[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” _builder_version=”3.22.3″][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” _builder_version=”3.25″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” _builder_version=”3.25.3″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”]

Gartner has written, “Customer experience (CX) is one of the top 3 areas of marketing investment, so it’s important for marketing leaders to guide and empower everyone across the enterprise to optimize customer interactions.”

Today, there is tremendous potential and scope to explore targeted communication to customers as well as resolve queries with precision. Enterprises are no longer regarding service software applications as isolated platforms, but would rather incorporate the application into the heart of the business, using an integrated approach. 

Factors such as client demographics, age, and socio-economic status cannot be overlooked by businesses while considering the type and frequency of contact with customers. For instance, most millennials could prefer to communicate with retailers through email, the senior population may respond more favorably to a personalized approach, whether via a phone call or personal email. Implementing an integrated intelligent system allows businesses to understand customer nuances and respond accordingly.

The role of cloud-based CRM applications is becoming increasingly critical in the above context. Cloud-based CRM applications are programmed to cater to multifaceted demands of growing businesses that can track sales and create custom marketing opportunities along with service features. And, therefore, the emphasis of CRM applications is on openness and flexibility for all stakeholders. Modern CRM applications today can be configured to reflect the exact business model; for instance, ensuring that the CRM system reflects the journey of the customer – from initial awareness to becoming a customer and beyond.

In this article, we’ll compare CRMs: Zendesk vs Salesforce. 

Zendesk and Its Features 

Zendesk is a cloud-based help desk management solution that offers a range of customizable features, a dynamic front-end portal, live chat features, and integration with applications like Salesforce and Google Analytics.  It is used by a wide range of businesses and has more than 40,000 clients worldwide, including multinational firms such as Groupon and Zappos. Zendesk is easy to install and integrates with all other helpdesk channels like email, social networks, IM, and web forums. The application can be accessed from a desktop or mobile phone/tablet, thus lending the flexibility of also being able to manage a home-based support team.

Zendesk Key Features 

• Brings all support channels in one place for easier tracking, including emails, IM, social accounts, etc.
• Completely focuses on streamlining conversations with ticket views, triggers, and automation.
• Lifts the load for service agents by leading customers into a self-service online portal.
• Helps measure customer satisfaction ratings and agents’ performance with its reporting and analytics
• Has over 20-plus reports and dashboards templates
• Integrates easily with other business processes like CRM, e-commerce, and social media for a more seamless business workflow using its own API
• Also integrates with other popular apps like Salesforce, Atlassian, Google Apps, Freshbooks, and WordPress.

Zendesk vs Salesforce: How They Differ

There is a need for a 360-degree customer view, a comprehensive CRM, and Salesforce Service Cloud. Considering Zendesk vs Salesforce, who provides these?

Zendesk is a software solution that simply helps manage customer tickets. The application indicated above helps gather and assimilate all customer interactions in a single page and helps build seamless, personal, and efficient support. 

Salesforce Service Cloud on the other hand is a comprehensive client service solution built on the Salesforce platform. It works to render a 360-degree view of customer interactions and enables smart, fast, and personalized communication. 

Let us go through points of Zendesk vs Salesforce in further detail:

• In Zendesk, there are tickets which can be assigned to agents; whereas, in Service Cloud, there are no tickets but “cases.” Service Cloud’s AI-powered routing allows you to assign cases to the agents that are best qualified to resolve them. Further, a chronological timeline is traced that shows the whole customer interaction history providing the necessary context for support engineers. 

• With Zendesk, customer satisfaction can be tracked through surveys and can be compared with the other top companies in the industry. This Benchmark tool gives insights on the most important metrics such as the percentage of satisfied customers. On the other hand, Service Cloud connects you with other Salesforce products, providing the full context and the 360-degree view of the customer.

• Service Cloud offers unique enterprise-level support functionality: 3rd party CTI support, guided scripting, KCS, and integrates with over 5,000 apps and extensions available on the AppExchange.

Zendesk is a great tool for startups as well as for middle size and large companies primarily seeking a tool to manage support tickets. It can still be integrated with other CRM systems, platforms, and apps (such as Zendesk integration with Salesforce.)

Salesforce Service Cloud gives users access to customer, sales, support, and marketing data in one place. While Zendesk is a really good ticketing platform, it does not provide the full context. 

Service Cloud incorporates vital CRM data and helps agents quickly access and retrieve vital data, to deliver accurate troubleshooting for issues raised. Salesforce is a full-feature CRM provider, and hence functions such as sales, service, marketing, human resources, accounting, etc. and all have access to a single unifying platform that optimizes cross-functional communication and ensures no customer is left in the dark. An integrated Salesforce environment facilitates client support and ensures positive customer experiences.

About Appshark-

AppShark is both a Salesforce Gold Consulting Partner and a Product Development Partner based in Dallas, Texas. Our implementation process (which includes customization, set up, and configuration) has been perfected through the many years we’ve served in the Salesforce industry. We also provide software integration services including strategy, development, and management to enable a continual flow of information from the cloud, premise to premise, or from cloud to premise platforms.

If you are a business looking to take the next step by Implementing Salesforce CRM into your operations, please contact us.

[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]