In 2023, businesses will have an abundance of options when it comes to choosing a customer support and relationship management tool. Two of the most popular options are Intercom and Zendesk. Both of these tools have unique strengths and weaknesses, and choosing between them can be difficult for businesses of all sizes.
Intercom is an all-in-one business communications tool that offers support, marketing, and sales features. It is known for its automation options and customizable capabilities, making it a popular choice for small-to-medium businesses. On the other hand, Zendesk is primarily a customer service platform that now offers a sales module. It is designed for larger enterprises and offers more comprehensive features than Intercom.
When deciding between Intercom and Zendesk, businesses should consider their specific needs and goals. For those with a complicated customer support process, Zendesk may be the better option. However, Intercom may be the better choice if a business is more sales-oriented. Ultimately, the decision between these two tools will depend on company size, budget, and specific business needs.
Overview of Intercom and Zendesk
Intercom and Zendesk are two of the most popular customer support tools available. Both platforms offer a range of features that enable businesses to communicate with their customers seamlessly. In this section, we will briefly overview Intercom and Zendesk, including their history and key features.
Brief History of Intercom
Intercom was founded in 2011 by Eoghan McCabe, Ciaran Lee, Des Traynor, and David Barrett. Initially, the platform was designed to help businesses communicate with their customers through targeted messaging. However, over the years, Intercom has evolved into a complete customer communication platform with features like live chat, email marketing, and customer support.
Intercom is used by over 30,000 businesses worldwide, including Shopify, Atlassian, and New Relic. The platform is known for its user-friendly interface, powerful automation capabilities, and robust analytics tools.
Brief History of Zendesk
Zendesk was founded in 2007 by Mikkel Svane, Morten Primdahl, and Alexander Aghassipour. The platform was created to provide a simple and effective way for businesses to manage customer support tickets. Over the years, Zendesk has expanded its offerings to include features such as live chat, knowledge base, and customer feedback.
Today, Zendesk is used by over 200,000 businesses worldwide, including Airbnb, Uber, and Slack. The platform is known for its ease of use, customizable workflows, and extensive integrations with other business tools.
In summary, Intercom and Zendesk are powerful customer support tools offering various features to help businesses communicate with their customers effectively. While Intercom has a more modern and user-friendly interface, Zendesk has a broader range of features and integrations. Ultimately, the choice between Intercom and Zendesk will depend on the specific needs of your business.
Key Features Comparison
Intercom’s Key Features
Intercom is a customer messaging platform that offers a wide range of features to help businesses communicate with their customers in a more personalized way. Some of its key features include:
- Live Chat: Intercom’s live chat feature allows companies to communicate with their customers in real time, providing them with quick and efficient support.
- In-App Messaging: Intercom’s in-app messaging feature will enable businesses to send targeted messages to their customers while they are using their app or website.
- Email Marketing: Intercom’s email marketing feature will enable businesses to send targeted email campaigns to their customers based on their behavior and preferences.
- Customer Segmentation: Intercom’s customer segmentation feature will enable businesses to segment their customers based on their behavior, preferences, and other criteria, allowing them to provide more personalized support and marketing messages.
- Knowledge Base: Intercom’s knowledge base feature will enable businesses to create a self-service portal where customers can find answers to their questions without contacting support.
Zendesk’s Key Features
Zendesk is a popular customer support platform offering a wide range of features to help businesses manage customer interactions. Some of its key features include:
- Ticket Management: Zendesk’s ticket management feature allows businesses to manage customer support tickets from multiple channels, including email, phone, social media, and live chat.
- Automation: Zendesk’s automation feature allows businesses to automate repetitive tasks, such as assigning agent tickets or sending follow-up messages to customers.
- Reporting and Analytics: Zendesk’s reporting and analytics feature allows businesses to track key metrics, such as response time and customer satisfaction, and gain insights into customer support performance.
- Knowledge Base: Zendesk’s knowledge base feature allows businesses to create a self-service portal where customers can find answers to their questions without contacting support.
- Multilingual Support: Zendesk’s multilingual support feature allows businesses to provide support in multiple languages, making it easier to serve customers in different regions.
Intercom and Zendesk offer a range of features to help businesses manage their customer interactions. While Intercom focuses more on customer messaging and personalization, Zendesk focuses more on traditional customer support ticket management. Ultimately, the choice between these two platforms will depend on the specific needs of the business and the type of customer interactions they are looking to manage.
User Interface and Experience
Intercom’s User Interface
Intercom’s user interface is known for being modern, intuitive, and user-friendly. The dashboard is customizable, allowing users to efficiently access the features they use most frequently. Intercom’s clean and minimalistic design focuses on white space and easy-to-read fonts. The user interface is also highly responsive, making it easy to use on mobile devices.
One of the standout features of Intercom’s user interface is the ability to view customer conversations in a single thread, regardless of the channel they were initiated on. This makes it easy to see the full context of a customer’s interactions with a business, which can lead to more personalized and practical support.
Zendesk’s User Interface
Zendesk’s user interface is also modern and user-friendly but with a slightly different design aesthetic than Intercom. The dashboard is highly customizable, allowing users to access the features they use most frequently easily. The clean and professional design focuses on bold typography and contrasting colors.
One of the standout features of Zendesk’s user interface is the ability to view customer interactions in a timeline format, which can help track the progress of a customer’s support request. Additionally, Zendesk offers a wide range of customization options, allowing users to tailor the user interface to their needs.
Overall, Intercom and Zendesk offer intuitive and user-friendly user interfaces, prioritizing ease of use and customization. The choice between the two may be personal preference or specific feature requirements.
Customer Support and Services
When it comes to customer support and services, both Intercom and Zendesk offer robust solutions. In this section, we will take a closer look at the customer support options provided by each platform.
Intercom’s Customer Support
Intercom offers a range of customer support options, including email, phone, and live chat support. In addition, they provide a comprehensive knowledge base that includes articles, videos, and tutorials to help users get the most out of the platform.
One of the standout features of Intercom’s customer support is its chatbot functionality. The chatbot can help users with common support issues and answer frequently asked questions. This feature can reduce the workload of customer support teams and provide faster response times to users.
Intercom also offers a community forum where users can ask questions and get help from other users. This can be a valuable resource for users looking for solutions to specific problems or wanting to learn more about the platform.
Zendesk’s Customer Support
Zendesk provides a range of customer support options, including email, phone, and live chat support. They also offer a comprehensive knowledge base that includes articles, videos, and tutorials to help users get the most out of the platform.
One of the standout features of Zendesk’s customer support is its ticketing system. Users can submit support tickets through the platform, and customer support teams can manage and track those tickets to ensure they are resolved promptly. This feature ensures that users receive the support they need when needed.
Zendesk also offers a community forum where users can ask questions and get help from others. This can be a valuable resource for users looking for solutions to specific problems or wanting to learn more about the platform.
Intercom and Zendesk offer robust customer support options, including email, phone, and live chat support, comprehensive knowledge bases, and community forums. Intercom’s chatbot functionality is a standout feature, while Zendesk’s ticketing system can help resolve support issues on time.
Pricing Structure
When choosing the right customer support tool, pricing is an essential factor to consider. In this section, we will compare the pricing structures of Intercom and Zendesk.
Intercom’s Pricing
Intercom offers a range of pricing plans to suit different business needs. Their plans are divided into four categories:
- Start – This plan is suitable for small businesses and costs $39 monthly. It includes live chat, email support, and a knowledge base.
- Grow – This plan is suitable for growing businesses and costs $99 monthly. It includes advanced automation, custom branding, and team inbox features.
- Accelerate – This plan is suitable for established businesses and costs $499 monthly. It includes priority support, custom reporting, and advanced integrations.
- Scale – This plan is suitable for enterprise-level businesses and costs custom pricing. It includes features such as a dedicated customer success manager, custom security, and SSO.
Zendesk’s Pricing
Zendesk also offers a range of pricing plans to suit different business needs. Their plans are divided into four categories:
- Essential – This plan is suitable for small businesses and costs $5 per agent per month. It includes basic features like email support, a web widget, and reporting.
- Team – This plan is suitable for growing businesses and costs $19 per agent per month. It includes features such as chat support, automation, and performance dashboards.
- Professional – This plan is suitable for established businesses and costs $49 per agent per month. It includes multilingual support, CSAT surveys, and custom roles.
- Enterprise – This plan is suitable for enterprise-level businesses and costs custom pricing. It includes advanced analytics, custom SLAs, and a sandbox.
Intercom and Zendesk offer competitive pricing plans with various features to suit different business needs. Businesses should carefully evaluate their requirements and choose the best method for their needs and budget.
Integration Capabilities
Intercom and Zendesk offer integration capabilities to help businesses streamline their workflow and improve customer support. In this section, we will take a closer look at the integration capabilities of both platforms.
Intercom’s Integration
Intercom offers a wide range of integrations with various third-party tools, including CRMs, marketing automation platforms, and analytics tools. Some of the popular integrations include Salesforce, HubSpot, Marketo, and Google Analytics. Intercom’s integration with these tools allows businesses to track customer interactions, personalize messaging, and automate workflows.
Intercom also offers an API enabling businesses to build custom integrations with their tools. The API is well-documented and easy to use, making it a popular choice for companies that want to create their integrations.
Zendesk’s Integration
Zendesk also offers various integrations with third-party tools, including CRMs, marketing automation platforms, and analytics tools. Some of the popular integrations include Salesforce, HubSpot, Marketo, and Google Analytics. Zendesk’s integration with these tools allows businesses to track customer interactions, personalize messaging, and automate workflows.
In addition to third-party integrations, Zendesk offers a range of native integrations with its products, including Zendesk Support, Zendesk Chat, and Zendesk Talk. These integrations allow businesses to streamline workflow and provide a seamless customer experience across multiple channels.
Conclusion
Intercom and Zendesk offer robust integration capabilities that allow businesses to streamline their workflow and improve customer support. Choosing Intercom or Zendesk will depend on your specific needs and requirements.
Security Measures
When it comes to choosing a help desk software, security is a top priority. Intercom and Zendesk have implemented various security measures to protect their clients’ data.
Intercom’s Security
Intercom has a comprehensive security program that is designed to protect customer data. The company uses a multi-layered approach to security that includes:
- Encryption: Intercom encrypts data in transit and at rest using industry-standard encryption algorithms.
- Access Control: The intercom limits access to data to only those employees who need it to perform their job duties. The company also uses two-factor authentication to prevent unauthorized access to accounts.
- Vulnerability Management: Intercom employs a team of security experts who perform regular penetration testing and vulnerability scans to identify and address potential security issues.
- Compliance: Intercom complies with various industry standards and regulations, including GDPR, SOC 2, and ISO 27001.
Zendesk’s Security
Like Intercom, Zendesk also takes security seriously. The company has implemented various measures to protect customer data, including:
- Encryption: Zendesk uses SSL/TLS encryption to protect data in transit. The company also offers encryption at rest for customers who require it.
- Access Control: Zendesk employs strict access controls to limit access to data to only those employees who need it to perform their job duties. The company also uses two-factor authentication to prevent unauthorized access to accounts.
- Vulnerability Management: Zendesk performs regular vulnerability scans and penetration testing to identify and address potential security issues.
- Compliance: Zendesk complies with various industry standards and regulations, including GDPR, SOC 2, and ISO 27001.
In conclusion, Intercom and Zendesk have implemented robust security measures to protect their clients’ data. Customers can feel confident that their data is secure when using either platform.
Customer Reviews and Feedback
When choosing a customer support tool, it’s essential to consider what other users have to say about their experience with the platform. Here’s what customers are saying about Intercom and Zendesk in 2023.
Intercom’s Customer Reviews
Intercom has received generally positive customer reviews, with an overall rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars on Gartner Peer Insights. Customers appreciate the platform’s ease of use, flexibility, and robust feature set. However, some users have reported issues with the platform’s pricing and customer support.
One customer on Gartner Peer Insights praised Intercom for its “easy-to-use interface, automation capabilities, and seamless integration with other tools.” Another customer noted, “Intercom has allowed us to scale our customer support operations without sacrificing quality or personalization.”
However, some customers have reported issues with Intercom’s pricing model. One user on Gartner Peer Insights noted that “Intercom can be quite expensive, especially for small businesses.” Another customer reported, “Intercom’s pricing structure is confusing and difficult to understand.”
Zendesk’s Customer Reviews
Like Intercom, Zendesk has received generally positive customer reviews, with an overall rating of 4.4 out of 5 stars on Gartner Peer Insights. Customers appreciate the platform’s ease of use, customization options, and robust reporting capabilities. However, some users have reported issues with the platform’s customer support and pricing.
One customer on Gartner Peer Insights praised Zendesk for its “intuitive interface, robust feature set, and excellent reporting capabilities.” Another customer noted, “Zendesk has allowed us to streamline our support operations and improve our response times.”
However, some customers have reported issues with Zendesk’s customer support. One user on Gartner Peer Insights noted that “Zendesk’s support team can be slow to respond and sometimes unhelpful.” Another customer reported, “Zendesk’s customer support is hit or miss – sometimes they’re great, but other times they’re not very helpful.”
Regarding pricing, some customers have reported that Zendesk can be expensive, especially for small businesses. One user on Gartner Peer Insights noted that “Zendesk’s pricing structure can be confusing and difficult to understand.” Another customer reported, “Zendesk’s pricing is a bit steep, especially for the features we need.”
Final Verdict
Intercom and Zendesk are excellent customer support tools offering unique features and benefits. However, when it comes to choosing between the two, it ultimately depends on the specific needs and preferences of the user.
Intercom is an excellent option for businesses prioritizing personalized communication and customer engagement. Its live chat feature and ability to send targeted messages and notifications make it a powerful tool for customer engagement. Intercom’s user-friendly interface and easy integration with other tools make it a popular choice for many businesses.
On the other hand, Zendesk is a more comprehensive customer support tool that offers a broader range of features, including ticket management, knowledge base creation, and reporting and analytics. Its robust ticketing system and automation capabilities make it an excellent option for businesses with high-volume customer support needs. Additionally, Zendesk’s customizable dashboards and reporting features provide valuable insights into customer support performance.
In terms of pricing, both Intercom and Zendesk offer a range of plans to fit different business needs and budgets. However, Zendesk’s pricing is generally more affordable for smaller businesses, while Intercom’s pricing tends to be higher but offers more advanced features and capabilities.
Overall, both Intercom and Zendesk are reliable and effective customer support tools, and the choice between the two ultimately depends on the specific needs and priorities of the user.
