Zendesk has unveiled its strategic move to acquire Ultimate, a service automation provider, signaling a significant leap towards delivering a comprehensive AI solution for customer experience (CX) in today's dynamic market. Through the integration of Ultimate, Zendesk aims to provide AI agents with heightened intelligence, going beyond mere reactivity to become proactive problem solvers that complement human expertise.
"AI is the future of CX and the next generation of AI agents are not just a tool, but a necessary and fundamental shift in how businesses will engage with their customers. With Ultimate, we will help our customers set a new standard, with AI agents giving customers the support they need quickly and effortlessly. This means human agents can focus on what they do best: building relationships, resolving complex challenges, and applying innovation and creativity to move businesses forward," said Tom Eggemeier, CEO of Zendesk.
This acquisition comes on the heels of its previous acquisition of Klaus, the AI-powered quality management company.
Ultimate's AI agents boast an impressive capacity, automating up to 80% of support requests. These agents leverage diverse knowledge sources and offer complete customization to address even the most intricate use cases. The automation platform seamlessly integrates with any backend system, offering robust analytics and reporting features. The partnership between Zendesk and Ultimate aims to assist companies with flexibility and control, allowing them to deliver customer support in their preferred manner, whether through fully autonomous AI agents, workflow automation, or a human touch.
"Our mission has always been to help businesses use AI to deliver joyful support experiences. We've seen 99 percent of CX organizations who adopt AI shift permanently to a hybrid human and AI agent approach. As part of Zendesk, we now have the scale to drive this transformation for every business," said Reetu Kainulainen, CEO and co-founder of Ultimate.
This acquisition represents a significant extension of Zendesk's portfolio, building upon the success of Zendesk AI, the company's fastest-adopted product to date. The combination of Zendesk AI, Ultimate, and the AI-powered Workforce Engagement Management solutions positions Zendesk as the exclusive provider of a comprehensive CX platform.
