Categories   >   Customer Service Software
Last Reviewed: November 19th, 2024

Best Customer Service Software Of 2024

What is Customer Service Software?

Customer Service Software is a tool designed to streamline and manage customer interactions for businesses. It alleviates the problem of unorganized and inefficient customer service, thereby bolstering customer satisfaction and retention. The software is crucial for businesses looking to deliver exceptional customer experiences, turning interactions into positive relationships. It provides benefits such as efficient ticket management, multi-channel support, and customer self-service options. Key functionalities often include ticketing systems, live chat, and automated responses, with AI-powered customer service bots emerging strongly. Businesses in all industries, particularly those with extensive customer interaction such as retail, hospitality, and telecoms, would benefit significantly. However, one crucial limitation could be the impersonal nature of automated responses. In summary, Customer Service Software presents an opportunity for businesses to maximize their customer service efficiency and efficacy but should be supplemented with a personalized touch for the best results.

What Are The Key Benefits of Customer Service Software?

  • Boosts customer satisfaction
  • Enhances customer retention
  • Streamlines ticket management
  • Offers multi-channel support
  • Facilitates customer self-service
  • Promotes efficient communication
  • Automates responses efficiently
  • Improves service accountability
  • Tracks customer interactions
  • Supports data-driven strategies
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SelectHub Award Winners - Array

Our Research Analysts evaluated 49 solutions and determined the following solutions are the best Customer Service Software overall:

Overall

  • 99 Freshdesk
    Best Overall, AI-based Capabilities, Agent Productivity
  • 96 Salesforce Service Cloud
    Best for Call Center Management, Email Management
  • 96 Zendesk
    Best for Integrations and Extensibility
  • 92 LiveAgent
    Best for Integrations and Extensibility
  • 91 HubSpot Service Hub
    Best for AI-based Capabilities, Email Management
  • 91 HappyFox
    Best for Integrations and Extensibility, Ticket Management
  • 91 TeamSupport
    Best for AI-based Capabilities
  • 89 Vision Helpdesk
  • 89 Zoho Desk
    Best for AI-based Capabilities
  • 88 LiveChat
Freshdesk Award
Freshdesk
Freshdesk
Start Price
$15
Per User, Monthly
Analyst Rating
99
SelectHub’s Analyst Rating for Freshdesk, is based on data from our 400+ point analysis of Customer Service Software, user reviews, and our own crowd-sourced data from our free software selection platform. Scores are periodically updated via ongoing selection projects and user activity within our platform.
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Why We Picked Freshdesk

Freshdesk garners praise for its user-friendly interface and intuitive design, which minimizes training time for new agents and gets them up to speed faster. This is particularly important for businesses with high agent turnover or seasonal spikes in support requests. When compared to competitors offering a steeper learning curve, Freshdesk allows teams to become productive quicker, leading to faster issue resolution and improved customer satisfaction. However, Freshdesk's free plan, while suitable for small teams or those starting out, can be limiting for businesses requiring advanced features. Features like custom automations, powerful reporting, and integrations are often reserved for paid plans. This can be a dealbreaker for businesses seeking a comprehensive help desk solution without a significant upfront investment. Here, competitors offering more robust functionalities in their free tiers might be more suitable. Overall, Freshdesk shines for its user-friendliness, scalability, and mobile accessibility. The ability to customize the platform to fit specific workflows and the availability of mobile apps for agents and customers are valuable assets. However, its limited free plan functionality and potentially complex reporting can be drawbacks. Freshdesk is best suited for small and medium-sized businesses seeking an easy-to-use and scalable help desk solution, particularly those with limited technical expertise or a mobile workforce. For larger enterprises with complex workflows or multilingual customer bases, competitors offering more powerful reporting capabilities or broader language support might be a better fit.

Pros & Cons

  • User-Friendly Interface: Freshdesk is praised for its intuitive design and straightforward navigation. This minimizes onboarding time for new agents and reduces the learning curve, allowing them to become productive more quickly. Think of it as a user-friendly smartphone app compared to a clunky, feature-laden desktop program. This ease of use translates into faster issue resolution and improved overall efficiency.
  • Scalability & Customization: Freshdesk caters to businesses of all sizes, from startups to large enterprises. Its flexible plans and customization options allow businesses to tailor the platform to their specific needs. For instance, a small team might prioritize a simple ticketing system, while a larger organization can leverage features like custom automations or in-depth reporting for more complex workflows.
  • Mobile Accessibility: Freshdesk offers mobile apps for agents and customers, enabling them to access the platform and manage inquiries on the go. This is particularly valuable for remote teams or situations where agents need to be available outside the office. Imagine a field technician using the mobile app to update a customer ticket while on-site, improving responsiveness and streamlining the resolution process.
  • Limited Free Plan Functionality: While Freshdesk offers a free plan, it can be restrictive for businesses with growing needs. Features like custom automations, advanced reporting, and integrations are often reserved for paid plans. This can limit its usefulness for businesses seeking a comprehensive help desk solution without upfront investment.
  • Reporting Complexity: Freshdesk's reporting capabilities, particularly in lower-tier plans, can be cumbersome to navigate and require some technical expertise to generate insightful data. Some users report that creating custom reports or filtering data can be time-consuming, hindering efforts to effectively track key performance indicators (KPIs) and measure support team effectiveness. Imagine sifting through an overflowing email inbox to find a specific message compared to having a well-organized filing system with clear labels.
  • Limited Multilingual Support: Freshdesk's interface and support resources are primarily available in English. This can be a drawback for businesses operating in international markets or with a multilingual customer base. While some basic translations are available, they might be limited or not comprehensive, potentially hindering effective communication with non-English speaking customers and agents.

Key Features

  • Ticketing Management: Deliver higher quality customer service with collaborative ticketing. Convert customer issues from different channels into resolvable tickets. Offers: 
    •  Team inbox to prioritize and assign tickets based on keywords. 
    •  AI-supported ticketing to improve agents’ efficiency and save time. 
    •  SLA management to measure agents’ performance and set customer expectations for response times. 
  • Omnichannel: Consolidate various support-related communications channels like email, phone, chat, website, WhatsApp, Facebook and Twitter to ensure a seamless customer experience as well as faster query resolution. 
  • Service Management: Create service tasks and field technician groups for tickets on the basis of location, priority and other aspects. To manage field operations, it also includes: 
    •  Scheduling dashboard to keep track of appointments, tasks and field team workloads. 
    •  Mobile field service to keep technicians updated on the fly. 
    •  Automated time-tracking to monitor billable hours. 
    •  Single swipe attachment of customer signatures to the service tasks via the mobile app. 
  • Reporting and Analytics: Schedule reports at regular intervals and customize them according to various requirements. Access actionable insights using data in different chart styles and visualizations. 
  • Customization: Customize workflows, customer portal and agents for optimum productivity based on specific business requirements. Its customization can be leveraged in the following ways: 
    •  Customized ticket forms. 
    •  Custom URL for smooth customer experience. 
    •  Building and integration of customized apps. 
    •  Custom segmentation of customers for personalized support. 
  • Automation: Automate notifications to agents and customers for any updates in their tickets. Automatically execute maintenance activities and implement actions on tickets based on the time lapsed since an event. 
  • Identity and Access Management: Allow and restrict agents as well as customers to log in to their accounts using single sign on script from anywhere using IP whitelisting and a VPN. 
  • Customer Self-Service: Enable efficient customer self-service with automated suggestion pop ups, knowledge base articles and by converting critical issues in the community into resolvable tickets. 
Salesforce Service Cloud Award
Salesforce Service Cloud
Salesforce Service Cloud
Start Price
$25
Per User, Monthly
Analyst Rating
96
SelectHub’s Analyst Rating for Salesforce Service Cloud, is based on data from our 400+ point analysis of Customer Service Software, user reviews, and our own crowd-sourced data from our free software selection platform. Scores are periodically updated via ongoing selection projects and user activity within our platform.
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Why We Picked Salesforce Service Cloud

Salesforce Service Cloud is widely praised for its user-friendly interface and seamless integration with other Salesforce products, which enables businesses to manage all customer interactions in one place. However, some users have reported occasional performance issues and limitations in customizing certain features, which can hinder the software's ability to fully adapt to specific business needs.

Compared to similar products, Salesforce Service Cloud is often regarded as a more comprehensive solution, offering a wider range of features and functionalities. Its strengths lie in its robust reporting and analytics capabilities, which provide valuable insights into customer behavior and agent performance. Additionally, its mobile app allows for remote access and real-time updates, enhancing the flexibility of customer support operations.

Salesforce Service Cloud is best suited for medium to large-sized businesses that require a comprehensive and scalable help desk solution. Its robust feature set, ease of use, and integration capabilities make it an ideal choice for organizations seeking to improve customer satisfaction and streamline their support processes.

Pros & Cons

  • Intuitive User Interface: Salesforce Service Cloud's user-friendly interface makes it easy for support agents to quickly find the information they need to resolve customer issues.
  • Comprehensive Case Management: The platform provides robust case management capabilities, allowing agents to track and manage customer cases efficiently, ensuring timely resolution.
  • Seamless Integration with Salesforce Ecosystem: As part of the Salesforce ecosystem, Service Cloud seamlessly integrates with other Salesforce products, such as Sales Cloud, Marketing Cloud, and Analytics Cloud, providing a unified view of customer interactions.
  • Robust Reporting and Analytics: Service Cloud offers advanced reporting and analytics capabilities, enabling businesses to gain insights into customer behavior, identify trends, and measure agent performance.
  • Customization and Flexibility: The platform's customizable features allow businesses to tailor the solution to their specific needs, creating a personalized experience for both agents and customers.
  • Complexity: Salesforce Service Cloud is a comprehensive tool, but its complexity can be overwhelming for some users. The learning curve can be steep, and the user interface can be difficult to navigate.
  • Customization: While Salesforce Service Cloud is customizable, the process can be time-consuming and complex. Users may need to hire a consultant or developer to help them customize the software to meet their specific needs.
  • Cost: Salesforce Service Cloud is a paid software, and the cost can be a barrier for some businesses. The cost of the software depends on the number of users and the features that are needed.
  • Reporting: Salesforce Service Cloud provides a variety of reporting options, but some users find the reports to be difficult to understand. The reports can also be slow to generate, which can be frustrating for users who need to access information quickly.
  • Integration: Salesforce Service Cloud can be integrated with other software, but the process can be complex. Users may need to hire a consultant or developer to help them integrate the software with their other systems.

Key Features

  • Lightning Console: Boost agent productivity and optimize team workflows with easy access to information, including knowledge base, customer profiles and subject matter experts via responsive and dynamic dashboards. 
  • Case Management: Help agents resolve cases faster by keeping them connected to answers, activities and intel while assigning issues to the most appropriate sales representative with an AI-powered routing system. 
  • Service Cloud Voice: Equip agents with better insights and tools through Einstein Intelligence for delivering world-class customer support. Simplify setup, purchasing and rollout of contact center telephony with Amazon Connect and Service Cloud Voice integration. Solve customer issues quickly with tools such as IVR, intelligent cloud telephony, CRM data and call routing and storage. 
  • Knowledge Base: Allow customers and agents to get answers through a suite of readily available knowledge bases and articles. Ensure the accuracy of content with robust incident management solutions and KCSv5 verified knowledge management. 
  • Service Process and Automation: Eliminate repetitive and manual chores by automating internal procedures and processes. Design a point-and-click interface to update and create call logs and records, send emails and launch workflows. 
  • Omnichannel Routing: Engage with customers through various support channels such as web, phone, email, mobile Live Agent chats, social media, community sites and video chats. Route cases from different channels to appropriate agents based on priority, complexity and the agent’s availability, capability and capacity.  
  • Telephony Integration: Lower handle times and boost customer satisfaction rates by knowing the history before receiving the call. Automatically log the notes taken during the chat and associate them with related details such as customer records. 
  • Social Customer Service: Manage customer responses and problems from social media platforms through Salesforce Social Studio and service cloud integration. Route social cases to the appropriate agents by using classifiers, language detection and keywords. 
  • Service Analytics: Help agents make informed decisions and offer personalized support to customers by accessing service cloud data and the latest trends and patterns discovered by Einstein. Stay ahead of business issues and concerns by identifying customer and product issues and churning risks with predictive insights. 
  • Visual Remote Assistant: Troubleshoot setbacks and user queries from anywhere through video call assistance along with screen sharing capabilities. Leverage AI-powered character recognition and stay connected even with low bandwidth and offline. 
Zendesk Award
Zendesk
Zendesk
Start Price
$55
Per User, Monthly
Analyst Rating
96
SelectHub’s Analyst Rating for Zendesk, is based on data from our 400+ point analysis of Customer Service Software, user reviews, and our own crowd-sourced data from our free software selection platform. Scores are periodically updated via ongoing selection projects and user activity within our platform.
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Why We Picked Zendesk

Zendesk For Service offers streamlined tools for businesses of all sizes. It excels in features like ticket management, collaboration and knowledge management. Its interface is easy to use and understand, and there are plenty of onboarding resources for new users. The platform also offers numerous integrations with programs like CRM systems, project management tools and collaboration tools like Slack.

While users praised the comprehensive features and level of customization offered by the platform, they also said that this can make the learning curve steeper. Some customers were also disappointed by the lack of advanced reporting tools, the unresponsiveness of customer support and high cost for small businesses. All in all, Zendesk is a scalable and feature-rich solution for businesses looking for an efficient ticketing and support tool.

Pros & Cons

  • Ticket Management: 83% of users who talked about Zendesk’s ticket management features had a positive experience and praised the platform.
  • Ease of Use: 64% of users who talked about their onboarding and general experience using the platform said Zendesk was easy to use and learn.
  • Integrations: 57% of reviewers who mentioned integrations were happy with the range and variety of integrations available.
  • Knowledge Management: 83% of users who mentioned using the knowledge management and help center tools said they had a positive experience.
  • Collaboration: 92% of users who talked about Zendesk’s collaboration tools said that the platform made external and internal collaboration and communication easier.
  • Reporting: 55% of users who talked about the platform’s reporting and analytics tools complained about the lack of advanced reporting tools, especially on cheaper plans.
  • Customer Support: 70% of users who talked about contacting Zendesk customer service expressed dissatisfaction with their experience.
  • Cost: 100% of users who talked about pricing said that the cost of the platform was quite high for small businesses and businesses in developing countries.

Key Features

  • Ticketing System: Offer high-quality customer support across various channels with pre-built dashboards, automation, customer ticket fields and dynamic forms. Avoid misplacing tickets, produce faster resolution and boost the bandwidth via robust tools such as CSAT ratings, routing, service-level agreements and time tracking. 
  • Omnichannel Support: Offer quick and seamless customer support through multiple channels including email, phone, chat, customized chatbots, a website, WhatsApp, messaging, Facebook and Twitter to ensure faster resolutions 
  • Messaging and Live Chat: Engage in long-term, personalized conversations with customers to deliver instant support without any repetitions. Help customers get instant answers via bots and integrated programs with the ability to turn to a live agent whenever needed. 
  • Help Center: Give customers access to knowledge base articles and automated suggestion pop-ups to enable a streamlined and efficient self-service. Convert essential issues in the community into resolvable tickets and update reusable content from help centers and articles through content blocks. 
  • Voice Support: Deliver instant support to customers with a cloud-based voice solution, plug into 90+ telephone providers. Extend voice capabilities with services including redaction, quality assurance and advanced call transcriptions. 
  • Community Forums: Create a platform for customers to collaborate, provide feedback, review the product, and answer other user’s questions. Help them reach out for the most relevant services. 
  • Reporting and Analytics: Analyze how customers use websites, products, services and various support channels. Determine ways to improve the experience by getting instant access to insights and identifying problem areas via customizable, pre-built dashboards. 
  • Knowledge Base: Help customers get to know the services and products better by creating easy-to-read articles with rich formatting and translations to 40+ languages for a localized customer experience. 
LiveAgent Award
LiveAgent
LiveAgent
Start Price
$9
Per Agent, Monthly
Analyst Rating
92
SelectHub’s Analyst Rating for LiveAgent, is based on data from our 400+ point analysis of Customer Service Software, user reviews, and our own crowd-sourced data from our free software selection platform. Scores are periodically updated via ongoing selection projects and user activity within our platform.
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Why We Picked LiveAgent

LiveAgent offers live chat and helpdesk capabilities, including advanced ticketing. Users can access and update all aspects of a given customer account. Interactive tools, automated behavior reply terminology, live queries management and intuitive onboarding are some aspects of the software that users appreciate. However, some users noted that the software is pricey and the UI is dated. They also reported issues with the payment gateway, mobile app design, service experience feedback and somewhat limited integration options, in terms of other social media and chat platforms. All things considered, LiveAgent is a decent live chat software suitable for businesses of all sizes.

Pros & Cons

  • Usability: 77% of users who reviewed this aspect said the software is easy to use and navigate.
  • Pricing: According to 82% of reviews on this element, the software offers many features at a great price.
  • Customer Service: The customer support channels are responsive and useful, according to 91% of users reviewing support.
  • Integration: 86% of users who mentioned this aspect said that the software offers multiple integrations.
  • Mobile Application: 84% of users who reviewed the mobile app stated that the notifications, features and design could be improved.

Key Features

  • Ticketing System: Provide customer service with a centralized response system. Address inquiries from one inbox, update ticket status, gather customer data to identify and solve problems and distribute cases automatically to ensure fast resolution of queries. 
  • Call Center: Organize sales and provide support by managing customer calls on a unified platform. Connect devices, add agent phone numbers, place a call button on the website and make calls from the computer. Automate responses with IVR, route conversations to skip unnecessary waiting times, track missed calls using the callback feature and record talks without size limitations. 
  • Analytics and Reports: Get insights into the team performance, agent rankings, usage statistics, customer satisfaction ratings, SLA metrics, support channels and other key benchmarks to improve business practices, products and services. Access tag, SLA compliance, channel, department time reports. 
  • Data Protection: Enhance safety standards with help desk features to protect customer data and company practices. Ban IP addresses to limit irrelevant inquiries, enable secure login with 2-step verification, protect data between the browser and software using HTTPS encryption and store information in the data center for effective management. 
  • Gamification: Take advantage of innovative elements to increase engagement and customer retention. Use customizable badges based on the worker’s performance and benchmarks and leaderboards to showcase achievements. 
  • Customer Portal: Create product and brand-specific categories to help customers with self-service content and onboarding. Build knowledge bases using articles, guides, screenshots, videos, search widgets, suggestion forums and other problem-solving information to provide 24/7 customer support and boost website traffic. 
  • Automated Replies: Create automation rules to manage the high volume of tickets with predefined actions. Transfer tickets to departments, add tags, mark and resolve tickets with system actions and minimal guided intervention. Manage rules to organize tickets effectively, improve response time and reduce support costs. 
HubSpot Service Hub Award
HubSpot Service Hub
HubSpot Service Hub
Start Price
$90
Per Seat, Monthly
Analyst Rating
91
SelectHub’s Analyst Rating for HubSpot Service Hub, is based on data from our 400+ point analysis of Customer Service Software, user reviews, and our own crowd-sourced data from our free software selection platform. Scores are periodically updated via ongoing selection projects and user activity within our platform.
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Why We Picked HubSpot Service Hub

HubSpot Service Hub continues to be a popular help desk software, with many users praising its ease of use, comprehensive features, and strong customer support. However, some users have noted that the software can be expensive and may not be the best fit for small businesses with limited budgets.

HubSpot Service Hub's strengths include its user-friendly interface, which makes it easy for even non-technical users to navigate and use. The software also offers a wide range of features, including ticketing, live chat, knowledge base, and reporting. HubSpot Service Hub's customer support is also highly rated by users, with many praising the team's responsiveness and helpfulness.

One of the main weaknesses of HubSpot Service Hub is its cost. The software is more expensive than some of its competitors, and this can be a deterrent for small businesses with limited budgets. Additionally, some users have noted that the software can be complex to set up and configure, which can be a challenge for businesses with limited IT resources.

HubSpot Service Hub differentiates itself from other help desk software products by its focus on customer relationship management (CRM). The software integrates with HubSpot's CRM, which allows businesses to track customer interactions across all channels, including sales, marketing, and support. This can be a valuable feature for businesses that want to get a complete view of their customers and provide a more personalized experience.

HubSpot Service Hub is most suited for businesses that are looking for a comprehensive help desk software solution that integrates with their CRM. The software is also a good fit for businesses that are looking for a user-friendly and easy-to-use solution. However, businesses with limited budgets may want to consider other options, as HubSpot Service Hub can be expensive.

Pros & Cons

  • Seamless CRM Integration: HubSpot Service Hub effortlessly integrates with HubSpot's CRM, providing a comprehensive view of customer interactions and enabling seamless ticket management.
  • Automated Workflows: The software automates routine tasks such as ticket assignment, email notifications, and follow-ups, freeing up agents to focus on complex issues.
  • Knowledge Base Functionality: HubSpot Service Hub includes a built-in knowledge base, allowing businesses to create and manage self-service resources for customers, reducing the number of support tickets.
  • Conversational Ticketing: Agents can communicate with customers directly through email, live chat, and social media, providing a more personalized and efficient support experience.
  • Reporting and Analytics: HubSpot Service Hub provides robust reporting and analytics capabilities, enabling businesses to track key metrics, identify areas for improvement, and measure the effectiveness of their support operations.
  • Lack of Customization: Users have limited options for customizing the interface, workflows, and reporting capabilities to meet their specific needs.
  • Integration Challenges: HubSpot Service Hub can be challenging to integrate with other business systems, leading to data silos and inefficiencies.
  • Limited Reporting Capabilities: Users have expressed concerns about the lack of robust reporting features, making it difficult to track and analyze key performance metrics.
  • Steep Learning Curve: The platform can be complex to navigate and requires a significant investment in training for users to become proficient.
  • Pricing Concerns: Some users have reported that HubSpot Service Hub's pricing plans can be expensive for small businesses or those with limited budgets.

Key Features

  • Live Chat: Help customers on websites in real-time by routing them automatically to the right people on the services team. Build better relationships through detailed and contextual conversations. 
  • Customer Portal: Empower clients to gain ownership over experiences with a safe and secure portal. Keep ticket conversations going with agents and customers to resolve issues faster. 
  • VOIP Calling: Call customers directly from the service hub platform to HubSpot's VoIP software. Take advantage of crystal-clear call quality along with analytics and call logging. 
  • Video Messaging: Build stronger relationships with customers through video chats. Create personalized videos to help customers and seamlessly add them to emails or tickets.  
  • Shared Inbox: Connect team live chat, email, Facebook Messenger and more to a single, universal inbox, so everyone has visibility to reply to and manage conversations in one place. 
  • Team Management: Keep the team productive and organized by ensuring every user has access to suitable applications and assets. Quickly manage and view agent status, permissions and availability across the group. 
  • CRM Integration: Get the required context to help customers succeed. Track client interactions and details automatically with business in a single source accessible to the entire team. 
  • Customer Feedback Surveys: Deploy NPS, CES, CSAT and custom surveys to get a pulse on customer needs and happiness and gather feedback to build better experiences. 
  • Conversation Intelligence: Capture details from every call automatically and analyze team performance and productivity. Unlock coaching and learning opportunities with AI-powered insights. 
  • Forecasting: Make more data-driven decisions with comprehensive forecasts. Create pipelines to monitor upgrades and renewals and better visualize projected performance. 
  • Contact Scoring: Assign scores to contacts to prioritize outreach and track customer health. Use scores to trigger automation, segment lists and more. 
HappyFox Award
HappyFox
HappyFox
Start Price
$25
Per User, Monthly
Analyst Rating
91
SelectHub’s Analyst Rating for HappyFox, is based on data from our 400+ point analysis of Customer Service Software, user reviews, and our own crowd-sourced data from our free software selection platform. Scores are periodically updated via ongoing selection projects and user activity within our platform.
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Why We Picked HappyFox

HappyFox is a popular help desk software solution praised by users for its ease of use, robust features, and excellent customer support. It compares favorably to competitors due to its intuitive interface, which simplifies onboarding and reduces training time. Additionally, HappyFox offers a comprehensive suite of features, including ticketing, knowledge base, live chat, and reporting, making it a versatile solution for businesses of all sizes.

One of HappyFox's key differentiating factors is its focus on automation. Users appreciate the ability to automate repetitive tasks, such as ticket routing and response generation, which frees up agents to focus on more complex inquiries. Furthermore, HappyFox's reporting capabilities provide valuable insights into team performance and customer satisfaction, enabling businesses to identify areas for improvement.

HappyFox is an ideal solution for businesses seeking a user-friendly, feature-rich, and affordable help desk software. Its ease of use, automation capabilities, and excellent customer support make it a top choice for organizations looking to streamline their support operations and improve customer satisfaction.

Pros & Cons

  • User-friendly interface: Intuitive navigation and clear dashboard simplify issue management.
  • Robust ticket management: Centralized system streamlines ticket tracking, prioritization, and resolution.
  • Seamless integrations: Easily connect with CRM, email, and other tools to enhance workflows.
  • Automated workflows: Rules-based automation reduces manual tasks, saving time and improving efficiency.
  • Excellent customer support: Responsive and knowledgeable support team provides timely assistance.
  • Limited Customization: Users have expressed frustration with the lack of flexibility in customizing the software to meet their specific needs, making it difficult to tailor the platform to their unique workflows.
  • Inconsistent Performance: Some users have reported experiencing performance issues, such as slow loading times and occasional glitches, which can hinder productivity and impact the overall user experience.
  • Lack of Advanced Features: While HappyFox offers core help desk functionality, users have noted that it lacks certain advanced features found in competing solutions, such as comprehensive reporting and analytics capabilities.
  • Limited Integration Options: HappyFox's integration capabilities have been cited as a drawback, with users requesting more seamless integration with other business applications and tools to enhance their workflow.
  • Cost Concerns: Some users have raised concerns about the pricing of HappyFox, particularly for larger teams or those seeking more advanced features, which can be a factor in choosing alternative solutions.

Key Features

  • Omnichannel: Convert email, chat, phone, social media and web requests into tickets and organize them. Track, follow-up and prioritize social media requests from a single place. Keep an eye on @mentions and messages from Twitter and Facebook, add a chat plugin to the support center or website by integrating live chat widgets with the product. Manage internal support using slack and Microsoft Teams. Let agents receive notifications and create tickets in business communication tools through powerful integrations. 
  • Ticketing: Sort inbound tickets into predefined categories such as sales, products, support and more. Direct omnichannel requests flow into the correct categories. 
  • Self-service: Allow customers to find answers to common queries through multilingual knowledge base articles and FAQS, so agents have time to concentrate on more complex issues.  
  • Smart Rules: Automate everyday actions, define trigger conditions in the help desk, and ensure no event or change is missed. 
  • SLAs: Improve team productivity by automating ticket reassignment and escalations based on SLAs, the number of responses and more. 
  • Reporting: Make data-driven decisions using insights gathered from real-time, modular reports. Monitor ticket inflow, optimize support strategy and observe trends through inflow reports. Measure first contact resolution (FCR), closure time and response times through performance report. View custom field values distribution across tickets or contacts, tickets distribution across status, priority and category and assignee and the trend of tickets across time. 
  • Customization: Create custom fields, personalize the customer experience and streamline workflows through custom roles and permissions, work schedules, multi-brand help desk, custom fields and custom queues. 
  • Administration: Ensure seamless maintenance, configuration and governance experience for administrators. Keep track of change management using the audit logs. Transform a help desk into an IT service desk and enable teams to manage and track hardware and software assets in one place. 
TeamSupport Award
TeamSupport
TeamSupport
Start Price
$49
Per Agent, Monthly
Analyst Rating
91
SelectHub’s Analyst Rating for TeamSupport, is based on data from our 400+ point analysis of Customer Service Software, user reviews, and our own crowd-sourced data from our free software selection platform. Scores are periodically updated via ongoing selection projects and user activity within our platform.
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Deployment
Cloud On-Premise
Platform
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Why We Picked TeamSupport

TeamSupport is a top-rated help desk software solution praised for its user-friendly interface, robust automation capabilities, and comprehensive reporting features. Many users find it superior to competitors due to its intuitive design, which streamlines workflows and reduces training time. Additionally, its advanced automation capabilities, such as ticket routing and escalation rules, free up agents to focus on more complex tasks. TeamSupport's reporting functionality provides valuable insights into team performance and customer satisfaction, enabling data-driven decision-making.

TeamSupport's strengths include its ease of use, powerful automation, and in-depth reporting. These features make it an excellent choice for organizations looking to improve their customer support operations. However, it may not be the most suitable option for smaller teams or those with limited budgets due to its higher pricing compared to some competitors. Overall, TeamSupport is a feature-rich and user-friendly help desk software that can significantly enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of customer support teams.

Pros & Cons

  • Seamless Omnichannel Support: TeamSupport unifies all customer interactions from various channels, such as email, phone, chat, and social media, into a single, centralized platform, providing a comprehensive view of customer communications.
  • Automated Workflows: Its powerful automation capabilities streamline repetitive tasks, such as ticket assignment, status updates, and follow-ups, freeing up agents to focus on more complex issues and enhance productivity.
  • Robust Knowledge Base: TeamSupport allows businesses to create and maintain a comprehensive knowledge base that empowers customers to find answers to common questions independently, reducing support volume and improving customer satisfaction.
  • Detailed Reporting and Analytics: The platform provides insightful reports and analytics that enable businesses to track key performance indicators, identify areas for improvement, and make data-driven decisions to optimize their support operations.
  • Customizable Interface: TeamSupport offers a highly customizable interface that allows businesses to tailor the platform to their specific needs and branding, ensuring a seamless and consistent user experience for both agents and customers.
  • Insufficient Automation: TeamSupport lacks robust automation features, making it difficult to streamline workflows and reduce manual tasks.
  • Limited Reporting and Analytics: The reporting and analytics capabilities are basic, hindering users from gaining insights into team performance and customer behavior.
  • Lack of Customization: TeamSupport offers limited customization options, restricting users from tailoring the software to meet their specific business needs.
  • Cluttered Interface: The user interface can be overwhelming and cluttered, making it challenging to navigate and find essential features.
  • Slow Response Times: Users have reported experiencing slow response times and technical issues, which can hinder productivity and customer satisfaction.

Key Features

  • Integrations: Multiply efficiency with native help desk integrations. Integrate the product with solutions such as Microsoft Teams, Salesforce, Jira, Microsoft Dynamics, ServiceNow, Slack, Hubspot CRM, Ringcentral and more to minimize headaches and optimize workflows.  
  • Customer Management: Track all customer information and consolidate requests accordingly. Keep an eye on all the tickets and issues from a single view, run reports to identify which client is demanding the most. Add notes to a customer record to give everyone access to the same information. 
  • Customer Sentiment: Get real-time sentiment analysis through AI-powered technology and instantly gauge customer tone. Prioritize tickets according to customer response and create proactive support opportunities. 
  • Service Contacts/SLA’s: Define service agreement, block portal access and track support hours. Assign SLAs to customer product or product level. Pause, clone or attach SLA’s to products to limit customer downloads on the portal.  
  • Agent Rating: Allow customers to rate experiences with agents and get real-time insights into satisfaction levels. Spot trends and service issues, get immediate feedback, identify training or product development areas and get real-time metrics to enhance customer experience. 
  • Ticket Management: Link a support email address with the product and let the automated help desk take charge. Talk with customers via the conversation feature through the main interface without dealing with the email inbox again. Ensure tickets are routed or escalated to the right person or group and closed with completely flexible and customizable rules. 
  • Ticket Collision Prevention: Observe when someone else is watching the same ticket. Chat with other users over a case by clicking on the name. Update tickets automatically for everyone on the team. 
  • Visual Support Suite: Allow agents to upload images, share a webcam video recording and embed a screencast directly into a ticket so they can guide customers through performing tasks and fix a problem. 
  • Products and Inventory: Combine physical and digital inventory and product information with streamlining support and reduce duplicated effort. See which products customers have and track why they’re using it. Define all products and versions, consolidate the information required to provide exceptional customer service and associate products to tickets for easy product reporting and tracking. 
  • Customer Hub: Allow customers to create and view ticket statuses, read knowledge base content, chat with agents and search for answers to simple questions without bothering agents. 
  • Reporting and Analytics: Add a help desk report and move items to appear in the preferred order with simple drag-and-drop functionality. Hide/unhide series from the display and access listed tickets easily by clicking on the ticket link. 
  • Omnichannel Support: Boost customer satisfaction and first-time issue resolution rates by connecting with customers across any channel of their preference. Integrate all channels for a single view of customer records and interactions at one place, so client history is already on hand during the next call. 
Vision Helpdesk
Vision Helpdesk
Start Price
$30
Monthly
Analyst Rating
89
SelectHub’s Analyst Rating for Vision Helpdesk, is based on data from our 400+ point analysis of Customer Service Software, user reviews, and our own crowd-sourced data from our free software selection platform. Scores are periodically updated via ongoing selection projects and user activity within our platform.
Company Size
Small Medium Large
Deployment
Cloud On-Premise
Platform
Mac Windows Linux Chromebook Android
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Why We Picked Vision Helpdesk

Vision Helpdesk’s user reviews over the past year have been predominantly positive, with many users praising its user-friendly interface, robust reporting capabilities, and ability to streamline their IT service desk operations. One reviewer noted that Vision Helpdesk's intuitive design made it easy for their team to learn and use the software, saving them valuable time and resources. Additionally, the software's comprehensive reporting features were lauded for providing valuable insights into team performance and customer satisfaction, enabling data-driven decision-making. Compared to similar products, Vision Helpdesk stands out due to its exceptional customization options. Users appreciate the ability to tailor the software to their specific needs, ensuring a seamless fit within their existing workflows. The software's open API also allows for seamless integration with other business applications, further enhancing its versatility and value. Vision Helpdesk is ideally suited for organizations seeking a comprehensive and customizable help desk solution. Its user-centric design, powerful reporting capabilities, and flexible integration options make it a valuable asset for businesses looking to improve their IT service delivery and enhance customer satisfaction.

Pros & Cons

  • Easy to use: Intuitive interface and straightforward navigation make it accessible for users of all technical abilities.
  • Centralized communication: Consolidated platform for all support channels (email, phone, chat) streamlines communication and eliminates ticket duplication.
  • Automation capabilities: Automates repetitive tasks, such as ticket routing and status updates, freeing up agents to focus on complex issues.
  • Customizable workflows: Allows businesses to tailor the software to their specific support processes, ensuring efficient ticket handling.
  • Detailed reporting and analytics: Provides insights into team performance, customer satisfaction, and areas for improvement.
  • Limited customization: Users have expressed dissatisfaction with the inability to fully customize the software to meet their specific business needs.
  • Sluggish performance: Several users have reported experiencing slow loading times and occasional glitches, which can hinder productivity.
  • Insufficient reporting capabilities: The software's reporting features have been criticized for being inadequate, making it challenging to extract meaningful insights and track key metrics.
  • Lack of integration options: Vision Helpdesk's limited integration capabilities with other business tools have been a pain point for users seeking a more cohesive workflow.
  • Subpar customer support: Some users have voiced concerns about the responsiveness and effectiveness of Vision Helpdesk's customer support, leading to frustration and unresolved issues.

Key Features

  • Ticket Management: 
    • Split Tickets: Split any customer ticket into a new ticket. 
    • Merge Tickets: Merge many tickets into a single ticket.  
    • Link Tickets: Integrate different tickets with a link. 
    • Custom Fields: Create additional fields on client registration forms and ticket creation. 
    • WYSIWYG HTML Editor: Use a lightweight HTML editor available with inline image support. 
    • Ban or Mark Spam: Mark a ticket as spam or ban a customer from submitting tickets. 
    • Inline Image Support: Add inline images to ticket posts. 
    • Export Ticket: Export CSV or pdf for tickets. 
    • Reply, Reply All and Forward Tickets: Reply all or forward tickets, just like email. 
    • Assign Multiple Staff Agents: Assign a single ticket request to multiple agents. 
    • Private Notes: Add a private note visible only to internal communication staff. 
    • Staff Comments: Leave comments on tickets for peers. 
    • Ticket Rating: Allow customers to rate or review tickets from the client portal. 
  • Multichannel Help Desk: 
    • Email Integration: Create tickets using email parsing and web interface. Fetch emails using POP3, email piping, POP3 SSL, IMAP, IMAP SSL, POP3 TLS and IMAP TLS.
    • Chat Integration: Integrate with third-party chat software and convert chats into support tickets. 
    • Facebook Integration: Convert and engage a brand’s Facebook page posts into tickets. 
    • Twitter Integration: Host a large community and convert visitor tweaks into tickets. 
    • Phone Integration: Integrate with third-party phone solutions and VOIP and convert phone calls into tickets. 
  • Blabby Self Collaboration: Engage in a private or group discussion, share files and videos and collaborate on issues. Add hashtags in blab posts to allow everyone to see what’s trending. Get instant new blab notification and help other members to share knowledge. 
  • Ticket Billing: Define and include tax with an invoice. Create a professional invoice and send it to customers. Set up different currencies for different companies and allow clients to purchase billing packages from the portal. 
  • Gamification: Set up customizable achievement levels for agents, add quests with different badges, show achievements and badges on agent profiles and display achievements and staff levels on reports. 
  • Task Management: Assign tasks to peers and get their comments instantly. Let staff update the progress by assigning tickets. Get instant notification if a user creates tasks or adds comments. Assign a start and end date to any task and track its progress. 
  • Knowledge Base and Community Forums: Allow customers to get answers themselves by reading articles and other content on the website. Categorize articles in a structured way, decide whether to allow comments for a unit. Define who can access articles and add files with them. 
  • SLA Rules and Ticket Escalation: Deliver timely responses, resolve issues in minimum turnaround time, monitor staff performance and set up workflow rules to escalate a ticket.
  • Time Tracking: Record time spent in solving customer queries, send invoices to customers with time tracking entries and integrate the platform with payment getaways to allow customers to pay online.
  • Reporting: Measure the metrics of an organization, analyze KPIs such as ticketing reports, customer reports and staff performance.
Zoho Desk Award
Zoho Desk
Zoho Desk
Start Price
$12
Per User, Monthly
Analyst Rating
89
SelectHub’s Analyst Rating for Zoho Desk, is based on data from our 400+ point analysis of Customer Service Software, user reviews, and our own crowd-sourced data from our free software selection platform. Scores are periodically updated via ongoing selection projects and user activity within our platform.
Company Size
Small Medium Large
Deployment
Cloud On-Premise
Platform
Mac Windows Linux Chromebook Android
Request Pricing Request Demo

Why We Picked Zoho Desk

Zoho Desk is a help desk software that offers world-class customer experiences by prioritizing and managing customer interactions across multiple modules. Based on the reviews, the product is simple and intitutive. Users also said that they were able to implement it in no time and were able to figure out all the functions easily. With tons of features, it has won the hearts of many.

However, some users said that customer support functions were lacking. Moreover, many customization options are only available for admins. Users also talked about the difficult pricing structure of the product. In all, it is a great product for all mid, small and big companies. But be sure to explore extensively before buying.

Pros & Cons

  • Implementation: According to 100% of users, the software is extremely easy to set up and configure.
  • Ease of Use: Approximately 100% of users said that it has a helpful interface with an easy-to-use platform for small teams who wish to establish a helpdesk.
  • Features: According to 98% of customers, the product has tons of tightly integrated features in mail, CRM, bookings, messaging (Cliq) and conferencing (Meeting).
  • Integration: According to 45%of customers, the product is a little bit tricky to integrate with its own domain.
  • Pricing: The pricing structure is difficult according to 50% users.
  • Customization: Approximately 40% of users claimed that the tools aren't very customizable in terms of automation, workflow and user interface.

Key Features

  • Ticket Management: Engage in communication with customers and manage tickets across multiple channels, departments, products and brands. Create separate departments within the help desk to ensure appropriate responses to customer queries without any delays or unnecessary actions. 
  • Zia: Boost team’s productivity with the product’s AI assistance for business. This contextual AI features tools such as Zia Voice, Ask Zia, Zia Notifications, Zia Dashboards, Zia Skill Builder, Reply Assistant and Sentiment Analysis that help deliver quick, instant and high-quality support to customers.  
  • Productivity: Access work modes to proactively organize open tickets to make sales reps more active. Send helpful and informative responses to tickets using response editor, FAQs and templates. Combine the main functionality with CRM capabilities for closing more tickets in less time. 
  • Extensibility: Extend help desk service capabilities by integrating help desk modules with other software and services as per the needs of the business. Update details in help desk and other platforms via custom codes. Embed interactive and coactive widgets into the help desk interface via extensions and build custom mobile apps through SDKs. 
  • Insights and Impact: Get insights into team performance via dashboards and reports. Explore the product’s unique tools such as Radar — a mobile app for a proactive, hands-on manager experience -and headquarters-a live dashboard displaying a big picture of the team’s progress and performance. 
  • Customization: Customize help desk workflow and match it with the brand’s personality with the help center theme gallery to create a long-lasting impression on customers and promote team productivity.  
  • Support: Get access to GDPR compliance and protect customer’s data from leaking by managing the organization’s hierarchy and controlling data access. 
LiveChat
LiveChat
Start Price
$20
Per User, Monthly
Analyst Rating
88
SelectHub’s Analyst Rating for LiveChat, is based on data from our 400+ point analysis of Customer Service Software, user reviews, and our own crowd-sourced data from our free software selection platform. Scores are periodically updated via ongoing selection projects and user activity within our platform.
Company Size
Small Medium Large
Deployment
Cloud On-Premise
Platform
Mac Windows Linux Chromebook Android
Request Pricing Request Demo

Why We Picked LiveChat

LiveChat is often praised for its user-friendly interface and ease of setup. It seamlessly integrates with various platforms and offers a wide range of customization options. One of its strengths is the ability to create automated chatbots, which can handle simple inquiries and free up agents for more complex tasks. LiveChat's analytics and reporting capabilities provide valuable insights into customer interactions, allowing businesses to optimize their support strategies. It compares favorably to similar products due to its comprehensive feature set, intuitive design, and robust reporting functionality. These factors are crucial for businesses seeking a reliable and efficient live chat solution.

However, some users have expressed concerns about occasional technical glitches and limited customization options for chatbots. Additionally, LiveChat's pricing can be a consideration for smaller businesses or those with limited budgets. Despite these minor drawbacks, LiveChat remains a top choice for businesses seeking a comprehensive and user-friendly live chat solution. Its strengths in ease of use, automation capabilities, and reporting functionality make it particularly suitable for businesses looking to improve customer support efficiency and gain valuable insights into customer interactions.

Pros & Cons

  • Seamless Customer Support: LiveChat enables real-time communication, allowing businesses to resolve customer queries promptly and efficiently, enhancing customer satisfaction.
  • Personalized Interactions: Agents can access customer history and context, facilitating personalized interactions that build stronger relationships and drive loyalty.
  • Increased Conversion Rates: LiveChat provides an opportunity to engage with website visitors proactively, addressing objections and guiding them through the conversion funnel.
  • Improved Team Collaboration: LiveChat fosters collaboration between agents, allowing them to transfer chats seamlessly and share customer information for effective problem-solving.
  • Comprehensive Analytics: LiveChat offers robust analytics that provide valuable insights into customer behavior, enabling businesses to optimize their live chat strategy and measure its impact.
  • Inconsistent Agent Availability: Users experience frustration when they are unable to connect with a live agent during critical moments, leading to unresolved queries and dissatisfaction.
  • Limited Customization Options: Predefined chat templates and inflexible chat window designs restrict businesses from tailoring the live chat experience to match their brand identity and specific needs.
  • Data Security Concerns: Users are hesitant to provide sensitive information through live chat platforms due to concerns about data privacy and the potential for security breaches.
  • Delayed Response Times: Slow response times can lead to frustration and abandonment, especially during peak hours when users expect immediate assistance.
  • Lack of Proactive Engagement: Live chat software that lacks proactive engagement features limits the ability of businesses to initiate conversations and proactively address customer needs.

Key Features

  • Ticketing System: This module streamlines and simplifies the process of managing tickets. Users can create tickets from email or chat, group related cases with tags, assign tickets, schedule automated follow-ups and track open cases via a dashboard. Any messages sent after hours are saved as a ticket so no conversations are left untouched. 
  • Chat Routing: This feature ensures that customers speak to the most suitable agent based on department (sales or service, for example). Incoming chats can be routed automatically based on criteria like URL, or they can enter a queue for agents to manually select from. 
  • Reporting: A range of reports and analysis tools grant visibility into support efforts for a better understanding of performance. Managers can project staffing needs, monitor agent activity, track effectiveness via ticket statistics, drill down based on tags or groups and view high-level metrics like number of chats. Reports can be scheduled and delivered in multiple formats including CSV and XLS. 
  • Marketplace: LiveChat offers integration with more than 170 third-party tools for CMS, CRM, help desk, analytics, email marketing and e-commerce. Integrations include Slack, Calendly, Dropbox, Salesforce, Google Analytics, Facebook Messenger, ChatBot and MailChimp. 
  • Eye-Catcher: This tool increases engagement with chat widgets by letting users add visuals like images and GIFs that help draw attention to the chat. 
  • Notifications: This feature prevents messages from going unanswered via visual and audio alerts. Users can select the type of notifications to receive — new messages, new chats, etc. 
  • File Sharing: Reps can provide information when needed through this feature, such as sharing tutorials or marketing collateral. Visitors can also share files. 
  • Chat Archives: Users don’t have to worry about losing historical information with the ability to refer to chat histories. This feature is included in all plans, but the Starter package has a limit of 60 days. 
  • E-Commerce: Managers are able to estimate and measure the effectiveness of LiveChat with tools for goal setting and sales tracking. 
  • Security: LiveChat provides robust security via SSL encryption, single sign-on (SSO), two-step authentication, credit card masking, access restriction and audit logs. It’s hosted on U.S. or E.U. data centers and supports IP blocking. 

COMPARE THE BEST Customer Service Software

Select up to 5 Products from the list below to compare

 
Product
Score
i
SelectHub’s Analyst Rating is based on data from our 400+ point analysis of Customer Service Software, user reviews, and our own crowd-sourced data from our free software selection platform. Scores are periodically updated via ongoing selection projects and user activity within our platform.
Start Price
Free Trial
Company Size
Deployment
Platform
Logo
Freshdesk
99
$15
Per User, Monthly
Yes
Small Medium Large
Cloud On-Premise
Mac Windows Linux Chromebook Android
Freshdesk
Salesforce Service Cloud
96
$25
Per User, Monthly
Yes
Small Medium Large
Cloud On-Premise
Mac Windows Linux Chromebook Android
Salesforce Service Cloud
Zendesk
96
$55
Per User, Monthly
Yes
Small Medium Large
Cloud On-Premise
Mac Windows Linux Chromebook Android
Zendesk
LiveAgent
92
$9
Per Agent, Monthly
Yes
Small Medium Large
Cloud On-Premise
Mac Windows Linux Chromebook Android
LiveAgent
HubSpot Service Hub
91
$90
Per Seat, Monthly
Yes
Small Medium Large
Cloud On-Premise
Mac Windows Linux Chromebook Android
HubSpot Service Hub
HappyFox
91
$25
Per User, Monthly
Yes
Small Medium Large
Cloud On-Premise
Mac Windows Linux Chromebook Android
HappyFox
TeamSupport
91
$49
Per Agent, Monthly
Yes
Small Medium Large
Cloud On-Premise
Mac Windows Linux Chromebook Android
TeamSupport
Vision Helpdesk
89
$30
Monthly
Yes
Small Medium Large
Cloud On-Premise
Mac Windows Linux Chromebook Android
Vision Helpdesk
Zoho Desk
89
$12
Per User, Monthly
Yes
Small Medium Large
Cloud On-Premise
Mac Windows Linux Chromebook Android
Zoho Desk
LiveChat
88
$20
Per User, Monthly
Yes
Small Medium Large
Cloud On-Premise
Mac Windows Linux Chromebook Android
LiveChat

All Customer Service Software (49 found)

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Zendesk

by Zendesk
Zendesk
Zendesk For Service is a scalable platform offering streamlined customer and sales support. Agents can resolve problems efficiently, and track and prioritize support tickets. Omnichannel support allows users to centralize customer interactions across phone, chat, email and more. Its built-in intelligent routing reduces resolution time by automating ticketing queues and ensuring an appropriate customer-to-agent fit. Customizable, shareable and pre-built dashboards help users gain actionable insights through real-time data. Teams can leverage the integrated knowledge base management tools to empower customers to resolve issues by themselves. AI-powered bots optimize engagement by providing 24/7 support, answering FAQs, collecting information, delivering chat transcripts and auto-filling ticket fields. Its other offerings include a self-service portal, reporting and analytics, an IT service desk and more. To explore other popular solutions offered by Zendesk, visit our Zendesk company page. Pros Easy to use Scalable Multi-channel Integrations Customization Cons Costly Limited reporting Learning curve Collaboration limitations Integrations limitations
User Sentiment User satisfaction level icon: great
Cost Breakdown
$10 - $100
Company Size
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Deployment
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Splunk

by Splunk
Splunk
Splunk is a leading platform for analyzing machine data. Gathering this data helps your business analysts recommend process improvements to save money and time. More than that, enterprises rely on it to stay on top of cybersecurity, including data breaches.Collect process data and let your business analysts peek under the hood and identify risks in advance. Besides data ingestion, transformation, analysis and reporting are built in. Dashboards and reports provide interactive views.It deploys wherever you need it — in the cloud, on-premise or as part of a hybrid setup. Pricing is complex but flexible and includes term and annual subscriptions.
User Sentiment User satisfaction level icon: great
Cost Breakdown
$100 - $500
Company Size
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ServiceNow

by ServiceNow
ServiceNow
ServiceNow's Help Desk Software streamlines customer service processes, providing a centralized platform for issue tracking, incident management, and knowledge management. It's ideal for businesses seeking to improve their help desk efficiency and customer satisfaction. Key benefits include automated workflows, customizable dashboards, and self-service portals. Popular features encompass ticket assignment, SLA management, and knowledge base creation. In comparison to similar products, ServiceNow excels in its comprehensive functionality and scalability. User experiences highlight its intuitive interface, ease of customization, and robust reporting capabilities. Pricing considerations include a subscription-based model with flexible payment options, allowing businesses to tailor their investment to their specific needs.
User Sentiment User satisfaction level icon: great
Cost Breakdown
$1,000 or more
Company Size
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Deployment
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Platform
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Streak CRM

by Rewardly
Streak CRM
Streak CRM is built into Gmail, allowing users to manage common sales tasks directly from their inbox. It facilitates pipeline management so users can track leads, follow up, collaborate and close deals. Three different pricing tiers make it useful for both individuals who need basic functions and companies that require more advanced capabilities. In addition to managing a pipeline, users can also leverage it to manage projects, foster business relationships, run fundraisers, provide customer support and execute other projects that require tracking details.
User Sentiment User satisfaction level icon: excellent
Cost Breakdown
$10 or less
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Intercom

by Intercom R&D Unlimited Company
Intercom
Intercom is a conversational platform that personalizes messaging throughout the customer journey using customer, company and behavioral data. It offers chatbots, marketing campaigns, self-service functions, proactive tours and more. Collaborative inboxes, reporting and automated workflows help users interact with customers across all channels. It integrates with out-of-the-box modules to automate actions and sync data and allows users to build their setups based on business needs. Businesses can see who uses their products and communicate with customers via targeted, behavior-driven emails and in-app messages.
User Sentiment User satisfaction level icon: great
Cost Breakdown
$10 - $100
Company Size
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Deployment
Cloud On-Premise
Platform
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Freshdesk

by Freshworks
Freshdesk
Freshdesk is a cloud-based customer service solution that ensures increased satisfaction and engagement. It simplifies ticketing with customization options for agent roles, ticket forms, portals and more. Users can manage identity and information access for improved data security. It offers field service modules that include omnichannel customer engagement, quick query resolution, automatic appointment management and a map view that lets users track dispatches in real time. Android and iOS support allow field employees to plan, monitor and track appointments, updates and customer communication conveniently. Its other offerings include widget customization, scheduled and customized reports, intelligent ticket assignment and more. Pros Easy to use interface Scalable for large teams Automation capabilities Reporting Analytics Mobile app available Cons Limited free plan Customization options Reporting can be complex Higher pricing for some plans Limited multilingual support
User Sentiment User satisfaction level icon: great
Cost Breakdown
$10 - $100
Company Size
Small Medium Large
Deployment
Cloud On-Premise
Platform
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Bitrix24

by Bitrix
Bitrix24
Bitrix24 facilitates the execution of the customer journey. It supplies organizations with tools for marketing, sales and customer service activities such as lead generation, marketing automation, campaign management and call center support.It comes with a free edition for companies with less advanced needs or a smaller budget. Deployment is available in the cloud and on-premise. It’s suitable for smaller businesses as well as enterprises with up to 50,000 employees.
User Sentiment User satisfaction level icon: great
Cost Breakdown
$10 - $100
Company Size
Small Medium Large
Deployment
Cloud On-Premise
Platform
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ConnectWise Manage

by Connectwise
ConnectWise Manage
ConnectWise Manage is a PSA tool for businesses in the IT sector that are seeking to develop consistency across the organization. It also enables users to manage accounts and other service-oriented tasks efficiently. The program contains centralized data as well as account information to increase internal visibility and to reduce duplicate work.It aims to streamline elements such as billing, client communications, procurement and project management. It’s available to IT businesses of all sizes and can be deployed either on-premise or cloud-based.
User Sentiment User satisfaction level icon: good
Cost Breakdown
$10 - $100
Company Size
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Deployment
Cloud On-Premise
Platform
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Spiceworks

by Spiceworks
Spiceworks
Designed for IT professionals, Spiceworks is a cloud-based platform that offers on-the-go ticket management for Android and iOS devices. It offers omnichannel customer support while monitoring IT incidents and tracking updates. Other significant attributes include a customizable user portal and seamless integration with Active Directory for automated ticket management.
User Sentiment User satisfaction level icon: great
Cost Breakdown
$10 or less
Company Size
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Deployment
Cloud On-Premise
Platform
Mac Windows Linux Chromebook Android
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LiveChat

by LiveChat
LiveChat
LiveChat is a live chat software designed to improve customer engagement and support. It allows businesses to engage with website visitors in real-time, providing immediate assistance and resolving queries efficiently. LiveChat is ideal for businesses looking to enhance their customer experience, increase conversion rates, and streamline support processes. Its key benefits include improved communication, reduced response times, increased customer satisfaction, and valuable insights into customer behavior. Popular features of LiveChat include customizable chat widgets, proactive chat invitations, offline messaging, chat routing, and analytics. It integrates seamlessly with popular CRM and help desk systems, ensuring a comprehensive customer support solution. LiveChat offers flexible pricing plans based on the number of agents and features required. Its pricing ranges from a basic plan for small businesses to enterprise-level plans for large organizations, with payment options including monthly and annual subscriptions.
User Sentiment User satisfaction level icon: excellent
Cost Breakdown
$10 - $100
Company Size
Small Medium Large
Deployment
Cloud On-Premise
Platform
Mac Windows Linux Chromebook Android
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Agile CRM

by Agile CRM
Agile CRM
Agile CRM is an all-in-one cloud platform that enables companies to handle all activities and tasks across the customer lifecycle. With integrated modules for marketing, sales and service, it provides capabilities such as contact management, a deal pipeline, lead scoring, project management, email marketing and campaigns, service automation, and live chat.Targeted primarily at small businesses, it allows users to maintain visibility into contacts, boost results with sales enablement, engage web users and deliver comprehensive support. Free and premium versions are available.
User Sentiment User satisfaction level icon: great
Cost Breakdown
$10 or less
Company Size
Small Medium Large
Deployment
Cloud On-Premise
Platform
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HelpDesk

by Text, Inc.
HelpDesk
HelpDesk is a robust software solution designed to streamline and manage customer support tasks efficiently. It offers a comprehensive suite of tools for ticket management, automated workflows, and real-time reporting, making it an ideal choice for businesses of all sizes seeking to enhance their customer service operations. The software is particularly well-suited for organizations that handle a high volume of customer inquiries and require a reliable system to track and resolve issues promptly. Key benefits of HelpDesk include improved response times, increased customer satisfaction, and enhanced team collaboration. Popular features encompass a user-friendly interface, customizable ticketing systems, and seamless integration with other business applications. Users often praise its intuitive design and the ability to tailor the platform to specific business needs, which sets it apart from similar products in the market. Pricing for HelpDesk varies based on the number of users and the specific features required. It typically operates on a subscription model, with options for monthly or annual payments. For precise pricing details, it is recommended to contact SelectHub for a tailored quote based on individual business requirements.
User Sentiment User satisfaction level icon: excellent
Cost Breakdown
$10 - $100
Company Size
Small Medium Large
Deployment
Cloud On-Premise
Platform
Mac Windows Linux Chromebook Android
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Zoho Desk

by Zoho Corporation
Zoho Desk
Zoho Desk, a help desk software from Zoho Corporation, streamlines customer support operations for businesses of all sizes. It provides a comprehensive suite of features, including a multi-channel ticketing system, knowledge base management, and reporting and analytics. Zoho Desk is particularly well-suited for organizations seeking an affordable and user-friendly solution to manage customer inquiries and improve support efficiency. Zoho Desk's key benefits include its intuitive interface, customizable workflows, and seamless integration with other Zoho applications. Its popular features include automated ticket routing, self-service portals, and social media monitoring. Users appreciate its ease of use, robust functionality, and affordable pricing. Zoho Desk offers flexible pricing plans based on the number of agents and features required. Its price range starts from a few dollars per agent per month for basic plans and scales up for more advanced features and support levels.
User Sentiment User satisfaction level icon: great
Cost Breakdown
$10 - $100
Company Size
Small Medium Large
Deployment
Cloud On-Premise
Platform
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Help Scout

by Help Scout
Help Scout
Help Scout's help desk software offers a streamlined solution for businesses seeking to enhance their customer support capabilities. It's particularly well-suited for small to medium-sized teams that prioritize efficient and personalized communication. Help Scout centralizes all customer interactions, including email, live chat, and social media, into a unified inbox, enabling teams to respond promptly and effectively. Key benefits of Help Scout include its intuitive interface, customizable automation, and reporting features. Popular features encompass shared inboxes for collaborative support, pre-built templates for faster responses, and detailed analytics for performance monitoring. Compared to other help desk software, Help Scout is known for its user-friendliness and excellent customer support. Its pricing ranges from $20 to $65 per user per month, billed annually.
User Sentiment User satisfaction level icon: excellent
Cost Breakdown
$10 - $100
Company Size
Small Medium Large
Deployment
Cloud On-Premise
Platform
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Kayako

by Kayako
Kayako
Kayako is a comprehensive Help Desk Software designed to streamline customer support operations. It's ideal for businesses of all sizes seeking to improve customer satisfaction and streamline communication. Key benefits include centralized ticketing, automated workflows, and robust reporting for improved efficiency and visibility. Popular features include a customizable knowledge base, self-service portal, and omnichannel support. Its user-friendly interface and intuitive navigation make it accessible to teams of all technical backgrounds. Compared to similar products, Kayako is highly rated for its ease of use, customization options, and excellent customer support. Pricing varies depending on the number of agents and features required. It offers flexible payment options, including monthly and annual subscriptions, to suit different business needs.
User Sentiment User satisfaction level icon: great
Cost Breakdown
$10 - $100
Company Size
Small Medium Large
Deployment
Cloud On-Premise
Platform
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BeyondTrust

by BeyondTrust Corporation
BeyondTrust
BeyondTrust offers a comprehensive suite of software solutions designed to manage Identity Access Management (IAM) tasks with precision and efficiency. This software is particularly well-suited for large enterprises and organizations that require robust security measures to protect sensitive information and ensure compliance with regulatory standards. By providing advanced features such as privileged access management, session monitoring, and vulnerability management, BeyondTrust helps organizations mitigate risks associated with unauthorized access and potential security breaches. Key benefits of BeyondTrust include enhanced security through granular access controls, streamlined compliance reporting, and improved operational efficiency by automating routine access management tasks. Popular features include real-time session monitoring, detailed audit trails, and seamless integration with existing IT infrastructure. Users often praise the software for its intuitive interface and reliable performance, which stands out in the crowded IAM market. Pricing for BeyondTrust solutions can vary based on the specific needs and scale of the organization. Typically, pricing is structured on a per-user or per-device basis, with options for annual or multi-year subscriptions. For precise pricing details tailored to individual requirements, it is recommended to contact SelectHub for a customized quote.
User Sentiment User satisfaction level icon: excellent
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$1,000 or more
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GreenRope

by Synchronous Technologies
GreenRope
GreenRope is an all-in-one CRM aiming to unify sales, marketing, and operations under one platform. It caters to businesses seeking streamlined workflows and improved team collaboration. GreenRope boasts features like lead generation, email marketing automation, social media management, and customer service tools. Users praise its user-friendly interface, comprehensive reporting capabilities, and 24/7 customer support. Compared to similar options, GreenRope is lauded for its affordability, offering unlimited users and emails at a flat monthly fee. However, some users mention occasional limitations in customization and integrations compared to more established CRMs. Overall, GreenRope shines for businesses seeking a cost-effective, user-friendly solution to manage customer relationships across departments. Pros User-friendly interface Unlimited users, emails Comprehensive reporting Affordable flat fee 24/7 customer support Cons Limited customization Fewer integrations Occasional feature glitches
User Sentiment User satisfaction level icon: great
Cost Breakdown
$10 - $100
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Cisco Finesse

by BroadSoft
Cisco Finesse
Cisco Finesse is a popular software platform that ranks 18 among all Customer Service Software according to our research analysts and 2 crowd-sourced reviews from 1 source. Starting from $0, Cisco Finesse is priced at no cost when starting and is most suitable for any company. Cisco Finesse can be deployed online. Similar alternatives to Cisco Finesse include Vision Helpdesk, Comm100 and Jitbit.
User Sentiment User satisfaction level icon: excellent
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$10 or less
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FreeAgent

by FreeAgent Central
FreeAgent
FreeAgent is a cloud-based accounting software designed for small businesses and freelancers. It streamlines tasks like invoicing, expense tracking, and tax filing, offering a user-friendly interface and mobile app for on-the-go management. FreeAgent shines for its intuitive design and automation features, making it ideal for those with limited accounting knowledge. Key benefits include automatic bank feeds, expense categorization with receipt scanning, and HMRC-compliant VAT returns. Popular features like project tracking and time billing further cater to freelancers and service-based businesses. Compared to similar products, user reviews praise FreeAgent's ease of use and excellent customer support. However, its focus on simplicity may lack the advanced features sought by larger businesses or those with complex accounting needs. Pricing starts at a monthly subscription fee, with additional costs for features like multiple users or payroll. FreeAgent offers a free trial to allow potential users to test its capabilities before committing. Pros Easy to use Mobile app access Automated tasks Freelancer-friendly Good customer support Cons Limited features for complex needs Higher cost for multiple users Not ideal for large businesses Invoice customization limited Reporting could be more robust
User Sentiment User satisfaction level icon: great
Cost Breakdown
$10 or less
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Track-It

by BMC Software
Track-It
Track-It is a help desk software that assists organizations in managing and resolving IT issues. It provides a centralized platform for logging, tracking, and resolving incidents and service requests. The software is suitable for businesses of all sizes, particularly those with complex IT environments and a need for efficient issue management. Key benefits of Track-It include improved issue resolution time, enhanced communication between IT support and users, and increased visibility into IT operations. Popular features include automated ticket routing, knowledge base management, and reporting and analytics. Compared to similar products, Track-It is known for its user-friendly interface, customization options, and scalability. Pricing for Track-It varies depending on the number of users and support requirements. It is typically offered on a per-user, per-month basis.
User Sentiment User satisfaction level icon: good
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$10 - $100
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Buyer's Guide

Customer Service Software Is All About Ensuring Customer Satisfaction

By Kriti Sahay, Technical Writer at SelectHub

Customer Service Software BG Intro

“Customer is king,” right? Well, if you’ve seen Game of Thrones, you know what happens if an emperor gets mad. You wouldn’t want that, would you? Lucky for you, unlike Jon Snow, you have a weapon at hand that can help you avoid this situation: customer service software!

Customers are the heart and soul of any business. And as a company, the responsibility to deliver a positive customer experience and maintain high satisfaction levels rests on you. Providing exceptional customer service is one such (and the most vital) way to ensure that. Customer service solutions help you do just that and more!

However, with the abundance of platforms on the market, singling out the ideal customer service solution can be a time-consuming endeavor (almost as long as it took for White Walkers to reach North!) This buyer’s guide will help you fast-track the process and aid you in your software selection journey. Let’s get started!

Executive Summary

  • Customer service software is a tool that streamlines customer support processes and enables companies to assist their customers more effectively.
  • Implementing a customer support solution helps businesses boost productivity and maximize customer satisfaction.
  • It offers primary functionalities like ticket management, reporting and omnichannel support, and advanced capabilities like performance management, AI and automation.
  • In your search for the right software, it’s crucial to create a requirements checklist and ask vendors any questions you might have before committing to a purchase.
What This Guide Covers:

What Is Customer Service Software?

Customer service software (also known as help desk software) is a comprehensive set of tools that helps businesses deliver better customer experiences by assisting customers, troubleshooting their issues, managing support tickets and offering support across multiple channels.

According to a HubSpot report, 90% of business leaders agree that customer expectations are at an all-time high. Leaders and agents alike cite difficult customer interactions and lack of time as prominent problems in the industry. These challenges not only put your team at a disadvantage, but can also seriously hurt your customers’ experiences.

Customer service software can offer a solution. It streamlines how your agents interact with your customers, allowing them to deliver quick, contextual responses and resolve queries at scale. The software supports omni-channel communication, converting requests from all channels into tickets so your customers can use the contact methods they prefer without your agents getting overwhelmed or confused.

The software also integrates with CRM platforms to unify customer details and interactions across every touchpoint and help you provide more personalized service.

Deployment Methods

The deployment method you choose depends on your budget and your specific business needs, like whether you have remote or in-house agents, for example, or want to prioritize your company’s scalability. Vendors usually offer one of three deployment modes.

Cloud-based

Cloud deployment is common with the SaaS model. Under this, the software is hosted and managed on remote servers and accessed via a web browser, desktop or mobile app. This model is usually available on a monthly or yearly subscription.

This method doesn’t require much of an investment because it doesn’t need on-premise infrastructure or independent servers to function. Basic upgrades and maintenance are usually included in the subscription. It’s ideal for remote and hybrid offices, or small businesses in need of an affordable solution. Mobility, scalability and flexibility are some of its main advantages.

On-premise

This model requires you to have a physical office and on-premise infrastructure because the software runs on your company’s private servers. It generally requires a single fee, paid upfront. Maintenance and upgrades require additional payments down the line because they’re managed in-house.

On-premise solutions give you complete control of data, which can be good for security and privacy. Due to the costs of installation and maintenance, on-premise deployment is mostly used by larger enterprises that have internal IT departments or the ability to hire third-party providers.

Open-source

Customer Service Software Categories

This deployment type enables companies to access the software’s source code free of cost. You can modify it according to your needs and add business-specific features. However, this means you’re also responsible for hosting and managing the solution, which might require you to have a dedicated IT team.

Primary Benefits

High-quality customer service is the key to unlocking customer and business growth. Implementing customer service software helps you improve customer experiences and meet rising customer demands. Here are some of the other ways it benefits your business:

Customer Service Software Benefits

Customer Satisfaction

Customer service solutions offer features like personalized routing. They also streamline communication, enabling your agents to provide relevant and contextual responses. Agents can access the data repository for any information they need, as well as comprehensive customer profiles and message histories, to promptly assist customers on their preferred channel.

73% of customers surveyed by Salesforce said they expect companies to understand and meet their unique needs and expectations. Delivering personalized interactions makes customers feel more connected and understood, paving the way for better customer relationships.

Faster Issue Resolution

Customer service management software provides modules like intelligent routing and real-time tracking that empower your staff to resolve customer queries quicker. The software automatically assigns tickets to agents based on relevance, expertise and workload. Your team can monitor what stage a prospect is at and proactively reach out for assistance. You can also use scripting tools and pre-built templates to expedite responses.

Flexibility

Cloud-based customer service solutions can be deployed and accessed from anywhere — you don't even need a physical office. This drastically reduces overhead and allows you to recruit support agents from all over the world. Employing a global workforce means you can schedule agents around the clock and offer 24/7 support.

When agents can’t be available, automation tools like auto attendant and self-service content help fill the gaps. Use the software to create a comprehensive library of FAQs, knowledge bases and customer portals. Customers can access these resources round-the-clock and resolve issues independently.

Agent Productivity

Automation tools and supported collaboration help optimize day-to-day processes and take some workload off agents so they can focus on more pressing tasks. Gamification features further boost productivity by introducing a competitive element into the workspace. Agents can set records, get badges and feature on the leaderboard.

Implementation Goals

Goal 1

Measure Customer Support Initiatives

Just as measuring ingredients while cooking helps ensure you’re going in the right direction, measuring customer service metrics allows you to gauge whether your customer support endeavors are successful or require some tweaking.

Use dashboards to monitor critical benchmarks like agent effectiveness, average resolution time, customer lifetime value and retention rate.

Goal 2

Centralize Information

The Marie Kondo approach to life also applies to your business data. Scattered information will likely push your agents to put clients on hold while they look for relevant answers. This, in turn, could lead to high customer dissatisfaction.

Customer service management software organizes all your data like customer details, prior communications and service requests in a single, accessible location. All your agents have to do is enter the customer’s name or email address to look up all available information. A 360-degree customer view empowers service agents to deliver contextually informed responses.

Goal 3

Communicate and Collaborate Easily

Communication is the cog that turns the wheel of any establishment. Internal chat options let you easily collaborate with team members and ensure everyone’s on the same page.

Basic Features & Functionality

Let’s look at some basic features that are must-haves for all customer service platforms.

Customer Service Software Features

Centralized Database

Store customer details and prior interactions in an easily accessible location. Some solutions allow you to create custom folders, tags and fields for easy differentiation.
Ticket Management

Support tickets are an indispensable part of customer service. With built-in ticketing systems, you can collect customer issues, complaints and interactions and process them into tickets.

You can prioritize tickets based on factors like urgency, SLAs and other pre-defined rules.
Self-service Tools

Maybe some of your customers don’t want to go through the hassle of contacting agents or submitting tickets. In that case, it’s handy to have an array of self-service content at your disposal.

Customer support software allows you to build self-service portals such as help centers, FAQ repositories, knowledge bases and community forums.
Reporting

Measure a range of customer support metrics like the number of tickets received, ticket volume, average resolution time, persistent issues and level of customer satisfaction.

Insights into these KPIs help you understand customer grievances and deliver better service.
Collaboration

Just like architectural marvels around the world, stellar customer service also requires contributions from a ton of people. Customer service tools allow you to maximize your team’s productivity by offering a collaborative space.

Your teams can create groups, chat internally, share files, conduct discussions, take notes and assign tasks.
Automation

You can automatically distribute incoming tickets to relevant departments, teams or agents. Set up custom workflows to automate everyday tasks.
Omnichannel Support

Customers aren’t limited to just one channel; a single-channel approach could even spell doom for your business. Customer support systems allow agents to receive and respond to queries across multiple channels, including phone, mobile apps, social media, email and live chat.

It consolidates interactions from every channel so agents can seamlessly switch from one medium to another and deliver contextual, relevant interactions.

Advanced Features To Consider

These features aren’t as essential as the basic ones, but they still provide useful functionality to your customer service teams.

Integrations

Most customer service management software offers integrations with communication channels, CRMs, eCommerce tools, social media sites and other third-party systems. You can access these connections to unify data, optimize support, collaborate and pull necessary information.
Performance Management and Gamification

Customer satisfaction levels are directly proportional to your support agents’ efficiency. That’s why it’s imperative to measure and track their performance. Customer service software helps you gauge their effectiveness by monitoring business-critical KPIs.

Gamification tools like badges, awards and progress bars foster healthy competition and boost productivity.
AI and Analytics

Analyze data at hand to uncover actionable insights. Use AI capabilities to build intuitive conversational chatbots, answer common queries, detect anomalies and perform sentiment analysis.

Current & Upcoming Trends

Trends in the customer service industry are dynamic and changing rapidly. Here are some to keep your eye on:

Customer Service Software Trends

Personalization Takes Center Stage

According to a report by Twilio, 49% of consumers say personalized experiences make them more likely to become repeat buyers. Moreover, 62% of consumers say receiving an experience that’s not personalized diminishes their sense of brand loyalty.

As personalization gains center space, it has become imperative in the customer service industry as well. Businesses are increasingly adopting the process of tapping into available data to deliver personalized customer service.

Chatbots Are New Service Agents

AI chatbots are now a common fixture in the customer support domain. They’re convenient and provide quick answers to queries. Also, they offer round-the-clock support via automated responses.

There’s been a remarkable uptick in both the use and popularity of AI for customer service operations in recent years. According to Zendesk, 26% of companies offered AI and chatbot-guided services in 2022, while 25% said they plan to add this capability soon. Salesforce also found that 69% of customers are open to the use of AI to improve experiences in 2022, compared to just 60% in 2020.

It’s All About Self-service Content

What do you do when you want to know a word's meaning or need help on a project? You Google it! “Googling” has transformed the way we access information. It has also led the way for self-service content as more and more customers prefer solving their issues instead of waiting for a response.

It’s also beneficial to businesses because of lower operational costs. 65% of leaders cited improved self-service as the reason for decreased call volumes, according to McKinsey.

Software Comparison Strategy

The customer service software market is likely to grow at a CAGR of 17% between 2018-2028. There are probably more vendors in the market than moths flocking to a lamp. With a deluge of solutions and an overabundance of features available at your behest, things can get overwhelming real fast!

To navigate these murky waters, you need a sound strategy in place. You can start by creating a requirements checklist of functionalities crucial to your business. Here are a few of them for your consideration:

  • Integrations: It’s likely that the customer service management software isn’t your first investment. You wouldn’t want your existing tech ecosystem to go to waste. Plus, integration with your existing solutions facilitates smooth data flow and reduces bottlenecks. That’s why ensuring the system is compatible with any present or future tools is ideal.
  • Collaboration: Teamwork makes the dream work. The same goes for delivering stellar customer service. Make sure the solution offers collaboration tools like a centralized workspace, team feed, internal chat and agent collision detection.
  • Scalability: While you may be a small team of five agents at the moment, over time, both your business and staff will probably grow. To avoid the cost of investing in a brand-new system as you expand, buying a scalable solution that adapts to your needs is advisable.
  • User-friendliness: You could have the supposed best solution in the market, but it wouldn’t translate into success if your agents can’t adapt to its complicated user interface or features. To ensure maximum productivity, it’s best to opt for a solution that is easy to follow. It also means lower training costs!
  • Modules: Gathering features like Thanos collected infinity stones sure sounds fun, but it may end up burning a hole in your pocket. Choosing products that specifically offer what you’re looking for is a better strategy. For example, if you want to grow your self-service content, you should look for solutions that particularly provide those features.

Aside from the list, it’s also advisable to ask similar businesses for their input on the customer service solution they use. You can also visit review sites to gauge a vendor’s pros and cons. Once you’ve narrowed down your list, reach out to providers and request a free trial or demo.

Cost & Pricing Considerations

The cost of your customer service software depends on a multitude of factors like:

  • The number of agents using the system.
  • The number of customer service channels included. For example, some vendors may charge extra for chatbots or a live chat module.
  • Type of deployment.
  • Any add-ons or custom integrations

Most vendors price their products on a per agent or per team basis, while some base their prices according to the features you opt for. If you’re looking for limited capabilities, solutions like Zoho Desk, Freshdesk, HubSpot Service Hub and LiveAgent offer a free version.

Depending on your business’ size, you can select the package that best suits your needs. For example, Zendesk offers plans like “essential,” “team,” “elite” and “support suite professional.”

Other overhead charges that influence the final software cost are:

  • Installation, migration and training costs
  • License renewal fees
  • Customizations

The Most Popular Customer Service Software

Like the engine is an important part of any vehicle, a list of popular customer service software is vital to this article. It’ll give you perspective on what capabilities to expect when picking a solution for your business. The following platforms are the most sought-after systems in the market currently:

Zendesk

Zendesk is a comprehensive customer support software that helps deliver quality service on multiple touch points across live chat, telephone, messaging, social media and email. You can build scalable customer forums, help centers and other self-service modules. Use AI answer bots to handle non-urgent cases and reply to customers when agents are off-duty.

It offers a centralized agent workspace where you can receive real-time updates, update tickets and pull contextual information to assist customers. Hand cases to agents with relevant expertise via built-in intelligent routing. For more information, see our Ultimate Zendesk Review.

Zendesk

Zendesk chat-based support. Source

Splunk

Splunk is a customer support and analytics system that can help you manage and resolve customer tickets, track help desk KPIs and provide better customer experiences. Its standout features are its data gathering, visualization and analytics tools. It allows you to monitor your help desk’s performance and use these insights to create strategies for growth and improvement.

Splunk can be deployed on-premise or on cloud. It also offers a free version which gives you access to a range of data collection and reporting tools.

Splunk

Data search with Splunk. Source

ServiceNow

ServiceNow helps businesses address customer queries and deliver engaging experiences across channels such as email, social media, chat, messaging and in-person. You can streamline operations by automating front- and back-office processes. It offers the next best recommendations to guide agents through the redressal process.

Route tickets to the right agents, identify recurring trends and pain points and classify tasks through predictive intelligence. A centralized workspace enables agents to view updates and insights in a real-time activity feed. It offers self-service modules like knowledge management, an integrated portal and chatbots.

ServiceNow

ServiceNow agent workspace. Source

Aspect

Aspect is a customer service and contact center management platform. It offers extensive support for call center-based customer service centers, with features like IVR, skill-based routing, call queueing and priority routing. It also supports omni-channel communications and customer service support to allow you to support your customers through the channels of their choice.

Aspect’s professional services include features like implementation support, business intelligence and workforce management tools. It also offers options for data recovery in case of outages or other system failures.

Aspect

Campaign management with Aspect. Source

Streak CRM

Streak CRM is a comprehensive customer service and customer relationship management solution. It's built into Gmail, allowing users to manage their CRM tasks from their email inbox without having to switch programs.

Streak CRM allows you to create customizable workflows and project pipelines to manage projects and improve productivity. It’s an easy to use, centralized and scalable platform. Streak also offers a free plan with limited features.

Streak CRM

Workflow management with Streak CRM. Source

 

 

Questions To Ask Yourself

Use these questions as a starting point for internal conversations:

  • What challenges do we face in providing customer service with our current technologies?
  • What goals do we wish to achieve after adopting a customer service system?
  • Do we need a customizable or scalable solution?
  • How many user licenses do we require?
  • Do we need a solution that integrates with our existing tech stack?

Customer Service Software Key Questions To Ask

 

 

 

Questions To Ask Vendors

Use these questions as a starting point for conversations with vendors:

About the Software

  • How many channels does it support?
  • Does the platform automatically route tickets?
  • Does it allow you to create self-service content like knowledge bases and community portals?
  • Does the system offer reporting and analytical capabilities?
  • Does it provide remote and offline access to our agents?

About the Vendor

  • How robust is your customer support?
  • What is your security track record?
  • Do you offer implementation or training services?
  • How frequent are your system updates?
  • Do you have experience serving customers in the same business niche as mine?

Next Steps

Narrowing down on a solution may seem as daunting as getting on a merry-go-round with a full stomach. But once you find the system that aligns with your business objectives, it's a smooth ride ahead! To do so, you must create a requirements checklist, extensively research shortlisted vendors and ensure your team’s on board with the new tool.

The right customer service software will optimize your customer support processes, boost agent productivity and help solve customer problems at scale. Hopefully, this buyer’s guide can enable you to navigate this rugged terrain to meet your match.

If you’re struggling to get started, check out our comparison report to gain insight into industry leaders and see how different products stack up. Good luck!

About The Contributors

The following expert team members are responsible for creating, reviewing, and fact checking the accuracy of this content.

Kriti
By Kriti Sahay
Technical Content Writer
Kriti Sahay is a Technical Content Writer at SelectHub, writing content for Help Desk and Call Center Software. Kriti is based out of New Delhi, India. When she's not handling Buyer's Guides and other informational articles, she can be found experimenting in her kitchen, street shopping, or painting!
See Full Bio
Joan
Technical Research By Joan Akash
Senior Analyst
Joan Akash, a Senior Research Analyst at SelectHub, holds a Post-Graduate Diploma in Management with a specialization in Marketing. Her expertise as a researcher and reviewer spans diverse software categories, including Project Management, Customer Relationship Management, Live Chat, and Help Desk. Beyond her professional pursuits, Joan is spiritually driven, with a passion for teaching children and a penchant for reading biblical blogs and crafting poetry.
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Manan
Technical Review By Manan Roy
Principal Analyst
Manan is a native of Tezpur, Assam (India), who currently lives in Kolkata, West Bengal (India). At SelectHub, he works on categories like CRM, HR, PPM, BI, and EHR. He has a Bachelor of Technology in CSE from The Gandhi Institute of Engineering and Technology, a Master of Technology from The Institute of Engineering and Management IT, and an MBA in Finance from St. Xavier's College. He's published two research papers, one in a conference and the other in a journal, during his Master of Technology.
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Dianna
Edited By Dianna Dragonetti
Content Editor
As an editor, Dianna Dragonetti leads a team of five writers in writing about a variety of software, with an emphasis on how these tools empower businesses. Categories include accounting, learning management systems, content management systems, supply chain management, and electronic data interchange.
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