Hello,
We attempted to implement an email reminder workflow with native Zendesk features, but during testing we confirmed that the platform’s current limitations make it impossible to create reliable reminders at intervals shorter than 60 minutes (for example 5, 10, 15, or 20 minutes).
At the moment, this is not possible natively because:
- Automations run only once per hour, so they cannot trigger reminders at precise times like 5, 10, 15, or 20 minutes.
- SLAs only work when the customer is the last person who replied. In our workflows, the last reply is usually from an agent, meaning SLAs do not activate and cannot measure elapsed time after agent updates.
- Triggers cannot run on time-based delays.
Because of these limitations, there is no native Zendesk feature that can send timely reminders based on time since last agent update or time spent in a status (e.g., Pending).
To support operational workflows like this, we would like to share the below features that could enhance Zendesk's capabilities:
- Time-Based Trigger Conditions - Allow triggers to include: “Minutes since status changed” ; “Minutes since last agent update” ; “Minutes since last public or internal comment” . Triggers would then be able to fire reminders precisely and instantly.
- Faster Automation Execution - Allow automations to run after configurable intervals (5, 10, or 15 minutes), not only once per hour.
These enhancements would make it possible to manage time‑sensitive workflows entirely within Zendesk, without external tools, reducing operational risk and improving internal responsiveness.
Thank you.