Zendesk & Customer Contact Optimization

Lower your costs and improve your customer service, by optimizing your Zendesk setup.

Are both your customer care processes and Zendesk not optimized?

You want your customer care team to deliver the best service for your customers. Simply because you want to stand out from the competition and offer premium service. Or because you place great value in fast and good service for your customers. You have set the basis: you’ve assembled a team, and you decided on using Zendesk. However, you are not super satisfied with the level of service your team offers the customers.

You know the team is putting in their best effort, but you can’t help but notice:

  • You don’t have the insights of the basic data. What is the amount of contacts per week? What are the main topics? You are not sure.
  • There are backlogs, but you’re unclear on what is causing them.
  • To be honest, you’re not fully sure of what the team does on a daily basis.

You know the output of the team can be improved, but you’re unsure of what are the root causes and how to fix them. There is nobody with extensive Zendesk knowledge within the organization. The team is too small to train or hire a Zendesk specialist.

You need someone who can quickly help you gain insight into the processes, tell you what to improve, and how to optimize Zendesk.

Somebody with years of experience working with Zendesk. Somebody who understands what optimization of the tool can help you and your team reach your goals. Someone who is aware of trends in the market.

You are looking for an expert who has successfully improved multiple teams by optimizing Zendesk. Who can improve your team’s efficiency with 25%-45%. You are looking for somebody who can not only guide you in what to do, but also implement things directly.

That is what I help you with: Zendesk & Customer Contact Optimization.

I want that!

This is how Jeroen Kuiper from enviolo experienced the partnership.

Jeroen Kuiper, Director of Quality & Supplier Development, talks about the results of the Zendesk & Customer Contact Optimization project, and about the collaboration with Cynthia.

Continue reading

What advantage would it bring to you and your team if ...

✔︎ You can gain at least 25% efficiency improvement?

✔︎ Your team spends less time on manual work, because it is supported with automations and AI?

✔︎ You have clear insight in the mapping of your processes?

✔︎ Weekly reporting on correct data is business as usual?

I help you by optimizing both your customer care processes and your Zendesk environment.

Hi! I am Cynthia: expert in leadership of customer contact teams.

Since 2006, I have helped several national and international million-dollar companies to improve their customer contact departments.

Brands I have worked with, include: Flinndal, MessageBird, NMBRS, BESTSELLER, Talpa Network, Budget Thuis, and enviolo. where I implemented various changes in leadership, team dynamics, processes, and methodologies.

In 2021, the Customer Contact Management Association (CCMA) awarded me Manager of the Year.

In late 2022, I founded The Caring Company, where I help companies improve their customer contact teams by implementing sustainable changes.

I have over 10 years of experience in optimizing customer contact processes with Zendesk. I have improved the efficiency from 25% to 55% for multiple companies. Simply by using Zendesk better and smarter.

Let's get in touch!
Cynthia Mak The Caring Company (1)

Committed and accessible

I am highly accessible and committed to getting the best out of your team.

17+ years of experience

In improving customer contact teams in terms of leadership, team dynamics, processes and practices.

Manager of the year

In 2021, the Customer Contact Management Association (CCMA) awarded me Manager of the Year.

Zendesk & Customer Contact Optimization

What can you expect from this program?

1. Clear goals

In an initial conversation, we map out what you consider to be the most significant bottlenecks, and what results you would like to achieve.

2. Let's deep dive

Next, I'll explore the employees, stakeholders, and processes. This way, I quickly get a picture of what is going on I quickly get a picture of what's going on in terms of leadership, processes, motivation, satisfaction, and customer experience. I will find out what the numbers tell us, and how this fits with the qualitative findings. I identify trends and anomalies and find the greatest potential for improvement.

And yes, I would also like to solve some tickets!

3. Design and proposal

Based on the analysis of all the information, I will create recommendations on what is needed to achieve your desired results. I will visualize the processes and calculate the business case for you.

4. Implementation

Now it's time to implement the changes and update your Zendesk environment! I will fully service you and take care of the following:

  • Implementation and design
  • Reporting and monitoring
  • Tweaking and adjustments where necessary

    • 5. Round up and hand-over

    Are you happy with the results? Good! I will ensure a smooth transition to your team. I will hand over the maintenance of the tool, enabling you to continue your mission of delivering the best customer care experience in class!

    6. After care

    Even after the hand over is finished, you might still have questions popping up. Feel free to give me a call! Three months of After Care are included in the program. This gives you 45 minutes every week, for the duration of 3 months, to ask me anything you want. These might be questions, or refreshing your memory. Looking for a sparring partner? Need some coaching? We can do whatever you need. You don't have to worry about hidden costs popping up. There won't be any.

    What do others think of The Caring Company?

    From February to November 2023, Cynthia served as the Operational Manager Telecom for Budget Thuis, covering maternity leave replacement. In this role, she was responsible for all customer service activities related to our products, including All-in-1 and Mobile services. Some of these tasks involved collaboration with partners for both customer service and technician activities.

    Working with Cynthia was a pleasant experience. She has a keen understanding of the bigger picture and effectively translates it into the details of daily operations. Cynthia excels at setting priorities for both the team and herself, making her highly effective in her role. She communicates well with diverse audiences and serves as a valuable collaborator for team leaders, fellow management team members, other colleagues, partners, and executives. She is proactive, stays attuned to market developments, and effectively conveys her insights. Cynthia's excellent PowerPoint skills are applied strategically, effectively inspiring and engaging groups.

    In summary, it was a very positive and successful collaboration, and I look forward to the possibility of working together again in the future!

    Wout hutCOO @ Budget at Home

    I have come to know Cynthia as an innovator in the support industry. She is very informed, well read and passionate about all new trends and opportunities the support landscape has to offer Never afraid to try something new or different if the standard road doesn't work.

    Working together with Cynthia is a great experience. She is generous with her knowledge, unafraid to share her valuable opinions, and makes herself available so that you can set and achieve goals together.."

    Mariël Dommeringfounder @ locus quest

    "Cynthia and I worked for over 2.5 years together managing different teams in a e-commerce environment. Customer first thinking and customer centric acting should be Cynthia's middle names. She not only puts the customer at the heart of the operation, but also has a true and genuine heart and feel for them Real customer CARE personified!

    I've personally witnessed her strong people leadership and captivating presentation skills. Besides that Cynthia is a committed, caring colleague and great person to interact with and bounce ideas off A true pro I highly recommend and would love to work again with one day.."

    kevin van den boschformer Commercial Director @ Talpa eCommerce

    Optimizing customer contact is practically Cynthia's middle name She has a tremendous amount of knowledge and is highly professional. Moreover, she is very punctual and reliable. With Cynthia, you know that a commitment is a commitment. Additionally, she is very friendly and pleasant to work with. I genuinely enjoyed working with Cynthia. 🙂 🙂

    If you want the customer contact within your business to reach the next level, I wholeheartedly recommend Cynthia without a doubt."

    Jody aschoffowner @ one stop studi-jo

    I had the privilege of working with Cynthia for over 2 years. Starting from a customer care agent role, I progressed to a team leader position under her management. She always had confidence in me and expressed it openly.

    Cynthia knows how to strike a good balance between positive feedback and addressing areas for improvement. She guided me when necessary and allowed me to learn on my own. I always found it a pleasant and positive experience.

    tim ettemateam lead @ talpa e-commerce

    It's been several years since we worked together, but Cynthia is an absolute authority on customer service and leadership. Under her supervision, there was always a good ambiance within our team, The noses were always in the same direction and there was never any hostility, competition, or other forms of tension in the workplace. But at the same time, she managed to give her team members the confidence and autonomy to carry out their work in their own way. To this day, I still use techniques in my own work, which are inspired by Cynthia's leadership methods.

    Jeroen Kuypershybrid manager

    I have had the privilege of collaborating with Cynthia at three different companies. The 9 years we worked together have always been an incredibly pleasant and educational experience for me. Each time, Cynthia has consistently amazed me with her knowledge of Customer Care, her drive for innovation, and her ability to foster growth and development within her team.

    Wouter van der Sneeteam lead @ talpa e-commerce

    "I worked with Cynthia at BESTSELLER supporting her with People related matters Cynthia has a talent in seeing what her colleagues need, and when they need it, while always taking a fair approach.

    She was always on top of the people processes and wasn't scared to ask for support in time. She had a proactive approach to people management which was highly appreciated from the People team

    emelie ahlströmpeople business partner @ catawiki

    I worked with Cynthia in the board of the KLIN foundation. She turned out to be a highly effective colleague. Cynthia is very efficient and highly intelligent, she brings a lot of original ideas and energy and is a great team player. It really is a pleasure to work with her.

    wim boonstraformer chief economist@ rabo research

    I have had the pleasure of working with Cynthia at Talpa E Commerce. I have always experienced our collaboration as very pleasant, and I have learned a lot from her. Cynthia is always up-to-date with the latest developments in customer contact and is not afraid to try or share new things. What I really appreciate about Cynthia is that she always seeks improvement and continues to motivate our team.

    nickey meerhoffteam lead customer services@ seb professional

    What are the results of
    Zendesk & Customer Contact Optimization?

    ✔︎ You will have customer care processes that make sense, clearly visualized and documented,

    ✔︎ The Zendesk setup is aligned with these processes,

    ✔︎ You will make better and smarter use of the options that Zendesk offers for your specific customer contact strategy,

    ✔︎ You can achieve concrete improvements in customer satisfaction, efficiency, and costs related to your customer contact team.

    ✔︎ Your team is relieved from unnecessary, time-consuming, manual work!

    Zendesk & Customer Contact Optimization means:

    ✔︎ I guarantee your team will work more efficiently in only 3–6 months,

    ✔︎ Hybrid support, both from your location and remote;

    ✔︎ Always customized, always transparent about investment and results

    ✔︎ No unpleasant surprises with extra hours, unforeseen costs or budget overrides, One project rate.

    ✔︎ Aftercare: After the assignment, I will be available for your organization for 45 minutes per week for months for sparring, coaching, or mentoring.
    Let's talk about your challenges!

    Frequently Asked Questions

    This is tailored to your needs. You will receive a personalized offer that matches your specific needs, goals, and budget.

    I follow my six-step plan, that can be completed within 3 months. I work superfast, so I can achieve results for you very quickly. Especially when you let me do my thing, and assign resources where needed. However, I will never need more than 6 months.

    I will map and visualize your processes, as well as your Zendesk setup. I identify pain points, find improvements, calculate the business case, and implement the new setup.

    I bring extensive knowledge of both leading customer care teams and optimizing using Zendesk. Bonus: you won’t need any extra partners, since I can do all the Zendesk improvements myself. In case we do need external partners, I will fully service and support you in selecting, onboarding and managing the external party.

    In short: you tell me your goals, and I will make sure to take you there.

    I have improved numerous customer care processes for multiple companies. All of them lead to efficiency gains of 25% or more. Would you like to meet them for a reference? I am happy to connect you. Or even better: take a look at the testimonials!

    That will be me!

    This offer is only for you, if you meet the following criteria:

    1: You are using Zendesk, or you have (very short term) plans to do so,

    2: You have a customer care team in your organization.

    Extra points if your company is an international organization.

    Do you meet these criteria? Good! This offer will also be suitable for your team.

    You can use in this call in several ways. For example, to spar, ask for brief advice, or present a case. I can read along with vacancy texts. But you can also use this call as coaching for managers or employees in the team. Or we can just have a chat, if you need somebody to listen to you.

    You can use it according to your needs. Three times fifteen minutes? An hour and a half every other week? Or do you prefer a workshop or training? We’ll make sure to tailor it to your needs.

    You can also opt for a training or a workshop, according to your needs If you choose to leave After Care out of the Consultancy Program, I will adjust this in the quotation.

    During the introductory meeting, we’ll determine which goals you want to achieve. Based on that, I can indicate what input is expected from you. I will bring my own laptop, so please don’t worry about that for me.

    I can work at your location or from my own office. Depending on what is needed to optimize your processes and Zendesk environment. Special requests regarding location (within the Netherlands or worldwide) That’s not a problem at all; we’ll discuss this before starting the assignment.

    Book your match-call