How Aircall's Zendesk Integration Works

Emily Gregor9 min • Updated

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Aircall + Zendesk Integration Guide with Implementation Tips 

Customer service teams rely on helpdesk and customer communications tools to manage conversations, handle support tickets, and stay on top of customer queries. But to provide the best possible customer (and agent) experience, these two platforms need to speak to each other automatically and seamlessly.  

Zendesk’s incredibly popular helpdesk tool services serves over 160,000 customers in 160 countries, providing a complete customer service solution that’s easy to use and scales with your business. And Aircall is the #1 most adopted telephony provider on Zendesk's marketplace, with almost 1,000 combined customers. 

Aircall’s updated Zendesk integration brings your helpdesk and business phone system together so your agents can provide great customer support with less manual effort. This article explores how the two tools connect and how you can make the most of this integration. 

TL;DR

  • Aircall’s Zendesk integration unifies phone and helpdesk systems, enabling agents to handle calls, tickets, and customer data seamlessly within Zendesk.

  • Custom Insight Cards, Ticket Pop, and Agent Status Sync eliminate tab-switching and manual updates, giving agents instant context and smoother workflows.

  • Standard Call Object Logging and SMS tracking ensure every interaction is automatically documented, boosting reporting accuracy and accountability. 

  • Teams gain faster resolution times, stronger collaboration, and better customer insights through automated ticket creation and centralized communication history.

  • As Zendesk’s most adopted telephony partner, Aircall extends the platform’s capabilities with advanced workflow automation built for busy support teams.

How does Aircall’s integration with Zendesk work? 

Aircall embeds a Computer Telephony Integration (CTI) inside Zendesk so agents can place and receive calls without leaving the platform. Here’s a quick look at the workflow: 

  1. When an inbound call arrives, the CTI opens automatically and pops the caller’s active ticket into view, providing instant context.

  2. During the call, Custom Insight Cards (you can choose from up to five Zendesk fields) surface the details agents need with no tab switching required. 

  3. Simultaneously, the platform sets the agent to busy/unavailable in Zendesk for the duration of the call to prevent new chats or work from being assigned. When the call ends, the status returns to available.

  4. Notes taken in Aircall log to the Zendesk ticket as Internal Notes. Tags added in Aircall map to a dedicated ticket field for reporting and can trigger automations, such as routing or escalation. 

  5. You can also map specific tags to update ticket attributes. For example, you can set Type = Problem and Priority = High when an “app issues” tag is applied. 

  6. After the call, Standard Call Objects you’ve configured populate automatically, creating a clean, reportable record that stays in sync with the ticket.

  7. For quick outbound follow-ups, agents can click any detected number (including from the ticket) using the Aircall browser extension to launch the call directly in the CTI.

As a result of Aircall’s seamless integration with Zendesk, we’re able to enhance our customers’ experience.

— Nicolas Capuono, Director of Customer Relationships, Adore Me

How your team can benefit from integrating Aircall with Zendesk

Together, Aircall and Zendesk create a single workspace that improves context, efficiency, and visibility across every interaction.

Key benefits include:

  • Faster support and resolution times: Agents handle calls, voicemails, and SMS directly in Zendesk without switching tabs or tools.

  • Better customer context: Every call automatically links to a Zendesk ticket with caller details, tags, and recordings, giving teams a full interaction history at a glance.

  • Streamlined workflows: Automatic ticket creation and status mapping keep queues organized and minimize the need for manual updates.

  • Smarter coaching and oversight: Managers can use call recordings, analytics, and AI-powered insights from Aircall to track performance and identify training needs.

  • Proven reliability and partnership: Aircall is the most adopted telephony partner on the Zendesk Marketplace, extending Zendesk Talk with advanced routing, analytics, and automation features. Aircall is also the only phone system that integrates with both Zendesk Support and Zendesk Sell.

  • Built for deep integration: In 2023, Aircall became the first strategic partner chosen to integrate with Zendesk’s Talk Partner Edition, enabling joint development of unique features that make this one of the most powerful Zendesk telephony integrations available.

  • Simplified purchasing and billing: Thanks to a new reseller agreement with Zendesk, customers can now buy Aircall directly through Zendesk and pay on a single invoice, making procurement faster and simpler.

By combining telephony and ticketing, Aircall and Zendesk bring powerful customer support automation into daily workflows.

We started searching for a provider that seamlessly integrated with Zendesk that could be used across teams and that we could easily manage. I felt that Aircall had the same spirit as we do, providing a solution that could be used across teams and that we could easily manage.

— Guillaume Rieu, Head of Customer Care, SendinBlue

Boost customer satisfaction and agent efficiency with the most adopted voice partner on the Zendesk marketplace. Discover the Aircall + Zendesk integration

7 Zendesk integration features for improving the agent and customer experience 

Aircall brings advanced telephony features to your Zendesk call center, including automatic ticket creation, call routing, and analytics. It’s capabilities like these that help to set Aircall apart from other cloud contact center solutions on the Zendesk marketplace. 

When you connect Zendesk and Aircall, every call, message, and customer detail connects seamlessly in one workspace. 

The following seven features help customer support teams gain instant context, reduce manual work, and respond faster. Beyond these capabilities, teams can enjoy Aircall’s convenient CTI in the Zendesk interface, tags for ticket priority and ticket type, and detailed reporting. 

1. Standard Call Object Logging

Standard Call Object Logging creates a dedicated, structured space, separate from Internal Notes, for Aircall conversations inside Zendesk. 

This feature can log up to 13 customizable fields per call, all pushed to Zendesk for granular reporting. This gives managers cleaner, more accurate data while freeing agents to use Internal Notes for true team communication. The result is reduced confusion among agents and improved response quality for every customer.

2. Custom Insight Cards

Custom Insight Cards show up to five Zendesk fields, such as name, email, phone, timezone, or last sign-in, directly in the Aircall phone, CTI, or web app.

By removing low-priority details and showing only what matters, agents resolve issues faster and customers spend less time repeating information. This means more efficient conversations from the start.

Because of the seamless integration with Zendesk, we’re finding that a small team behind the scenes can still have a big impact. Giving our customers great experiences from multiple departments creates a big company feel for them. Aircall has been crucial to this.

— Brendan Capello, Managing Director at RapidG

3. Assignment Rules

Assignment Rules let you decide exactly which users or groups receive missed calls in Zendesk to ensure every inquiry reaches the right person. Teams can create multiple assignment rules per user, search specific lines or agents, and view users in alphabetical order for easier setup. 

This flexibility streamlines routing, minimizes redundant call or SMS logs, and improves reporting accuracy. Managers always know who’s responsible for a ticket, and customers get faster, more accurate responses.

4. Click-to-Dial

Click-to-Dial lets agents call any phone number in Zendesk, or even within the body of a call object, with a single click. Aircall starts the call instantly and also supports calling any detected number via the Aircall browser extension.

This simple automation saves time on every interaction, reduces dialing errors, and keeps agents focused on customers instead of admin work. This is one of the most efficient ways to manage outbound calls directly from Zendesk.

After we integrated Aircall and Zendesk our support agents were able to save more than 100 minutes per agent every week.

— Jiménez Sahagún, Head of Customer Experience at Spotahome

5. Agent Status Sync

Agent Status Sync automatically updates an agent’s Zendesk status to Busy whenever they’re on a live Aircall call. This prevents new work, like incoming tickets, chats, or calls, from being assigned mid-conversation. 

Once the call ends, the status reverts to Available, ensuring agents stay focused and reports remain accurate. By aligning call activity with Zendesk availability, teams avoid distractions, maintain clear workload visibility, and deliver more attentive, higher-quality support in every interaction.

6. Ticket Pop

Ticket Pop automatically opens a customer’s active Zendesk ticket on the agent’s screen the moment a call begins, whether inbound or outbound. Agents see the full conversation history, notes, and context instantly, without searching or switching views. 

This means faster resolutions, fewer repeated questions, and more personalized conversations. By reducing average handle time and improving accuracy, Ticket Pop helps teams deliver smoother, more satisfying customer experiences with every interaction.

The Aircall Zendesk integration has allowed us to kill manual work and save time, since all key information is automatically entered into Zendesk for ticket creation, and we can easily keep track.

— Johannes Rahn, Head of Customer Service at Holidu

7. SMS logging

SMS Logging automatically records text messages sent and received through Aircall directly in Zendesk tickets. Each message thread appears alongside call details, notes, and recordings, providing a complete view of every customer interaction in one place. 

With all communications tracked together, teams can follow up faster, reduce context switching, and ensure no detail gets missed. This unified history helps your team deliver consistent, informed support across various communication channels.

How to configure your Aircall + Zendesk integration

Installing and configuring the integration is no-code and typically takes a few minutes end-to-end. To set it up, follow these steps. 

  1. Install the integration: In your Aircall Admin Dashboard, go to Integrations & API → Zendesk and select Install Integration. Log in to Zendesk, grant access, and authorize Aircall to connect.

  2. Select numbers: Choose which Aircall numbers you want to link with Zendesk. Calls from these lines will automatically create or update tickets.

  3. Configure ticket settings: Decide how different call types (inbound, outbound, missed, voicemail, SMS) should log to Zendesk. 

  4. Set assignment and field rules: Choose who receives missed-call tickets, set default ticket statuses, and select which Zendesk fields or Insight Cards appear in the Aircall phone.

  5. Test your setup: Place a test call to confirm that tickets, logs, and status updates appear correctly in Zendesk.

Follow the full configuration guide on the Aircall Help Center for more information.

Connect Zendesk with Aircall Today

The benefits of an integrated help desk and business phone system will transform the way your organization approaches customer service by freeing up your agents to deal with customers more efficiently. But not all integrations are built the same. 

Many Zendesk customers prefer Aircall over Zendesk Talk, which is a pay-per-minute service, which can accumulate to higher costs than Aircall for high call volumes. 

“Pairing Aircall and Zendesk takes your customer support team, and the customer experience they’re providing, to the next level,” affirms Dan Frost, Senior Manager of Technology Alliances at Zendesk. 

“We’ve worked with Aircall to build the latest version of our integration to help your business increase productivity, streamline processes, and ultimately save time."

Install the Zendesk integration for Aircall today and help your teams provide the standout service your customers deserve.

Frequently asked questions about Aircall’s Zendesk integration

What is Zendesk used for?

Zendesk is a customer and employee service platform that centralizes communication across channels like email, chat, phone, and social media. It helps teams manage, track, and resolve customer inquiries through an intuitive ticketing system.

With built-in automation, analytics, and AI tools, Zendesk streamlines workflows and helps teams deliver personalized, live customer support services.

What is a Zendesk integration?

Zendesk integration services connect external customer communication management tools, like Aircall, with Zendesk to share data and automate workflows. These connections enable information such as calls, messages, or customer details to sync directly into Zendesk tickets. 

This creates a unified workspace where agents can manage every interaction without switching between platforms.

What can the Aircall Zendesk integration do?

The Aircall and Zendesk phone integration adds full call center functionality to your Zendesk workspace. It automatically logs calls and messages, creates and assigns new Zendesk tickets, and syncs details like tags, recordings, and comments in real time.

Why should you use Aircall within Zendesk?

Using Aircall within Zendesk unifies your voice and ticketing systems to give teams real-time context and reduce manual work. Agents can manage calls, messages, and tickets in one interface, while automatic logging and reporting improve accuracy. 

The result: faster resolutions, happier customers, and a more efficient, data-driven support operation.

What is Aircall for Support?

Aircall for Support connects your phone system directly with Zendesk to give agents a unified workspace for calls, tickets, and customer data. Aircall is the only phone system integrating with both Zendesk Support and Zendesk Sell, trusted by over 900 Zendesk customers worldwide.

Is Zendesk owned by Microsoft?

No, Zendesk is not owned by Microsoft. Zendesk is an independent company that provides customer service, employee service, and contact center solutions, as well as a CRM platform. 

Is Zendesk a CRM platform?

Zendesk is primarily a customer service and engagement platform, but it also offers CRM capabilities through Zendesk Sell. While Zendesk Support focuses on managing customer inquiries and tickets, Zendesk Sell helps sales teams track leads, automate outreach, and manage pipelines.

How do you integrate Zendesk into a website?

You can integrate Zendesk into your website by adding the Zendesk Chat widget. To do this, embed the widget’s script in your site’s HTML source code on any page where you want live chat to appear. 

How do you integrate an API in Zendesk?

You can integrate an API in Zendesk by using its REST API, which allows you to connect external apps or automate tasks inside Zendesk. The API exchanges data in JSON format through endpoints (URLs) that create, update, or retrieve resources such as tickets or users. Developers use tools like cURL or Postman to send API requests.


Published on September 19, 2023.

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