From Smoky to Rocky: My 4 Dimensional Journey to Zendesk Relate

Amazing that in less than 24 hours I went from the Smoky mountains to the Rocky mountains and a good 6 hours on the road and a flight to get there.

A Journey Through Time and Technology

My first time to Denver was in 2010 - Perficient flew me out to interview (and offered me a job, and then disappeared - likely due to Oracle's change of heart around Contact Center Anywhere). I'm literally staring at the hotel that I stayed at at the time. 3 of the past 4 years I found myself in Denver the last school week of the year give or take Memorial day weekend. I won't get into those last two :).

Attending Zendesk Relate

This year, I'm privileged to attend Zendesk Relate, as a partner, benefitting from the hard work my colleagues at Call Center Power put into demonstrating competency and capability in delivering Zendesk Contact Center.

Zendesk's Evolution

(If I recall correctly, this is about a year into their acquisition of Local Measure as well). That's about the time Zendesk popped back up into my radar, having last used it (as a customer) in 2015ish and periodically running into customer opportunities where it was in play. I recall there were a few rough years, nothing to be ashamed of, nor to laugh at. Finding myself leaving my own rough year, I looked back at their story numerous times and felt some relief - challenges happen, and you overcome them. Now, when Zendesk did pop back up on my radar I was amazed - what was a SME ticketing system (in my mind) 10 years ago had grown up. I'm genuinely excited about what I'm about to learn this week.

Learning and Growing

So now, my hope is this week to learn as much as possible - what's changed in the product (a lot!), what do customers like about it? And, as always, how does that intersect with AWS :)

Behind the Scenes

We have been building some neat things behind the scenes around Zendesk as well, and look forward to sharing them soon. It's exciting to see the innovations and improvements Zendesk has made, and how these advancements can be leveraged to benefit our clients.

Reflections and Future Outlook

Reflecting on my journey, I've seen how Zendesk has evolved not just as a product, but as a platform that continues to adapt to the ever-changing landscape of customer service. The transition from being a simple ticketing system to a comprehensive customer engagement platform is remarkable.

Key Takeaways

• Product Evolution: Zendesk has come a long way, integrating more robust features and capabilities.
• Customer Feedback: Understanding what customers value is crucial for continued improvement.
• Integration with Contact Center Technology: The intersection of Zendesk with broader technologies opens up new possibilities for enhancing customer experiences.

What's Next?

As I delve deeper into Zendesk Relate, I'm eager to explore the new features, network with other professionals, and gather insights that can be applied to our ongoing projects.

Conclusion

My journey from the Smoky to the Rocky Mountains is more than just a physical trip; it's a testament to growth, learning, and the exciting advancements in the Contact Center technology space. Attending Zendesk Relate is part of my reignighted passion for innovation in technology to support the front lines of service and support - whether it's for an internal customer or an external customer.

Stay tuned for more updates as I continue to explore and learn at Zendesk Relate!