From Zendesk to Zen: How One Manufacturer Revolutionised Customer Support with HubSpot
When you're a national leader in air conditioning, customer support can't be an afterthought. For our client, a innovative Australian manufacturer, keeping support systems siloed across tools was cooling their efficiency—and heating up frustrations.
Facing an expiring Zendesk licence and a fractured support experience, they were ready for a change. They didn’t just want a new platform—they wanted a smarter, more scalable way to service customers and internal teams alike.
What they wanted:
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A streamlined, centralised platform for managing all customer service functions
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A more automated support process to reduce manual work
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Greater visibility across tickets, team performance, and SLAs
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A smoother experience for installers, homeowners, and internal users
What they needed:
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A full rebuild of their service processes inside HubSpot Service Hub Enterprise
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Ticket pipelines tailored to specific support categories
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Automated feedback, routing, and escalation workflows
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A smart chatbot connected to a Knowledge Base for better self-service
The problem
Before this transformation, the business was relying heavily on Zendesk with disconnected support functions. Each team—whether dealing with installer warranties, ERP issues, or sales support—was navigating different processes with limited visibility. The result? Slower resolution times, frustrated users, and overworked support agents juggling manual follow-ups.
To make things more urgent, their Zendesk licence was set to expire. That hard deadline meant they needed to not just migrate, but strategically rebuild fast—without bringing the baggage of legacy workflows along for the ride.
The solution
The project kicked off with a thorough discovery phase mapping the client’s Zendesk workflows and ticket types. From there, the solution included:
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Unified Ticketing Pipelines: Built four custom ticket pipelines—Installer Warranty, Homeowner Support, ERP/Internal, and Sales Support—with automated stage transitions and CSAT triggers.
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Automated Escalation & SLA Management: Used HubSpot workflows to flag stagnating tickets, keeping resolution times on track.
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Smart Chatbot & Knowledge Base Integration: A chatbot guided users to relevant articles or routed tickets based on geography and issue type.
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Training & Internal Ownership: Enabled a “train the trainer” model with recordings and cheat sheets to empower internal champions.
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Reporting & Advisory: Provided live dashboards, SLA insights, and reviewed Marketing and Sales Hubs for long-term optimisation.
The impact
The results were immediate and tangible. A phased rollout gave teams time to adjust, while automation and smart routing drastically reduced back-and-forth. The chatbot and Knowledge Base helped deflect simpler queries, cutting down ticket volume and speeding up time to resolution.
Internally, shared dashboards and processes created alignment across departments, improving collaboration and accountability. Most importantly, the team now owns the platform, with the confidence and tools to manage, train, and optimise without external help.
The transformation didn’t just improve the user experience—it set the stage for future growth, enabling the business to scale its support function as its offerings expand.