Help desk software market keeps on growing: it is projected to reach $11 bln in the nearest future. It is getting harder for businesses to choose a proper tool and they have to spend a lot of time studying and comparing options. But we have done that for you. Let's review the most popular solutions that help businesses automate customer service.
Zendesk
Competitive advantages
One of the most famous help desk systems with wide functionality. Over 1,000 integrations are available. The product is quite flexible and easy to adapt to almost any business needs.
Disadvantages
High price: starting from $19 per agent per month. Zendesk will cost $2,280 per year for a company with 10 support agents. Not all tariff plans include all features. Besides, tariffs include features that cannot be disabled. If the company does not use them, you still have to pay.
Users note poor quality of technical support on review platforms like Capterra and Trustpilot. Solving problems is difficult. ‘Can not get any valid response from any of the customer support people. Tried to cancel, and they refused all communication and it ended up auto renewing,’ one of the users claims.
Major features
- Multichannel
- Automation
- AI and chat-bots
- Self-service tools
- Reports & analytics
- SLA and working time tracking
- Integrations: Jira, Microsoft Teams for Support, Asana, HubSpot and others
Trial period
14 days free
Price
The Basic plans prices start from $19/month per agent (if billed annualy) — for this you’ll get access to some simple features such as ticketing system, business rules, customer details and interaction history, out-of-the-box reporting and analytics, communication with customers via email, Twitter, and Facebook. The Suite plans prices start from $49/month per agent (if billed annualy).
Freshdesk
Competitive advantages
Extensive list of integrations. Built-in telephony is available, the solution is also suitable for call centers. Long trial period. Free version with limited functionality is available.
Disadvantages
The product price starts from $15 per agent per month. At the same time, tariff plans have functional limits. Some Integrations are only available for an additional fee.
Users note problems with connecting channels for receiving messages. They also complain about difficult navigation, UX is not developed enough, not only in the web version but in the mobile application as well. Especially often there appear problems with setting up SLA and analytics tools. Alerts are not configured, which customers consider as an inconvenience.
Major features
- Multichannel
- Automation
- Response templates
- Self-service tools
- Reports
- SLA
- Integrations: Slack, Shopify, Mailchimp, Trello and others
Trial period
21 days free
Price
Starts from $15/month per agent for a limited set of features (if billed annually). Fully featured solution with bots for enterprise-level support costs $79/month per agent (if billed annually).
HelpScout
Competitive advantages
Simple and easy to use help desk. Suitable for companies receiving a lot of requests by email and who need a good and easily customizable knowledge base. Fast implementation, no need to spend time on staff training. The developer offers a 30-day money-back guarantee in case the product doesn't fit.
There are special offers for socially responsible organizations and startups.
Disadvantages
A relatively expensive product, especially taking into consideration its limited functionality. Few channels to connect. Users complain about the lack of integrations.
Major features
- Common e-mail box
- Process automation
- Notes and notifications
- Internal and external knowledge base constructor
- Integrations: HubSpot, Jira, Salesforce and others
Trial period
15 days free
Price
Standard for growing teams — $20/month per agent if billed annually, Pro for large teams — $65/month per agent, annual only.
Zoho Desk
Competitive advantages
Multifunctional help desk. Easily integrated with both external software and internal Zoho systems (Zoho CRM, Zoho SalesIQ and Zoho Projects). Suitable for any size businesses from startups to large enterprises: most of the features are available in all plans, there are only limits on the number of tickets, reports, etc.
Disadvantages
There are a lot of features that, according to users, can be difficult to figure out. They complain about a too complicated interface, problems with data security and setting up automation rules, a non-intuitive mobile application, and bugs.
Major features
- Multichannel
- Automation
- AI module
- Help Center and Knowledge Base
- Mobile application
- Reports & analytics
- Integrations: Jira, Slack, Salesforce, Trello, Asana and others
Trial period
15 days free
Price
Starts from €12/month per agent if billed annually, only 5 channels are available in a basic tariff. The Enterprise tariff which includes 100 channels, advanced AI and customization capabilities is €35/month per agent if billed annually.
Pulsedesk
Competitive advantages
Price friendly help desk: $8 per agent per month, each plan includes all features without limits. Intuitive interface. Setup and implementation do not take much time and do not require additional training. All customers have access to developer support, with an average response time of 20 minutes.
All features are included in all pricing plans without limitation
Disadvantages
The solution is suitable for medium and small businesses, rather than large ones. So far Pulsedesk is inferior to the market leaders, in terms of the number of integrations. But users can leave suggestions concerning issues they want to improve, developers include them in the roadmap.
Mobile application is suitable for agents working ‘out of office’: it allows them to process tickets and chats. But it is not possible to change system settings, work with analytics tools, etc.
Major features
- Unlimited number of tickets from different channels: email, phone, website chats, messengers, social networks, etc.
- Process automation
- SLA and working time tracking
- Reports & analytics
- Knowledge base and client portal
- Tickets ranged by priorities
- Customized fields and statuses
- Mobile application
- Integrations: Bitrix24, Active Directory, Jira, AppFollow and others
Trial period
14 days free
Price
$8/month per agent if billed annually, all features are included. No hidden fees.
Intercom
Competitive advantages
Help desk system, which, according to the developers, helps to increase sales several times. Suitable for small businesses that plan to scale. There are discounts for startups. Key features include online chats and chatbots.
Disadvantages
Limited functionality, relatively high price. Price info can only be found via chat, you need to leave an email address. The cost can be calculated either depending on the number of registered agents, or depending on the number of outgoing messages. You have to pay extra for exceeding the limits, which makes it difficult to calculate the final cost of using the product.
Major features
- Customized messenger with website and application widgets
- Chat-bots
- Process automation
- Self-service tools including knowledge base with an option of adding articles in various languages
- Reports & analytics
- Integrations: Slack, HubSpot, Pipedrive и т. д.
Trial period
14 days free
Price
The price for the most basic tariff for very small businesses is $74/month per agent.
LiveAgent
Competitive advantages
Relatively cheap tool for companies that need to offer quality, real-time service in online chats. Quite easy to use, quickly implemented.
Disadvantages
Users claim about a poorly functioning spam filter, frequent bugs, not always clear interface, problems with customization, and a lack of integrations. For small businesses, the solution can be quite expensive: some important features are not available in cheap plans.
Major features
- Customized online-chat widget
- Ticketing system
- Virtual call-centre
- Rules & Automation
- SLA and working time tracking
- Self-service tools
- Integrations: WordPress, Mailchimp, Shopify, Slack, Salesforce, Zapier and others
Trial period
7 days free when registering through a private email and 30 days free when registering through the corporate email.
Price
Starts from $9/month per agent for a very limited set of features if billed annually. The plan that would work for large businesses costs $49/month per agent if billed annually.
Hiver
Competitive advantages
This is a Gmail extension that allows agents groups to share incoming messages directly from their mailboxes. Suitable for companies that actively communicate with customers via email. Easy to implement, support managers help with the settings.
Disadvantages
Users have difficulties setting up automation rules and, in general, getting used to the system. Bugs happen. Short trial period compared to competitors.
Recently, the vendor has raised the price of subscriptions several times, thus making the solution less economically attractive and small companies cannot afford it.
Major features
- Email common use (common templates, can be shared with colleagues; tags; statuses etc.)
- Analytics tools
- Process automation
- Knowledge base
- Integrations: Asana, Jira, Salesforce, Zapier, Slack and others
Trial period
7 days free
Price
The Lite plan costs $15/month per agent if billed annually, includes essential tools for getting started with customer service. The Elite plan costs $59/month per agent if billed annually.
HappyFox
Competitive advantages
This help desk system is available in several languages. Suitable for international support teams. There are discounts for non-profit and educational organizations.
Disadvantages
You need to connect at least five agents to enable the system, this is essential for all tariff plans presuming payment by agents. There are tariffs without restrictions on the number of registered operators (they are much more expensive), though having limits on the number of tickets that can be processed during the year — from 10 thousand to 250 thousand.
Major features
- Ticketing system
- Process automation
- Reports & analytics
- Mobile application
- Integrations: Asana, Github, Jira, Microsoft Team, Shopify, Slack, Stripe and others
Trial period
No information available on the web-site
Price
The price for the cheapest agent-based plan is $29/month per agent if billed annually. Plans including unlimited number of agents cost $1,499-4999/month if billed annually.
Gorgias
Competitive advantages
The tool is suitable for companies that work in e-commerce. It helps to increase the existing customers' loyalty and attract new ones. A large number of functions and wide opportunities for customization.
Disadvantages
All tariff plans are limited on the number of tickets. If the limit is exceeded, each subsequent ticket will be paid separately. No self-service tools are available. Limited number of channels, short trial period, high price.
Major features
- Multichannel
- Ticketing system
- Reports & analytics
- Automation
- Integrations: Shopify, Autopilot, Shop2App, Chatdesk and others
Trial period
7 days free
Price
Price for the Starter plan that includes 50 tickets/month is $10/month (only available for monthly subscription). The Advanced plan with 5000 tickets/month is $900/month ($750/month if billed annually).
