Zendesk-Slack Integration 101: How to Set It Up for Better Collaboration

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Zendesk-Slack Integration 101: How to Set It Up for Better Collaboration

ClearFeed Team
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Many companies are discovering the importance of combining Zendesk and Slack. Zendesk, used by over 155,185 businesses, is a leading customer service software that helps manage support tickets and requests. With a user base of over 100,000 companies, Slack has become the go-to platform for team communication and collaboration.

As the popularity of these tools continues to grow, integrating Zendesk and Slack has become a priority for many organizations looking to streamline operations. Employees appreciate Slack's user-friendly interface for teamwork. Companies can drive productivity and improve customer satisfaction with Zendesk for ticketing and tracking customer issues.

This article covers how to connect Zendesk and Slack to unify data, collaborate seamlessly across teams, and deliver excellent customer experiences. You'll also learn tips and tricks for getting the most out of the Zendesk-Slack integration. Let's dive in!

Does Slack Integrate with Zendesk?

Yes, Zendesk has a Slack app that connects the two platforms well. Just install the app into your Slack workspace and add it to the channels you want to use with Zendesk. With this built-in connection, you can make tickets, add internal comments, and get updates on new tickets or important changes to Zendesk tickets right in Slack. The Zendesk app is free with any Zendesk subscription.

You can also try more advanced ways to connect Slack and Zendesk, like using ClearFeed, Halp (now called Atlassian Assist), or Unito. These tools come with extra features, such as two-way syncing between Slack and Zendesk, advanced forms for using Zendesk, and help for a hybrid support system where you can handle simple stuff in Slack and only file important issues in Zendesk via a triage.

How to Integrate Slack Channels into Zendesk?

The simplest way to bring Slack and Zendesk together is to use the free Zendesk Slack App. You need to install the Zendesk Slack app into the Slack workspace where you want to make tickets. If you want to make tickets from any channel, you just need to invite the Zendesk app to that channel. Once all of this is set up, you can start making tickets like this:

Method 1: Using a slash command

Method 2: Using Slack Actions on an existing message

Method 3: By tagging the Zendesk bot in a Slack message.

Customers won't be able to utilize the two methods mentioned in a Slack Connect channel. This is because they don't have access to the command functionality and menu actions of the Zendesk app. These features are exclusive to the organization that installed the Zendesk app, hence only accessible to its agents. However, there's a workaround. Both agents and customers can file tickets by simply tagging the Zendesk bot. This simple method ensures everyone can file tickets without command or menu access.

Step 1: Post a Slack message on the channel that contains @zendesk.

Step 2: Click the Create ticket button on the message posted back by the Zendesk bot.

Step 3: Fill in the ticket details in the dialog box that will now open up, and hit the Submit button.‍

What Are the Benefits of Connecting Slack to Zendesk?

Linking your Slack channels with Zendesk significantly benefits your team and your customers. Here are four main advantages:

  1. It's Handy: It allows your customers and employees to create support tickets from Slack. They do not need to switch back and forth between email or other platforms. A chat that starts in Slack can be turned into a ticket without hassle. That makes Slack and the ticketing system even more valuable.
  2. Acts as a Record: Each conversation on Slack can be made into a ticket. That way, you can document all talks from start to end. It’s helpful because these tickets often come in handy for future reference and act as an internal source of information.
  3. Supports Follow-ups: If a customer raises an issue using your ticketing system and wants to check on the resolution progress through Slack, they can do that easily. Your customer service staff can quickly share updates on their issue in Slack. Plus, any additional chats in Slack related to the ticket can be added to keep all communication on record for the agents to see.
  4. Saves Time for Support Teams: Your customer support teams can view open tickets within Slack, add internal comments, and receive notifications about important updates by setting up triggers. This convenience saves them time and makes the support process smoother.

What Are the Most Important Features for a Slack Zendesk Integration?

A great Slack Zendesk integration should provide essential functions like creating tickets from Slack and enable important functionality like Zendesk forms and fields within Slack while providing a seamless conversational way of interacting with Zendesk - that is natural to Slack users. Here are some of the top features users should look for when integrating these two tools:

  • Make it possible to create tickets from Slack channels easily.
  • Allows conversion of existing Slack threads to tickets.
  • Allows linking Slack conversations to existing tickets and returning ticket status updates to Slack conversations.
  • Allows live synchronization of Slack threads and Zendesk tickets.
  • Allows users to perform actions like close/re-open/escalate tickets from within Slack.
  • Makes it possible to configure forms and fields for opening/closing/editing tickets from within Slack.
  • Provide an option to automatically detect customer requests and convert them into tickets.
  • Allows external users on Slack Connect channels to create tickets and perform other actions.
  • Allows agents to post internal comments on tickets from within Slack.

What Are the Best Tools to Integrate Slack with Zendesk?

There are many tools in the market for connecting Slack and Zendesk. Four top tools businesses can use to connect Slack to Zendesk are

  • ClearFeed
  • Halp (now known as Atlassian Assist)
  • Zendesk
  • Zapier

1. ClearFeed

ClearFeed is one of the top four ways to connect Slack channels to Zendesk in 2024. Customer support, IT, and engineering teams can make the most of ClearFeed for tracking, prioritizing, and resolving customer requests received over Slack. Your teams can work from your ticketing system or Slack to communicate with the customer.

Features

1. Converting Slack Threads into Tickets: Transform your existing Slack threads into support tickets effortlessly. Our AI-driven mechanism creates a ticket title and directly uploads all thread messages, including any attached images, into the ticket.

2. Setting Up Bi-Directional Sync: You can synchronize seamlessly between a Slack thread and its corresponding ticket. Whenever a new reply is posted on the Slack thread or a public comment on the ticket, it gets automatically mirrored to its counterpart. This efficient two-way sync allows customers to interact smoothly with customer support agents using Zendesk directly through Slack.

3. Auto-Ticketing Feature with ClearFeed's Software: ClearFeed's technologically advanced software monitors Slack channels, identifies customer requests, and converts these into tickets. Additionally, it automatically collates related or consecutive messages into a single ticket while maintaining a bi-directional sync with the originating Slack thread.

4. Ticket Management from Slack: Our system empowers customers to manage their tickets directly within Slack. They can escalate, edit, or close their tickets, providing them with heightened control and convenience.

5. Configurable Fields for Ticket Operations: Our offering allows you to customize fields for creating and closing tickets, letting you specify default values for mandatory fields. This makes ticket management more streamlined and tailored to your specific needs.

Limitations

  • There is no way to leave internal comments on tickets from Slack using ClearFeed.
  • Creating a ticket without using an existing Slack message as a starting point is impossible.

How to Integrate Slack Channels into Zendesk Using ClearFeed?

To effectively use ClearFeed for ticket management, users must follow these steps:

  • Step 1: Users must register for a ClearFeed account to start the ticketing process.
  • Step 2: Users can install the ClearFeed app on their Slack workspace after signing up, ensuring seamless integration between Slack and Zendesk.
  • Step 3: To enable flawless communication, users must authorize ClearFeed to connect with their Zendesk account.
  • Step 4: The ClearFeed app should be invited to each channel where tickets must be filed. This ensures the app can document all relevant dialogues and generate tickets accordingly.

With the setup complete, users can create tickets using two straightforward methods:

Method 1: Using an emoji on a message posted on Slack

  • Step 1: Send a message on the Slack channel. Post as many replies to the message as desired, including attachments.
  • Step 2: Apply the ticket emoji on the first message. The customer and the customer service team can do this.

A ticket will be generated, and the ticket number, title, latest status, and other fields will be displayed on the thread. All thread messages and their attachments are automatically uploaded into the ticket. Two-way syncing between the thread and the Zendesk ticket will automatically happen therefrom.

Method 2: Using Slack Actions on a Slack Message

  • Step 1: Click on the three dots/More Actions icon beside the message. Select ‘ClearFeed’ from the list displayed.
  • Step 2: Select the ‘File Zendesk ticket’ option from the ClearFeed dialogue box.
  • Step 3: Review the ticket details auto-populated in the dialog box (and edit them if required). 
  • Step 4: Click on the ‘Create’ button to complete the ticket creation.

Method 2 is available only to customer service agents and allows agents to create tickets privately (and share ticket updates automatically on the thread as a configurable option). This method also gives agents much control over which messages from a Slack thread are auto-populated into the ticket. This blog post on connecting Slack and Zendesk using ClearFeed goes into this topic in greater detail.

2. Halp (Now Known as Atlassian Assist)

Halp is one of the ticketing solutions worldwide that can connect Slack channels with Zendesk. It aids with tracking, prioritizing, responding, and assigning requests from Slack channels. As a user, you can automate redundant tickets, build customized forms, track the performance of your customer success teams, and measure ROI using Halp.

Features

  • A real-time bi-directional session is created between Slack and Zendesk.
  • Your customers can convert a thread on the Slack channel into a ticket using an emoji on the Slack message.
  • Supports automatic ticket creation mode where every new message from existing customers is automatically converted into a ticket.
  • The progress on the customer ticket is auto-notified to all ticket followers.
  • Support for creating ticket creation forms using field information from Zendesk.

Limitations

  • Attachments and Slack thread replies are not uploaded automatically into Zendesk on ticket creation.
  • No support for leaving internal comments on tickets.
  • No way of linking conversations to an existing ticket.

How to Integrate Slack Channels into Zendesk Using Halp?

A Slack Admin in your business’ Slack workspace must install Halp’s Slack app (Atlassian Assist). It also has to be configured to connect to Zendesk. Once configured, you can use Halp using any of the methods below.

Method 1: Using commands

There are four slash commands. You can type any one of them and create a ticket from Slack.

  • /halp [describe the issue]
  • /assist [describe the issue]
  •  /support [describe the issue]
  • /helpdesk [describe the issue]

Method 2: Using Emoji

Add a ticket emoji to a message on the Slack channel to convert the conversation into a ticket. The customer and the customer success agent can do both.

Method 3: Using the Halp help desk

As a user, you can create a ticket from Slack using the Halp helpdesk app on the platform.

  • Step 1: Click on the ‘Halp helpdesk’.
  • Step 2: Click on ‘Create a ticket’. Choose the relevant form from the dropdown listed and fill it in.

The ticket is created and displayed on the ‘Messages’ tab under the ‘Halp Helpdesk’.

Is Halp still available?

Formerly known as Halp, Atlassian Assist no longer provides new customer integration with Zendesk. Instead, it now focuses on connecting Slack with Jira Service Management, another offering from Atlassian. Despite this shift, Atlassian Assist retains its relevance as a benchmark for evaluating effective Slack and Zendesk integration. For those seeking alternatives to Halp, a comprehensive list of comparable products can be found here.

3. ‍Zendesk

As discussed above, Zendesk provides a free Slack app to connect Slack and Zendesk. A big advantage of using Zendesk’s native connector is that no other third-party vendor is involved. No security reviews, no budget approvals!

Features

  • Tickets can be created from Slack messages by agents and customers.
  • Ticket ID and status updates are notified back to customers.
  • A two-way conversation between agents and customers on Slack can be created using side conversations from within Zendesk.
  • Internal comments can be left on tickets from within Slack by replying to ticket notifications and applying the ‘Add as internal note’ Slack action from the Slack actions menu.

Limitations

  • Attachments and Slack thread replies are not uploaded automatically into Zendesk.
  • There’s no synchronization by default between the Slack thread and the created Zendesk ticket. Side conversations create a new thread.
  • There is no support for configuring required fields or specifying default values.

‍The specifics of how to use the free Zendesk App to create tickets and perform other actions have been covered in this section.

4. Zapier and Unito

Workflow Automation tools like Zapier and Unito can also be useful for integrating Slack and Zendesk. They can trigger workflows on the arrival of new Slack messages and create tickets in Zendesk automatically and vice versa. However, they have several gaps concerning an ideal connector:

  • There is no ability to automatically convert entire threads into tickets or upload attachments in Slack into tickets.
  • No response was posted to Slack, conveying the ticket status and other details.
  • Zapier provides a one-way workflow. It means two-way synchronization between a Zendesk ticket and a Slack thread is impossible. Unito advertises a two-way synchronization but lacks documentation and any kind of case studies around such an integration.
  • Since these are automation tools, they do not have screens and dialogs that users can interact with while opening and closing tickets - they can be customized as per requirements.
  • No ability to have custom fields and default values, and users to post internal comments via Slack.

The Bottom Line

Good communication and top-notch customer service are super important for any business. By joining Zendesk and Slack, businesses can make these areas smoother, work faster, and make their customers happier. By bringing together valuable information and promoting teamwork, businesses can discover many chances to do better than their rivals and impress their customers.

Using the helpful advice and tricks for making the most of bringing Zendesk and Slack together, you're ready to see what wonders this combination can do! You can change the way your teams and your customers communicate. Pretty incredible, right? And if you want to learn more about how ClearFeed can help you with Slack-Zendesk integration, book a demo here.

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