Again at one in all my earlier jobs, our crew was thrown into managing buyer assist for a rising crew.
We had been scaling quick, however our assist system wasn’t maintaining. All the things was scattered: emails right here, chats there, and no strategy to preserve observe of who stated what or what was nonetheless pending. It was chaos, and we felt the strain because the crew was tasked with discovering a repair.
That’s once I realized how a lot the greatest assist desk software program could make or break a enterprise. We dove headfirst into researching, testing, and demoing instruments, looking for one thing that wouldn’t simply deal with the amount however make the entire course of smoother for everybody concerned.
We made errors, too, like choosing one resolution that regarded shiny on the floor however was extra of a headache than a assist. However these trial-and-error moments taught me what to search for (and keep away from) in assist desk software program.
I’ve seen firsthand how the precise software program can flip a chaotic assist course of right into a well-oiled machine. On this listicle, I’m sharing the most effective assist desk software program I’ve come throughout, based mostly on what’s labored, what hasn’t, and what I want I knew again then. In the event you’re feeling overwhelmed attempting to select the precise one, let me assist make it simpler.
2025’s greatest assist desk software program: My picks
- Salesforce Service Cloud for delivering superior customer support with superior analytics ($25/month)
- Zoho Desk for pulling buyer interactions throughout channels right into a single interface ($7/month)
- Freshdesk for streamlining buyer conversations with 150+ integrations ($15/month)
- Zendesk Assist Suite for offering assist throughout channels with customization and reporting ($19/month)
- HubSpot Service Hub for managing buyer interactions inside one platform ($20/month)
- Intercom for enhancing customer support with AI-driven resolutions ($29/month)
- SAP Service Cloud for delivering seamless service experiences throughout buyer journeys (Pricing obtainable on request)
- LiveChat for constructing a customer support ticketing system on web sites ($20/month)
*These assist desk software program options are top-rated of their class, in keeping with G2 Grid Stories. I’ve additionally added their month-to-month pricing per person to make comparisons simpler.
8 greatest assist desk software program I put to the check
Assist desk software program is the center of an amazing buyer assist operation. It organizes all of the chaos: managing tickets, monitoring conversations, and guaranteeing each buyer situation is logged, prioritized, and resolved effectively. A great assist desk resolution seems like having a command middle the place the assist crew can see every part at a look: ticket statuses, response occasions, buyer histories, and even efficiency metrics.
How did we discover and consider the most effective assist desk software program?
I spent numerous hours exploring varied assist desk software program, testing every part from ticketing techniques to complicated workflow automation. To get a full image, I spoke with trade specialists and on a regular basis customers to find out how these instruments maintain up underneath real-world calls for. I checked out their most spectacular options, pinpointed the place they may enhance, and used AI to comb via lots of of G2 evaluations for deeper insights. I then cross-referenced my findings with G2’s Grid Stories, evaluating every software on ease of use, performance, and worth for cash. In any case this analysis, I’ve compiled my record of the most effective assist desk software program you may get.
On a extra technical degree, the most effective assist desk software program comes with options like automation to deal with repetitive duties, customizable workflows to suit distinctive enterprise processes, and omnichannel assist so clients can attain you through e mail, chat, social media, or cellphone, multi functional place. You may arrange service-level agreements (SLAs) to maintain response occasions on observe, combine the software program with buyer relationship administration instruments or chat platforms, and even use built-in reporting instruments to see how the crew performs.
My course of for testing and selecting the right assist desk software program
When evaluating assist desk software program, I think about a number of important options and technical components beneath to make sure it meets enterprise wants.
- Core options: After I consider assist desk software program, I first search for a stable basis of core options. On the coronary heart of it’s a ticket administration system that centralizes all buyer inquiries from a number of channels into one easy-to-use dashboard. Omnichannel assist is one other must-have. I have to deal with emails, chats, cellphone calls, and even social media messages with out juggling a number of platforms. Automation options like ticket routing and canned responses are lifesavers for decreasing repetitive duties and dashing up response occasions. A data base is equally crucial, permitting clients to seek out options independently whereas lightening the load on my assist crew.
- Integration capabilities: One among my most vital issues is how nicely the software program integrates with different instruments the crew already makes use of. A powerful CRM integration is crucial as a result of it supplies an entire view of our buyer interactions, making it simpler to supply personalised assist. I additionally search for the flexibility to combine with collaboration instruments like Slack or Microsoft Groups and venture administration platforms like Jira, which helps streamline communication between departments. Utility programming interface or API entry is one other large one. It permits me to construct customized integrations or workflows if the out-of-the-box choices aren’t sufficient. A assist desk software that performs properly with others all the time saves me time and reduces complications in the long term.
- Usability and accessibility: If the software program isn’t straightforward to make use of, it’s a dealbreaker. I want an intuitive interface for our crew and administrator so I don’t waste worthwhile time on coaching. Cellular accessibility is one other must-have since our crew typically works on the go, and having a responsive app ensures we are able to resolve tickets irrespective of the place we’re. Multi-language assist generally is a game-changer for companies with world clients, enabling groups to supply localized assist. I’ve discovered from expertise that software program with a steep studying curve or clunky interface can decelerate productiveness and frustrate even essentially the most tech-savvy brokers.
- Scalability and customization: Selecting a assist desk software that may develop with the enterprise is non-negotiable. Scalability ensures the software program can sustain with out compromising efficiency as ticket volumes rise or the crew expands. I additionally worth customization choices that allow me adapt workflows, ticket fields, and reporting to satisfy our wants. As an illustration, I as soon as labored with a system that couldn’t deal with our rising workload, and upgrading to a extra scalable choice saved us from fixed disruptions. Having software program that evolves alongside the enterprise offers me peace of thoughts.
- Reporting and analytics: I rely closely on reporting and analytics to measure how nicely my assist crew performs. I choose software program that gives real-time dashboards exhibiting ticket statuses, decision occasions, and agent productiveness. Instruments that observe buyer satisfaction metrics, like CSAT and NPS, are additionally crucial as a result of they offer me direct suggestions on how clients understand our service. Customizable reporting is a bonus, permitting me to concentrate on the KPIs that matter most to the enterprise. In my expertise, accessing detailed analytics has been instrumental in figuring out bottlenecks and enhancing crew effectivity.
- Safety and compliance: With delicate buyer information concerned, safety is all the time a high precedence for me. I search for software program with end-to-end encryption to make sure information stays protected. Function-based entry controls are additionally vital, permitting me to outline permissions so solely the precise folks can entry particular data. Compliance with rules just like the Basic Knowledge Safety Regulation (GDPR) or the Well being Insurance coverage Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) is non-negotiable, particularly when working with clients in extremely regulated industries. Selecting a platform prioritizing safety and compliance offers me confidence that my clients’ information is protected.
I attempted to mix all of the crucial components right into a structured analysis course of whereas testing 20+ assist desk software program. I began by understanding team-specific wants, akin to managing tickets from a number of channels, automating repetitive duties, and monitoring efficiency metrics. I then examined every platform’s core options, specializing in usability and scalability to make sure it might deal with our present workload and future development.
Integration capabilities had been a high precedence, so I regarded for instruments seamlessly related with our CRM, communication platforms, and venture administration software program. Safety and compliance had been non-negotiable, and I reviewed every software program’s encryption strategies and regulatory adherence.
To get a full image, I consulted crew members for hands-on suggestions and analyzed person evaluations to know frequent challenges. By balancing real-world testing, technical evaluations, and person enter, I used to be capable of decide these 8 greatest assist desk software program options.
To be included within the assist desk software program class, a product should:
- Convert exterior buyer inquiries into assist tickets for brokers
- Centralize buyer inquiries from emails and the client portal into one unified system
- Route tickets to assist brokers to make sure well timed responses
*This information was pulled from G2 in 2025. Some evaluations might have been edited for readability.
1. Salesforce Service Cloud
After I first acquired my palms on Salesforce Service Cloud, I used to be blown away by its sheer depth as a assist desk software program. It’s a strong platform that feels tailored for contemporary companies managing customer support at scale. However as with something, it has its ups and downs.
Some of the spectacular options is its omnichannel assist. Salesforce Service Cloud pulls every part from emails to cellphone calls to stay chat into one dashboard. Groups use this to handle buyer inquiries with out leaping between instruments.
I additionally like how the Einstein AI suggests related data articles for brokers, predicts case outcomes, and prioritizes work. It felt like having a super-intelligent assistant holding every part on observe. The AI-powered bots are nice for dealing with repetitive queries and liberating up brokers for complicated duties.
I additionally discover the automation and macros to be spectacular. I can arrange workflows and approval processes in only a few clicks. Macros let me deal with repetitive duties like closing circumstances or sending follow-ups with a single click on.
Salesforce Service Cloud additionally supplies highly effective reporting and analytics options. I might generate detailed dashboards to watch case decision occasions, buyer satisfaction scores (CSAT), and agent productiveness. Customizing these dashboards felt intuitive, an enormous plus for somebody who doesn’t wish to spend hours in a setup wizard.
Whereas the fundamentals are user-friendly, diving into superior options like Apex code customization or constructing Lightning elements can really feel overwhelming. I needed to make investments vital time in coaching to benefit from it.
I anticipated the cellular app to match the desktop expertise, but it surely’s not but there. Whereas it’s first rate for fast updates or checking circumstances, it lacks the performance I want for extra complicated workflows.
The customization choices are intensive, however they arrive at the price of time. Establishing automated workflows, case routing guidelines, or customized fields can take some time, particularly in case you’re unfamiliar with Salesforce’s ecosystem.
What I like about Salesforce Service Cloud:
- I really like the way it integrates all buyer interactions, akin to emails, chats, social media, and calls, into one unified platform. This makes managing assist circumstances a lot simpler with out switching between a number of instruments.
- I admire its integration with Salesforce CRM and third-party apps like Slack and Microsoft Groups. This ensures all buyer information is accessible throughout departments, giving us a transparent view of buyer interactions.
What G2 customers like about Salesforce Service Cloud:
“The corporate’s use of the Service Cloud platform for customer support has been very optimistic. With an easy-to-use resolution, customers with little or no expertise in CRM discovered and rapidly grew to become accustomed to the system, extracting and producing worth. We realized scalability is a robust level, beginning the operation with a small crew and managing to extend the variety of customers subsequently with out main difficulties.
The software’s speedy deployment additionally stands out as a robust level, permitting chosen departments emigrate from an email-only service mannequin to a case administration resolution. This transformation allowed the usage of automated workflows (flows), streamlining routine duties (approval course of and case routing) and growing crew effectivity.”
– Salesforce Service Cloud Assessment, Leandro C.
What I dislike about Salesforce Service Cloud:
- I didn’t like how the cellular app doesn’t fairly match the desktop expertise. It’s fantastic for fast updates, but it surely feels restrictive once I have to deal with complicated workflows.
- Whereas the fundamentals are easy, implementing extra superior options, akin to constructing customized workflows or utilizing Apex code, requires appreciable effort and time.
What G2 customers dislike about Salesforce Service Cloud:
“Like most issues attempting to be all issues to all folks requires you to construct every part your self from entire material. Do you wish to remind a shopper they’ve an open case each few days? Higher be able to work with modules and probably some code. Desire a case to reopen when somebody replies to it? That is going to be a multistep course of to rearrange. In lots of locations, if you would like an e mail letting a ticket has an replace, that is going to be a template, an alert, and a circulate at a minimal; in different ticketing techniques, that’d be a tick field ‘notify agent on ticket replace’ kind of choice.”
– Salesforce Service Cloud Assessment, Seth E.
2. Zoho Desk
After I began utilizing Zoho Desk, I wasn’t positive what to anticipate, however it’s a fairly stable assist desk software program with some standout options and some quirks.
First, the automation blew me away. Zoho Desk helps you to arrange workflows that mechanically assign tickets based mostly on standards like precedence or division. For instance, I’ve arrange guidelines to route high-priority tickets on to senior brokers. The blueprints function is one other win. It helps standardize repetitive processes like approvals or ticket escalations.
The ticket administration system can also be unbelievable. I can observe each ticket’s lifecycle, from when it’s raised to when it’s resolved. You’ve acquired instruments like SLAs and ticket tags, so you’ll be able to type and prioritize effortlessly. However what stands out is the multi-channel functionality. You get tickets from e mail, social media, chat, and even cellphone calls, all routed right into a single dashboard. It’s like having an all-in-one inbox for buyer queries.
There’s additionally a built-in AI assistant, Zia, which helps predict ticket sentiments and suggests responses. Whereas Zia isn’t all the time good, it saves time when swamped.
One function I can’t cease raving about is the mixing. Zoho Desk works like a attraction with instruments I already use, like Zoho CRM and Slack. The seamless information circulate between my CRM and assist desk lets me see buyer histories whereas responding to their tickets. It even integrates with Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 for e mail and calendar sync.
Let’s not neglect the experiences and analytics. I’ve used the customizable dashboards to trace metrics like ticket decision time, agent efficiency, and buyer satisfaction scores. They’re a lifesaver once I have to make fast selections or current information to the crew.
Ticket administration has its downsides too. I don’t like how spam emails typically sneak into the ticket queue, and there’s no sturdy filter to weed them out mechanically. It’s annoying, particularly once you’re scanning for pressing points. Oh, and ticket updates can typically lag. These delays can really feel like an eternity in a fast-paced atmosphere.
Whereas the customization choices had been first rate, they left me wanting extra. For instance, I couldn’t absolutely tweak the views of my ticket queues past a number of primary settings. I’d love extra flexibility right here. It could assist me tailor the interface to raised match my workflow.
Lastly, there’s assist. When it really works, it’s nice—the crew is educated and responsive. Nonetheless, the response occasions lag throughout busy occasions, which might be irritating when attempting to resolve crucial points rapidly.
What I like about Zoho Desk:
- The power to arrange workflows that mechanically assign tickets or escalate points is a large time-saver. It’s like having an additional pair of palms managing my tickets.
- I really like how all buyer queries from e mail, social media, chat, or cellphone circulate right into a single dashboard. It’s so handy to have every part in a single place.
What G2 customers like about Zoho Desk:
“The notifications are glorious and guarantee we by no means miss something vital. The search performance makes it straightforward to seek out tickets or data rapidly. The best way tickets are organized works completely for our workflow. Moreover, the cellular utility is way superior to different ticketing techniques we’ve used, providing a a lot better person expertise on the go.”
– Zoho Desk Assessment, Jaco M.
What I dislike about Zoho Desk:
- Typically, spam emails seem as tickets, and there’s no foolproof strategy to filter them out. This may be irritating once I’m scanning for vital points.
- I want the ticket views and workflows had been extra customizable. It seems like I can solely tweak issues to a sure extent, which doesn’t all the time match my wants.
What G2 customers dislike about Zoho Desk:
“Whereas Zoho Desk has some helpful options, a number of downsides have impacted our expertise. The most important situation for us is the steep studying curve for superior customization. Establishing automation workflows and customizing ticket fields required extra technical data than anticipated, and the documentation wasn’t all the time clear. We had to spend so much of time troubleshooting or contacting assist for assist.”
– Zoho Desk Assessment, Leocel A.
3. Freshdesk
I really like how Freshdesk strikes a stable stability between being feature-rich and simple to make use of.
The very first thing I seen was how intuitive the interface is. Freshdesk’s clear design makes navigating straightforward, even in case you’re new to assist desk software program. The educational curve is minimal, so you’ll be able to dive straight into the motion with out losing time on sophisticated setups. What’s even higher is its multi-channel assist. All the things funnels into one place, whether or not it’s emails, stay chats, cellphone calls, or social media messages.
Freshdesk shines in ticket administration. I can assign, prioritize, and automate duties with minimal effort. Options like SLA insurance policies and canned responses make it extremely environment friendly.
And let’s not neglect Freddy AI, Freshdesk’s good assistant. Freddy is sort of a teammate that handles repetitive duties, suggests replies, and even helps prioritize tickets. It typically misses the nuances of extra complicated queries however is a large assist for on a regular basis duties.
One other spotlight for me has been the analytics and reporting instruments. Freshdesk supplies actionable insights. I’ve been capable of monitor crew efficiency, observe decision occasions, and even construct customized dashboards tailor-made to our objectives.
I additionally like Freshdesk’s data base and self-service choices. Establishing FAQs and guides was a breeze, and it drastically decreased the variety of primary queries we acquired. Clients can discover options independently, which frees our crew to concentrate on extra complicated points. Pair that with seamless integrations with instruments like Slack, Salesforce, and Shopify, and you’ve got a system that matches neatly into present workflows.
Among the extra superior options, like detailed reporting or superior automation, are locked behind higher-tier pricing plans. For smaller groups or companies on a funds, this may really feel limiting. Customization is one other space the place Freshdesk might do higher.
Whereas it’s versatile with workflows and ticket properties, I typically want there have been extra choices to tweak the interface to suit my crew’s wants. Efficiency hiccups, although not frequent, are noticeable throughout peak ticket volumes. And whereas the cellular app is useful, it lacks a number of the performance of the desktop model, which might be irritating when our crew is on the go.
What I like about Freshdesk:
- The interface is clear, intuitive, and simple to navigate. I didn’t must spend hours figuring issues out.
- I really like how Freddy AI auto-suggests replies and automates workflows, making our job a lot simpler. Certain, it’s not good and infrequently misses the mark with complicated conditions, however for the on a regular basis stuff, it seems like having an additional teammate we are able to depend on.
What G2 customers like about Freshdesk:
“I admire Freshdesk’s interface and highly effective automation options that simplify our work on buyer assist and cost support-related ticket administration and Freddy improves our responses and Canned responses save time. Its Freshdesk’s multi-channel assist permits seamless e mail, chat, and social media communication, guaranteeing constant customer support. The analytics and reporting instruments are already some experiences are predefined we have to replace them in keeping with our use. The experiences present worthwhile insights to optimize crew efficiency, and CSAT helps enhance buyer satisfaction.”
– Freshdesk Assessment, Jenny P.
What I dislike about Freshdesk:
- Whereas Freshdesk lets me tweak workflows and ticket types, the customization choices for the interface and layouts really feel restricted. Typically, I want I might customise it higher to suit my crew’s wants.
- I’ve seen that Freshdesk can lag throughout peak ticket volumes or when operating detailed experiences. It’s not frequent, but it surely’s sufficient to disrupt the circulate when it occurs.
What G2 customers dislike about Freshdesk:
“Enhancements to make the interface even sooner and extra versatile would make it a fair higher software for scaling throughout high-demand durations.”
– Freshdesk Assessment, Akib S.
4. Zendesk Assist Suite
After I began utilizing Zendesk Assist Suite, I wasn’t positive what to anticipate. I’d heard it was a top-tier assist desk software, however I wished to see it myself.
I preferred how the ticketing system let me merge duplicate tickets to keep away from confusion when clients contact you throughout a number of channels. Plus, I might add tags to prepare buyer tickets. I might rack buyer interplay historical past throughout all channels, which has been my lifesaver when resolving complicated points. I additionally appreciated the predefined responses or macros for repetitive queries.
What blew me away was how Zendesk brings every part into one dashboard. It affords real-time assist with proactive chat triggers to interact clients earlier than they ask for assist. This assist desk software program has built-in telephony options like interactive voice response (IVR), name recording, and voicemail transcription. The platform additionally brings queries from social media channels like Fb, Twitter, and WhatsApp into the system, so I by no means needed to hop between platforms.
I additionally preferred Zendesk’s automation options. Triggers allowed me to mechanically assign tickets to the precise groups and ship follow-up emails based mostly on particular situations. Automation additionally allowed me to remind brokers of overdue tickets or escalate precedence points. The AI-powered reply bot helped me recommend assist articles to clients or draft responses for brokers.
With the REST API, we might combine Zendesk with Slack for fast notifications and Shopify for order-related queries. The App Market affords over 1,000 add-ons, like Trello for process administration and Magento for e-commerce.
Zendesk Assist Suite is highly effective, but it surely’s not precisely beginner-friendly. Establishing workflows and automation took me a while to determine. For instance, configuring SLAs or creating customized ticket types initially wasn’t intuitive. Their documentation and boards helped however count on a studying curve.
Whereas I preferred the pre-built dashboards in Zendesk Discover, they felt inflexible. I couldn’t all the time create absolutely customized experiences the best way I wished. I typically needed to export information to Excel to use superior filters or create distinctive visualizations.
The default e mail templates are primary and lack personalization. I needed to tweak the HTML manually to match my model’s fashion, which took further time. It’s purposeful however might use an improve.
With excessive ticket volumes, I seen occasional system lags. Notifications typically got here via late, which isn’t ideally suited when dealing with time-sensitive points.
What I like about Zendesk Assist Suite:
- I really like how Zendesk centralizes all buyer interactions. Whether or not e mail, chat, and even social media, every part is in a single place. Plus, ticket merging, tagging, and buyer historical past monitoring save me a lot time.
- I admire how versatile Zendesk is. The APIs make it straightforward to combine with instruments I already use, like Salesforce and Slack. Plus, the App Market is filled with choices to develop its performance.
What G2 customers like about Zendesk Assist Suite:
“Zendesk Assist Suite is well-organized, user-friendly, supplies a lot of instruments to carry out totally different duties relying on the enterprise wants, affords a number of channels of communication to unify each interplay in a single place, and despite the fact that there are lots of duties that may be carried out on this platform their system may be very nicely completed and steady. I’ve to make use of this platform day by day because the channels we use to speak with clients are positioned right here and in my years of expertise, that is the most effective software by far.”
– Zendesk Assist Suite Assessment, Sara M.
What I dislike about Zendesk Assist Suite:
- Getting began wasn’t straightforward. Establishing workflows, SLA insurance policies, and customized roles took me some time. It’s highly effective, but it surely requires time to study.
- The pre-built dashboards are useful, however I discovered them a bit restrictive. Customizing experiences past primary filters typically meant exporting information to Excel, which added further steps to my workflow.
What G2 customers dislike about Zendesk Assist Suite:
“Whereas Zendesk Assist Suite affords a robust and complete set of options, customers typically encounter a number of drawbacks. One frequent situation is the pricing complexity. Zendesk might be costly, particularly for rising companies, as many superior options are locked behind higher-tier plans, making it tough for smaller groups on a funds to completely justify the associated fee.”
– Zendesk Assist Suite Assessment, Ian Faulo R.
5. HubSpot Service Hub
In the event you’re on the lookout for a buyer assist platform that retains your workflow easy and your crew organized, HubSpot Service Hub deserves your consideration. I’ve used it for a while, and whereas it’s not good, it’s a useful assist desk software.
First issues first, the CRM integration is phenomenal. I really like how emails mechanically flip into tickets and updates sync in real-time throughout the platform. I’ve labored with a number of different platforms, and truthfully, this function alone makes HubSpot Service Hub stand out.
What I additionally love are the organizational instruments. Ticket pipelines, crew inboxes, and automatic notifications are designed to make managing buyer inquiries much less chaotic. For instance, you’ll be able to prioritize tickets based mostly on urgency or set workflows to make sure nothing slips via the cracks.
Let me simply say that their buyer assist crew is without doubt one of the greatest I’ve handled. Whether or not I had questions on options or wanted assist troubleshooting, they had been quick, pleasant, and educated.
In the event you’re a part of a small crew or on a good funds, brace your self. Whereas the essential options are stable, unlocking superior choices like workflow automation for buyer outreach requires an expensive advertising add-on.
One other factor that bugged me was function elimination. There have been situations the place HubSpot retired options that had been nonetheless underneath contract. Think about constructing your workflows round a software solely to have it yanked away. It’s irritating and disruptive.
I additionally discovered the customization choices a bit missing in sure areas. Certain, the fundamentals are there, however in case you’re coming from a platform that gives deep customization, HubSpot would possibly really feel a bit inflexible. Superior workflows and reporting capabilities might use extra flexibility.
After which there’s workflow automation. Automating buyer outreach or creating complicated workflows isn’t a part of the usual plan. It’s worthwhile to spend money on further modules. This seems like a letdown for groups that need an all-in-one resolution with out breaking the financial institution.
Lastly, scaling for smaller groups generally is a problem. As a lot as I really like the platform, the pricing mannequin makes it exhausting for smaller organizations to develop with it. It’s higher suited to medium to giant groups that may benefit from its premium options.
What I like about HubSpot Service Hub:
- I really like how effortlessly HubSpot’s Service Hub syncs with its CRM. Emails mechanically turn out to be tickets, updates are logged immediately, and every part feels related.
- The ticket pipelines and automation workflows make it straightforward to watch shopper interactions. I can set priorities, categorize tickets, and guarantee nothing slips via the cracks.
What G2 customers like about HubSpot Service Hub:
“The customer support is effectively reactive and useful, I’ve had nothing however nice experiences chatting with the crew and clearing some doubts. The chance to personalize the workspace in keeping with the wants of the corporate (add or take away properties, the creation of good dashboards that provide you with a pleasant overview of the created campaigns’ KPIs and the strategies when creating sequences, e mail templates and workflows may be very useful and far appreciated.”
– HubSpot Service Hub Assessment, Ana Carolina D.
What I dislike about HubSpot Service Hub:
- One factor that frustrates me is how HubSpot has been identified to retire options—even ones I’ve been actively utilizing underneath contract. It’s disruptive and leaves me scrambling for alternate options.
- Whereas I admire the flexibility to tweak the fundamentals, the platform lacks the depth I’ve seen in rivals. Some superior reporting and workflow choices don’t go far sufficient for what I want.
What G2 customers dislike about HubSpot Service Hub:
“There are some options that require upgrades to make the most of, I believe it is honest, however it could actually turn out to be annoying; for instance, once I wish to bulk cleanup duplicates, I am already on a paid model, and I have to improve to get that bulk function. I exploit Hubspot with three shoppers as a digital assistant and steadily run into these improve requests. I do not love the report options on the essential model as a result of the experiences obtainable are very primary and do not present related data. Some fields do not enable me to create property logic that is not supported.”
– HubSpot Service Hub Assessment, Claudia U.
6. Intercom
Whether or not you are managing assist tickets, automating workflows, or simply attempting to raised join together with your clients, Intercom feels prefer it was constructed to make your life simpler.
The assistance desk options actually shine. I might deal with buyer queries via a number of channels, like stay chat, e mail, and even social media, all from a single inbox. Plus, the dialog routing system makes positive the precise individual will get the ticket with out us having to manually assign it.
I additionally appreciated the self-serve assist choices. Intercom helps you to construct a data base (Articles), so clients can remedy frequent points themselves. It integrates seamlessly into the stay chat widget, which is ideal as a result of clients don’t want to depart the chat to seek out solutions. And don’t get me began on the Customized Bots. These bots can information customers via frequent issues or qualify leads earlier than passing them to a human. It’s automation completed proper.
The automation instruments on the backend are actually highly effective. You may create workflows utilizing triggers and actions to ship focused messages or alerts based mostly on buyer habits. For instance, our crew arrange an automation to inform our gross sales crew when a lead spends greater than 10 minutes on our pricing web page. Issues like this make Intercom greater than only a assist software.
I felt the cellular app might use some love. It’s purposeful however sluggish, particularly when attaching information or managing tickets on the go. And customization? Whereas the desktop model is unbelievable, the dearth of drag-and-drop e mail design or deep customization within the cellular view is irritating. For instance, I couldn’t regulate the place the stay chat badge appeared, and it blocked a part of our app’s navigation bar.
Among the superior options additionally contain a studying curve. Establishing workflows and segmenting customers is extremely highly effective, but it surely’s not all the time intuitive. I needed to spend a good bit of time determining the logic behind triggers and filters.
What I like about Intercom:
- Intercom combines stay chat, e mail, and social media messaging right into a single, easy-to-use platform. It simplifies every part and retains us organized.
- I like the flexibility to arrange triggers and workflows based mostly on buyer habits. It is a game-changer for partaking leads and proactively resolving points.
What I like about Intercom:
“Intercom is just about the one software program wanted by our Assist division. The system has a built-in workflow, so your assist middle documentation works together with your dialog and stay assist crew. This then integrates with the Dev crew’s software program, making it a one-stop store for all sources and events concerned. We’re getting near benefiting from all the brand new AI options, however know that that will not be such an enormous problem as a result of it feeds off the prevailing content material within the system. We all know that the AI options are an amazing software as a result of as a buyer of Intercom, I can see how their assist has already improved. You may customise and construct automation as wanted, which is unimaginable and has helped preserve our clients blissful. Retention charges, I am positive, have improved due to the automated responses and workflow in Intercom. It is a monster system providing every part you want and extra.”
– Intercom Assessment, Mel M.
What I dislike about Intercom:
- Whereas the app is purposeful, it’s sluggish and lacks customization choices, making it irritating to handle tickets or connect information on the go.
- Establishing workflows and automation is extremely highly effective, but it surely’s not intuitive and took us some time to determine.
What G2 customers dislike about Intercom:
“All the options are nice, very well thought out and simple to make use of. Nonetheless, a few of them are usually not utilised attributable to price. The pay-per-send gadgets, akin to emails and different focused initiatives, can turn out to be fairly costly given the variety of shoppers uncovered to the messaging. This has led us to depend on much less environment friendly strategies for sending mass emails. I’d like to see packages that higher accommodate our wants on this space.”
– Intercom Assessment, Ross P.
7. SAP Service Cloud
In the event you’re available in the market for assist desk software program, SAP Service Cloud is value trying out. I’ve been utilizing it for some time, and whereas it’s not good, there’s lots to love about it.
I like how SAP Service Cloud helps with buyer interplay administration. It simplifies ticketing, automates routine duties, and retains your assist crew on their sport. For instance, it affords clever ticket routing powered by AI, so tickets are mechanically assigned to the precise brokers based mostly on ability units, precedence, or workload. There’s additionally embedded machine studying to recommend options, saving brokers worthwhile time.
I admire the data base module. It’s straightforward to create and replace articles, which brokers and clients can use to seek out fast solutions. Add to that the 360-degree buyer view, which consolidates buyer histories, interactions, and preferences into one display screen, and also you’re set as much as ship really personalised assist.
For efficiency and safety, SAP Service Cloud leverages cloud scalability and SAP’s enterprise-grade safety protocols. It’s hosted on the SAP Enterprise Expertise Platform, supplying you with glorious uptime and dependable world infrastructure. I admire how the system contains sturdy analytics and reporting instruments, with pre-built dashboards and the flexibility to drill down into metrics like response occasions, ticket decision charges, and buyer satisfaction scores.
The mixing with different SAP instruments is seamless, which is a large win in case you’re already within the SAP ecosystem. You may join it to SAP S/4HANA, SAP CRM, or SAP Commerce Cloud. I really like how this integration permits you to pull buyer information, sync order histories, and supply personalised service, all from a single interface. Plus, it helps omni-channel communication, so you’ll be able to handle emails, stay chats, social media queries, and even cellphone calls in a single unified platform.
The platform is filled with options, which is nice, however studying learn how to use all of them isn’t easy. I didn’t like that the administration panel, whereas highly effective, has a steep studying curve and requires some technical know-how to configure workflows and arrange person permissions correctly.
Whereas the integrations inside SAP are unbelievable, it’s a distinct story if you should work with third-party instruments. The system helps integrations through APIs, however configuring them isn’t all the time easy crusing except you have got technical experience.
One space the place it might enhance is efficiency optimization. The system can typically really feel sluggish for bigger groups with heavy utilization, notably throughout peak hours.
What I like about SAP Service Cloud:
- I really like how the system makes use of AI for clever ticket routing and resolution strategies. It saves us time by mechanically assigning tickets to the precise brokers and recommending resolutions based mostly on previous circumstances.
- The way it integrates with different SAP instruments like SAP S/4HANA and SAP CRM is a game-changer. I can pull buyer information, observe order histories, and handle interactions multi functional place, making every part tremendous streamlined.
What G2 customers like about SAP Service Cloud:
“The SAP service cloud contains many options like 360-degree buyer view, automation, AI-driven insights, omnichannel assist, Case administration and SLA monitoring, customizability, scalability, and integration with different SAP options. One of the best facets embrace its customer-centric design, seamless integration, and sturdy performance with different SAP instruments.”
– SAP Service Cloud Assessment, Jay B.
What I dislike about SAP Service Cloud:
- Getting began with SAP Service Cloud was a problem. The onboarding course of felt overwhelming, and the administration panel wasn’t beginner-friendly. It took us lots of time to determine all of the options.
- Whereas the system integrates superbly with different SAP instruments, working with third-party functions might be irritating. Establishing these integrations typically requires technical experience, which isn’t all the time handy.
What G2 customers dislike about SAP Service Cloud:
“The onboarding for SAP Service Cloud is tough, and one should watch the onboarding tutorials/coaching steadily. Easy and higher steerage shall be appreciated. It really works excellently on desktops and laptops, however the cellular utility wants a lot enchancment. Costing of SAP service cloud is on the upper aspect, although one can choose the package deal as per their want and work.”
– SAP Service Cloud Assessment, Akshay U.
8. LiveChat
I like how LiveChat’s interface is tremendous clear and intuitive. Whether or not you’re a tech wizard or choose easy issues, LiveChat’s dashboard feels approachable. The actual magic lies in its common inbox, a central hub the place you’ll be able to handle all buyer interactions. Emails, chat messages, and even social media DMs circulate into this house, so nothing will get missed.
I additionally admire that LiveChat helps native integrations with over 200 platforms, like Salesforce, Zendesk, and Mailchimp. Want to connect with a lesser-known software? LiveChat’s API helps you to construct customized options effortlessly. Our crew tried utilizing Zapier integration to automate follow-ups, which saved us hours each week.
The chat widget is light-weight and customizable, becoming proper into your web site with out slowing issues. I used to be additionally impressed with canned responses. They’re a lifesaver for FAQs, letting you deal with excessive chat volumes like a professional. The analytics dashboard is filled with information on buyer satisfaction, chat response occasions, and agent efficiency for deeper insights.
We additionally determined to go along with the LiveChat+HelpDesk+ChatBot combo. The HelpDesk function is unbelievable for organizing tickets and monitoring resolutions, whereas the AI-powered chatbot can deal with primary queries 24/7.
The UI might use a bit extra polish, and there have been moments once we felt nudged into utilizing options like the web site widget we didn’t want.
One other bummer is the dearth of a proprietary CRM. Think about how highly effective it will be to have a totally built-in CRM system in the identical suite. As an alternative, you must depend on third-party options or handbook workarounds.
Lastly, the trial expertise doesn’t showcase the total potential. In the event you’re attempting to resolve, you would possibly miss seeing its sturdy analytics and safety features.
What I like about LiveChat:
- LiveChat connects seamlessly with instruments we already use, like Salesforce and Mailchimp. The API makes it straightforward to construct customized integrations, so it suits completely into our workflow.
- The chat widget is light-weight, quick, and customizable. When mixed with options like canned responses and real-time analytics, it could actually deal with excessive chat volumes with out breaking a sweat.
What G2 customers like about LiveChat:
“I like the chances it brings with integrations. At the moment, we combine Livechat with 12 totally different software program instruments in my division. This has enabled us to carry real-time chat engagement which Livechat supplies into our totally different gross sales channels, guaranteeing that we’re all the time obtainable to interact with clients and prospects at an important gross sales factors and durations.”
– LiveChat Assessment, Maria Kemi W.
What I dislike about LiveChat:
- Whereas the integrations are nice, I want LiveChat had its personal built-in CRM. It could make managing buyer information and interactions rather more seamless.
- The trial interval doesn’t adequately showcase a number of the platform’s greatest options, like superior analytics or safety choices. It’s tough to get an entire sense of its capabilities earlier than committing.
What G2 customers dislike about LiveChat:
“Sadly, they do not have their very own CRM product for now. In any other case, we would love to make use of it as nicely.”
– LiveChat Assessment, Iryna C.
Assist desk software program: Continuously requested questions (FAQs)
1. What’s the greatest assist desk software program?
Based mostly on my hands-on testing expertise, Salesforce Service Cloud, Zoho Desk, and Freshdesk are the highest three assist desk software program options.
2. What’s the greatest assist desk software program for ticketing system?
One of the best assist desk software program for ticketing techniques contains Zoho Desk, Zendesk, and Freshdesk. Zoho Desk is praised for its affordability and complete options, ideally suited for small companies. Zendesk stands out for its AI-powered automation, whereas Freshdesk affords a user-friendly interface and multichannel assist, making it environment friendly for buyer interactions.
3. What’s the greatest free assist desk software program?
Zoho Desk, Zendesk Assist Suite, and Freshdesk are the highest free assist desk software program options.
4. What’s the greatest ticketing system for small companies?
From my expertise, Zoho Desk is a unbelievable selection for small companies. It’s inexpensive, filled with options, and works seamlessly with different Zoho apps, making it tremendous handy. I’ve additionally had nice outcomes with Freshdesk, which affords a user-friendly, cloud-based system that’s straightforward to customise and scales as your online business grows. In the event you’re on the lookout for one thing a bit extra superior, Zendesk is a stable choice with its AI-powered ticketing and intuitive design, good for taking customer support to the following degree.
5. What’s assist desk software program used for?
From my expertise, assist desk software program is a lifesaver for managing buyer assist requests and holding every part organized. It lets us observe, prioritize, and resolve points via a easy ticketing system, so nothing slips via the cracks. I additionally love that many instruments include options like stay chat, data bases, and automation, which make it a lot simpler to remain up to the mark and preserve clients blissful. Whether or not it’s troubleshooting technical issues or answering questions, it helps us ship quick and environment friendly assist each time.
Your buyer assist system, simplified.
Discovering the most effective assist desk software program can really feel like a frightening process, however belief me, it’s well worth the effort. The best software transforms the best way your crew works and the way your clients really feel about your assist. I’ve been within the chaos, and I understand how a lot of a distinction the precise system could make. Hopefully, this listicle helps you skip the irritating trial-and-error section and go straight to what works. Right here’s to discovering the software program that turns your assist course of right into a easy, well-oiled machine.
Need to enhance buyer satisfaction? Learn to look after sad clients with escalation administration.