Zendesk Transformation for Alternet and Raw Story: Elevating Customer Support for American News Brands

Alternet and Raw Story, two prominent American news brands, recognized the importance of delivering exceptional customer support to their growing user base. To achieve this goal, they sought the expertise of Smoothen, a trusted Zendesk consulting firm. With the approval of the Zendesk for Startups program, they partnered with Smoothen to implement Zendesk and revamp their customer support operations. Smoothen, dedicated to providing top-tier support solutions, left no stone unturned in delivering a comprehensive Zendesk implementation for both brands.

The Challenge: Alternet and Raw Story faced the challenge of scaling their customer support operations to meet the increasing demands of their user base. They required a robust and efficient support system that could cater to their respective brand identities while maintaining consistent and timely responses to user inquiries. Smoothen needed to implement Zendesk with all the essential best practices, ensuring a seamless experience for both brands' customers.

The Solution: Smoothen embarked on a journey to transform Alternet and Raw Story's customer support by implementing Zendesk. They followed a strategic approach that covered all aspects of Zendesk implementation, training, and support. The key components of the solution were:

1. Zendesk for Startups Program: Leveraging their expertise and relationship with Zendesk, Smoothen facilitated the approval of Alternet and Raw Story for the Zendesk for Startups program. This allowed the brands to access Zendesk's powerful support features at a more affordable cost, giving them a competitive advantage in the market.

2. Standard Best Practices Implementation: Smoothen meticulously implemented all the standard best practices for a new Zendesk account. They set up proper views, organized ticket statuses for automatic follow-ups, and configured emails for efficient communication with customers.

3. Brand-Focused Help Center: Understanding the importance of brand identity, Smoothen tailored the Help Center for each brand - Alternet and Raw Story. The Help Center was designed to reflect the distinct styles and content of each brand while providing relevant information and resources for users.

4. Chatbot Integration: To improve response times and provide instant support, Smoothen integrated a Chatbot feature. This AI-powered Chatbot efficiently handled common queries and directed users to appropriate resources.

5. Macros and Triggers for Automation: To streamline ticket management and support workflows, Smoothen set up Macros and Triggers. These automated actions based on predefined conditions, ensuring a consistent and efficient support process.

6. Comprehensive Consultation: Smoothen conducted in-depth consultations with Alternet and Raw Story to understand their unique support requirements. Based on the insights gathered, they provided tailored solutions to meet the brands' specific needs.

7. Customer-Centric Support Options: Advising on support options, Smoothen identified and built out Zendesk features based on customers' frequently asked questions. This ensured that users could easily find relevant information and receive prompt assistance.

8. Training and Knowledge Transfer: Recognizing the importance of empowering the support teams, Smoothen conducted comprehensive training sessions. They shared Zendesk best practices, system maintenance, and provided training videos for future reference.
   

Results: The Zendesk transformation delivered outstanding results for Alternet and Raw Story:

1. Enhanced Customer Support Experience: With Zendesk's robust features and Smoothen's strategic implementation, both brands experienced an elevated level of customer support. Users received timely responses and found relevant resources effortlessly.

2. Streamlined Workflows: The integration of Macros, Triggers, and Chatbot significantly improved support team productivity by automating routine tasks and responses.

3. Brand Identity Preservation: The tailored Help Center and support system maintained the unique brand identities of Alternet and Raw Story while ensuring a cohesive support experience for users.

4. Cost-Effective Solution: Through the Zendesk for Startups program, the brands achieved a cost-effective support solution without compromising on quality.

5. Empowered Support Team: The comprehensive training and knowledge transfer enabled the support teams to efficiently manage Zendesk, ensuring long-term success.