Today’s social media-driven world and the ‘callout culture’ have made it easier for unhappy customers to publicly share their complaints and concerns. To address these concerns, two great competitors have emerged in the customer support software industry, fighting the ultimate battle of the helpdesks – Freshdesk vs Zendesk.
Customers have become more unforgiving in their expectations, demanding personalized support when they encounter challenges. Despite 84% of customers expressing their preference for brands that treat them as individuals rather than mere numbers, a substantial 66% of customers feel that they are still being treated impersonally by brands.
Customer service platforms like Freshdesk and Zendesk have become essential tools to meet these elevated expectations. They provide businesses that no longer want to overlook the impact of poor customer service with a centralized system to streamline customer inquiries, complaints, and feedback.
But which of the two is the right fit for your business? This article analyzes the Freshdesk vs Zendesk clash in terms of several important criteria to help you make an informed decision.
Freshdesk is a customer support software company that provides helpdesk and ticketing solutions for businesses.
In 2010, Girish Mathrubootham and Shan Krishnasamy started Freshdesk in Chennai, India, to help companies manage customer support better. Girish had a bad experience with a popular helpdesk software while working at Zoho Corporation. This inspired him to create Freshdesk, a cheaper and easier-to-use alternative.
Freshdesk became Freshworks in 2017 and now offers a complete customer engagement platform. Under the Freshworks umbrella, the company offers four software products:
Freshdesk is primarily used as a customer support software and helpdesk solution. The most common use cases of Freshdesk are:
Zendesk is a company that offers software to help businesses with customer service and support, using a cloud-based platform. Mikkel Svane, Morten Primdahl, and Alexander Aghassipour founded the company in 2007 in Copenhagen, Denmark.
The company quickly gained traction, attracting customers with its intuitive interface and robust features. In 2008, Zendesk relocated its headquarters to San Francisco, USA, and expanded its presence in the international market.
Over the years, Zendesk has grown and diversified its offerings to cater to businesses of all sizes and industries. It now provides a suite of products under the Zendesk umbrella, including:
Businesses use Zendesk to manage and improve their customer support and engagement processes. The most common use cases of Zendesk are:
Discover the main aspects and distinctions of Freshdesk vs Zendesk to assist you in making a knowledgeable choice for your company.
This guide helps you find the right fit for your customer support needs, whether they involve easy ticket management, detailed reports, or smooth integrations.
The pricing plans for Freshdesk provide a range of features to accommodate businesses of different sizes and requirements. All Freshdesk pricing plans include a free trial.
Image source: freshworks.com (August 4, 2023)
Zendesk pricing varies based on the number of agents and the chosen billing cycle. The first three pricing plans – Suite Team, Suite Growth, and Suite Professional – automatically include a free trial.
Image source: zendesk.com (August 4, 2023)
Both Freshdesk and Zendesk offer free trials, allowing businesses to explore the features before committing to a paid plan. Freshdesk has a free plan for small teams but with limitations. Zendesk doesn’t have a permanent free plan.
Both Freshdesk and Zendesk offer intuitive onboarding processes with similar steps to set up and customize the helpdesk. They provide email integration and features to improve agent productivity and collaboration.
In terms of agent load balancing, Freshdesk’s “Round Robin” feature and Zendesk’s “Skills-based Routing” are effective methods to distribute tickets fairly among agents, based on their workload and expertise.
Regarding agent productivity, both platforms provide tools like canned responses, macros, and automation to streamline agent workflows and reduce repetitive tasks.
Both Freshdesk and Zendesk offer strong support services to their users, in the form of:
Freshdesk and Zendesk both offer email and phone support to users with paid plans, allowing users to get personalized assistance when needed. Zendesk goes a step further by providing live chat support for higher-tier plans.
Both platforms provide training resources, with Zendesk offering webinars to help users understand and use advanced features effectively.
💡 When comparing user support between Freshdesk and Zendesk, consider the level of support in the plan that meets your business needs. Read reviews and experiences from other users too, as these are helpful in assessing the user support quality and responsiveness on each platform.
Both Freshdesk and Zendesk offer robust ticketing systems with similar core features. They support multiple channels for creating tickets, offer ticket assignment and prioritization options, and enable efficient collaboration among support agents.
Both systems offer automation capabilities, enabling users to automate routine tasks and streamline ticket handling. They also provide customizable ticket views and filters, facilitating better organization and agent productivity.
🎫 The choice between Freshdesk and Zendesk ticketing systems may come down to the specific needs and preferences of your business. Think about features like integrations, ease of use, and reporting to match your support needs.
Both Freshdesk and Zendesk are strong contenders in terms of self-service options, particularly regarding knowledge bases. Here are some key points of comparison.
Both Freshdesk and Zendesk offer a variety of communication channels to cater to diverse customer preferences. Here are some points of comparison.
💬 When evaluating communication channels between Freshdesk and Zendesk, consider your customers’ preferred contact methods, the availability of integration options, and the specific features offered by each platform.
Here are the main differences in customization when it comes to Freshdesk vs Zendesk.
If custom ticket forms and themeable agent interfaces are essential to you, Freshdesk might be a better fit. Zendesk is great for integrating with other apps and tools, which is important if you want everything to work together smoothly. Let’s discuss this below.
Both Freshdesk and Zendesk have strong extensibility and integration capabilities, allowing you to connect with various tools and services. Here is how they differ between Freshdesk vs Zendesk.
Both Freshdesk and Zendesk offer powerful automation capabilities. The availability of scenario automation and time-based automation, however, may influence your decision based on your particular requirements. Here is what you need to know.
Both platforms provide standard reports and time-tracking functionalities to help you monitor and improve your support operations. If in-depth analytics and advanced reporting are crucial for your organization, Zendesk’s “Explore” tool may offer more extensive features.
Users appreciate Freshdesk for its smooth integration with other tools, allowing seamless workflows and better collaboration. Freshdesk’s reporting and analytics features provide useful support performance insights. Startups and small businesses like their free plan.
Zendesk users appreciate its customization options, which allow them to tailor the platform to their specific support needs. Zendesk’s extensive app marketplace is also well-received, providing users with a wide range of integrations to enhance their support operations.
Selecting the winner from the Freshdesk vs Zendesk fight for the ultimate helpdesk is a critical decision that can significantly impact your business’s efficiency and customer satisfaction. Freshdesk offers ease of use and robust ticket management, while Zendesk stands out for its extensive customization and reporting capabilities.
However, these bulky helpdesk packages may be too complex for most small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs). Touchpoint emerges as the best budget-friendly alternative. It is a user-friendly customer service platform that uses AI and automation to help support teams provide smooth customer experiences.
The pay-as-you-go pricing allows businesses to adjust costs based on their support needs. Additionally, the omnichannel features assist in managing interactions across multiple channels. With AI-powered support, Touchpoint automates routine tasks and enhances ticket routing for quicker resolutions.
The platform’s customizable workflows enable businesses to tailor processes to their specific requirements. Real-time reporting and analytics empower data-driven decision-making.
Think about what your business needs and how each platform can meet those needs for good customer support.
Raluca Mocanu is a seasoned content writer, specializing in content marketing since 2016. With a strong focus on customer behavior analysis and SEO optimization, she crafts compelling narratives that drive engagement and boost conversions.
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