Over time, companies outgrow the help desk Software they use. It’s a natural process. However, getting more customers, and thus more tickets is not the only reason why businesses consider moving to a different help desk software. The environment, and most importantly, customers change, demanding more, faster and better.

So, in order to thrive and keep their customers happy, companies must have a good sense of timing when it comes to the effectiveness of their technology solutions.

And everything would be easy if the matter was just to sign up to a new help desk and suspend the current account. The chances are high that by that time your company has accumulated a significant amount of data that reflects relationships with clients, history of troubleshooting and other valuable information. You can’t just leave it behind!

In this article, you will learn about four methods of importing data to Zendesk — one of the most popular help desk platforms on the market.

1. Exporting data to a CSV file and importing it to Zendesk:

If your help desk software presents a simple way to export the data into a CSV file, then you will be able to move some essential data to Zendesk. Namely, Zendesk allows importing information about your agents and customers. The import feature is free and allows to transfer the data on your own.

However, this method has certain limitations. First, it will take some time to prepare a CSV file that meets Zendesk’s requirements. Checking all the fields may take a lot of time. Furthermore, Zendesk allows to import up to 2000 rows in one file so if there are more records to migrate, you will have to prepare several files and import them one by one. Lastly, tickets, notes, attachments, and lots of other data is left out.

If your old help desk does not provide data export out of the box you will then have to contact your vendor to get it extracted for you. Usually, this service is free but it might take some time to get the files.

2. Manually copy-pasting the data:

When there are just a few records or articles to be taken to a new system, copy-pasting may be an option. Keep in mind though, that entering the data manually there’s a risk of making typos or misplacing some data. Other than that, copy-pasting can take a while and will probably involve everybody on the team. Meaning that agents will be busy re-keying the tickets when they should be working on customer’s inquiries.

So, turn to copy-pasting only if you have a small amount of information.

3. Using Zendesk API to migrate support records:

The API is a great way to run Zendesk import. With its help, companies can create a connection between their current help desk and Zendesk which will move data from one to another. Just imagine two people talking to each other. API follows the same principle. Only, in this case, the communication is one-way.

One of the greatest benefits of API over the above-mentioned methods is that it usually allows migrating more types of records. Also, Zendesk’s API is available to all users regardless of their pricing plan. However, not all companies can leverage it.

In order to import the information via API, your company must have an in-house software developer. Preferably, with a hands-on experience in using API; or someone who could quickly study the documentation of Zendesk and your current vendor.

If you don’t have an in-house specialist, you will need to hire a software developer to perform the data migration. If you have a limited budget, affording their service can be tough. If the budget is not a problem then the only thing left to worry about is time. It may take a while find the appropriate candidate and customize the API so it would meet your needs.

4. Utilizing an automated data migration service:

Third-party data migration services allow importing your customer support history to Zendesk automatically. This method is a great option if you don’t want to spend time preparing files or doing any other work. With the service, the migration boils down to several simple steps that do not require special skills or preparation.

Because the tool is commercial, you’ll have to pay a fee to migrate the data. However, the price for the service is affordable due to the streamlined process. And it is considerably lower in comparison to the wage you’d have to pay to a software developer.

Last but not least, third-party data migration services offer a high level of support whenever a client runs into a problem or has a question about the process.

Conclusion:

As you can see, there are multiple ways of migrating to Zendesk. Each way has its pros and cons in terms of time, workforce, budget, etc. However, you should not sacrifice data as it is a vital business asset.

Consider all the aspects mentioned above and choose wisely.

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