Zendesk AI Agents are tools that automate up to 80% of customer interactions using generative AI and intent models. They support 109 languages, integrate with knowledge bases, and handle tasks like FAQs, ticket routing, and personalized responses. Starting at $69/agent/month, advanced features like intelligent triage and analytics are available for an additional $50/agent/month.
Key Features:
- Automates Routine Tasks: Saves time with ticket categorization, sentiment analysis, and response suggestions.
- Supports Diverse Businesses: Scales for e-commerce, healthcare, and finance sectors.
- Improves Efficiency: Reduces manual tasks by 92% and boosts productivity by 23%.
Alternatives:
- Help Scout: Simple interface, AI included in all plans, starts at $50/month for 100 contacts.
- Zoho Desk: Budget-friendly, AI-powered Zia assistant, starts at $14/user/month.
- Intercom: Real-time messaging focus with AI tools like FinAI Copilot.
- Quidget: No-code AI agent builder, supports 45+ languages, starts at $16/month.
Quick Comparison:
| Feature | Zendesk | Help Scout | Zoho Desk | Quidget |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $69/agent/mo | $50/mo (100 contacts) | $14/user/mo | $16/mo |
| AI Features | $50 add-on | Included | Included | Included |
| Multi-language Support | 109 languages | Limited | Yes | 45+ languages |
| Integrations | 1,700+ | 100+ | 500+ | 45+ |
Zendesk is ideal for large enterprises, while alternatives like Zoho Desk and Quidget cater to smaller budgets and specific needs. Choose based on your scale, language requirements, and cost preferences.
Core Functions
Building AI Agents
Create Zendesk AI Agents tailored to your brand’s style and directly linked to your knowledge base. The process involves four key phases:
| Setup Phase | Key Actions |
|---|---|
| Initial Configuration | Link your knowledge base and set language preferences |
| Response Customization | Define tone and craft response templates |
| Workflow Creation | Establish ticket routing and automation rules |
| Integration | Connect communication channels and set up API integrations |
These steps ensure the AI agent is ready to function as an effective support assistant.
Support Agent Assistant
Zendesk’s AI agent acts as a copilot for support teams, delivering real-time insights and response suggestions while keeping human oversight intact .
For example, Siemens Financial Services reported a 23% boost in productivity after incorporating Zendesk AI’s assistance tools into their customer service workflow .
"Zendesk AI has changed the way we speak to our customers, because now we can actually match their tone in conversation, whether they like to use emojis or prefer the conversation to be more formal."
– Stacey Zavattiero, Customer Experience Manager
Additional benefits include:
- 92% reduction in manual triage tasks
- Automatic ticket sorting based on intent and sentiment
- Real-time response suggestions leveraging your knowledge base
- Performance analytics to help refine and improve processes
Basic vs Premium Features
Zendesk AI is available in two tiers:
-
Zendesk AI (Basic)
- Included with Suite plans starting at $69 per agent/month
- Suggests relevant help center articles for autoreplies
- Generates responses based on existing help center content
-
Advanced AI (Premium)
- Available as a $50 per agent/month add-on with Suite Professional or higher
- Automatically categorizes tickets with intelligent triage
- Recommends macros and identifies intents to streamline workflows
- Summarizes articles and tickets, and highlights similar tickets
For context, a salon chain that grew from 81 to 160 locations saved $14,000 per month while maintaining service quality – without hiring additional reception staff .
Zendesk AI Demo: How to Automate Your Customer Support with Smart Bots & Machine Learning
Main Advantages
Zendesk AI offers tools that improve efficiency, elevate service quality, and support business growth at scale.
Time Savings
Zendesk AI helps businesses save time by streamlining processes. For example, intelligent triage and contextual cues reduce handling time by 45 seconds per issue. For a typical enterprise retailer, this can mean saving 120 hours each month . Unity managed to deflect 8,000 tickets, saving $1.3 million .
Key features driving these efficiencies include:
- Automatic ticket categorization and routing based on intent and sentiment
- AI-driven response suggestions pulled from the knowledge base
- Automated management of routine tasks like password resets
- Proactive identification of bottlenecks in support workflows
These tools ensure more efficient operations and consistent customer interactions.
Better Service Quality
Zendesk AI improves support quality by delivering consistent and personalized experiences. The results speak for themselves :
| Metric | Improvement |
|---|---|
| First Reply Time | 74% faster |
| One-Touch Resolution | 92% success rate |
| Email Handle Time | 11% shorter |
"Zendesk AI simplifies and eases the workflow on our agent side. The summarization feature has been a huge help, especially for onboarding new reps. It saves us the time and energy of looking through an entire thread so we can work more efficiently."
These tools empower teams to deliver better outcomes while saving time.
Growth Support
Zendesk AI helps businesses grow without increasing costs in proportion to their expansion .
"We are investing quite a lot in our self-service options and mainly focusing on writing articles appropriately for the Zendesk AI agent to machine learn and recognize the context and content to better serve our members. Now that we have been using the AI agent for a while, it has gotten smarter at delivering just the right content for a specific query."
This ability to scale ensures businesses can handle growth without sacrificing service quality.
Key features supporting growth include:
- 24/7 automated support availability
- Intelligent workload distribution
- Automated ticket deflection
- Built-in scalability that doesn’t require coding
For example, Rentman has maintained a 93% CSAT score and kept response times between 60–70 minutes, even as their customer base has expanded .
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Other AI Agent Options
There are plenty of AI agent platforms available beyond Zendesk, each catering to different business needs.
Help Scout
Help Scout is designed for small to mid-sized companies, offering a clean and easy-to-use platform. Their pricing starts at $50/month for 100 contacts, and AI features are included for all users .
What sets Help Scout apart:
- Simpler interface compared to Zendesk
- Roughly 100 integrations (Zendesk has over 1,700)
- Transparent pricing with AI features included in all plans
Zoho Desk
Zoho Desk is a cost-friendly option that comes with strong AI features via its Zia assistant. Their Enterprise plan, priced at $40/user/month, offers more affordability compared to Zendesk’s $115/user/month .
| Feature | Zoho Desk | Zendesk |
|---|---|---|
| Built-in AI Analysis | Included | Add-on |
| Omnichannel Support | Native | Requires upgrades |
| Starting Price | $14/user/month | $19/user/month |
| Enterprise Price | $40/user/month | $115/user/month |
Intercom
Intercom is all about messaging-first customer engagement. They offer AI tools like the FinAI Copilot, which includes 10 free tickets per agent each month . This platform excels in real-time interactions and proactive customer outreach.
DevRev
DevRev takes a unique approach by combining customer support with product development. This helps teams connect customer feedback directly to product improvements. Their platform is ideal for teams looking for developer-oriented support automation.
Quidget – AI Agent Builder for Customer Support & Sales
Quidget stands out with its customizable AI agent builder, tailored for support and sales. Key features include:
- A no-code builder supporting over 45 languages
- Pre-designed templates for common scenarios
- Seamless integration with platforms like WhatsApp and Telegram
- A mix of AI and human support options
- Affordable pricing, starting at $16/month for small businesses
With so many options available, comparing features and pricing can help you find the perfect fit for your needs.
Platform Comparison
Features and Costs
Here’s a quick comparison of features and pricing across platforms:
| Feature | Zendesk | Help Scout | Zoho Desk | Quidget |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $19/agent/month | Not specified | Not specified | $16/month (Starter)[Website] |
| Enterprise Price | $115/agent/month | Custom | Not specified | $210/month (Enterprise)[Website] |
| AI Features | $50/agent add-on | Included | Built-in | Included |
| Native Voice | Yes | No | Yes | No |
| Integrations | 1,700+ | 100+ | 500+ | 45+ |
| Multi-language | Limited | Limited | Yes | 45+ languages |
| WhatsApp Integration | Paid add-on | No | Included | Yes |
Note: Pricing for Help Scout and Zoho Desk may vary.
In July 2023, Zendesk raised its pricing by 16%. Additional features like Advanced AI ($50/agent/month), Workforce Management ($25), Quality Assurance ($35), and Data Privacy Protection ($50) per agent are available as add-ons.
But pricing isn’t the only thing to consider – features and business needs play a big role too.
Selection Factors
When choosing a platform, think about these key factors:
Scale and Growth Needs
Zendesk is tailored for large enterprises, making it a go-to for companies with complex support needs. On the other hand, Help Scout and Quidget are better suited for small to mid-sized businesses. According to G2, Help Scout scored 9.2 for ease of use, compared to Zendesk’s 8.5.
Channel Support
Zoho Desk stands out with built-in multichannel support, while Zendesk requires add-ons, which can increase costs for businesses looking for omnichannel coverage.
AI Capabilities
Each platform approaches AI differently:
- Zendesk: Focuses on autoreplies, generative responses, and intelligent triage.
- Zoho Desk: Uses its Zia assistant for tasks like ticket tagging and sentiment analysis.
- Quidget: Offers customizable AI agents with no-code setup and broad multi-language support.
- Help Scout: Includes basic AI features in all plans, keeping things simple yet effective.
Cost Structure
- Zendesk’s per-agent pricing works well for teams with steady support volumes.
- Zoho Desk appeals to budget-conscious businesses.
- Quidget ties pricing to AI response volume, offering flexibility for businesses with varying needs.
While Zendesk offers the most comprehensive package, platforms like Zoho Desk, Help Scout, and Quidget cater to different budgets and priorities, making them strong alternatives.
Making Your Choice
Summary
Each platform has its strengths, catering to different business needs:
- Zendesk AI Agents offers strong performance in handling high volumes, with enterprise-level automation and detailed analytics. Its pricing – $50 per agent/month for the AI add-on and automated resolution fees of $1.50–$2.00 – is suited for teams with steady and predictable support demands.
- Help Scout stands out for its simple and user-friendly experience, earning a 9.2 ease-of-use score. It’s a great fit for teams looking for a solution that’s easy to adopt.
- Zoho Desk provides built-in multichannel support at no extra cost, making it attractive for teams that are budget-conscious but still need broad coverage.
- Quidget is a top choice for teams needing language flexibility, supporting over 45 languages and offering adaptable deployment across multiple channels.
With these features in mind, you can pick the best platform for your needs.
Getting Started
Here are some practical steps to help you introduce your chosen platform seamlessly into your operations:
-
Pilot the Platform
Track key metrics like faster response times, improved customer satisfaction, and better agent productivity . -
Plan Your Integration
Assess your current tools, data migration needs, and training requirements for your team. -
Build Your Knowledge Base
Gather help articles and frequently asked questions. If you’re using Zendesk AI, focus on issues tied to automated resolution fees . For Quidget, take advantage of its flexible AI training options, which can pull from various knowledge sources.
Use free trials to test each platform’s impact on response times, customer satisfaction, and productivity before making your final decision.
