Table of Contents

How to Create Zendesk Triggers?

Last Updated: March 2024

Usually, you use triggers to make your workflows more efficient. They are defined to run automatically when certain conditions are met.

Zendesk offers the ability to generate triggers that you can use to perform various automated tasks. In fact, you can use Zendesk chat triggers to even send automated replies to your customers for situations like when you are out of the office.

Therefore, get your trigger training by learning more about them from this article. The table of contents includes –

 

Benefits of Zendesk Triggers

1) Generating Auto-Responses

By setting conditions like when the chat widget loads or when the user requests a chat, you can make the trigger send a pre-defined message to a visitor.

Actually, with Zendesk you can auto-reply to your customers even on messaging and social media channels.

 

2) Routing Your Priority Customers

Put your customer needs first and configure the Zendesk trigger conditions to either

  • Prioritize support tickets in your queue, 
  • Or assign the priority tickets to specific groups.

As per your business workflow, you can route the tickets to provide the quickest results.

 

3) Escalating Tickets

You may escalate tickets to higher-level agents or managers so that the issue is resolved quickly.

Here in Zendesk, a hierarchical escalation structure can be assigned. Therefore, depending on the complexity of the issue and other key factors, the ticket is sent to an appropriate agent.

On top of that, you can use this feature to inform your team of supervisors whenever an SLA breach occurs.

 

4) Adding and Removing Tags

Usually, tags are words or a combination of words that are attached to tickets to add more context to them.

As per your business rules, you can add or set tags. On the contrary, you can also remove tags from open tickets.

For example, when a ticket is created, set the condition and action as if the ticket is received at the newsletter, then add tag newsletter_replies

 

5) Assigning tickets

Zendesk lets you assign tickets to your agents based on their skills which include channel expertise, seniority, product knowledge, and language.

For instance, if the ticket is received from a particular channel, let’s say phone, you can assign it to agent A.

Moreover, you can assign requests to a particular agent or a specific group. Additionally, you can do it as per the agent’s workload.

Also, read – How to Add Ticket Types to Zendesk

 

Easy Steps to Create Zendesk Triggers

First of all, let’s understand Zendesk’s trigger conditions and actions along with some essential facts.

 

Essential Facts About Triggers of Zendesk

  1. You create triggers with conditions and actions. Where conditions are a set of qualifications that define when a trigger is fired. And, the actions represent what is performed when a qualification is met.
  2. Immediately after a ticket is created or updated, a trigger will run and check the conditions.
  3. In case the ticket meets the set conditions, a trigger will fire or apply the actions.
  4. Actions performed by a trigger may affect other triggers.
  5. Also, actions in one trigger can affect actions in another.
  6. In situations where a ticket is closed, the trigger does not run or fire on it. Nevertheless, if a ticket is set to close, then the trigger can fire except in case a ticket is closed after 28 days by the system.
  7. You can organize triggers in categories to easily handle a large number of them.

Now, proceed to create triggers by following the below steps.

 

Steps to Create Triggers in Zendesk

  1. Go to the Admin Center and click on Objects and rules available on the sidebar.
  2. Then, select Business rules > Triggers.
Zendesk Admin Center - Triggers
Image source – support.zendesk.com
  1. Click on Add trigger. As an alternative, you may add an existing trigger and change it to fit your needs.
Zendesk - Add new trigger
Image source – support.zendesk.com
  1. Enter the Name of the trigger.

Tip: Use a consistent naming convention as it can help you to recognize similar types of triggers. 

  1. Next, enter the Description of the trigger (optional). You can search them based on their description so enter the details of the trigger.
  2. Select an existing Category or create a new one for your trigger.
  3. After that, click on Add condition button under Meet ALL of the following conditions or Meet ANY of the following conditions as per your requirement.
  4. For each condition, you add and select Condition, Field Operator, and Value.

Know that the field operator defines the relationship between a condition and a value.

Zendesk trigger conditions
Image source – support.zendesk.com
  1. Next, click on Add action button.
  2. For each action, select an Action and a Value. Then, enter action information. 

Depending on the action you choose, the information you enter varies. For example, in case you choose Type, you need to select a ticket type.

Zendesk trigger actions - ticket type
Image source – support.zendesk.com
  1. Finally, click on Create button.

Note: It is advised to keep the trigger statements simple. Because the more complicated a trigger is, the harder it gets to troubleshoot and maintain it.

If you want to create auto-replies, then read how to generate Zendesk automated responses article from here.

 

Zendesk Default Triggers

To help you get started, Zendesk default triggers are provided. You can alter, clone, and deactivate the default triggers. Also, create a new trigger based on its structure. 

However, it is suggested to never deactivate all the default triggers. The reason is that one of the default triggers is set to send ticket update email notifications to both your users and agents.

Nevertheless, you can set it to send email notifications only to specific agents instead of delivering them to all your employees.

Also, read – How to Maximise Knowledge Base With Zendesk

 

Why Zendesk is Not The Best Software for Triggers

1) No Order For Triggers

There is no option to execute multiple triggers in a particular order. Zendesk only runs triggers simultaneously.

If there is a need to do it, then the alternative is to add at least one second of wait time between each trigger.

 

2) Limited Customization

For both conditions and actions, you need to choose available options from the drop-down list

In case a condition or action you need is not on the list, then you cannot configure your trigger. This might interrupt some workflows and leaves redundant tasks for your agents.

 

3) Limited Size of Trigger

In Zendesk, triggers are business rules and they should be less than 65kb. The result is, you cannot add numerous conditions and/ or actions to your triggers. 

Such limitations might have a negative impact on your workflow.

 

User Reviews

automated responses were being triggered but there was no trigger to understand why they were getting a default notice and then also the one that I created as well. Empty notifications were being sent out with no additional information.” – an Administrator in Professional Training & Coaching.

“Some customizations that should be simple can cause a headache if you don’t check all settings. For example, it is easy to miss the cascading effects from changing one trigger if you aren’t careful.” – an Administrator in Staffing and Recruiting.

“Limited functionality – Compared to some of the competitors out there, Zendesk has a long way to go, offering limited functionality such as advanced trigger logic, the limited use of the CC field, and the lack of integration between their chat and ticket reporting.”Kevin Z., Systems Analyst.

Also, read – How to Merge Tickets in Zendesk

 

Meet Saufter, The Best Zendesk Alternative

It is time you meet the software, Saufter that lets you perform your operations without any worry that it might have negative consequences on your workflow.

This software provides automated self-servicing, returns center, 24/7 order tracking, and marketing automation natively. 

You can build self-help services like a knowledge base. And also, integrate with popular social media channels and eCommerce platforms along with delivering customer support in the form of live chat, phone, email, and SMS.

In addition, hire and train your agents easily and utilize many more available features to scale up your business.

 

Bottom Line

You can use automation and triggers together to create various workflows in Zendesk. As you can see, creating triggers in Zendesk is an easy process. But, there are some limitations to it that might hinder and delay your services. 

If you need a helpdesk that offers operational support to your business, then you can employ Saufter. It is an all-around software that has automation, marketing, self-help, and all the basic customer support tools provided for all types of businesses.

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