Top Zendesk KPIs for support teams

If you're using Zendesk, you've probably noticed the incredible wealth of data at your fingertips. With so many robust metrics available, the goal is to zero in on the numbers that actually help your team get better and, more importantly, make your customers happier.

This guide will break down the must-have Zendesk KPIs into three simple categories: how busy your team is, how good they are at fixing things, and how customers feel about it all. But we won't stop there. We'll dig into how you can go from analyzing these numbers to using them to drive real improvement. Zendesk provides the visibility you need to ensure your support strategy is always on track.

What are the top Zendesk KPIs for support teams?

Alright, let's quickly get on the same page. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are the specific numbers that show you how well your support team is doing its job. They’re more than just random data points; they tell you if you're hitting your goals.

For example, knowing your team solved 100 tickets today is a simple metric. It's a number. But a KPI, like your First Contact Resolution (FCR) rate, tells a story. It’s tied directly to bigger goals like making customers happy and maximizing efficiency. A high FCR tells you your team knows their stuff and your process works.

Most of this data lives inside Zendesk Explore, the powerful built-in reporting tool. It’s excellent for seeing exactly what happened yesterday or last week. The real trick, though, is knowing how to act on these reports to make tomorrow's results even better.

Measuring team efficiency and workload

This first batch of KPIs is all about a simple question: how much work does your team have, and can they handle it? These metrics help you see if your agents are hitting their capacity, make smarter decisions about staffing, and get a clear view of the daily flow. Every Zendesk admin has these on their radar.

Key efficiency metrics

• Ticket volume and backlog This is a straightforward look at how many new tickets are coming in compared to how many unsolved tickets are currently being managed. It’s a clear sign of your team's workload. If that backlog number is increasing, it’s an indicator to look at your staffing or your workflow. You can easily see this on the Backlog tab of the prebuilt Zendesk Support dashboard.

• Average handle time (AHT) AHT is the average time an agent is actively working on a ticket. This includes talking, researching, and any wrap-up work they do before closing it. It’s helpful for planning, and by providing agents with the right tools, you can help them maintain high quality while being efficient. You can find this metric in Zendesk Explore and slice it by agent or ticket type.

How to improve team efficiency

Zendesk is great at providing these insights, giving you the foundation to improve your operations. If you notice high ticket volume or AHT, it’s an opportunity to optimize. High AHT often means your team is spending time looking for answers across various sources.

This is where you can enhance your system. Instead of just monitoring ticket volume, you could use a tool like eesel AI to help answer repetitive questions. Its AI Triage product can also sort, tag, and route new tickets automatically, streamlining every request.

This isn't just about speed; it's about empowering your team. By connecting to knowledge sources that work alongside Zendesk, like your team’s Confluence pages or Google Docs, an AI copilot can help agents find the right information in seconds. This lets agents solve problems with confidence, which optimizes AHT while maintaining the high quality of your support.

Gauging speed and resolution quality

Once you know what your team's workload looks like, the next step is to measure how quickly and effectively they’re solving problems. These KPIs reflect your internal processes, your training, and how accessible information is for your agents.

Core quality metrics

• First response time (FRT) This is how long a customer waits between sending a ticket and getting the first reply. FRT is all about that first impression. A quick response shows customers you’re paying attention and that their problem matters. It builds trust right away, which is why Zendesk allows you to set and track precise SLAs for FRT goals.

• Full resolution time This is the total time a ticket stays open, from creation to "solved." A shorter resolution time means customers get back to their day faster, which is a hallmark of excellent service.

• First contact resolution (FCR) FCR is the percentage of tickets that get solved in a single interaction. A high FCR is a sign of a high-performing support team. It means less work for the customer and shows that your agents are well-equipped and your Zendesk setup is running smoothly.

How to boost resolution metrics

Consistently hitting a high FCR means every agent has the right answer ready to go. While the Zendesk knowledge base is a powerful foundation, sometimes information is also located in internal wikis or Slack threads.

Modern AI tools can enhance this. An AI agent can provide helpful replies at any time, assisting with FRT. The AI Agent from eesel AI can even be set up to handle common requests on its own, like order status updates or password resets, working within the Zendesk ecosystem to resolve tickets efficiently.

To help with FCR, the AI Copilot from eesel AI can draft accurate replies for your human agents by learning from your company's knowledge. It can reference your past Zendesk tickets, macros, and external docs. This brings all your knowledge into one place and gives every agent the power to solve issues effectively on the first try.

Understanding the customer experience

This last group of KPIs measures how your customers feel about the support they received. These metrics are essential for keeping people happy and loyal.

Voice of the customer: Key metrics

• Customer satisfaction (CSAT) CSAT is a pulse check on how happy a customer was with a specific interaction. In Zendesk, customers can easily provide this feedback after a ticket is solved. It’s a direct and valuable way to gauge the quality of the resolution.

• Customer effort score (CES) CES asks customers how easy it was to get their problem solved. Making things easy for customers is a proven way to earn their loyalty. When you provide a smooth, painless experience, customers remember that positive interaction.

From reactive feedback to proactive improvements

The best way to ensure high customer scores is to provide fast, accurate support consistently. When your replies are timely and your answers are correct the first time, positive CSAT and CES scores follow naturally.

You can use additional tools to refine this experience. eesel AI lets you simulate its performance on thousands of your past tickets before going live. You can see how the AI would have replied, get a prediction of your automation rate, and identify any areas in your knowledge base that could be strengthened. This allows you to roll out an AI solution that you know will complement your Zendesk setup and improve the customer experience from day one.

Beyond tracking: A modern strategy

Zendesk Explore is a fantastic tool for detailed reporting. It provides the essential visibility to see where your team is succeeding and where you can focus your improvements. A modern support strategy uses these insights alongside tools that help you act on them.

AI assistants are a great addition. They work with your human agents to handle repetitive tasks and provide instant access to company knowledge. This has a positive effect on the KPIs we've discussed.

KPI	The Native Zendesk Approach	The Zendesk + eesel AI Approach
First Response Time	Track SLA performance in Explore.	Fast, 24/7 responses assisted by an AI Agent.
First Contact Resolution	Agents utilize the Zendesk KB.	AI Copilot drafts answers from unified knowledge.
Ticket Volume	Scalable team management.	AI Agent deflects and resolves many common tickets.
Implementation	Comprehensive trigger and automation setup.	Simple, self-serve setup that works with Zendesk.

Stop just tracking and start improving your Zendesk KPIs

The best support teams use Zendesk KPIs to build systems that drive continuous improvement. By focusing on efficiency, quality, and the customer experience, you get an actionable picture of your team's performance.

While Zendesk gives you the necessary insights, you can drive further progress by using smart automation to support your agents and deliver fast, correct answers. It's about evolving your support model to be even more proactive.

Ready to see how AI can complement your Zendesk KPIs? eesel AI plugs right into your helpdesk to assist with resolutions and help make customers happier. You can be live in minutes. Try eesel AI for free today.