Salesforce Agentforce vs. Zendesk AI: Which is Better for AI-Driven Customer Support?

Customer service is undergoing a revolution, and AI is at the heart of it. Businesses are leveraging cutting-edge tools to transform how they interact with customers. Two platforms, Salesforce Agentforce and Zendesk AI, lead this transformation with innovative approaches that reshape support operations. 

But while both are game-changers, they take unique paths. How are these tools helping businesses elevate their customer experience? The redk team is here to guide businesses through both Salesforce and Zendesk implementations. Reach out to us today to find out how we can help your team.

This article is for CXOs looking to enhance team efficiency and streamline customer service operations.

Different Approaches to AI-Powered Support

Agentforce and Zendesk AI use AI to enhance customer support, but their approaches are different. Agentforce, launched by Salesforce in 2024, introduces autonomous AI agents capable of handling tasks and resolving issues independently, requiring minimal human oversight. These agents are designed to act as full-time team members, marking what Salesforce calls the “third wave” of AI.

In contrast, Zendesk AI, also launched in 2024, works as a smart assistant that collaborates with human agents. Copilot improves efficiency by offering real-time suggestions, automating routine tasks, and streamlining agent workflows—without fully replacing the need for human involvement.

A common concern for CXOs is potential bias in AI-driven support decisions. To ensure fair and unbiased choices, Salesforce offers the Audit Trail feature in Agentforce, tracking all AI activity so businesses can audit and maintain ethical decision-making. Zendesk recognises the need for AI transparency and is committed to improving Copilot’s processes to build trust, ensuring businesses can rely on AI-driven support without worrying about bias.

Workforce Scaling & Efficiency

CXOs often question how AI will impact their workforce. Can AI manage increasing customer interactions without needing more staff? Will it free up employees to focus on strategic, high-value tasks? Agentforce addresses this through autonomous operations, handling tasks like resolving cases, qualifying leads, and optimising campaigns without human intervention, effectively scaling workforce capacity.

Zendesk AI takes a different approach by enhancing human agent efficiency. With real-time suggestions, task automation, and workflow guidance, Copilot enables agents to handle more cases effectively. While it doesn’t replace human agents, it helps them work faster and make smarter decisions, boosting team performance.

Data-Powered Support

Successful customer support heavily relies on data, and both platforms recognise this. Agentforce integrates deeply with Salesforce’s Data Cloud, pulling data from multiple sources—emails, transcripts, and third-party platforms—allowing for personalised interactions based on a comprehensive customer view across departments.

Zendesk AI also utilises data, drawing from knowledge bases, previous tickets, and macros to assist agents. While its data integration isn’t as centralised as Agentforce’s, it efficiently uses the available data to streamline workflows. Copilot’s approach may be sufficient for businesses that don’t need extensive cross-departmental data sharing.

With AI managing sensitive customer data, security is a key concern for CXOs. Salesforce has a strong reputation for robust security. Agentforce takes it further with the Einstein Trust Layer, featuring zero data retention by external providers and toxicity detection to filter harmful language. Similarly, Zendesk Copilot prioritises data security, employing strict protocols to safeguard customer information.

Automation in Action

Automation is a core feature of both platforms, but they take different routes.

Agentforce, powered by the Atlas Reasoning Engine, handles complex tasks from start to finish, including resolving cases, qualifying leads, and optimising campaigns. Agentforce can manage large customer interactions by automating these processes, freeing human employees to focus on more complex issues. This makes it ideal for businesses looking to scale efficiently.

Zendesk AI focuses on real-time collaboration between human agents and AI. It automates routine tasks like processing refunds, collecting customer information, and updating tickets. While it doesn’t operate autonomously, it improves customer service agent performance by suggesting actions and responses, allowing them to work faster and more effectively. This approach is valuable for companies looking to empower their human agents, not replace them.

Integration and Scalability

Integration with existing systems and scalability are crucial for businesses. Agentforce integrates seamlessly with Salesforce’s suite of products, including Customer 360, MuleSoft, and Slack, making it a perfect fit for companies already embedded in the Salesforce ecosystem. This allows businesses to pull data from various departments and channels, providing a more unified customer experience.

Zendesk AI, meanwhile, offers fewer integrations and currently focuses on Shopify for retail tasks. Although this may limit its flexibility for companies using other platforms, Zendesk plans to expand its integration capabilities. Despite this, Copilot’s efficiency improvements can help businesses handle more cases without increasing staff proportionally, indirectly supporting workforce scaling.

Tangible Impact and ROI

CXOs are always looking for measurable returns on AI-driven support. Agentforce delivers clear savings through automation, such as automatically monitoring inventory and reordering supplies, reducing time-consuming manual processes. Salesforce also provides ROI calculation tools, allowing businesses to estimate potential savings and evaluate the cost-cutting benefits of Agentforce.

While Zendesk AI doesn’t emphasise cost reduction as its primary benefit, the platform’s efficiency improvements contribute indirectly to ROI. By enabling agents to resolve customer issues faster and more effectively, Copilot reduces handling times and increases customer satisfaction, both of which lead to cost savings.

Looking Ahead: The Future of Customer Support

Both Agentforce and Zendesk AI are evolving rapidly. Salesforce is making Agentforce a key part of its AI strategy, with future updates set to enhance its autonomous capabilities further. Meanwhile, Zendesk is expanding Copilot’s features, including language support, enhanced intent recognition, and greater integration options.

As AI continues to advance, tools like Agentforce and Zendesk AI will redefine how businesses engage with their customers. By providing more personalised, efficient, and responsive customer support, these platforms will be instrumental in driving customer satisfaction, loyalty, and long-term business success.