+ businesses across Italy.

Solving the leaky bucket: from answering service to revenue engine

The cost of a missed call is higher than most business owners realize. Research shows that 30% of customers switch providers when they don’t receive an immediate response, and in a market where 22% of consumers now begin their search for local businesses using AI tools, the window to make a first impression has never been narrower.* For Italy’s small business owners, that is not a customer experience problem, it is a revenue problem. MARiO closes it.

Unlike traditional, fragmented systems, MARiO leverages Vendasta’s AI Employee infrastructure to proactively manage the customer journey. By combining a business’s unique, proprietary data with intelligent automation, MARiO eliminates the complexity of manual marketing and operations. Built on Vendasta’s Conversations AI and CRM infrastructure, MARiO replaces legacy phone trees with an intelligent AI employee that handles multiple callers simultaneously and routes calls to the right person when needed. For the restaurateur managing a Saturday rush, the lawyer in a client meeting, the clinic managing a full waiting room, MARiO delivers capabilities that were previously out of reach:

• 24/7 lead capture: Answers inbound calls and web inquiries instantly via phone, WhatsApp, and web chat, ensuring every prospect is engaged in real time, around the clock.
• Front office automation: Books tables and appointments, prequalifies leads, and organizes follow-up directly into the CRM, removing the administrative burden from the business owner entirely.
• Total data ownership: Every interaction is automatically logged into a searchable customer database the business owns permanently, ensuring continuity even as staff change and the business grows.

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