In the ever-evolving landscape of customer service, ensuring your tools meet your growing needs is crucial. Freshdesk has been a trusted partner for many, but is it truly maximising your potential? As companies scale and face new challenges, some are finding that Freshdesk may fall short of delivering the comprehensive support necessary for growth. Join us as we explore why businesses are making the switch to alternative solutions that promise to elevate customer service to new heights, ensuring no customer is left behind.
Understanding Challenges with Freshdesk
Limited integration capabilities
Freshdesk’s marketplace is smaller compared to some other solutions, with basic APIs that limit integration customisation. This can hinder complex business needs, resulting in a disconnected view of the customer.
“The apps didn’t really work as expected and the product team couldn’t get the support it needed to troubleshoot them.”
Scalability issues
When your business starts scaling, Freshdesk might struggle to keep up. Its capacity to handle increasing volumes of customer interactions efficiently is often questioned by users who’ve experienced growth pains.
Lack of intelligent AI-driven self-service
Freshdesk requires manual bot training and lacks advanced AI-powered self-service capabilities, leading to higher costs and customer friction. Implementing intelligent self-service strategies can improve First Contact Resolution (FCR) rates by 10%, offering cost savings and better scalability.
Complex user interface
A user-friendly interface is crucial for quick adoption. Freshdesk’s rigid workspace, requiring frequent manual refreshes, can be a barrier to efficient operations, leading to low agent efficiency and satisfaction.
“The daily challenges related to using the new UI made it very clear that we needed to prioritise exploring other platforms.”
Inconsistent omnichannel support
Providing seamless omnichannel support is vital. Freshdesk sometimes falls short of offering a unified view across all customer interaction channels.
Northmill Bank in the Nordics, which switched to Zendesk for a better customer experience, stated, “Since we no longer have siloed systems, it’s much easier to give agents feedback and understand their workload.”
Basic reporting
According to McKinsey & Company, companies using customer analytics are twice as likely to see above-average profits. Freshdesk’s reporting capabilities are limited, lacking customisation and real-time analytics. This results in poor efficiency and transparency.
“Reporting in Freshdesk was a lot more limited. What we have now with Zendesk is so much easier and more powerful.”
Hidden costs
Freshdesk’s low license fees may seem appealing, but hidden costs can be problematic. Reliability issues, such as dropped calls, can frustrate customers and lead them to switch to competitors. The complex interfaces force agents to waste time switching between tabs, causing slower response times and a poorer customer experience. Additionally, Freshdesk’s basic reporting lacks the depth needed for businesses to gain insights and improve operations and customer service.
Why Companies Move Away from Freshdesk
Several companies have found greener pastures by moving away from Freshdesk, citing improvements in efficiency and customer satisfaction. Here are some examples:
reduction in staffing costs
HeliosX
This healthcare retail company consolidated six brands on Zendesk, moving away from Freshdesk due to superior reporting and greater agility. This transition resulted in a 50% reduction in staffing costs and a 20% improvement in cancellation rates.
Thinkific
An edtech software company, Thinkific switched from Freshdesk to Zendesk to better integrate their technology stack. The result was a more reliable solution that saved 40 hours per week.
savings
increase in workflow automation
Ola
By switching to Zendesk, Ola saw a 40% increase in CSAT and a 60% increase in workflow automation, improving productivity and reducing the need for training agents in multiple tools.
Monese
After adopting Zendesk, Monese experienced a 10%-point boost in CSAT and a 59% reduction in overall response time.
decrease in response time
Zendesk: Leading the Way in Customer Experience
As a result, Zendesk consistently leads Freshworks in customer experience (CX). Recognised as a leader in Gartner’s Magic Quadrant for five consecutive years, Zendesk has proven its capability to deliver top-notch customer service solutions.
With roots firmly planted in customer service, Zendesk’s focus and investment in R&D have resulted in a robust platform that meets the needs of thousands of customers, including those with more than 100 agent seats.
While Freshworks has broadened its focus across several areas, Zendesk remains dedicated to customer service excellence. This dedication is reflected in its ability to handle large-scale implementations effectively, making it the primary CX solution for many industry giants like Netflix, Uber, and Tesco.
Zendesk is the primary CX solution
Zendesk vs Freshdesk
When comparing Zendesk to Freshdesk, several key advantages of Zendesk become evident:
- First Response Time: Zendesk reduces first response time by 42%.
- Average Handle Time: It decreases average handle time by 27%.
- Admin Productivity: Zendesk boosts admin productivity by 15%.
- Customer Satisfaction: CSAT scores increase by 5% with Zendesk.
These factors highlight Zendesk’s efficiency and effectiveness in customer service management.
Moving from Freshdesk to Zendesk has transformed customer service experiences for many businesses. Here’s why:
Robust integrations
Zendesk offers a plethora of integrations and a broad marketplace (1,300+), allowing businesses to connect various tools seamlessly. This flexibility ensures smoother operations and a more cohesive workflow.
Scalable solutions
Whether you’re a start-up or a multinational corporation, Zendesk scales with your business. It efficiently manages high volumes of interactions, ensuring no customer is left unattended.
Self-trained bots and self-service
Zendesk makes it easy to get started with self-trained bots and self-service features. It uses millions of customer experience data points and offers an open API to extend services across any channel, ensuring a smooth and smart customer experience.
Intuitive user experience
Zendesk’s interface is designed with users in mind. It’s intuitive, making it easier for teams to adopt and start using it effectively without a steep learning curve.
True omnichannel support
With Zendesk, you get a unified platform that integrates all customer interaction channels. This ensures agents have a complete view of customer interactions, leading to more personalised and efficient support.
“We serve up to 70,000 tickets per month with a very small group of people, so having an easy-to-use platform is important. Since moving to Zendesk, functionality became way more stable and we now answer 98 percent of our calls.”
Actionable analytics
Zendesk’s analytics provide hundreds of metrics and customisable reports, offering real-time and historical insights. This approach enhances visibility, operational efficiency, and customer experience.
No hidden costs
With Zendesk, transparency is key—your costs and benefits are clear from the start. You’ll have a precise understanding of your budget and the value you’ll gain.
According to a Forrester study, businesses using Zendesk saw a 286% ROI increase over three years. This was achieved by:
- Saving costs through deflected tickets and reduced handling times
- Optimising staffing with enhanced agent efficiency
- Accelerating integration and realising time-to-value savings
- Generating additional annual revenue
Making the Right Choice
Choosing the right customer support tool should focus on long-term benefits and alignment with your business goals. Here are some recommendations:
Assess Your Needs: Identify your business’s specific needs and how your current tool meets or falls short of these requirements.
Evaluate Integration Options: Consider how well the tool integrates with your existing systems to ensure seamless operations.
Focus on Scalability: Choose a tool that can grow with your business, accommodating increasing volumes of interactions.
Prioritise User Experience: Ensure the tool is easy to use and doesn’t require extensive training for your team.
Unlock Growth Opportunities: By leveraging customer intelligence and intelligent self-service, you can surface insights that drive growth.
“I’ve tried Freshdesk, Desk.com, Gorgias, etc. Zendesk has the most platform integrations and customization […to support] our complex quality process since we sell medical devices.”
A Friendly Invitation
In the quest for the perfect customer service tool, it’s essential to consider all options. Premium Plus, a Zendesk EMEA Partner of the Year, is here to help. Whether you’re contemplating migrating from Freshdesk to Zendesk, implementing Zendesk, or seeking ways to optimise your current setup, Premium Plus offers expert consultation. We’re not here to sell you a product; we’re here to help you find a solution that works best for your business. Let’s continue the conversation and explore how we can support your journey towards exceptional customer service.
Want to learn more about Zendesk and how it can improve your CX?
Contact us today for a free consultation.
