Quick Start
What are Lightning Macros?
How do I install Lightning Macros?
How do I create a Lightning Macro?
How do I use a Lightning Macro?
Can I use Lightning Macros on an Internal Note?
My macro doesn’t work. What should I do?
How much does Lightning Macros cost?
How can I request a feature?
I don’t see the answer to my question. Can you still help me?
What data does Lightning Macros collect?

Quick Start

Increase agent productivity, reduce errors, and add more personalization to macros by adding input fields to your macros where you want customized text from your agents.

Turn this..

before

into this..

after

Choose from many types of fields (textboxes, decimals, dropdowns, and more) and even validate the inputs! It’s as simple as adding this.. 

%%type:integer, label:Discount Amount, max:100%%

..to your existing macro. Your agents can use the tab key to quickly tailor a response to your customers.  

What are Lightning Macros?

Lightning Macros increase agent productivity, reduce errors, and add more personalization to Zendesk’s built-in macros. Add a small snippet of code within your macro wherever you want customized and fully-validated text from your agents.

Zendesk’s built-in macros were designed to streamline your team’s workflow by allowing agents to respond quickly to your customers with standardized responses. While standardization is great for efficiency, every great customer service organization knows that quality interactions demand personalized responses tailored to your customer. Lightning Macros extend Zendesk’s built in macros by allowing you to define which parts of your macro need to be customized. When your agents apply a lightning macro, they’re prompted with an efficient keyboard-driven editor to provide customized text for the response.

Let’s explore with a short example.

Your company, Acme Sprockets, makes the world’s best sprockets. Acme almost always ships on time, but customers occasionally write in when they’ve received their sprocket later than promised. So you’ve created a macro that looks something like this:

Hi [INSERT CUSTOMER NAME HERE],

We’re so sorry you received your Acme Sprocket later than we 
promised. To make this right, we’re going to give you a 
[INSERT DISCOUNT AMOUNT HERE]% discount. You should see a refund 
on your bank statement for [INSERT REFUND AMOUNT HERE] in 3-5 
business days. 

I also want to offer you the following promo code: 
[INSERT PROMO CODE HERE]. Use it to save $[INSERT PROMO AMOUNT HERE]
on your next order with us!

[INSERT SOME PERSONALIZED TEXT HERE]

Sincerely,
{{current_user.name}}

While this works, it is less than ideal for two primary reasons:

Speed. To add customized text, the agent must drag their mouse over the parts they would like to change.  In just this simple example, the agent must move their mouse, drag over text text, and then type up to 6 times. This is extremely time consuming.

Accuracy. The customized text isn’t validated, so it’s too easy for your agents to accidentally add something like “we’re going to give you a 1000% discount.” Using macros this way is error-prone!

Wouldn’t it be great if your agents could easily add customized text without ever moving their mouse at all? And wouldn’t it be super sweet if macros validated custom text, preventing confusing and embarrassing typos? We agree—that’s why we created Lightning Macros ⚡️.

With just a few tweaks to your existing macros, whenever an agent applies a macro, they’re immediately prompted with a validated entry form that they can complete quickly by pressing the tab key.

ezgif.com-video-to-gif

A response that typically takes 45 seconds dropped down to about 15 and the chances of errors dropped dramatically. Lightning Macros are powerful—you can add simple textboxes, memo fields, dropdown lists, integers, decimals, and optional segments to your existing macros in seconds.  

How do I install Lightning Macros?

Easy! Just install the Lightning Macros app from the Zendesk App Marketplace. There’s no additional configuration required.

How do I create a Lightning Macro?

You can create a Lightning Macro in just three simple steps:

  1. Create a new Zendesk macro, or find an existing macro you’d like to turn into a Lightning Macro.
  2. Make sure the very first line of your Comment/description action is %LIGHTNING_MACRO%.
  3. In the Comment/description action, add a Lightning Macro field wherever you want to customize text. There are many different types to choose some, so make sure to read the fields reference thoroughly.
  4. Make sure your macro works as intended by taking it for a test drive.

Here’s an example (try copying it into a new macro!):

%LIGHTNING_MACRO%
Hi %%type:textbox, label:Customer Name%%,

We’re so sorry you received your Acme Sprocket later than we promised.
To make this right, we’re going to give you a 
%%type:dropdown, label:Discount, 1:5%, 2:10%, 3:15%, default:2%% 
discount. You should see a refund on your bank statement for 
$%%type:decimal, label:Refund Amount, min:0.0%% in 3-5 business days.

I also want to offer you the following promo code: 
%%type:textbox, label:Promo Code%%. Use it to save 
%%type:dropdown, label:Discount, 1:$5, 2:$10, default:1%% 
on your next order with us!

%%type:memo, label:Please enter a personalized message to the 
customer.%%

Sincerely,
{{current_user.name}}

How do I use a Lightning Macro?

This is easy. In an open ticket..

  1. Select a macro. We like using the keyboard for speed (Windows: ctrl + alt+ m, Mac: ctrl + option + m).
  2. The Lightning Macro editor will display. You can immediately start typing in the first field.
  3. Use the tab key to move to the next field.
  4. Repeat until you’ve filled in each field.
  5. Click insert.
  6. Double check your reply before submitting.

That’s it!

Can I use Lightning Macros on an Internal Note?

You bet. You can use Lightning Macros to add structured information into a public reply or an internal note (useful for standardizing an incident report, for example). Just make sure you add an action to the macro that sets the Comment mode to Private.

My macro doesn’t work. What should I do?

Five simple questions to help you troubleshoot:

  1. Do you have the special header at the top of your Comment/description action?
  2. Is every field wrapped in a double percent sign?
  3. Do you have a colon between each parameter and value?
  4. Did you read the field reference?
  5. Have you emailed us at support@lightningmacros.com?

How much does Lightning Macros cost?

It’s currently $5 per agent per month, billed directly through Zendesk. We offer a free 7 day trial so you can give it a spin before you commit. 

How can I request a feature?

We always want to know how we can make you happy. Shoot us any idea that pops into your head at support@lightningmacros.com. PS – we’ll prioritize requests written as a haiku.

What data does Lightning Macros collect?

We collect a very small amount of data that helps us improve our product. We never collect data that compromises the privacy of your company, employees, or customers. You can see a detailed breakdown of the information we collect and how we use it in our Data Use Policy.

I don’t see the answer to my question. Can you still help me?

Yep. Email us anytime at support@lightningmacros.com.