Salesforce vs Zendesk

2023. Salesforce to acquire Airkit.ai, a low-code platform for building AI customer service agents



Salesforce is set to acquire Airkit.ai, a low-code platform designed to assist e-commerce enterprises in constructing AI-driven customer service agents. Initially conceived as a self-serve customer engagement platform, Airkit facilitated the integration of data silos and addressed various use cases like user onboarding. However, in a recent rebranding move, the company transformed into Airkit.ai and unveiled its inaugural integrated product, a GPT-4-powered platform enabling businesses like OpenTable and ShipBob to develop customized customer service chatbots capable of handling inquiries related to order status, refunds, product information, and more.


2023. Salesforce launches AI Cloud to bring models to the enterprise



Salesforce is introducing a new collection of products with the goal of strengthening its position in the highly competitive field of AI. This suite, known as AI Cloud, consists of tools that are designed to provide AI solutions that are suitable for enterprise use. It represents Salesforce's latest effort to enhance its product lineup with AI capabilities across different disciplines. The launch of AI Cloud builds upon the company's previous generative AI initiative, which was introduced in March, aiming to incorporate generative AI throughout the entire Salesforce platform. AI Cloud serves as a hosting and delivery platform for AI models, specifically those focused on generating text, from a variety of partners such as Amazon Web Services, Anthropic, Cohere, and OpenAI. Additionally, Salesforce's own AI research division offers first-party models that power features like code generation and business process automation. Customers also have the option to bring their own custom-trained models to the platform while storing their data on their own infrastructure.


2022. Zendesk is acquired for $10.2B



Zendesk made a significant decision in February when it rejected a $17 billion acquisition offer, confident in its higher valuation. However, the circumstances have changed, and today the company has been acquired by a consortium of private equity firms for $10.2 billion, considerably lower than the initial proposal. The evolving landscape of the SaaS market in recent months has placed Zendesk amidst a whirlwind of investor drama. In a recent development, the company opted to remain independent, causing a sharp decline in its stock price.


2021. Zendesk acquires AI automation startup Cleverly to advance customer service



Zendesk has recently revealed its acquisition of Cleverly, an early-stage artificial intelligence startup. Cleverly offers an advanced product platform equipped with various AI-powered features. This includes a triage function that automatically assigns relevant tags to incoming service requests, facilitating efficient workflow categorization. Moreover, Cleverly provides AI-powered human augmentation through its agent assist capability, which assists customer service agents in delivering accurate responses to inquiries. Cleverly's technology seamlessly integrates with Zendesk and Salesforce, enabling enhanced customer support experiences for businesses leveraging these platforms.


2020. Salesforce announces new Service Cloud workforce planning tool



With a pandemic wreaking havoc in various parts of the globe, numerous companies are confronted with the challenge of managing dispersed customer service agents, leading to a complex workforce management situation. To address this issue, Salesforce is in the process of developing a new product called Service Cloud Workforce Engagement. Much like other Salesforce offerings, this solution comprises several crucial elements that work together to provide a comprehensive answer. Firstly, there is Service Forecast for Customer 360, a tool that utilizes AI to anticipate workforce requirements and intelligently allocate customer service requests. Furthermore, there is Omnichannel Capacity Planning, which aids managers in assigning customer service agents to channels like phone, messaging, or email based on the prevailing demand. Lastly, there is a training component designed to coach customer service agents on delivering accurate and appropriate responses tailored to specific situations.


2020. Salesforce applies AI to workflow with Einstein Automate



Salesforce has unveiled Einstein Automate, a new collection of workflow solutions powered by artificial intelligence (AI). Einstein serves as Salesforce's AI platform, encompassing all aspects of the company's product portfolio. It introduces automation to various tasks and simplifies the process of extracting valuable customer information, which often gets buried within vast amounts of data. Furthermore, Salesforce is incorporating MuleSoft, an integration company it acquired for $6.5 billion in 2018, into its offerings. This integration enables IT professionals to effortlessly build intricate connections between applications across the enterprise and the Salesforce suite of products, enhancing processes like mortgage approval workflows and more.


2020. Salesforce beefing up field service offering with AI



Salesforce is introducing AI-powered enhancements to its field service offerings, leveraging the capabilities of artificial intelligence. One of the key additions is Dynamic Priority, which allows the machine to set repair priorities based on factors such as service agreement type and criticality, streamlining call organization and enabling dispatchers to focus on other tasks. Furthermore, Salesforce aims to provide customers with a similar experience to tracking a driver's progress in a rideshare app. The introduction of Appointment Assistant, a new application, empowers customers to track the arrival time of their assigned repair person, ensuring they are aware of when to expect them.


2020. Salesforce announces a new mobile collaboration tool for sales called Anywhere



Salesforce has introduced a new tool called Salesforce Anywhere with the purpose of facilitating collaboration and data sharing among teams, regardless of their location. Recognizing the increasing significance of collaboration in a digital environment during the pandemic, the development of such an application became crucial for the company. The primary objective is to go beyond the confines of a traditional database and enable salespeople to access the most relevant information based on their sales pipelines. This tool allows employees to share information within their teams and engage in discussions related to that specific data. While there are other chat tools available, Salesforce Anywhere is specifically tailored for sharing Salesforce data, distinguishing it from more general-purpose platforms like Slack or other business chat tools.


2020. Zendesk’s latest tools designed to give fuller view of the customer



Two years ago, Zendesk, a well-known provider of help desk software, expanded into CRM with its acquisition of Base. Shortly after, the company introduced the Sunshine platform, enabling customers to develop applications on top of the Zendesk platform. Since then, Zendesk has been actively integrating the CRM tool into its platform, and today's announcement focuses on offering Zendesk users a more comprehensive understanding of their customers. With access to extensive data from customer interactions with the help desk, Zendesk can provide valuable insights into customer preferences and behaviors.


2018. Zendesk launched customer service app builder



Zendesk has introduced Zendesk Sunshine, a new platform designed for developing customer-centric applications utilizing Zendesk's toolset. This platform enables companies to create custom apps, primarily focused on customer experience and relationship management, which are hosted on AWS and have access to a wide range of AWS services. All applications built on the Sunshine platform rely on it for seamless information sharing. The primary goal of this approach is to empower Zendesk customers to leverage the data they collect within Zendesk as a natural outcome of their workflow. While initially targeted towards Zendesk customers, independent developers may also have the opportunity to work on the platform in the future. Zendesk Sunshine aims to enhance customer service capabilities by providing a flexible and scalable platform for building tailored applications and harnessing valuable data within the Zendesk ecosystem.