Get practical tips to improve your customer service strategy at Zoho CX Workshop.

Register now!
Skip to product menu
close
  • Recent Launches
    Press Space or Enter to display list of options
EXPLORE ALL PRODUCTS

Recent Launches

New

Payroll software with automated tax payments and filing.

Try now
New

Robotic process automation software to automate high-volume, rule-based tasks.

Try for free
New

Low-code IoT platform and solutions for connected businesses.

Try now
New

Business formation service to launch and grow your businesses.

Try now
New

Privacy-friendly application analytics solution.

Try for free

Sales

 
CRM

Comprehensive CRM platform for customer-facing teams.

CRM
 
Bigin

Simple CRM for small businesses moving from spreadsheets.

Bigin
 
Forms

Build online forms for every business need.

Forms
 
SalesIQ

Live chat app to engage and convert website visitors.

SalesIQ
 
Bookings

Appointment scheduling app for consultations with customers.

Bookings
 
Sign

Digital signature app for businesses.

Sign
 
RouteIQ

Comprehensive sales map visualization and optimal route planning solution.

RouteIQ
 
Thrive

Complete loyalty and affiliate management platform.

Thrive
 
Voice

Cloud Contact Center Software for businesses.

Voice
 
Suites
CRM Plus

Unified platform to deliver top-notch customer experience.

CRM Plus

Marketing

 
Social

All-in-one social media management software.

Social
 
Campaigns

Create, send, and track targeted email campaigns that drive sales.

Campaigns
 
Forms

Build online forms for every business need.

Forms
 
Survey

Design surveys to reach and interact with your audience.

Survey
 
Sites

Online website builder with extensive customisation options.

Sites
 
PageSense

Website conversion optimization and personalisation platform.

PageSense
 
Backstage

End-to-end event management software.

Backstage
 
Webinar

Webinar platform for webcasting online webinars.

Webinar
 
Marketing Automation

All-in-one marketing automation software.

Marketing Automation
 
LandingPage

Smart landing page builder to increase conversion rates

LandingPage
 
Publish

Manage all your local business listings on a single platform.

Publish
 
SalesIQ

Live chat app to engage and convert website visitors.

SalesIQ
 
Sign

Digital signature app for businesses.

Sign
 
Thrive

Complete loyalty and affiliate management platform.

Thrive
 
Voice

Cloud Contact Center Software for businesses.

Voice
 
NEW
LeadChain

Sync, manage, and convert leads across channels seamlessly.

LeadChain
 
NEW
CommunitySpaces

Online community platform for individuals and businesses to grow their network and brand.

CommunitySpaces
 
Suites
Marketing Plus

Unified marketing platform for marketing teams.

Marketing Plus

Commerce and POS

 
Commerce

eCommerce platform to manage and market your online store.

Commerce

Service

 
Desk

Helpdesk software to deliver great customer support.

Desk
 
Assist

Remote support and unattended remote access software.

Assist
 
Lens

Interactive remote assistance software with augmented reality.

Lens
 
FSM

End-to-end field service management platform for service businesses.

FSM
 
SalesIQ

Live chat app to engage and convert website visitors.

SalesIQ
 
Voice

Cloud Contact Center Software for businesses.

Voice
 
NEW
Solo

The all-in-one toolkit for solopreneurs.

Solo
 
Bookings

Appointment scheduling app for consultations with customers.

Bookings
 
Suites
Service Plus

Unified platform for customer service and support teams.

Service Plus

Finance

 
Books

Powerful accounting platform for growing businesses.

Books
 
FREE
Invoice

100% Free invoicing solution.

Invoice
 
Expense

Effortless expense reporting platform.

Expense
 
Inventory

Powerful stock management and inventory control software.

Inventory
 
Billing

End-to-end billing solution for your business.

Billing
 
Checkout

Collect payments online with custom branded pages.

Checkout
 
NEW
Payroll

Payroll software with automated tax payments and filing.

Payroll
 
NEW
Solo

The all-in-one toolkit for solopreneurs.

Solo
 
Practice

Practice management software for accounting firms.

Practice
 
Sign

Digital signature app for businesses.

Sign
 
Commerce

eCommerce platform to manage and market your online store.

Commerce
 
Suites
Finance Plus

All-in-one suite to manage your operations and finances.

Finance Plus

Email and Collaboration

 
Mail

Secure email service for teams of all sizes.

Mail
 
Meeting

Online meeting software for all your video conferencing & webinar needs.

Meeting
 
Writer

Word processor for focused writing and discussions.

Writer
 
Sheet

Spreadsheet software for collaborative teams.

Sheet
 
Show

Create, edit, and share slides with a sleek presentation app.

Show
 
Notebook

Beautiful home for all your notes.

Notebook
 
Cliq

Stay in touch with teams no matter where you are.

Cliq
 
Connect

Employee experience platform to communicate, engage, and build positive employee relations.

Connect
 
Bookings

Appointment scheduling app for consultations with customers.

Bookings
 
TeamInbox

Shared inboxes for teams.

TeamInbox
 
WorkDrive

Online file management for teams.

WorkDrive
 
Sign

Digital signature app for businesses.

Sign
 
Office Suite

Powerful collaborative work platform for teams.

Office Suite
 
Office Integrator

Built in document editors for web apps.

Office Integrator
 
ZeptoMail

Secure and reliable transactional email sending service.

ZeptoMail
 
Calendar

Online business calendar to manage events and schedule appointments.

Calendar
 
Learn

Knowledge and learning management platform.

Learn
 
Voice

Cloud Contact Center Software for businesses.

Voice
 
ToDo

Collaborative task management for individuals and teams.

ToDo
 
Tables

Work management tool to connect people, processes, and information.

Tables
 
FREE
PDF Editor

Collaborative online PDF editing tool.

PDF Editor
 
Suites
Workplace

Application suite built to improve team productivity and collaboration.

Workplace

Human Resources

 
People

Organize, automate, and simplify your HR processes.

People
 
Recruit

Intuitive recruiting platform built to provide hiring solutions.

Recruit
 
Expense

Effortless expense reporting platform.

Expense
 
Workerly

Manage temporary staffing with an employee scheduling solution.

Workerly
 
NEW
Payroll

Payroll software with automated tax payments and filing.

Payroll
 
Shifts

Employee scheduling and time tracking app.

Shifts
 
Sign

Digital signature app for businesses.

Sign
 
Suites
People Plus

Comprehensive HR platform for seamless employee experiences.

People Plus

Security and IT Management

 
Creator

Build custom apps to simplify business processes.

Creator
 
Directory

Workforce identity and access management solution for cloud businesses.

Directory
 
FREE
OneAuth

Secure multi-factor authenticator (MFA) for all your online accounts.

OneAuth
 
Vault

Online password manager for teams.

Vault
 
Catalyst

Pro-code platform to build and deploy your apps.

Catalyst
 
Toolkit

Complete resource for any admin-related lookup queries.

Toolkit
 
Lens

Interactive remote assistance software with augmented reality.

Lens
 
Assist

Remote support and unattended remote access software.

Assist
 
QEngine

Test automation software to build, manage, execute, and report testcases.

QEngine
 
NEW
RPA

Automate manual, tedious, and repetitive tasks easily.

RPA

BI and Analytics

 
Analytics

Modern self-service BI and analytics platform.

Analytics
 
Embedded BI

Embedded analytics and white label BI solutions, tailored for your needs.

Embedded BI
 
DataPrep

AI-powered data preparation service for your data-driven organization.

DataPrep
 
NEW
IoT

Harnessing IoT analytics for real-time operational intelligence.

IoT

Project Management

 
Projects

Manage, track, and collaborate on projects with teams.

Projects
 
Sprints

Planning and tracking tool for scrum teams.

Sprints
 
BugTracker

Automatic bug tracking software for managing bugs.

BugTracker
 
NEW
Solo

The all-in-one toolkit for solopreneurs.

Solo

Developer Platforms

 
Creator

Build custom apps to simplify business processes.

Creator
 
Flow

Automate business workflows by creating smart integrations.

Flow
 
Catalyst

Pro-code platform to build and deploy your apps.

Catalyst
 
Office Integrator

Built in document editors for web apps.

Office Integrator
 
ZeptoMail

Secure and reliable transactional email sending service.

ZeptoMail
 
QEngine

Test automation software to build, manage, execute, and report testcases.

QEngine
 
Tables

Work management tool to connect people, processes, and information.

Tables
 
NEW
RPA

Automate manual, tedious, and repetitive tasks easily.

RPA
 
NEW
Apptics

Application analytics for all apps.

Apptics
 
Embedded BI

Embedded analytics and white label BI solutions, tailored for your needs.

Embedded BI
 
NEW
IoT

Build, deploy, and scale IoT solutions for connected businesses.

IoT
 
DataPrep

AI-powered data preparation service for your data-driven organization.

DataPrep

IoT

 
NEW
IoT

Low-code IoT platform and solutions for connected businesses.

IoT

Search Result

 
CRM Plus

Unified platform to deliver top-notch customer experience.

Try now
CRM Plus
 
Service Plus

Unified platform for customer service and support teams.

Try now
Service Plus
 
Finance Plus

All-in-one suite to manage your operations and finances.

Try now
Finance Plus
 
People Plus

Comprehensive HR platform for seamless employee experiences.

Try now
People Plus
 
Workplace

Application suite built to improve team productivity and collaboration.

Try now
Workplace
 
Marketing Plus

Unified marketing platform for marketing teams.

Try now
Marketing Plus
 
All-in-one suite

Zoho One

The Operating System for Business

Run your entire business on Zoho with our unified cloud software, designed to help you break down silos between departments and increase organizational efficiency.

TRY ZOHO ONE
Zoho One
Zoho Marketplace

With over 2000 ready-to-use extensions across 40+ categories, connect your favorite business tools with the Zoho products you already use.

EXPLORE MARKETPLACE
Marketplace
Skip to main content

Contractor Foreman achieved excellence in customer communication with Zoho Desk

Steven GabbardFounder, Contractor Foreman

Overview

Contractor Foreman enhanced their overall customer experience and achieved their goal of keeping customers better informed throughout the support process with Zoho Desk.  

The company

Contractor Foreman is an easy-to-use software solution that helps construction companies manage their projects. The company serves customers in over 75 countries, catering to all types of construction contractors—from small residential projects to large-scale projects like highways.  

Their software allows users to create lead forms for their websites, generate estimates and invoices, receive payments online, and manage work schedules. It also helps construction firms track bills, purchase orders, change orders, job schedules, crew schedules, and time cards. Based in North Carolina, USA, the company has team members working from 15 different countries.  

The challenge

Contractor Foreman was using direct emails to manage their support tickets. It was challenging because they didn't have an easy way to categorize items based on their status—whether they were open, closed, or required follow-up. Additionally, they needed a solution that allowed multiple team members to collaborate on tickets without the hassle of sharing an inbox.  

The evaluation

We initially considered piecing together different tools, like Zendesk or Intercom, but quickly realized that having a comprehensive solution that ties everything together was a better choice for us. With Zoho Desk, we could go to our Zoho CRM and see not just the contact details but also the chat history, meetings, phone calls, and any tickets associated with each contact. The integration works greatly for us. Having a single, all-in-one solution has made our processes more streamlined and efficient.  

Steven GabbardFounder and CEO, Contractor Foreman

The management team also considered HubSpot and used it for a while. However, as the team grew, they were worried about the costs associated with the platform. They evaluated several products in the market and eventually chose Zoho for its affordability and diverse set of value-adding features. The team started using Zoho Desk around 2018.  

The implementation

The setup process for Zoho Desk was quite straightforward and intuitive, which helped the team adopt the platform rapidly, according to Steven. Within a week, the team was able to implement Desk, set up email routing and chat routing properly, configure the system, and customize the response messages that users would receive. The team has also benefitted when onboarding new team members at Contractor Foreman because it takes very little time for them to learn the process.  

The Solution

Transparency in the ticket resolution process

When a customer raises a ticket, they're given a ticket number for reference. Instead of relying on general emails as they did before, customers could now easily reference a specific ticket. This system keeps the customer informed at every stage of a ticket's lifecycle and has significantly improved the experience for both the company and its customers.  

Zoho Desk noticeably improved the customers' follow-up experience. Now, if a customer needs an update on a particular issue, they can simply refer to their ticket or respond directly to it. This has increased flexibility by allowing customers to easily communicate and provide additional information as needed.  

On-the-go ticket access to address urgent inquiries

The team primarily uses the browser version of Zoho Desk because agents are typically at their desks. However, there are times when they need to use the Zoho Desk mobile app to respond to something urgently or check a ticket.  

When they first implemented Zoho Desk, there were many support responses to handle. Steven relied on the Zoho Desk mobile app to respond to customer needs when away from the computer. This allowed him to stay on top of things, and from an efficiency standpoint, the app proved helpful and easy to use.  

Desk's mobile app provided all the necessary functionality for the team to manage a ticket from start to finish directly from the app, which was highly beneficial.  

Integration with Zoho SalesIQ for quick resolution

Customers have the option to either initiate a live chat through the website or send an email to the support address. When an email is sent, it generates a ticket, which is typically responded to within one to two hours during business hours. Most tickets are resolved within the same workday.  

For live chats, the team maintains a 95% chat acceptance rate, with most chats being answered within ten seconds, all managed from within the Zoho Desk interface. These chats are generally resolved in a single conversation, without the need for follow-up, resulting in an efficient customer support process.  

Reliable communication for an enhanced customer experience

The team makes extensive use of the Notify feature in Zoho Desk to ensure that agents are immediately aware of new assignments and reduce the chance of tickets slipping through the cracks. Desk makes it easy to assign tickets to the appropriate team members, allows agents to view their assigned tickets, and provides email notifications informing them when a ticket has been assigned.  

The support team at Contractor Foreman also relies heavily on the ability to quickly pull in relevant information from knowledge base articles and use canned responses to handle common queries efficiently.  

Zia powered by ChatGPT to bring AI into customer support

Zia powered by ChatGPT allows the team to understand user sentiment and populate appropriate responses. Because it has been trained on existing knowledge base articles, it can help formulate better responses or refine the ones initially drafted by the team.  

Steven GabbardFounder and CEO, Contractor Foreman

Integration with Slack to deliver real-time notifications

Zoho Desk's integration with Slack sends real-time notifications to agents when a ticket is created or a new response is received. Delivering live notifications through Slack helps the team stay on top of tickets without wasting time monitoring their inbox.  

Dashboard analytics to maintain visibility

Dashboard reports provide a clear overview of the number of open tickets, their priorities, which tickets need responses, and which agents are assigned to each ticket. This type of insight offers greater clarity to the management team.  

The company has implemented an incentive plan for support team members based on their ability to close tickets within a specified timeframe, and the analytics on the Dashboard help them to make these decisions in an informed manner. They are also able to assess the status of tickets quickly and identify areas that need attention as they progress through the month.  

A single window to view customer records and support tickets

Steven says that the greatest advantage of using Zoho Desk is its strong integration with Zoho CRM. Team members log into a single system where they can access everything at once. When a ticket comes in, it is automatically linked to the associated customer record, providing a holistic view of the customer, including their past queries and interactions.  

Benefits & ROI

Easier collaboration—with accountability

The agents can create their own filters to view items assigned to them, check priority levels, see the timing of the last response, and close tickets. This provides a much cleaner view of the actions they need to take individually.  

Reduced labor costs

By using Zoho Desk, the team was able to strategically reallocate some of the people who were previously working on support tickets. These team members could focus on providing live chat support through SalesIQ and jump in to help follow up on tickets in Desk when necessary.  

Currently, with Zoho Desk, there are three people managing it full-time. Previously, there were about five people. While this might not seem like a significant difference, it is a positive change, especially since the volume of work has increased due to the growth of the company. If the team had continued with the old setup, it would likely require eight to ten people, as was the case before with the email-based setup.  

Steven GabbardFounder and CEO, Contractor Foreman
  • Industry typeSoftware
  • Employees51-200
  • Type of businessB2B

Looking forward

The team at Contractor Foreman is excited to delve further into Zoho Desk’s automation and customization features as their company expands.  

Share Your Zoho Desk Success Story!

Complete a quick survey, and we’ll get in touch with you soon.

Submit your story