Zendesk Releases CX Benchmark Report for Startups Showing the Path to Success is in CX

May 17, 2022

Research identifies specific actions fast-growth startups are taking to drive customer loyalty and growth

SAN FRANCISCO – July 8, 2020–Zendesk, Inc.(NYSE: ZEN) today released theZendesk Startups CX Benchmark Report,记录如何早期创业投资in customer experience (CX) outperform their peers. The data shows that while there is no one-size-fits-all approach, startup success stories have one thing in common: the ability to provide more holistic support to customers from the beginning.

The findings feature Zendesk Benchmark data from more than 4,400 early-stage startups from around the world, giving founders and CX leaders direct insights into this crucial part of their businesses for the first time.

Most surprisingly, more than 70 percent of startup founders and decision-makers reported they do not have a formal customer support strategy in place. This shines a spotlight on how many companies are missing out on the opportunity to deliver on the customer experiences that will set them apart from their peers and foster long-term business success.

According to the report, fast-growing startups—those that have doubled their customer support agent count (a proxy for employee growth) in the first two years of using Zendesk and have 18 months or fewer between publicly disclosed funding rounds—make greater investments in their CX strategies, and do so more quickly.

In fact, 33 percent of these companies are more likely to add omnichannel or multi-channel support in their first two years. The result is shorter resolutions (roughly half the wait time for customers), better team efficiency and more options for customers to find the support they are looking for, which all lead to an overall improved CX.

The report identified six actions companies should focus on to operate like a fast-growing startup within their first two years, in order of priority:

“It’s natural to prioritize your product at the beginning of your startup journey, but not to think about how you sell to or support your customers,” said Kristen Durham, vice president, startups, Zendesk. “We know CX directly impacts customer loyalty and retention, and whether you are a first-time founder, serial entrepreneur, or customer support leader looking to improve business performance, our data shows that the sooner you put customers at the center of your plans, the faster you’ll be setting yourself up for long-term success.”

The report also indicated that faster-growth startups direct more resources toward self-service and live channels, like phone and chat, with unicorns—privately held startups valued at over $1 billion—adopting live channels even faster. Unicorns also prioritize adding self-service features like online help centers 61 percent faster than other startups in their first year.

“Startups that want to rise above the noise should invest in building a strong foundation in great customer experience right from the start,” said Jeff Titterton, chief marketing officer, Zendesk. “Customers have come to expect more out of companies, regardless of their size, age, or industry. Having differentiated customer support can be the difference between failing to scale and becoming a successful, fast-growth startup.”

Additional Resources

Methodology

The Zendesk Benchmark helps companies compare their customer service performance against their competitors. To better understand how startups leverage support, we analyzed key metrics around timing, tools, and results for 4,414 startups that use Zendesk Support from January 1, 2014 to March 14, 2020. Startups included in this report have used Zendesk for more than six months and have raised funding.

About Zendesk

Zendesk is a service-first CRM company that builds support, sales, and customer engagement software designed to foster better customer relationships. From large enterprises to startups, we believe that powerful, innovative customer experiences should be within reach for every company, no matter the size, industry or ambition. Zendesk serves more than 160,000 customers across a multitude of industries in over 30 languages. Zendesk is headquartered in San Francisco, and operates offices worldwide. Learn more atwww.ying8.net.

Media Contact:
Erin Lansdown
press@zendesk.com

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