Zendesk named a Leader in the IDC MarketScape: Worldwide AI-Enabled Contact Center Workforce Engagement Management 2025–2026 Vendor Assessment

In a rapidly evolving CX landscape, AI-enabled workforce engagement is becoming a critical differentiator – and we are proud to share that the IDC MarketScape has just named Zendesk a Leader in its inaugural 2025–2026 MarketScape for Worldwide AI-enabled Contact Center WEM (#US53001425, December 2025). We believe this recognition reflects the impact we’re making in shaping the future of service, where success depends on more than isolated tools.

Zendesk’s Resolution Platform is purpose-built for this new era of service – bringing customer service, employee service and contact center together on a single, unified platform. It’s the only platform designed to deliver end-to-end resolutions across the three domains using a common set of capabilities: a family of AI agents and copilots, shared knowledge, secure workflows, and built-in workforce engagement tools. By unifying AI, automation, and human expertise in one system of action, Zendesk reduces complexity, lowers total cost of ownership, and gives organizations greater control, security, and real outcomes. And because the platform learns from every interaction, it continuously improves – helping service teams operate smarter and compete more effectively in today’s high-pressure service market.

A core part of this platform is workforce engagement management (WEM). By embedding AI-powered WEM – particularly QA – into the Resolution Platform, we enable teams to continuously refine operations, elevate agent performance, and deliver consistently high-quality service that drives real business results. In other words, WEM isn’t just about managing schedules or checking work – it’s a key part of our resolution-focused strategy.

What we see as the drivers of Zendesk’s position as a leader

Zendesk WEM is a native, AI-powered platform designed to simplify and unify the way contact centers operate. Because it’s built directly into the Zendesk Resolution Platform, the experience is seamless: implementation is easier, interfaces are familiar, adoption is higher, and ongoing innovation runs in lockstep with the broader Zendesk roadmap.

Adopting Zendesk WEM is more than a technology choice – it’s a strategic shift. The platform balances operational efficiency with agent experience and well-being, helping teams work smarter while delivering exceptional customer service.

Zendesk WFM applies AI to automate forecasting, staffing, and scheduling, predicting demand, minimizing conflicts, and providing real-time visibility into productivity and adherence. With AI-powered coaching and performance insights, managers can continuously refine operations, support their teams, prevent burnout, and keep the focus on resolving customer issues effectively.

Complementing this, Zendesk QA ensures exceptional service quality by evaluating 100% of interactions across human and AI agents and highlighting critical conversations that need attention. With real-time dashboards, customizable scorecards, and integrated coaching tools and workflows, businesses can spot issues early, coach effectively, and consistently improve CSAT and quality scores – all natively within Zendesk. Beyond the service organization, QA insights uncover trends that inform product development, marketing strategy, and operational decision-making — turning every customer interaction into actionable intelligence across the business.

The results speak for themselves. Organizations using Zendesk WEM are seeing up to 80% reductions in overtime costs, 70% faster scheduling, nearly 20% productivity gains, and 35% boosts in agent adherence. On the QA side, customers save 80% of the time normally spent on manual reviews, while driving measurable improvements in quality and satisfaction.

Together, WFM and QA don’t just reduce costs and streamline operations – they accelerate onboarding, empower agents, and create better customer experiences that build long-term loyalty.

IDC’s take on Zendesk

According to the IDC MarketScape: “Zendesk is a choice for organizations prioritizing rapid deployment, intuitive user experiences, and measurable improvements in customer service operations. Its WEM application is better suited for contact centers that want to leverage AI-powered workforce management, native quality assurance, performance management, and integration into omni-channel environments.”

We believe these insights reinforce Zendesk’s perspective that a unified, AI-powered approach to WEM doesn’t just improve operational efficiency – it empowers agents, strengthens teams, and elevates the customer experience. Far from being just another add-on, Zendesk WEM is a natural extension of the platform that drives adoption and delivers on our core mission: Resolutions for All.

Looking ahead

Our leadership doesn’t stop here. As organizations continue to embrace AI-enabled workforce engagement, we’re deepening our commitment to helping organizations deliver faster, smarter, and more human service experiences.

Every WEM cycle builds on the last – optimizing staffing, refining workflows, and strengthening agent engagement – ultimately enabling teams to deliver exceptional experiences consistently. From real-time coaching to scalable quality assurance, Zendesk WEM continues to create measurable value for organizations worldwide.