Efficiently managing customer queries is essential for any support team, especially when multiple tickets are submitted for the same issue. Customers often reach out through different channels—email, chat, or phone—leading to separate tickets for what’s essentially the same problem. Without a streamlined approach, teams risk duplicating efforts, causing delays and confusion in issue resolution.
This is where Zendesk’s ticket merging feature comes into play. By merging tickets, agents can consolidate all related queries into a single thread, ensuring that no details are lost and communication stays clear. This reduces the risk of misalignment between agents and customers, ultimately speeding up the resolution process.
However, there are some limitations to Zendesk’s merging functions. We’re going to explain the importance of proper ticket merging, as well as how to do so in Zendesk. We’ll also explain where Zendesk falls short and alternatives like eesel AI.
Why Ticket Merging Matters
Zendesk’s ticket merging feature brings several key benefits to support teams:
1. Consolidated Customer Information:
When a customer submits multiple tickets, their information can become fragmented across threads, making it easy for agents to miss critical details. Merging ensures all relevant data—whether from email, chat, or phone—appears in one place, giving agents a full understanding of the issue.
2. Prevention of Duplicate Efforts:
In busy support environments, agents might unknowingly work on different tickets for the same customer. One might respond to an email while another handles a chat query. Merging tickets prevents this redundancy, ensuring only one agent handles the case.
3. Improved Customer Experience:
Nothing frustrates customers more than receiving multiple, sometimes conflicting, responses from different agents. Merging tickets ensures customers receive a consistent and unified reply, reducing confusion and improving their overall experience.
When Should You Use Zendesk’s Ticket Merging?
Merging tickets is a strategic tool that can greatly improve support workflows when used correctly. Here’s when merging tickets is most effective:
1. Multiple Channels, Same Issue:
Customers often reach out through multiple channels—email, chat, or phone—about the same issue. Instead of handling these queries separately, merging them into one ticket allows agents to follow the conversation easily.
Example:
- Ticket 1: Customer emails about a delayed order.
- Ticket 2: The same customer follows up via live chat.
By merging these tickets, agents can see the full context and avoid duplicate responses.
2. Duplicate Tickets from the Same Customer:
Sometimes customers submit multiple tickets about the same issue, especially if they’re unsure if their first inquiry was received or they’re hoping for faster service. Without merging, different agents may respond separately, creating confusion.
Example:
- Ticket 1: Customer submits a ticket about being unable to log in.
- Ticket 2: Five minutes later, they submit the same issue again.
Merging these tickets ensures one agent handles the issue, reducing confusion and redundancy.
3. Follow-Up Questions After Resolution:
If a customer submits a new ticket for a follow-up question rather than replying to the original one, it can be hard for agents to track the entire conversation. Merging follow-up tickets with the original one gives agents the complete issue history, leading to more informed responses.
4. Multiple Agents, One Issue:
Sometimes different agents work on separate tickets related to the same customer problem. Merging these tickets ensures all team members have access to the same information, which helps avoid conflicting responses.
When Not to Merge Tickets
While merging is useful in many scenarios, it’s important to know when not to merge tickets:
- Unrelated Issues: If the tickets address different problems, keep them separate to avoid confusion.
- Different Departments: Tickets handled by specialized teams, such as billing or technical support, may need separate attention to ensure the issue is addressed appropriately.
How to Merge Tickets in Zendesk
Merging tickets in Zendesk is straightforward, but there are key steps to follow to ensure nothing gets lost in the process.
Step 1: Open the Ticket You Want to Merge
Start by opening the ticket that will be merged into another. Confirm that it’s the right one by reviewing the content.
Step 2: Click the Three Dots (Options Menu)
In the upper-right corner of the ticket, you’ll see three vertical dots. Clicking on these brings up a dropdown menu.
Step 3: Select “Merge into Another Ticket”
From the dropdown menu, choose “Merge into another ticket.” A new dialog box will open where you can search for the ticket to merge with.
Important: Once tickets are merged, this action cannot be undone.
Step 4: Search for the Ticket to Merge
Use the ticket number, subject line, or keywords to search for the other ticket. Double-check to ensure both tickets are related to the same issue.
Step 5: Confirm the Merge
Zendesk will show a summary of the tickets being merged. Once you confirm, the primary ticket will remain open, and the secondary ticket will close.
Step 6: Finalize the Merge
Click “Merge” to complete the action. The merged ticket will show a unified thread, and all updates from the secondary ticket will appear as internal notes.
Important Considerations for Merging Tickets
Here are a few things to keep in mind when merging tickets:
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Same-Channel Merging Only: Zendesk only allows ticket merging within the same channel (e.g., email-to-email or chat-to-chat). Multi-channel merging is not supported, so you’ll need to manage those interactions separately.
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Visibility of Merged Tickets: After merging, comments from the secondary ticket become internal notes on the primary ticket. These are visible to agents but not to customers unless you choose to share them manually.
Limitations of Zendesk Ticket Merging
While merging tickets can significantly streamline workflows, it’s important to understand its limitations:
1. No Unmerge Option:
Once tickets are merged, there’s no way to separate them again. If unrelated tickets are merged by mistake, it can lead to confusion.
2. Limited to Same-Channel Merges:
Zendesk’s merging feature only works for tickets from the same channel. For example, you can merge email-to-email but not email-to-chat.
3. No Reporting on Merged Tickets:
Zendesk does not provide specific analytics on merged tickets, so it can be difficult to track how often merges happen or their impact on workflows. A manual tagging system can be used, but this adds extra steps for agents.
4. Automatic Closure of Secondary Tickets:
When tickets are merged, the secondary ticket is automatically closed. If there’s unresolved information, this could cause issues, so agents must review both tickets before merging.
Best Practices for Effective Ticket Merging
To get the most out of Zendesk’s ticket merging feature, consider these best practices:
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Double-check tickets before merging to ensure they are related.
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Use tags or internal notes to track merged tickets.
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Notify customers when necessary, keeping them informed and reducing confusion.
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Coordinate with other agents if multiple team members are working on related tickets.
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Consider automation tools, like eesel AI, to streamline and enhance the merging process.
Enhancing Ticket Management with eesel AI
While Zendesk’s ticket merging is an essential feature, it does have its limitations—particularly around multi-channel merging and automation. This is where eesel AI steps in, providing flexible solutions to improve ticket management.
1. Multi-Channel Merging:
eesel AI can streamline ticket management by allowing teams to merge tickets from different channels. This gives agents a full view of the customer’s issue, regardless of where the query came from.
2. AI-Driven Automation:
eesel AI learns from past interactions to suggest responses, automate ticket tagging, and resolve repetitive queries. This reduces manual effort and helps agents focus on more complex issues.
3. Customizable and Cost-Effective:
Compared to native Zendesk AI tools, eesel AI offers a more affordable solution for teams of all sizes. Its flexible features allow support teams to tailor workflows and automate routine tasks without breaking the bank.
Zendesk + eesel AI = Streamlined Support
Merging tickets in Zendesk helps support teams work more efficiently by consolidating multiple queries into a single thread, ensuring faster resolutions and a better customer experience. While the feature is incredibly useful, understanding when to merge and its limitations is crucial to avoid any hiccups.
For teams looking to take their ticket management to the next level, eesel AI offers powerful automation tools that help reduce manual tasks, manage multi-channel tickets, and ensure consistent, high-quality responses. It’s a smart, scalable solution that integrates seamlessly with Zendesk, boosting your support team’s efficiency and giving customers a smoother experience.
