Important: Pendo integrations are only available for Zendesk Help Center and Chat products using Zendesk Web Widget (Classic). Pendo does not support integrations with Zendesk Messaging using the new Zendesk web widget. Zendesk Help Center and Chat are not available with Messaging and Zendesk does not currently support third-party integrations with Messaging.
Zendesk Messaging was launched for all new Zendesk customers on November 2, 2021 and existing customers can enable it manually. Messaging must be disabled to use Pendo integrations with Web Widget (Classic).
Learn how to disable Messaging in the Zendesk Help Center.
Overview
Embed Zendesk's live chat in your Pendo Resource Center to provide real-time assistance alongside your contextual guidance and product walkthroughs. This integration removes the native activation badge created by the Zendesk chat snippet and activates live chat entirely within the Pendo Resource Center. The Resource Center can be activated from a Pendo badge or a target element in your application.
Requirements
- Pendo Admin User
- Zendesk Admin user
- Active Zendesk Chat integration for your Pendo subscription
- Engineer to install Zendesk Chat snippet
- Published Pendo Resource Center
- Agent Version 2.93.2 or greater
Reach out to your Pendo customer success or sales representative to add the Zendesk Integration to your Pendo subscription.
Important
- The Zendesk snippet must be installed below the Pendo snippet in the page header
- Installing the Zendesk snippet without publishing the Zendesk Chat module in the Resource Center will load the Zendesk Chat launch badge over your UI
- The Resource Center only supports one chat integration and will only load the first module listed
Install
Zendesk Chat installation is a two-step process. The chat module must be added to the Resource Center and the Zendesk Chat snippet must be installed on any page where the chat module is used.
If the Zendesk snippet is installed and the RC module isn't published, the Zendesk snippet will load Zendesk's launch button over your UI. If the chat module is in the published Resource Center, it won't show up in the Resource Center until it detects the installed chat snippet in your application. This install order acts a fail-safe, only showing the chat module when it's functional.
Add the Zendesk Chat Module to the Resource Center
The Zendesk Chat integration needs to be added to the subscription then the Chat module can be added to the Resource Center. The chat module must be added to the Resource Center and published before the snippet is installed in your application, otherwise Zendesk will display their launch badge until the Resource Center module is added.
Integrations
1. Navigate to Settings > Integrations.
2. Find the Zendesk Chat integration in Live Chat integrations and click Edit Integration.
3. Edit the Resource Center module details.
4. Click Save to Staging to make the integration available in the Resource Center.
Configure Resource Center
5. Navigate to Guides > Resource Center.
6. Click Add Module and add the Zendesk Chat module. Click Add Modules to save the new module to your draft Resource Center.
- If you need to change the order of your Resource Center modules or make any other changes, click Manage in My App.
- The segment for the Zendesk Chat module is set to Everyone by default. If you want to target Chat to a certain segment of visitors or accounts, change the segment for the Chat module to target only those visitors. The Chat module is hidden for anyone outside of the segment.
7. Click Push to Staging to promote your Resource Center to staging. As a best practice, you should review the new Resource Center and test the chat integration in your staging environment.
8. Click Push to Production to promote your new Resource Center from staging to your production environment. The Zendesk Chat module is now available in your Resource Center.
Install the Zendesk Chat Snippet
Zendesk has installation instructions for installing the Chat snippet. The process is similar to installing the Pendo snippet. The snippet needs to be added to the <head> of any page where Chat will be used. The Chat module in the Resource Center will not load unless the snippet is present on the page.
The Zendesk Chat snippet must be installed below the the Pendo snippet in the <head>. If the Zendesk snippet loads before the Pendo snippet, Zendesk will load their own chat launch button instead of using the Resource Center module.
Using the Zendesk Chat Module
When an end user clicks on the Zendesk Chat module in the Resource Center, the Zendesk Chat window opens and the Resource Center is hidden. This starts the chat with a support agent.
When the user is connected to a support agent, they can have their entire conversation in the in-app chat module.
Clicking on the Resource Center badge or activation element ends the chat and closes the chat window. Reopening the Resource Center opens the Resource Center on the Home page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use this chat integration if I'm using Zopim?
Zopim is Zendesk's legacy chat widget. This integration does not support Zopim. If you want to use this chat integration you must upgrade your Zendesk Legacy Chat account to use their enhanced experience. Zendesk has articles about the upgrade process.
Upgrade your Legacy Chat+Support account to the enhanced experience
Preparing to upgrade your Chat account from Legacy Chat to the enhanced Chat experience
Can I set up user identification with the Zendesk Chat integration?
The Chat integration utilizes the native Zendesk web widget API. Anything supported by the native API, including the ability to set up user identification, applies to the Chat integration. While user identification for chat cannot be controlled or set in Pendo, they can be controlled through Zendesk and your widget implementation. Additional instructions for setting up user identification can be found in Zendesk's Knowledge Base or Developer documentation.
Does the Zendesk Chat integration support Zendesk's multi-brand option?
The Chat integration utilizes the native Zendesk integration. Anything supported by the native integration, including the multi-brand option, applies to the Chat integration. While multi-brand settings cannot be controlled in Pendo, they can be controlled through Zendesk. Additional instructions for setting up multiple brands can be found in Zendesk's Knowledge Base.