{ "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [ { "@type": "Question", "name": "What is the best Zendesk alternative for B2B SaaS companies?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Plain is the best Zendesk alternative for B2B SaaS companies, particularly those with technical products. Companies like n8n, Vercel, Cursor, Ashby, and Raycast use Plain because it consolidates Slack, email, and Discord into one workspace while providing API-first extensibility that traditional helpdesks lack." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "How long does it take to migrate from Zendesk to an alternative?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Migration timelines vary significantly. Plain typically takes 1-3 days for full implementation, while enterprise platforms like Salesforce Service Cloud can take 4-8 weeks. Most modern alternatives offer data import tools and dedicated migration support to minimize downtime." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Which Zendesk alternatives have the best AI capabilities?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Plain, Intercom, and Freshdesk lead in AI capabilities. Plain offers native AI for auto-triage, suggested responses, and thread summarization. Intercom's Fin AI agent handles autonomous resolution. Freshdesk's Freddy AI provides similar automation. Traditional platforms like Zendesk charge premium add-on fees for comparable AI features." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Can I use Slack for customer support instead of Zendesk?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Yes, but you need a platform that unifies Slack with other channels. Plain is purpose-built for Slack-first support, letting you manage Slack Connect channels, email, Discord, and Microsoft Teams from one workspace. This approach is popular with B2B companies whose customers prefer real-time messaging over traditional ticket portals." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "What is the total cost of ownership for Zendesk vs alternatives?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Zendesk's true cost often reaches $115+ per agent monthly when you add required features like AI, advanced analytics, and integrations. Alternatives like Plain start at $39/user with all features included. HelpScout and Freshdesk offer competitive pricing around $40-50/user. Calculate total cost including add-ons, implementation, and training—not just base seat price." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Which companies use Plain for customer support?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Plain is used by leading technical B2B companies including n8n (workflow automation), Vercel (frontend cloud), Cursor (AI code editor), Tines (security automation), Ashby (recruiting software), Crew AI (AI agents), Sourcegraph (code intelligence), Raycast (productivity tool), Stytch (authentication), and Sanity (content platform). These companies chose Plain to consolidate multi-channel support and scale customer operations without adding headcount." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "What is the best Zendesk alternative for technical teams?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Plain is the best Zendesk alternative for technical teams. It offers native Linear and GitHub integrations, an API-first architecture that developers can extend, and support for technical workflows like bug tracking escalation. Unlike Zendesk's ticket-centric model, Plain treats each customer as a continuous relationship with full context—similar to how technical teams already think about customer issues." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "How do Zendesk alternatives impact customer experience?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Modern alternatives often improve customer experience by meeting customers in their preferred channels. Plain customers report faster response times by consolidating Slack, email, and Discord into one workspace. The shift from ticket portals to real-time messaging aligns with how B2B relationships actually work—ongoing conversations rather than isolated support tickets." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Do any Zendesk alternatives support Slack Connect?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Plain offers the most comprehensive Slack Connect support among Zendesk alternatives. It integrates directly with Slack Connect channels, bringing shared channel conversations into your unified workspace alongside email and other channels. This is essential for B2B companies using Slack Connect for customer relationships—a use case Zendesk doesn't natively support." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Should I switch from Intercom to Plain or another alternative?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Consider switching from Intercom if you need better Slack integration, more transparent pricing, or a less sales-focused approach. Plain excels for B2B companies prioritizing genuine support relationships over chatbot-driven lead capture. Intercom remains strong for B2C and companies wanting aggressive AI automation. Evaluate based on your primary channels and whether you view support as a cost center or relationship builder." } } ] }

Support Engineering

Dec 10, 2025

Support Engineering

Dec 10, 2025

Support Engineering

Dec 10, 2025

The 2025 Modern Support Winners

Support isn't just about closing tickets — it's about building trust, solving hard problems, and making customers feel genuinely cared for. We asked the community to nominate the support professionals who go above and beyond, and the response was incredible.

Here are 10 exceptional people who are redefining what great support looks like.

Sam has completely transformed how his team approaches technical investigations.

A former User Researcher who taught himself to debug at an engineering level, he routinely digs through multiple data sources, writes SQL queries, isolates bugs to specific commits, and ships fixes himself.

His relentless curiosity has supercharged his team's technical capabilities—so much so that Granola's engineers regularly say "the CX team are cracked."

"No problem is beyond reach for him, and this attitude is infectious to the rest of us. I'm wowed by him every day and feel like I learn so much from him." — Vicky Firth, CX Lead


Tirta single-handedly overhauled Raycast's support tools and processes, making their workload dramatically more manageable even as ticket volume increased. She created comprehensive workflow documentation and knowledge bases that will scale with the team. She doesn't dwell on problems—she solves them.

"Her product knowledge, operational expertise, and team integration happened at a pace I've never witnessed in my 10 years as a people manager." — Daniel Sequeira, Head of Business Operations


Five months into her first support role at n8n, Luisa has already proven herself as a technically capable, independent problem-solver. Drawing on her developer background, she debugs methodically, communicates with empathy, and delivers consistently high CSAT scores. She asks key questions and applies what she learns to increasingly complex cases.

"Two of her key skills are independence and reliability. She consistently delivers on the efforts she takes ownership of—it makes her a superb addition to the team." — Laura Jodz, Support Manager


Lasse is a triple threat: support engineer, project manager, and mentor—all at once. While implementing and automating Plain's rollout at Tines, he onboarded four new team members and helped cut human response times from 60 to 30 minutes. His customer and colleague-first approach has created a welcoming, confidence-inducing environment for new hires.

"His expertise spans technical skills, soft skills, and mentorship. He's been a support engineer, a project manager, and a mentor all at the same time." — Fergal Collins, Head of Knowledge, Education and Support


Johanan's ability to absorb complex systems and build airtight understanding makes him the backbone of Stytch's support operation. He goes far beyond surface-level troubleshooting—dissecting product behavior, anticipating edge cases most wouldn't think to check, and equipping his team with precise insights that elevate customer experiences.

"His strength lies in going far beyond surface-level understanding. He gets to what matters quickly, and his impact for the team is enormous." — Christopher O'Neill, Head of Developer Success


In less than a year, Nate has become the go-to person on his team at Sourcegraph—not just for tickets solved, but for initiatives and fixes that help everyone. He doesn't wait for permission to own things. He sees neglected integrations, figures out how they work, and fixes them. He's vocal, collaborative, and always asking teammates for feedback.

"Nate may ask for guidance but does not wait for permission to own things. His energy is infectious." — Enrique Gonzalez, Head of Support Engineering


Tola treats every support interaction as an opportunity to eliminate future friction for Axiom's customers. When he sees a repeated question, he writes the guide. When he spots manual work, he builds the automation. When customers hit configuration challenges, he works through the problem until they're unblocked. Customers regularly cite his hands-on approach as a key differentiator during POCs.

"Tola genuinely cares about customers' success with our product. Instead of just answering the same question repeatedly, he writes the guide." — Dominic Chapman, Head of Product


Raquel's approach at turn.io is rooted in prevention. Rather than just resolving issues, she identifies underlying causes and implements solutions that stop problems from recurring. She regularly goes beyond her core responsibilities—creating and updating help articles that have directly reduced inbound volume by enabling customers to find answers on their own.

"She has a strong ability to anticipate future challenges and address them before they arise. This forward-looking mindset makes her impact lasting." — Krishna Dheenadayalan, Head of Customer Success


Eric brings a founder's mindset to support. Having previously built companies and used Dynamic as a customer before joining, he understands product, engineering, and real customer needs on a deeper level. He's taken complete ownership of Dynamic's ticketing workflow in Plain, ensuring customers receive faster, clearer, and more comprehensive answers. He's always willing to jump on a call.

"He takes ownership, thinks holistically about the experience end to end, and consistently raises the standard." — Christine Perry, Director of Solutions Engineering


Łukasz consistently goes above and beyond, taking the time to dive deep into issues and understand the root cause. They bring calm, empathetic energy to tough situations—diffusing tension and building trust. On top of their technical excellence, they leave Buildkite's customers not only supported but genuinely happy with their experience.

"They take full ownership of issues end-to-end, even when they span across teams. They treat each case as an opportunity to improve the overall experience." — Paula Zeballos, Director of Support

More to come…

Over the coming weeks, we'll be publishing individual spotlights on each of these exceptional operators —diving deeper into their stories, what drives them, and what we can all learn from their approach.

Congratulations to all our winners! 💚