Several years ago, I took part in a two-day workshop at Google Digital Academy. The workshop was designed to show ‘how Google does things’ – from how they hire top talent, to how they support a culture of innovation. One of the topics that most resonated with my fellow attendees was the idea of “open data”. Open data is the principle that your company’s data should be made as accessible as possible to everyone who works there.

Zendesk is one of the most popular customer service platforms on the market, and for good reason. Its user-friendly interface and robust feature set make it a great choice for businesses of all sizes. But what really takes Zendesk to the next level is its impressive app marketplace. There are over 500 apps that extend Zendesk's core functionality, many of which sit natively within the Zendesk interface.

For agencies, consultancies, and even freelancers – getting your reporting right is crucial. How well you report back to your client can make or break your relationship. That’s because the reporting process goes well beyond: “did we do well this month?” It’s about demonstrating how your performance contributes to your client’s overall strategy.

At Geckoboard, we work with many Zendesk customers around the world. One of the great things about Zendesk is that it offers a variety of pricing plans to suit different budgets and levels of usage. A key consideration when budgeting for a Zendesk Suite plan is allocating the number of agent seats (paid user licenses) for team members you add to your account. You can choose to start with a few seats and then increase your seat count as your team grows.