END. maximises customer experience and efficiency with Zendesk and Appamondo

For leading fashion and sneaker retailer END., being fashion-forward means delivering contemporary, luxury, and streetwear brands – and putting the customer first in the delivery of every look. Celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, END. is now synonymous with limited edition sneakers, exclusive collaborations, and curated product drops.

Being ‘customer-first’ has been a core company value since its founding in 2005, and one that has sat at the heart of its partnership with Zendesk and Appamondo.

“A big part of maintaining cultural relevance is fostering a close connection between the brand and its customers,” explains David McDaid, Director of CX and Studio at END. “Our CX team plays a crucial role in delivering a seamless experience for those who shop with us.”

Today, the retailer operates five retail stores in Newcastle, Glasgow, London, Manchester, and Milan, Italy. It also boasts a significant e-commerce audience, with over 6 million visitors per month across its main site and ‘launches’ platform, which it uses for limited edition sneakers and products.

Efficiency that keeps customers coming back

When it comes to customer satisfaction, END. has found speed of service as well as speed of resolution to be key. “Since the pandemic, more customers have been shopping online and are therefore exposed to a wider range of retailers. We’ve found that what they want most is efficient service and fast response times – and they are decisive about that,” says McDaid.

To meet these needs, a team of about 25 customer experience agents sits in Newcastle, alongside END.’s head office and distribution centre. There is also a small team based in the Philippines, which allows the retailer to offer 24-hour customer service support from Monday to Friday and from 8AM to 5PM on weekends.

Meanwhile, back-office teams liaising with carriers and brands routinely take advantage of Zendesk Side Conversations to collaborate effectively on queries without having to leave the platform.

A strategic health check towards change

Before 2016, END. used a different CS platform that wasn’t fully integrated across all channels. “Agents would be working on their tickets on one screen, with live chat on another, alongside a physical phone with a landline, and then email,” notes McDaid. “Things certainly changed for the better once we switched to Zendesk.”

Currently, END. leverages Zendesk’s Support platform across all channels, using Messaging for real-time customer engagement, Talk for voice contacts, Guide for customer-facing content, and Explore for advanced reporting.

About 70% of customer interactions occur through Messaging, 25% via web form tickets, and the remainder through Talk.

In 2022, END. engaged Zendesk Premier Partner, Appamondo, to conduct a strategic review of its Zendesk instance. The outcome was a set of tailored recommendations that enabled END. to fully maximize its investment in Zendesk and adapt the platform to meet the company’s evolving needs as it continued to scale. This collaboration has since strengthened END.’s customer service operations, unlocking new efficiency and capabilities. “We were in pretty good shape, but our organisation was growing rapidly,” says McDaid. “Without the internal expertise to take the platform to the next level and fully leverage its potential, Appamondo helped us achieve that.”

He continues, “By taking the time to understand our unique challenges, Appamondo could then help us make the right adjustments, boost our automation capabilities, and significantly enhance our reporting.” Further, McDaid adds, “By incorporating dynamic language placeholders to ensure future adaptability, consolidating forms, and resolving conflicts from legacy configurations, we executed a systematic, multi-phased rollout of updates.”

Streamlining workflows for maximum impact

The result?

A reduction in manual tasks, an increase in agent productivity, and a customer service operation that has successfully scaled to meet evolving demands.

Appamondo played a key role in expanding END.’s use of Zendesk products, helping agents to work more efficiently, reducing costs, and enabling END. to scale more effectively – ultimately driving even more value. “This fits with one of our other company values: ‘to strive for excellence.’ We are always looking at what we can do to improve our service offering,” adds McDaid.

The integration of Zendesk AI, Explore and automation has consistently improved END.’s customer service operations – and the data proves it:

• 41% ticket deflection rate: a substantial reduction in tickets reaching agents, thanks to automation and AI-driven solutions.

• 41% decrease in average handling time: agents resolve complex issues faster due to more efficient workflows and reduced ticket volume.

• 96% decrease in zero-touch tickets: the majority of simple queries are now resolved automatically.

• 39% decrease in one-touch tickets: fewer tickets require minimal agent involvement, as customers receive more accurate self-service solutions.

Driving excellence through innovation

For END., innovation isn’t just about product – it’s about continuously refining how they engage with customers. The adoption of Zendesk AI and automation has been a game changer, helping agents work smarter and resolve issues faster while keeping service highly personalised.

“One of the best things about Zendesk is that the team is always introducing new systems and features - often, it’s just a matter of us catching up with what’s on offer.” David McDaid, Director of CX and Studio at END.Copilot features like intent recognition, text summarisation, expansion, and merge suggestions streamline workflows by equipping agents with instant insights, reducing manual effort, and eliminating duplication. “With AI summarisation, agents can get up to speed on a case in seconds, instead of sifting through lengthy back-and-forths,” explains McDaid.

Now, with the guidance of Appamondo, END. is preparing to fully roll out Zendesk Copilot, ensuring that AI-driven efficiency becomes an integral part of its CX strategy. “The goal is always to provide customers with an effortless, seamless experience – one that reflects the high-end, exclusive nature of our brand,” says McDaid.

Looking ahead, END. remains committed to pushing the boundaries of customer service. According to McDaid, “Zendesk is constantly innovating, and with Appamondo’s expertise, we’re able to stay ahead of the curve. It’s an exciting time – and we’re just getting started.”