Need A CHEAPER Zendesk? Cayzu Help Desk Review

In today’s digital age, efficient customer support is crucial for businesses of all sizes. As companies seek cost-effective alternatives to established help desk solutions like Zendesk, Cayzu emerges as a promising option. This comprehensive review delves into the features and functionality of Cayzu, a help desk solution positioning itself as a more affordable alternative to Zendesk.

Dave Swift, a digital entrepreneur and small business expert, provides an in-depth analysis of Cayzu’s capabilities, exploring both its front-end and back-end features. This review aims to help business owners and support teams determine if Cayzu is the right fit for their needs. We’ll examine various aspects of the platform, including ticket management, knowledge base creation, reporting tools, and customization options.

Throughout this review, we’ll explore Cayzu’s user interface, discuss its strengths and limitations, and provide insights into how it compares to more established solutions. Whether you’re a small business owner looking to streamline your customer support or a larger organization seeking a cost-effective help desk solution, this Cayzu review will provide valuable information to guide your decision-making process.

Intro [00:00]

Dave Swift introduces the Cayzu help desk solution, positioning it as a more affordable alternative to Zendesk. He emphasizes the importance of understanding Cayzu’s features to determine if it’s suitable for your business needs. Swift outlines his goal for the video: to provide a comprehensive review of Cayzu’s front-end and back-end features.

Key points covered in the introduction:

• Cayzu is presented as a cheaper option compared to Zendesk
• The review aims to showcase all of Cayzu’s features
• Swift encourages viewers to like and subscribe if they find the content helpful
• The review is unbiased, despite the presence of an affiliate link

Introduction to Cayzu Help Desk

• Cayzu positions itself as a cost-effective alternative to Zendesk, targeting businesses looking for more affordable help desk solutions
• The review aims to provide a comprehensive look at both the customer-facing and administrative aspects of Cayzu
• Swift emphasizes the importance of understanding all features to make an informed decision about whether Cayzu is right for your business
• The video is designed to be helpful for digital entrepreneurs and small business owners seeking efficient customer support solutions

Review Approach and Transparency

• Swift clarifies that the review is unbiased, despite the presence of an affiliate link
• Viewers are encouraged to use the affiliate link if they find Cayzu suitable, which supports the channel without additional cost to the user
• The review promises to cover all aspects of Cayzu, including potential limitations or areas for improvement
• Swift’s approach focuses on providing valuable information to help viewers make an informed decision about their help desk needs

Ticket Window [00:58]

The ticket window is a crucial component of any help desk solution, and Cayzu’s implementation offers a range of features to manage customer inquiries effectively. Dave Swift provides a detailed walkthrough of the ticket window, highlighting its functionality and user interface.

Key features of Cayzu’s ticket window:

• Unresolved ticket screen displaying all open tickets
• Ability to assign tickets to different agents
• Detailed view of individual tickets with customer messages and agent responses
• Options to change ticket status, priority, and group assignments
• Tagging system for easy categorization and retrieval of tickets

Ticket Management and Organization

• Cayzu’s ticket window presents an overview of all unresolved tickets, including status, priority, and last update time
• Users can easily assign tickets to different agents, facilitating team collaboration and workload distribution
• The detailed ticket view displays the full conversation history between the customer and support agents
• Agents can quickly change the ticket status (e.g., pending, resolved) and priority level to reflect the current state of the issue
• The system allows for grouping tickets by department or category, streamlining the support process for larger organizations

Ticket Interaction and Response Features

• Agents can reply directly to customer inquiries within the ticket window, maintaining a clear conversation thread
• The platform supports internal notes, allowing agents to communicate privately about a ticket without the customer seeing these comments
• Cayzu offers a merge option to combine related tickets, preventing duplicate efforts and maintaining a cohesive support history
• Time tracking functionality is available, enabling agents to log the time spent on each ticket for billing or productivity analysis
• The system provides a revision history, allowing agents to review changes made to the ticket over time

Knowledge Base Articles [05:28]

Cayzu’s knowledge base feature allows businesses to create and manage a repository of helpful articles, FAQs, and guides for customers. This self-service option can significantly reduce the number of support tickets by providing readily available answers to common questions.

Key aspects of Cayzu’s knowledge base functionality:

• Ability to create, edit, and organize articles in a hierarchical structure
• Simple text editor for formatting articles
• Options to control article visibility (public, logged-in users, or agents only)
• Potential for creating a comprehensive self-service portal for customers

Creating and Managing Knowledge Base Articles

• Cayzu provides a straightforward interface for creating new knowledge base articles
• Users can organize articles into categories and subcategories for easy navigation
• The platform offers a basic text editor for formatting articles, including options for headings, bold text, and bullet points
• Articles can be easily updated and revised as needed, ensuring the knowledge base remains current
• Cayzu allows for the addition of attachments to articles, enhancing the depth of information provided

Limitations and Areas for Improvement

• The text editor lacks advanced formatting options, such as the ability to add links or embed images directly
• There is no built-in version control system for tracking changes to articles over time
• The platform doesn’t offer a robust search functionality within the knowledge base, which could improve user experience
• Cayzu’s knowledge base lacks features for collaborative editing or approval workflows, which might be important for larger teams
• The absence of analytics for article views or helpfulness ratings limits the ability to optimize the knowledge base content

Contacts [08:10]

The Contacts section in Cayzu allows businesses to manage customer information efficiently. This feature is essential for maintaining a comprehensive database of customers and their support history.

Key features of Cayzu’s Contacts section:

• Automatic creation of contact profiles when customers submit tickets
• Ability to manually add and edit contact information
• View of all active and past tickets associated with each contact
• Option to delete contacts if needed

Managing Customer Information

• Cayzu automatically creates contact profiles when customers submit tickets, reducing manual data entry
• Users can manually add contacts and edit their information, ensuring the database remains up-to-date
• The platform displays all active and past tickets associated with each contact, providing a comprehensive view of the customer’s support history
• Contact profiles can include various details such as email, phone number, and custom fields for additional information
• The system allows for easy navigation between contacts and their associated tickets, streamlining the support process

Contact Management Limitations

• Cayzu lacks advanced contact segmentation or tagging features, which could be useful for targeted communications
• The platform doesn’t offer integration with CRM systems out-of-the-box, potentially limiting its usefulness for sales teams
• There is no built-in feature for bulk importing or exporting contacts, which could be cumbersome for businesses migrating from other systems
• The contact view doesn’t provide insights into customer satisfaction or engagement metrics
• Cayzu’s contact management system doesn’t include features for tracking customer interactions outside of support tickets (e.g., purchases, website visits)

Reports [08:47]

Cayzu’s reporting features provide valuable insights into support team performance and ticket trends. These reports help businesses make data-driven decisions to improve their customer support processes.

Key aspects of Cayzu’s reporting functionality:

• Overview of ticket volume, resolution times, and agent performance
• Various report types including help desk load analysis, ticket volume, and agent reports
• Option to schedule and export reports
• Timesheet reports for tracking billable hours

Types of Reports Available

• Ticket volume reports show the number of tickets received and resolved over time
• Response time reports indicate how quickly agents are addressing customer inquiries
• Agent performance reports provide insights into individual and team productivity
• Customer satisfaction reports (if enabled) show feedback from resolved tickets
• Timesheet reports allow for tracking billable hours, useful for businesses charging for support

Report Customization and Limitations

• Cayzu offers various filters for customizing reports, including date ranges and ticket categories
• Reports can be scheduled and exported to Excel for further analysis or presentation
• The platform lacks advanced visualization options, such as customizable charts or graphs
• There is limited ability to create custom reports beyond the pre-defined options
• The reporting interface may not be as intuitive or flexible as some more established help desk solutions

Agents, Roles, & Groups [12:37]

Cayzu provides a robust system for managing support team members through its Agents, Roles, and Groups features. This functionality allows businesses to organize their support staff efficiently and control access to various parts of the system.

Key features of Cayzu’s agent management system:

• Ability to add and manage multiple agents
• Creation of custom roles with specific permissions
• Organization of agents into groups for streamlined ticket assignment
• Granular control over agent access to different features and information

Managing Agents and Roles

• Cayzu allows administrators to add new agents and set their access levels
• Custom roles can be created with specific permissions, allowing for fine-tuned control over agent capabilities
• Administrators can assign agents to different groups based on skills, departments, or other criteria
• The platform provides options for setting billing rates for agents, useful for businesses tracking billable hours
• Agent performance can be monitored through various reports and metrics

Groups and Ticket Assignment

• Cayzu enables the creation of different groups for organizing agents (e.g., by department or expertise)
• Tickets can be automatically assigned to specific groups based on predefined rules
• The group system allows for efficient workload distribution among team members
• Administrators can set up round-robin assignment within groups to evenly distribute tickets
• Group-based reporting provides insights into team performance and workload balance

Personalization [15:53]

Cayzu offers various personalization options to tailor the help desk experience to your brand and specific needs. These features allow businesses to create a cohesive support experience that aligns with their overall brand identity.

Key personalization features in Cayzu:

• Customizable branding options for the help desk interface
• Ability to set up multiple brands within a single Cayzu account
• Custom domain integration for a seamless user experience
• Personalized email templates for customer communications

Branding and Custom Domain Setup [16:03]

Cayzu allows businesses to customize their help desk interface to match their brand identity. One crucial aspect of this personalization is the ability to set up a custom domain for the help desk portal.

Key points about custom domain setup:

• Cayzu provides the option to use a personalized URL for your help desk (e.g., helpdesk.yourbrand.com)
• Setting up a custom domain requires creating a CNAME record in your DNS settings
• The process involves pointing your subdomain to Cayzu’s provided URL
• Custom domain setup enhances brand consistency and professionalism

Steps for setting up a custom domain:

1. Choose a subdomain for your help desk (e.g., helpdesk.yourbrand.com)
2. Log into your DNS management platform (e.g., GoDaddy, Namecheap, DNS Made Easy)
3. Create a new CNAME record pointing your chosen subdomain to Cayzu’s provided URL
4. Add a period at the end of the Cayzu URL to ensure proper DNS resolution
5. Save the DNS changes and wait for propagation (may take up to 48 hours)

Benefits of using a custom domain:

• Reinforces brand identity by keeping users on your domain
• Increases trust and credibility with customers
• Provides a seamless experience between your main website and support portal
• Allows for easier SSL certificate management for secure communications

Forwarding Emails from Gsuite/Google Workspace [17:32]

To fully utilize Cayzu’s email ticket functionality, it’s essential to set up email forwarding from your support email address to Cayzu’s system. This section focuses on configuring email forwarding using G Suite (now Google Workspace).

Key steps for setting up email forwarding:

• Create a group in G Suite for your support email address
• Configure the group to forward emails to Cayzu’s provided email address
• Ensure proper permissions are set for external email forwarding

Detailed Process for Email Forwarding Setup

1. Log into your G Suite admin panel
2. Navigate to the “Groups” section
3. Click “Create Group” and enter details for your support email (e.g., support@yourbrand.com)
4. Set the access type to “External published posts” to allow emails from outside your organization
5. Add Cayzu’s provided email address as a member of the group
6. Remove any unnecessary members (like your personal email) from the group
7. Save the changes and wait for them to propagate

Benefits and Considerations

• This setup allows Cayzu to receive and process emails sent to your support address
• Ensures that all customer communications are captured in Cayzu’s ticket system
• Maintains your branded email address for customer communications
• Allows for easy management of support staff access without changing customer-facing email addresses

Internal Notes on Support Tickets [20:36]

Cayzu’s internal notes feature allows support agents to communicate privately about tickets without the customer seeing these comments. This functionality is crucial for team collaboration and providing context for complex support issues.

Key aspects of internal notes:

• Ability to add private comments visible only to support staff
• Useful for sharing additional context or instructions between agents
• Helps maintain a professional communication tone with customers while allowing for internal discussions

Using Internal Notes Effectively

• Agents can use internal notes to provide background information on a customer’s history or previous interactions
• Internal notes can be used to strategize on how to handle complex issues before responding to the customer
• The feature allows for seamless handoffs between agents, ensuring continuity in customer support
• Supervisors can use internal notes to provide guidance or feedback to agents without interfering with customer communication

Copy Email Templates & Supported Languages [21:09]

Cayzu offers the ability to create and manage email templates for various support scenarios. Additionally, the platform supports multiple languages to cater to a diverse customer base.

Key features of email templates and language support:

• Option to create and customize email templates for different types of responses
• Ability to copy templates between different brands within your Cayzu account
• Support for multiple languages in the user interface and customer communications

Customizing Email Templates

• Create templates for common support scenarios to ensure consistent communication
• Use placeholders for dynamic content like customer names or ticket numbers
• Easily copy templates between different brands to maintain consistency across multiple support channels
• Customize templates to match your brand voice and communication style

Language Support

• Set up Cayzu in multiple languages to support a global customer base
• Choose a primary language for your help desk interface
• Option to add additional supported languages for both the admin interface and customer-facing portal
• Ability to create language-specific email templates and knowledge base articles

Social Integration Pt.1 (Twitter) [21:50]

Cayzu offers social media integration to help businesses manage support requests coming through platforms like Twitter. This feature aims to centralize customer communications from various channels into a single help desk system.

Key aspects of Twitter integration:

• Ability to connect Twitter accounts to Cayzu
• Option to monitor and respond to Twitter mentions and direct messages
• Integration of Twitter communications into the ticket system

Setting Up Twitter Integration

• Navigate to the social integration section in Cayzu’s admin panel
• Add and authorize your Twitter account
• Configure settings for monitoring mentions and direct messages
• Set up rules for creating tickets from Twitter interactions

Limitations and Considerations

• The review notes that Twitter integration may not be functioning as expected, with delays in pulling in tweets
• Businesses should test this feature thoroughly to ensure it meets their needs
• Consider alternative methods for managing social media support if real-time responsiveness is crucial

App Integration [22:14]

Cayzu provides integration options with various third-party applications to enhance its functionality and connect with other business tools. This feature allows businesses to create a more cohesive support ecosystem.

Key points about app integrations:

• Cayzu offers connections to popular business tools and services
• Integrations include file storage, accounting, CRM, and productivity apps
• The platform uses Zapier for additional integration possibilities

Available Integrations

• File storage: Dropbox integration for easy file sharing and access
• Accounting: FreshBooks and QuickBooks Online for financial tracking
• CRM: HubSpot, SugarCRM, and Zoho CRM for customer relationship management
• Productivity: Various tools to enhance team efficiency and communication
• Survey tools: Integration with SurveyMonkey for customer feedback collection

Benefits of App Integration

• Streamline workflows by connecting Cayzu with other business tools
• Reduce manual data entry and improve accuracy across systems
• Enhance customer support capabilities by leveraging data from integrated apps
• Improve overall efficiency by creating a more connected support ecosystem

Single Sign-On [23:04]

Cayzu offers Single Sign-On (SSO) functionality for both end-users and agents, providing a seamless authentication experience and enhancing security.

Key aspects of Cayzu’s SSO feature:

• Separate SSO options for end-users and agents
• Integration with existing authentication systems
• Improved user experience and security for accessing the help desk

End-User Single Sign-On

• Allows customers to access the help desk using their existing credentials
• Reduces friction in the support process by eliminating the need for separate logins
• Can be configured to work with various identity providers

Agent Single Sign-On

• Enables support staff to access Cayzu using their organizational credentials
• Enhances security by leveraging existing authentication protocols
• Simplifies access management for support teams

Setting Up Single Sign-On

• Navigate to the Single Sign-On section in Cayzu’s admin panel
• Choose between end-user and agent SSO configuration
• Select the appropriate identity provider and follow the setup instructions
• Test the SSO integration to ensure proper functionality

Benefits of Implementing SSO

• Improved user experience for both customers and support staff
• Enhanced security through centralized authentication management
• Reduced password fatigue and associated security risks
• Streamlined access control for support team members

Social Integration Pt. 2 [23:51]

This section revisits the social media integration features of Cayzu, specifically focusing on the practical implementation and potential challenges.

Key points about social integration:

• Cayzu aims to integrate social media support channels into its ticketing system
• The review highlights potential issues with the Twitter integration functionality
• Businesses should carefully evaluate the reliability of social media integrations

Testing Twitter Integration

• The reviewer attempts to send a tweet to test Cayzu’s Twitter integration
• There’s an expectation of a delay in Cayzu pulling in tweets from Twitter
• The test reveals potential issues with the integration’s reliability

Considerations for Social Media Support

• Real-time responsiveness is crucial for effective social media support
• Businesses should have backup plans for managing social media inquiries if integrations fail
• Regular testing of social integrations is recommended to ensure functionality

Alternatives to Consider

• If Cayzu’s social media integration proves unreliable, consider using dedicated social media management tools
• Explore manual methods for incorporating social media inquiries into the ticketing system
• Evaluate the importance of social media support channels for your specific business needs

Email Setup [24:43]

Proper email setup is crucial for effective communication with customers through Cayzu. This section delves into the email configuration options available within the platform.

Key aspects of email setup in Cayzu:

• Configuration of email inboxes for receiving customer inquiries
• Customization of email templates for various support scenarios
• Management of email signatures and branding elements

Configuring Email Inboxes

• Set up and manage multiple email inboxes within Cayzu
• Configure forwarding rules to ensure all support emails are captured in the system
• Assign specific email addresses to different support teams or departments

Customizing Email Templates

• Create and edit email templates for common support scenarios
• Use dynamic tags to personalize emails with customer and ticket information
• Set up different templates for various stages of the support process (e.g., ticket creation, updates, resolution)

Email Branding and Signatures

• Customize email signatures for different support agents or teams
• Include branding elements like logos and color schemes in outgoing emails
• Ensure consistent communication style across all customer interactions

Best Practices for Email Setup

• Regularly review and update email templates to maintain relevance and effectiveness
• Test email deliverability to ensure messages are reaching customers’ inboxes
• Use clear and concise language in email templates to facilitate quick understanding

Business Rules – SLA Policies [25:49]

Service Level Agreement (SLA) policies are crucial for maintaining consistent support quality. Cayzu provides tools to set up and manage SLA policies within the platform.

Key features of SLA policy management in Cayzu:

• Ability to define response and resolution time targets for different priority levels
• Option to set up business hours and holidays for accurate SLA tracking
• Reporting tools to monitor SLA compliance

Setting Up SLA Policies

• Define response time targets for different ticket priority levels (e.g., urgent, high, medium, low)
• Set resolution time goals for each priority level
• Configure business hours to ensure accurate tracking of response times
• Add holidays and special dates to the system for proper SLA calculations

Configuring Business Hours

• Set up standard operating hours for your support team
• Define different hours for specific days of the week if necessary
• Add exceptions for holidays or special events

Monitoring SLA Compliance

• Use Cayzu’s reporting tools to track performance against SLA targets
• Identify areas where response or resolution times are falling short
• Analyze trends to improve overall support efficiency and quality

Best Practices for SLA Management

• Regularly review and adjust SLA policies based on business needs and customer expectations
• Communicate SLA policies clearly to both customers and support team members
• Use SLA data to inform staffing decisions and process improvements

Assignment Rules [27:07]

Cayzu’s assignment rules feature allows businesses to automatically route tickets to the appropriate agents or teams based on predefined criteria. This functionality helps streamline the support process and ensure efficient ticket handling.

Key aspects of assignment rules in Cayzu:

• Ability to create custom rules for ticket assignment
• Options to route tickets based on various criteria such as product, source, or content
• Automatic assignment to specific agents or groups

Creating Assignment Rules

• Navigate to the assignment rules section in Cayzu’s admin panel
• Set up conditions for ticket routing (e.g., product type, ticket source, keywords in subject)
• Define the action to be taken when conditions are met (e.g., assign to specific agent or group)
• Prioritize rules to handle complex assignment scenarios

Examples of Assignment Rules

• Route all tickets related to a specific product to the product specialist team
• Assign high-priority tickets to senior support agents
• Direct tickets from VIP customers to a dedicated support group
• Automatically assign social media inquiries to the social media support team

Benefits of Using Assignment Rules

• Reduce manual ticket sorting and assignment, saving time for support managers
• Ensure tickets are handled by the most appropriate team or agent
• Improve response times by eliminating delays in ticket assignment
• Maintain consistent handling of specific types of inquiries or customers

Best Practices for Assignment Rules

• Regularly review and update assignment rules to reflect changes in team structure or product offerings
• Use a combination of rules to handle complex support scenarios
• Monitor the effectiveness of assignment rules and adjust as needed to optimize support efficiency

Custom Fields [28:19]

Cayzu allows businesses to create custom fields to capture additional information relevant to their specific support needs. This feature enhances the flexibility of the ticketing system and allows for more detailed tracking of support issues.

Key aspects of custom fields in Cayzu:

• Ability to create various types of custom fields (e.g., text, number, dropdown, checkbox)
• Option to add custom fields to tickets, contacts, companies, or assets
• Flexibility to make fields required or optional

Types of Custom Fields Available

• Single line text: For short text entries
• Paragraph text: For longer descriptions or comments
• Number: For numerical data entry
• Checkbox: For yes/no or true/false options
• Dropdown: For selecting from predefined options
• Calendar: For date selection
• Dependent fields: Fields that appear based on the value of another field

Creating and Managing Custom Fields

• Navigate to the custom fields section in Cayzu’s admin panel
• Choose the type of entity to add the field to (ticket, contact, company, or asset)
• Select the field type and configure its properties (label, required/optional, visibility)
• Set up any dependencies or conditions for the field’s appearance

Use Cases for Custom Fields

• Capture product serial numbers or version information in support tickets
• Track customer-specific details like account type or subscription level
• Record internal information such as issue root cause or resolution method
• Gather additional context for support inquiries to facilitate faster resolution

Best Practices for Custom Fields

• Only add custom fields that provide meaningful value to your support process
• Use clear and concise labels for custom fields to ensure easy understanding
• Regularly review custom fields to remove or update those that are no longer relevant
• Consider the impact on reporting when adding new custom fields

Custom Forms [29:35]

Cayzu’s custom forms feature allows businesses to create tailored submission forms for different types of support requests. This functionality helps in collecting specific information upfront, streamlining the support process.

Key aspects of custom forms in Cayzu:

• Ability to create multiple custom forms for different purposes
• Option to add and arrange various field types
• Control over form visibility and accessibility

Creating Custom Forms

• Navigate to the custom forms section in Cayzu’s admin panel
• Choose a brand to associate the form with
• Add and arrange fields, including custom fields created earlier
• Set up form properties such as icon and visibility settings

Customizing Form Fields

• Rearrange fields by dragging and dropping
• Show or hide specific fields based on your needs
• Add custom fields to gather additional information
• Set required fields to ensure all necessary information is collected

Use Cases for Custom Forms

• Create separate forms for different products or services
• Design specific forms for feature requests vs. bug reports
• Develop forms for internal use (e.g., IT support requests)
• Create simplified forms for frequently asked questions or common issues

Best Practices for Custom Forms

• Keep forms as concise as possible while still gathering necessary information
• Use clear and descriptive labels for form fields
• Provide help text or tooltips for fields that might need explanation
• Regularly review and update forms based on customer feedback and support team needs

Custom Lists [30:34]

Cayzu provides the ability to customize various dropdown lists used throughout the platform. This feature allows businesses to tailor the options available for categorizing and managing tickets to better fit their specific needs.

Key aspects of custom lists in Cayzu:

• Ability to modify predefined lists such as ticket types, statuses, and priorities
• Option to add, remove, or edit list items
• Customization available for various aspects of the ticketing system

Customizable Lists

• Ticket types (e.g., issue, complaint, feature request, inquiry)
• Ticket statuses (e.g., open, pending, resolved, closed)
• Priority levels (e.g., low, medium, high, urgent)
• Sources (e.g., email, phone, chat, social media)
• Time and billing tasks

Modifying Custom Lists

• Navigate to the custom lists section in Cayzu’s admin panel
• Select the list you want to modify (e.g., ticket types)
• Add new items or edit existing ones
• Reorder items if necessary
• Remove unused or irrelevant items

Benefits of Customizing Lists

• Align ticket categorization with your specific business processes
• Improve reporting accuracy by using relevant categories
• Streamline the ticket creation and management process for agents
• Ensure consistency in ticket handling across the support team

Best Practices for Custom Lists

• Keep list items clear and concise to avoid confusion
• Limit the number of options to prevent overwhelming users
• Regularly review and update lists to ensure they remain relevant
• Provide training or documentation for support staff on the use of custom list items

Assets [32:03]

Cayzu’s assets feature allows businesses to track and manage items associated with their support operations. While the concept of assets in Cayzu may not be as straightforward as in some other systems, it can be useful for certain types of businesses.

Key aspects of assets in Cayzu:

• Ability to create and manage asset categories
• Option to associate assets with companies or contacts
• Potential for tracking equipment or resources related to support tickets

Creating and Managing Assets

• Navigate to the assets section in Cayzu’s admin panel
• Create asset categories relevant to your business (e.g., company vehicles, equipment)
• Add custom fields to capture specific information about assets
• Associate assets with companies or contacts in your Cayzu database

Potential Use Cases for Assets

• Tracking company-owned equipment used by support staff
• Managing customer-owned devices that frequently require support
• Associating specific resources or tools with support tickets

Limitations and Considerations

• The asset management feature in Cayzu may not be as robust as dedicated asset management systems
• The reviewer notes some confusion about how assets integrate with the ticketing system
• Businesses should carefully evaluate whether Cayzu’s asset feature meets their specific needs

Best Practices for Using Assets

• Clearly define the purpose and scope of asset tracking within your support process
• Use consistent naming conventions and categorization for assets
• Regularly update asset information to maintain accuracy
• Train support staff on how to properly use and reference assets in tickets

Quick Response [35:22]

Cayzu’s Quick Response feature allows support agents to use pre-defined responses for common inquiries, improving efficiency and ensuring consistency in communication.

Key aspects of Quick Response in Cayzu:

• Ability to create and manage canned responses
• Easy access to quick responses within ticket replies
• Option to customize responses before sending

Creating Quick Responses

• Navigate to the Quick Response section in Cayzu’s admin panel
• Create new responses for common scenarios or frequently asked questions
• Use placeholders for dynamic content (e.g., customer name, ticket number)
• Organize responses into categories for easy access

Using Quick Responses

• When replying to a ticket, agents can access quick responses through a search function
• Select the appropriate response and customize it if necessary
• Insert the response into the ticket reply

Benefits of Quick Responses

• Improve response times for common inquiries
• Ensure consistency in communication across the support team
• Reduce typing errors and improve overall quality of responses
• Allow new agents to provide accurate information more quickly

Best Practices for Quick Responses

• Regularly review and update quick responses to ensure accuracy and relevance
• Create responses for various scenarios, not just simple acknowledgments
• Encourage agents to customize responses to maintain a personal touch
• Use clear and descriptive titles for quick responses to facilitate easy searching

End User Portal [36:28]

Cayzu provides an end-user portal that serves as a self-service platform for customers to submit and track their support requests. This feature can significantly reduce the workload on support teams by enabling customers to find answers independently.

Key aspects of Cayzu’s end-user portal:

• Customizable interface to match your brand
• Knowledge base integration for self-service support
• Ticket submission and tracking functionality
• User account management

Customizing the End User Portal

• Navigate to the end-user portal settings in Cayzu’s admin panel
• Customize the portal’s appearance with your brand colors and logo
• Edit text content to match your company’s voice and style
• Configure which sections and features are visible to users

Features of the End User Portal

• Knowledge base access for self-help articles
• Ticket submission form for new support requests
• Ability for users to view and track their existing tickets
• User registration and login functionality

Limitations and Considerations

• The reviewer notes that the default layout may not be visually appealing
• Some customization options are limited, such as icon selection
• Consider whether your customers would prefer email-based support over a web portal

Best Practices for End User Portal

• Keep the portal design simple and intuitive for easy navigation
• Regularly update the knowledge base with relevant and helpful content
• Encourage customers to use the portal through clear communication and incentives
• Gather feedback from users to continually improve the portal experience

Ticket Settings [39:08]

Cayzu offers various ticket settings that allow businesses to customize how their ticketing system operates. These settings help in streamlining the support process and ensuring efficient ticket management.

Key aspects of ticket settings in Cayzu:

• Options for automatic ticket closure
• Control over email attachments
• Customization of ticket numbering system
• Configuration of CC and BCC options for ticket communications

Important Ticket Settings

• Auto-close tickets: Set a timeframe for automatically closing inactive tickets
• Email attachments: Enable or disable the ability to receive attachments via email
• Ticket numbering: Choose a starting point for ticket numbers or continue from a previous system
• Time zone settings: Ensure accurate time stamping for all ticket activities
• CC and BCC options: Configure additional email notifications for supervisors or team leads

Customizing Ticket Settings

• Navigate to the ticket settings section in Cayzu’s admin panel
• Review each setting and adjust according to your business needs
• Consider the impact of each setting on your support workflow and customer experience

Benefits of Optimizing Ticket Settings

• Improve ticket management efficiency by automating certain processes
• Maintain consistency in ticket handling across the support team
• Enhance reporting accuracy with proper time zone and numbering settings
• Facilitate better oversight of support activities through strategic use of CC and BCC options

Best Practices for Ticket Settings

• Regularly review and adjust ticket settings as your support needs evolve
• Communicate any significant changes in ticket handling to your support team and customers
• Use auto-close features judiciously to avoid prematurely closing active issues
• Ensure that your ticket numbering system aligns with any existing conventions or reporting requirements

Support Widget [39:54]

Cayzu provides a support widget that can be embedded directly into your website, offering customers easy access to support resources and ticket submission.

Key aspects of Cayzu’s support widget:

• Embeddable HTML code for easy integration with your website
• Customizable appearance to match your brand
• Access to knowledge base articles and ticket submission form

Implementing the Support Widget

• Navigate to the support widget section in Cayzu’s admin panel
• Copy the provided HTML code
• Paste the code into the desired location on your website
• Customize the widget’s appearance using CSS if needed

Features of the Support Widget

• Quick access to frequently asked questions or popular knowledge base articles
• Ticket submission form for customers to easily request support
• Option to search the knowledge base directly from the widget

Customization Options

• Adjust the size and position of the widget on your website
• Customize colors and fonts to match your brand
• Add custom CSS to further refine the widget’s appearance

Best Practices for Using the Support Widget

• Place the widget in a prominent, easily accessible location on your website
• Ensure the widget is mobile-responsive for a consistent experience across devices
• Regularly update the content accessible through the widget to provide the most relevant information
• Monitor usage statistics to understand how customers are interacting with the widget

Manage Tags [40:44]

Cayzu’s tag management feature allows businesses to organize and categorize tickets efficiently.

Key aspects of tag management in Cayzu:

• Ability to create and manage tags for tickets
• Option to add tags during ticket creation or processing
• Use of tags for improved ticket organization and reporting

Creating and Managing Tags

• Navigate to the tag management section in Cayzu’s admin panel
• Add new tags or edit existing ones
• Organize tags into categories if needed
• Remove outdated or unused tags to keep the system clean

Using Tags Effectively

• Apply relevant tags to tickets during creation or processing
• Use tags to quickly identify common issues or themes
• Leverage tags in reporting to analyze trends and support patterns
• Encourage consistent tag usage across the support team

Benefits of Tag Management

• Improve ticket organization and searchability
• Facilitate more detailed and accurate reporting
• Enable quick identification of recurring issues or customer segments
• Streamline support processes by grouping similar tickets

Best Practices for Tag Management

• Develop a clear tagging strategy and communicate it to the support team
• Use concise and descriptive tag names for easy understanding
• Regularly review and update tags to ensure relevance
• Limit the number of tags to prevent overwhelming users and maintain system efficiency

Satisfaction Emails [40:57]

Cayzu offers the ability to send customer satisfaction surveys automatically after ticket resolution. This feature helps businesses gather valuable feedback on their support quality.

Key aspects of satisfaction emails in Cayzu:

• Automated sending of satisfaction surveys after ticket resolution
• Customizable timing for survey delivery
• Option to collect and analyze customer feedback

Configuring Satisfaction Emails

• Navigate to the satisfaction email settings in Cayzu’s admin panel
• Enable or disable automatic survey sending
• Set the timing for survey delivery (e.g., immediately or 24 hours after resolution)
• Customize the survey email template if desired

Survey Content and Options

• Basic satisfaction rating (e.g., positive, neutral, negative)
• Option for customers to provide additional comments
• Ability to track and report on satisfaction metrics

Considerations for Satisfaction Surveys

• Balance the need for feedback with the risk of overwhelming customers
• Consider the timing of survey delivery for optimal response rates
• Ensure that survey emails are clearly branded and recognizable

Best Practices for Satisfaction Emails

• Keep surveys short and focused to encourage completion
• Use clear and concise language in survey emails
• Regularly review and act upon the feedback received
• Consider offering incentives for survey completion to boost response rates

Whitelist/Blacklist [41:42]

Cayzu provides whitelist and blacklist functionality to control which email addresses or domains can interact with your help desk system.

Key aspects of whitelist/blacklist in Cayzu:

• Ability to allow or restrict specific email addresses or domains
• Option to filter incoming tickets based on sender information
• Protection against spam or unwanted communications

Configuring Whitelist and Blacklist

• Navigate to the whitelist/blacklist section in Cayzu’s admin panel
• Add email addresses or domains to the whitelist to ensure they’re always accepted
• Add email addresses or domains to the blacklist to block communications from those sources
• Set up rules for partial matches or wildcard entries

Use Cases for Whitelist/Blacklist

• Ensure important customer emails always get through by whitelisting their domains
• Block known spam sources or abusive users by blacklisting their email addresses
• Restrict ticket creation to specific company domains for internal support systems

Benefits of Using Whitelist/Blacklist

• Reduce spam and unwanted tickets in your support system
• Ensure high-priority customers always have access to support
• Improve overall ticket quality by filtering out irrelevant communications

Best Practices for Whitelist/Blacklist Management

• Regularly review and update your whitelist and blacklist
• Be cautious when using broad domain-level blacklisting to avoid blocking legitimate communications
• Communicate any restrictions to your customers if relevant
• Monitor filtered communications periodically to ensure important messages aren’t being blocked

Key Takeaways

Cayzu offers a comprehensive help desk solution that positions itself as a more affordable alternative to established platforms like Zendesk. Throughout this review, we’ve explored various features and functionalities that make Cayzu a viable option for businesses seeking an efficient customer support system.

1. Ticket Management: Cayzu provides a robust ticket window with essential features such as ticket assignment, prioritization, and status tracking. The ability to merge tickets, add internal notes, and track time spent on each ticket enhances the overall support workflow.
2. Knowledge Base and Self-Service: The platform offers knowledge base functionality, allowing businesses to create and organize helpful articles for customer self-service. While the editor has some limitations, it serves its purpose in reducing the number of support tickets by providing readily available information.
3. Reporting and Analytics: Cayzu includes a variety of reports covering ticket volume, agent performance, and customer satisfaction. These insights help businesses make data-driven decisions to improve their support processes.
4. Customization Options: The system offers extensive customization capabilities, including custom fields, forms, and lists. This flexibility allows businesses to tailor the help desk to their specific needs and workflows.
5. Multi-Channel Support: Cayzu attempts to integrate various communication channels, including email and social media. However, the review highlighted some potential issues with social media integration reliability, which businesses should consider and test thoroughly.
6. User Management: The platform provides robust options for managing agents, roles, and groups, allowing for efficient organization of support teams and access control.
7. Branding and Personalization: Cayzu offers customization options for branding the help desk interface and customer-facing elements, including custom domain setup and email templates.
8. Integration Capabilities: The system supports integration with various third-party applications, enhancing its functionality and allowing for seamless connection with other business tools.
9. End-User Portal: Cayzu provides a customizable end-user portal for customer self-service, although the default layout may require some refinement to meet specific brand standards.
10. Security and Efficiency Features: The platform includes features like single sign-on, whitelist/blacklist functionality, and automated satisfaction surveys to enhance security and gather customer feedback.

While Cayzu offers a comprehensive set of features, potential users should be aware of certain limitations, such as the basic knowledge base editor, potential issues with social media integration, and the somewhat confusing asset management system. However, for businesses looking for a cost-effective help desk solution with a wide range of functionalities, Cayzu presents itself as a viable option worth considering.

In conclusion, Cayzu demonstrates potential as an affordable alternative to more established help desk platforms. Its strengths lie in its customization options, ticket management capabilities, and integration features. Businesses should carefully evaluate their specific needs and test the platform thoroughly to ensure it meets their requirements before making a final decision.