Zendesk voice support: A complete overview for 2026

Even with all the chat apps and email threads in the world, sometimes you just need to talk to a real person. And it turns out, most of your customers agree. Despite the constant push for digital-first everything, a massive 80% of consumers still prefer a good old-fashioned phone call to get help. It’s direct, personal, and often the quickest way to get a problem solved.

If your team is already running on Zendesk, using their built-in voice support is a natural and effective choice. It provides a smooth way to handle calls right where you manage every other customer chat. But is it the right tool for your specific needs? This guide gives you a comprehensive look at what Zendesk voice support offers: its powerful features, how to set it up, its tiered pricing options, and some key considerations to think about as you get started.

What is Zendesk voice support?

In simple terms, Zendesk voice support is a robust phone system that runs over the internet (VoIP) and is baked directly into the Zendesk Suite. Instead of having a separate phone app or system, your support team can make and receive calls from the exact same screen they use for emails, chats, and social media tickets.

The main idea is to give your agents one unified, powerful place to work. When a call comes in, the agent immediately sees the customer’s entire history, past emails, recent chats, you name it. This efficiency means agents don't need to flip between tabs, and customers enjoy a more personalized experience.

Behind the scenes, the service is powered by Twilio, an industry leader in communications, which handles the technical infrastructure for the calls. This lets Zendesk focus on making the voice experience fit perfectly into its world-class helpdesk and adding its own impressive AI features to streamline operations.

Key features of Zendesk voice support

Zendesk has loaded its voice platform with features designed to bring the call center into the modern age. They've put a big emphasis on using AI and creating a single, comprehensive workspace where agents can handle any channel with ease.

AI at every step

Zendesk uses AI across the entire lifecycle of a support call, aiming to automate routine tasks and help agents handle complex problems more effectively.

• Before the call connects: You can set up AI agents to be the professional first point of contact. They can answer common questions, verify a caller's identity, and often resolve issues on their own. If a question requires a human touch, the AI is smart enough to route the call to the right agent, along with all the context it has already gathered.

• During the call: While an agent is talking to a customer, Zendesk’s "agent copilot" can listen in. It can pop up real-time suggestions, find relevant help articles, and guide the agent toward the right solution, which is a great support for team members.

• After the call: Once the call is over, the AI automatically creates a full transcript and a quick summary. This is a huge efficiency booster, allowing agents to focus on the next customer rather than manual administrative tasks.

• For quality checks: With the Zendesk QA add-on, you can review 100% of your calls, from both AI and human agents. The system can flag calls with a negative tone, spot customers who might be about to cancel, and point out coaching opportunities for your team. It moves quality assurance from random spot-checks to a comprehensive, data-driven process.

One workspace for every channel

Probably the biggest strength of Zendesk voice is its native integration. Having phone support inside the same dashboard as every other channel truly enhances your team's efficiency and the customer's experience.

When a customer calls, their entire history pops up instantly. Agents can see every past ticket and conversation, allowing them to provide personal and helpful support. For managers, this integration also applies to comprehensive reports. You can compare call volume, resolution times, and customer satisfaction scores side-by-side with email and chat, giving you a full, clear picture of your support operations.

Standard call center tools

Beyond the AI and the unified workspace, Zendesk voice also includes all the mature features you'd expect from a professional call center tool.

You can set up clear call menus (an IVR system, like "press 1 for sales"), route calls based on which agent has the right skills, and create rules for what happens to calls that come in after hours. It also includes essentials like call recording, three-way calling, warm transfers (where an agent can brief a teammate before passing the call), and the option for customers to request a callback.

One sophisticated feature is the Voice API, which lets you put a "Call Us" button on your website or in your app. Customers can start a call right from their browser, providing a seamless experience and helping to ensure you're receiving high-quality calls.

How to get started with Zendesk voice support

Setting up Zendesk voice support is a structured process designed to get your team up and running efficiently. Here’s a quick look at how to get your phones ringing.

Step 1: Get a phone number

First, you need a number. Zendesk provides several options. If you’re on a free trial, Zendesk often provides one automatically. For paying customers, you can buy new local or toll-free numbers directly from them in over 40 countries.

If you have a business number you want to keep, you can often "port" it over to Zendesk. While this can take a few weeks, a quick way to start is by forwarding calls from your old number to your new Zendesk one. Zendesk provides clear guidance on any business documents required by different countries.

Step 2: Check your network and gear

Because Zendesk voice uses your internet connection, ensuring your environment is optimized will lead to the best call quality.

• Internet: A stable, fast connection is recommended. A wired connection is generally the most reliable choice for professional voice traffic.

• Network: You can work with your IT team to ensure your firewall settings are optimized for voice traffic.

• Hardware: While computer microphones work, a dedicated USB headset is a great investment for ensuring the highest audio quality for your team and your customers.

Step 3: Enable and configure the voice channel

Once your number and network are ready, the final step is to enable the channel in your Zendesk admin panel. You can then begin tailoring the system to your needs: defining business hours, recording professional greetings, creating your voicemail message, and routing calls to the most appropriate agent groups.

Zendesk voice support pricing options

Zendesk offers tiered plans designed to match different team sizes and requirements. Zendesk voice support pricing is conveniently integrated into their "Suite" plans, providing a comprehensive customer service package in one subscription.

The pricing structure generally includes:

1. The plan cost: A monthly fee per agent.

2. The number cost: A small monthly fee for each phone number.

3. Usage costs: Standard per-minute charges for calls and voicemails.

Here’s an overview of the plans that include voice support:

Plan	Price (per agent/month, billed annually)	Key Voice & AI Features Included	Best For
Suite Team	$55	Reliable phone support, call routing, Essential AI agents	Small teams starting their journey with phone support.
Suite Professional	$115	IVR phone tree, skills-based routing, CSAT surveys, SLA management	Growing teams who need more advanced control and insights.
Suite Enterprise	$169	Advanced reporting, custom agent roles, dynamic workspaces	Large companies with complex and sophisticated call flows.

Additionally, advanced AI features like the agent copilot are available as add-ons, allowing you to scale your AI capabilities as your needs grow.

Considerations for optimizing Zendesk voice support

While Zendesk provides an impressive, all-in-one solution, there are ways to further optimize your setup. Here are a few considerations for making the most of the platform.

• Expanding AI knowledge reach: Zendesk's AI is exceptionally strong when using information within the Zendesk ecosystem. If your team keeps some information in other places-like Confluence, Google Docs, or Notion-you might consider ways to bridge that knowledge. This ensures agents have a complete view without having to search multiple systems.

• Leveraging the integrated ecosystem: Because the voice and AI tools are deeply integrated into the Zendesk platform, they work best when you follow the established workflows. While this provides a consistent experience, some teams with highly specialized needs might look for complementary tools to add even more customization.

• Configuring for advanced needs: The basic setup for Zendesk is straightforward. To truly unlock the power of advanced features like detailed call menus and fine-tuned AI agents, it's worth spending time in the comprehensive Zendesk admin panel to tailor the experience to your specific business rules.

A complementary solution: A smart AI layer

For teams looking to add even more flexibility to their setup, you can consider adding a complementary AI layer. eesel AI is one such option-a flexible AI platform that works right within the Zendesk ecosystem to enhance your existing workflows.

• Connect more knowledge sources: eesel AI can connect to various knowledge sources your company might use alongside Zendesk, such as Confluence or Google Drive. This provides another way to ensure your agents have quick access to a wide range of information.

• Simplified configuration: eesel AI is designed to be easily added to your helpdesk, allowing you to point the AI to your knowledge sources and manage automations through a simple dashboard.

• Evaluation tools: eesel AI includes a simulation mode that lets you see how the AI would have responded to past Zendesk tickets. This is a helpful way to forecast performance and identify any areas where your knowledge base could be even more comprehensive.

Is Zendesk voice support the right choice?

Zendesk voice support is a leading choice for teams that want a mature, reliable, and deeply integrated ecosystem. The seamless connection between channels is a significant advantage, and the AI features are world-class. Zendesk remains the gold standard for teams looking for a powerful and scalable support platform.

For teams that want to further enhance this experience or integrate knowledge from a wider variety of sources, adding complementary AI tools to your Zendesk setup can be a great way to build a truly customized support environment.

Enhance your Zendesk voice support

Looking to maximize your integrated support setup? eesel AI integrates with Zendesk in minutes to help automate support and provide agents with answers from your company documentation, right within their workspace.

Explore our options or book a demo today.

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