What Does Zendesk Do? Features, Pros and Cons & Top Alternatives

When it comes to customer service software or helpdesk system, most users may think of Zendesk as the first choice. It is one of the best cloud-based customer support platforms that offers numerous features, such as ticketing, live chat, CRM, sales, SLA management, etc.

However, despite its popularity, plenty of users are still confused about this platform due to its complex interface, steep learning curve, and various pricing options. To figure out “what does Zendesk do?”, this post dives into the key features of the platform, pros and cons, pricing plans, and even the best alternative.

What is Zendesk

Zendesk is a software-as-a-service (SaaS) company founded in Copenhagen, Denmark, in 2007. This company provides a suite of customer service and sales tools for all sizes of businesses, helping them manage customer interactions across multiple channels. It begins with a simple, web-based ticketing system and has now evolved into a leading cloud-based customer support platform.

As an all-in-one customer service provider, Zendesk centralizes customer interactions from channels like email, chat, voice, and social media into a single, unified dashboard. Its powerful features, like ticketing system, automation, live chat, and robust analytics, work together to streamline support operations and improve overall customer experience.

What Does Zendesk Do

When exploring “what does Zendesk do”, it’s inevitable to study its core functionalities. Below is a breakdown of the top 7 features of Zendesk, including its limitations and best for usage.

Ticketing System

Zendesk’s ticketing system, also known as the Helpdesk system, collects customer queries from email, social media, chat, and other channels, then converts them into a centralized interface where agents can manage effectively. This feature can route customer issues based on SLA management and set a clear time target for each ticket based on priority.

Key benefits:

• Track all conversations in a centralized inbox to streamline support workflow.
• Respond to customer inquiries quickly.
• Create personal ticket views.

Limitations:

• Some users reported that older tickets are disorganized.
• Advanced features are limited to high-tier plans, which might be costly for small businesses.

Automation and AI

Zendesk features a wide range of powerful automation and AI tools, such as chatbots, intelligent ticket routing, automated responses, etc. These tools can automatically categorize tickets and direct them to the right agents timely. They boost the customer service team's efficiency significantly and accelerate resolution times.

Key benefits:

• Automate repetitive tasks and ticket routing to reduce manual workload.
• Improve response efficiency through AI-powered solutions and intelligent triage.
• Enable 24/7 self-service support for common inquiries.

Limitation:

• Initial setup of certain AI tools requires time and expertise to function optimally.
• Complex customer issues still require human intervention.

Live Chat

Zendesk offers 2 types of live chat: Zendesk Live Chat (Legacy) and Zendesk Messaging. The legacy one only lets you interact with customers on the website, while the messaging chat enables you to have conversations on apps, like Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp, so agents can switch between channels quickly.

Key benefits:

• Create a dashboard to track the support team’s performance on live chat.
• Gather customer information via pre-built forms.
• Guide customers to complete the checkout process via chat.

Limitations:

• Some users reported that they spent longer wait times on cheaper plans.
• AI chats are restricted to using information from the help center and can’t access past resolved tickets.

CRM and Sales

Zendesk also delivers comprehensive CRM systems, ideal for sales teams. It offers everything that a sales team needs, including contact and deal management, activity tracing, and lead generation. What’s more, it allows you to set up triggers and automate tasks to keep sales reps on target.

Key benefits:

• Maximize sales teams’ productivity to increase revenue.
• View key customer information all in one platform.
• Improve customer communication with the sales team.

Limitations:

• The pricing plans can be complicated and costly for sta artup.
• The initial setup can be challenging and requires significant training time.

Self-service Knowledge Base

The self-service knowledge base/help center articles of Zendesk allow users to find answers to common issues quickly without needing to contact the support team. Besides, users can create, share, and even embed support articles into their websites.

Key benefits:

• Offer instant answers to customers’ common issues.
• Boost agents’ efficiency and let them focus on personalized service.

Limitations:

• Advanced self-service for over 40 languages is only available for higher-pricing tiers.
• Sometimes users need to utilize their-party solutions for issues.

Analytics and Reporting

Zendesk Explore is the analytics and reporting tool of the platform. It gives you a base for gathering and analyzing data from customer interactions, agent activity, and support operations. It also provides pre-built dashboards and customizable reports that show KPIs in real time or for a specific period.

Key benefits:

• Automated analytics and reporting.
• Identify critical customer trends.
• Improved customer experience with analytics.

Limitations:

• The feature comes with a steep learning curve.
• Customizable dashboards are only available for Pro and Enterprise users.

Integration Capabilities

Zendesk features strong integration capabilities with many external applications and platforms, like CRMs, messaging apps, Shopify, productivity software via APIs, and pre-built connectors that can sync data and enable cross-platform actions. It also provides its own services, like Zendesk Integration Services (ZIS), to simplify the development of custom integrations.

Key benefits:

• Let agents switch between different apps and systems seamlessly.
• Give a comprehensive view of customer history across all channels.
• Ensure a cohesive and well-documented customer experience.

Limitations:

• Certain integrations require API knowledge and technical expertise for complex customizations.
• Complex integrations may lead to data sync issues.

Zendesk Pricing Plans

In addition to the key features, the greatest concern for many users considering Zendesk is its confusing pricing options. While this complexity fits diverse business needs, it often leaves teams unsure about what services each plan actually includes, leading to an unexpected lack of needed features later.

Don’t worry. Here we summarize the most common pricing plans below so that you can make a wise choice:

Note: The price plans may change over time. For the most up-to-date pricing, we recommend you reach out to Zendesk’s sales team directly.

Pros and Cons of Zendesk

Like most customer service platforms, Zendesk also comes with distinct pros and cons. If you are on the fence about choosing the right tool for your business, it’s crucial to weigh both to make an informed decision. Below, we summarize the pros and cons of Zendesk around its core features, pricing, usability, and scalability.

Pros of Zendesk:

• All-in-one customer support platform integrating chat, phone, email, and social media.
• Supports multiple languages and tracks customer history across multiple channels.
• Offers powerful analytics and reporting.
• Abundant customization options for tailored workflows.
• Robust integrations with lots of third-party apps and systems.
• Excellent scalability with evolving business needs.

Cons of Zendesk:

• Complicated pricing plans overwhelmed many users.
• Lacks robust integration with e-commerce platforms like Magento and BigCommerce.
• Best support capabilities are only available at higher pricing tiers.
• Ticket management systems are not right for e-commerce and small businesses.
• Steep learning curve requires lots of time and effort to master the software.

When Is Zendesk Right for Your Business

According to the above information, it can be concluded that Zendesk is a comprehensive and scalable customer service platform. It truly shines for large, established enterprises with complex needs and resources. Is it right for your business? Let’s answer the following questions:

1. Do you have a very large team and a complex product offering?

Zendesk is particularly suitable for large companies with 500+ employees and an intricate product offering. This is because Zendesk comes bundled with many advanced features and is backed by a dedicated team of support staff.

2. Do you require customizable analytics and reporting tools?

Zendesk is an enterprise-focused customer service program built for businesses that require detailed and advanced reporting and analytics capabilities. If you want to invest in deeper insights for your sales teams, it’s a good choice.

3. Do you need many integrations with enterprise-grade software?

Zendesk offers more than 1,000 integrations with external tools and software. It can connect with many enterprise-grade programs, such as Oracle, Salesforce, and Microsoft Teams. If your business focuses on providing integrations with online stores and e-commerce, then you can choose a lightweight platform like Solvea.

Best Alternative for Zendesk: Solvea

Zendesk is often a well-established choice for large enterprises when it comes to helpdesk platforms. However, its high costs and completed pricing tiers can be overwhelming, especially for small to mid-sized businesses and e-commerce platforms.

If you are looking for a cost-effective and e-commerce-centric customer support tool, it’s highly recommended that you choose Solvea. It delivers many key features and integrations you’ll find in Zendesk, perfect for growing businesses.

1. Ticketing System

Solvea provides a built-in, lightweight ticketing system, ideal for small businesses with limited ticket volume. It fully supports all existing helpdesk systems, including Zendesk itself. For larger customer support teams, Solvea can also seamlessly integrate with Zendesk’s live chat, helpdesk, and other channels.

1. AI Live Chat

Solvea’s AI live chat offers instant, 24/7 support for customers in multiple languages. It can understand what customers really need and respond to them with human-like accuracy, improving customer satisfaction and loyalty.

2. Robust Integrations

Compared to Zendesk, Solvea delivers seamless integrations tailored to online retailers’ needs. It perfectly aligns with e-commerce platforms, such as eBay, Amazon, and Shopify. It also integrates with Zendesk, Intercom, Gmail, Microsoft, voice, social media, email, etc.

3. Security and Compliance

Backed by enterprise-grade security with SOC 2 compliance, Solvea insists on strict standards to protect sensitive customer data. Businesses can trust it to safeguard all interactions and information, meeting industry regulations without extra hassle.

4. Successful Use Cases

Solvea boasts a great many successful use cases, especially on global retailers and e-commerce businesses like Amerlife, Navimow, Holy Stone, and Anker. For example, Solvea helped Anker solve 70% of tickets, increasethe resolution rate up to 92%, and cut manual work by 70%.

What Does Zendesk Do FAQ

1. What is Zendesk best used for?

Zendesk works best for customer service support. It is a comprehensive platform excelling at converting customer requests from multiple channels into a unified ticketing system, which helps agents address issues efficiently.

2. Is Zendesk a CRM system?

Yes, Zendesk offers a CRM system. It primarily acts as a customer service-focused CRM and helpdesk platform, and now has a sales CRM system called Zendesk Sell.

3. What major companies use Zendesk?

Zendesk has served over 170,000 paid customers around the world, covering different industries, such as Retail, Technology, and Manufacturing. Major companies include Shell, Nvidia, Uber, and Toyota.

4. What is the Microsoft equivalent of Zendesk?

The Microsoft equivalent of Zendesk refers to Microsoft Dynamics 365 customer service. It provides full-featured customer support and CRM solutions, ideal for organizations that have invested in Microsoft 365. Additionally, NITRO Help Desk is also a good choice that directly integrates with the Microsoft 365 ecosystem.