Zendesk automation - simplify workflows, take the strain off support
Leafworks helps companies to automate recurring tasks and complex processes in Zendesk. This relieves support teams, processes run faster and more consistently, and customers receive reliable answers without waiting.
Why automation is important in customer support
- Increase efficiency: Standard tasks run automatically in the background instead of taking up valuable agent time.
- Reduce errors: Defined workflows ensure information is processed correctly.
- Increase satisfaction: Customers receive quick answers, employees have more time for complex issues.
Four areas in which automation is particularly impressive
Automations in Zendesk scale your support, especially during peak times: Data from the shop, CRM or ERP automatically ends up in the ticket; rules or AI prioritise, route and notify – without additional clicks and without switching systems.
Events from external systems (e.g. cancellations, returns, incoming payments) trigger workflows defined in Zendesk – status changes, tags, SLA updates, templates or notifications. This works via API or middleware, regardless of whether the connected systems are SaaS or on-premise.
Routing & distribution
Tickets are automatically assigned based on customer or order data.
Enrichment & processes
CRM or ERP data automatically supplement tickets.
Business processes
Changes in ERP or shop systems automatically trigger actions in Zendesk.
Reduce manual labour
Routine tasks such as order updates or address changes run in the background.
Examples of automated Zendesk tasks
Leafworks has already implemented numerous automations for customers – from simple workflows to complex integrations with ERP or shop systems:
Dynamic triggers that use natural language processing (NLP)
An incoming email creates a ticket and triggers a trigger in Zendesk. But instead of the standard trigger being fired, a dynamic trigger can be set in the background. By assigning a priority based on content, keywords and topics, and by including NLP suggestions, you can route incoming requests to specialised teams. Learn more about Zendesk sentiment analysis of ticket content using NLP.
Customer self-service
An incoming customer enquiry such as “When will my parcel arrive?” can be processed in such a way that the delivery status and tracking number of the order are displayed based on the customer information, e.g. the order number. This allows the customer to choose whether they want to speak to a human or opt for self-service. See an example of how a RASA chatbot automatically provides information about the delivery of the order.
Automated actions in logistics
If you receive an order cancellation via email or chat, the automation would be to automatically set a delivery block so that the parcel is not sent. On the one hand, prioritisation is high, while at the same time appropriate mechanisms are set in motion to ensure that no additional costs are imposed on the customer. Here you can see how we used specially developed middleware to integrate Zendesk with SAP.
Greetings and signatures
Automatically replace “Dear Sir or Madam” with the customer’s “first name” or personalise the time of day with a “Good morning” or “Good evening” in the signature. At Christmas time, for example, you can replace the “Standard signature” with “Merry Christmas”. Less work needs to be done manually in the background of the agent interface, while ensuring that the brand communication parameters are automatically adhered to. Learn more about implementing dynamic signatures in Zendesk.
Where do you start with the automation of tasks in Zendesk?
One way to decide where to start with Zendesk automation is to consider agent satisfaction. It is common knowledge that a satisfied agent automatically satisfies the customer.
The customer is satisfied because they have a good customer experience, and the agent also wants to know when the customer is satisfied. For example, if the customer knows when their delivery will arrive and their question is answered immediately, this is a great result for the customer at the start of their relationship with your organisation. On the other hand, if you reduce the overall backlog in your organisation by doing things faster and more efficiently, you also reduce the response time for the customer. For the customer, this means that they are more satisfied simply because they receive a response more quickly.
Automating simple, manual and tedious tasks for customer service agents increases both employee satisfaction and productivity. It is therefore worth relieving the agents, especially if processing times are long.
What types of automation are available in Zendesk?
A better question would be: Is there anything that’s nopt possible with Zendesk? One reason why we at Leafworks are so passionate about automating and integrating Zendesk with third-party systems is that there are seemingly endless ways to create the ideal environment for businesses to optimise their customer service. No matter how unique the needs of each individual organisation we work with.
Zendesk CRM integration
Automated:
- Ticket enrichment (segment, status, contract, SLA) from the CRM
- Routing/prioritisation by customer segment, language or region
- Sync of contact/account changes without manual intervention
Example: Zendesk ↔ Microsoft Dynamics: SLA priority & owner assignment automatically
Zendesk API integration
Automated:
- NLP/Intent & Sentiment → Tags, macro suggestions, auto-routing
- Webhooks/middleware → Cancellation, return, receipt of payment triggers actions
- Time/SLA rules → Reminders, escalations, batch updates
Example: NLP-based routing + webhook to ERP in case of cancellation. CTA: More
Results-based Zendesk integration
Automated:
- Monitor KPIs (CSAT, AHT, FCR) and trigger alerts/escalations
- Show dashboards/reports in the agent or team view
- Follow-ups in the event of target deviations (e.g. enquiry, supervisor notification)
Example: CSAT < target → team info, ticket checklist & follow-up trigger.
Our customers
We support a large number of customers (300+) in the Zendesk environment. Our customers range from startups with 3 agents to large organisations providing customer service in 30 countries with 999+ agents.
“With the help of Leafworks, we were able to realise a mammoth project without any negative impact on users and customers. Quite the opposite – we were able to standardise customer satisfaction across the entire Staffbase Group to a high level and can now offer efficient multi-product support.”
“The collaboration with Leafworks was very pleasant and professional. Switching to a new support system was a big step for us. Leafworks understood our needs very well, clearly communicated opportunities and obstacles and gave us excellent advice during the transformation process.”
“The collaboration with Zendesk and Leafworks was characterised by the utmost professionalism and reliability from start to finish! […] We were able to start 2 months after the go-live decision and hardly had any teething troubles, which is amazing for such a big changeover.”
“The support staff now have everything in one place and at a glance, with a clear dashboard and without having to switch interfaces. A clear advantage for the agents in favour of the attention they can give to customers.”
Weitere Kunden
We are here to help!
Many bottlenecks in support can be alleviated through automation in Zendesk: recurring steps run in the background, data is reliably enriched, answers come faster – without extra clicks and copy-paste.
What we do
- Identification and prioritisation of suitable use cases
- Implementation with triggers, automations, macros and (where appropriate) AI/NLP
- Connection of required data points via middleware/add-ons API
- Tests, rollout, training and documentation
- Monitoring and fine-tuning of the rules
What you get out of it
- Less manual input, lower error rate
- Shorter response and resolution times (SLA targets reliably achievable)
- Higher first-contact resolution for standard requests
- Measurable improvements in KPIs such as CSAT and AHT
Let’s talk about your use cases – we will outline a lean roadmap and implement the first automations quickly.
Robert Cwicinski
CRM expert
- CRM
- Automation
- Integrations
- Business Intelligence / BI
- Zendesk
- Digital Transformation
- Custom MVPs
With the help of Zendesk, we realise projects in the customer service environment. We take over the complete customisation to the internal CI/CD, automations within Zendesk through to custom apps and integrations into your backend systems. Let’s talk about how we can improve your CX.
Get in touch with us!
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