Today, customers have the power to make businesses prosper or fail in a starker fashion than ever. Just a single social media rant on poor service going viral can send your revenues plummeting the next day. As a result, businesses need to double down on their customer support strategy to enhance customer loyalty, increase sales, and boost profitability, especially in an environment adversely by COVID-19. That said, following other companies that have added customer support software to their tech stack makes sense as a revenue move, not just an operational cost. Put simply, these systems enable businesses to deliver awesome support that leads to more revenues down the road.
However, with the proliferation of customer support solutions, it can be a daunting task to pick one for your business. Fortunately, in this post, we’ve compiled a list of the best customer support software on the market. We’ll discuss the strengths of these solutions and detail how effective they can be at streamlining customer support. The goal is to lay bare all the relevant information to help pick the best solution for your business.
The past couple of years transformed many aspects of service delivery, but customer support remained the core, strategically important precursor of corporate success. On a market where products and services abide (more or less) by the same quality standards, customers rely on a personalized approach as the differentiating factor.
In a world faced with a pandemic, businesses need to reinforce their customer service to address the new emerging challenges. People need a brand they can feel safe with, a business they entrust their health and safety, and one that they can count on when the pandemic seems to disrupt everything else.
One study found that 58% of customers tend to rely on customer support over other channels when they need to have their urgent issues solved. Likewise, 57% of customers give customer support a high ranking when it comes to choosing preferred channels for help. Another study found that 64% of customers prefer buying from socially responsible brands, one that offers tangible customer care.
Sources: Accenture (2020), McKinsey (2020)
Designed byIn a nutshell, customer support solutions bring together dedicated, community, and self-service assistance, making it possible to lend a hand on emerging purchase locations like social media. It reaffirms the solid reputation of responsive teams and distinguishes great from good brands whereas the actual scope of products and services offered has little (or nothing at all) to do with it.
With configuration, support widgets, integrations, and adequate pricing in mind, we compiled a list of the 20 best customer support software solutions that deserve your attention in 2021.
Freshdesk is a widely-used customer support software that offers a feature-rich and very intuitive customer support suite suitable for businesses from all scales and industries. The large list of satisfied clients includes names such as DHL, Harvard University, Henkel, Pearson, and other prominent brands interested to unify their service approach and gather requests in a single hub for the sake of productive collaboration.
Similarly, Freshdesk will enable you to be there for customers wherever and whenever they need you and save the means invested in separate messaging and help desk solutions. Some of its key features include ticket management, real-time email notification, team inbox, knowledge base, and multichannel support.
Freshdesk specializes in email and ticketing support, automates support operations on multiple channels, gathers customer intelligence, and puts all these a handy 24/7 self-service portal. At the same time, it is an excellent solution for service analytics & reporting that gives you the freedom to customize it as you want.
Despite packing all core support & help desk features, Freshdesk comes with an affordable pricing scheme that caters to both SMBs and enterprises. Packages vary between $19 and $99 per month, with a Basic free package for email support offered to teams with an unlimited number of agents.
What is unique about Freshdesk?
Detailed Freshdesk Review
Zendesk is one of the pioneers and best-known customer support and ticketing systems, constantly upgraded with new features and functionalities. Developed for the needs of all business types and sizes and available across all geographies, Zendesk is ideal for international and remote support teams.
Nonetheless, it offers affordable basic plans for SMBs that wouldn’t settle for anything else but top-notch customer service. Some of the Zendesk features include ticket management, robust reporting, group rules, full CSS branding, screencasting and multibrand support.
Why choose Zendesk over similar solutions? The platform will impress you with unparalleled simplicity and help turn random interactions into lasting relationships. Built upon scalable technology, Zendesk adjusts with ease to the needs of any business, works impeccably on several different channels and offers several different modules for support, guidance, analytics and collaboration. At the same time, it is one of the best-integrated customer support solutions with an open API infrastructure that lets you connect it to any system or application. If you’d like to test out this platform’s features first-hand, be sure to try the Zendesk free trial.
What is unique about Zendesk?
Detailed Zendesk Review
LiveAgent is another prominent name in the customer support software industry dedicated to small and developing businesses. Similarly to Freshdesk, LiveAgent keeps you on top of all customer interactions and helps you offer a streamlined support experience on several channels at a time. Some of the key LiveAgent features include universal inbox, ticketing, time rules, live chat, and reporting.
The system handles ticketing, live chat support, phone support, assistance on Facebook and Twitter and a separate self-service portal for 24/7 knowledge sharing. In the role of your fully-functional help desk, Live Agent will also introduce a VoIP plugin which will enable users to contact agents in real-time and with a single click.
To help you stay connected, LiveAgent will also offer native apps for Android and iOS and make communication possible wherever your agents are located. You can try the LiveAgent free trial to learn more about product capabilities.
What is unique about LiveAgent?
Detailed LiveAgent Review
Zoho Desk is one of the best-known (if not the best-known) members of Zoho’s productivity family, namely a popular support desk system with multiple important functions. For starters, Desk helps deliver in-time and reliable support on several different channels and also boosts the productivity of your agents’ performance to help identify patterns and use opportunities. Some of the notable Zoho Desk features include a ticketing system, call center, knowledgebase, and reporting.
Task automation is also a part of this package so that the service you provide would be unified on all channels and customer intelligence is pulled in by default for you to turn random interactions into lasting and loyal relationships. This tool is designed for businesses from all scales and industries. If you want to try the features at no cost you can easily do so thanks to the Zoho Desk free trial.
What is unique about Zoho Desk?
Detailed Zoho Desk Review
Wix Answers is an all-in-one, cloud-based customer support software built to help SMBs and large enterprises to support their customers and employees alike. The multichannel support system provides all the tools you need to deliver stellar support more consistently. Notable Wix Answers features include an intuitive multi-channel ticketing system, customizable knowledge base, live chat, and a built-in call center.
What sets Wix Answers apart from other customer support software is that it is easy to set up, customize and manage. Most notably the platform provides a unified timeline view of customers issues, enabling agents to understand the customer journey. Even better, it provides all the details needed by internal teams to pinpoint customer pain points to build better products. Should want to learn more about this product be sure to try the Wix Answers free trial. You can try the Wix Answers free trial to learn more about product capabilities.
What is Unique about Wix Answers
Detailed Wix Answers Review
Freshservice is a robust cloud-based IT service management (ITSM) software designed to help IT organizations deliver high-quality services. Its key value proposition revolves around speedy setup, ease of use, affordability and exceptional customer service. The key Freshservice features include SLA management, knowledge management, IT project management, IT asset management, a self-service portal, and powerful reporting.
Additionally, Freshservice offers reliable change, incident, problem and release management features. These features, coupled with the intuitive interface, make the platform a perfect fit for the IT management needs of MSPs, educational institutions, financial firms, and government organizations. Most importantly, Freshservice integrates seamlessly with multiple third-party IT applications and systems. If you want to try the features at no cost you can easily do so thanks to the Freshservice free trial.
What is Unique about Freshservice
Detailed Freshservice Review
HubSpot Service Hub is a reliable customer support software designed for startups and small businesses. Boasting a set of innovative features, the platform enables growing businesses to deliver exceptional customer experience. Primarily, it enables businesses to fashion unique self-service solutions that delight customers at scale and leverage customer feedback to improve service delivery. The key HubSpot Service Hub features include ticketing, knowledgebase, reporting and analytics, live chat, conversation Inbox and contact management.
HubSpot’s live chat is built to boost efficiency and improve agents’ productivity. With chatbots and canned responses, the tool ensures that even when the agents are away or busy, customers get efficient help. Most importantly, besides answering customer questions HubSpot Service Hub helps businesses to convert leads and close more deals. Should want to learn more about this product, be sure to check HubSpot Service Hub free trial.
What is Unique about HubSpot Service Hub
Detailed HubSpot Service Hub Review
Atera is a cloud-based, all-in-one platform that provides powerful managed IT solutions including professional service automation (PSA) and remote monitoring and management (RMM). Built primarily for MSPs, VARs and IT support organizations, the software also provides integrated cloud and remote access tools. Other notable Atera features include ticketing, network discovery, billing and reports.
The key value proposition for Atera is evident through its simple users (technicians) based pricing model. Most importantly, the solution is designed to offer rapid onboarding with intuitive user experience. Also, thanks to Atera’s ease of use, IT companies can leverage its monitoring capabilities to pinpoint issues before they escalate and negatively impact the user experience. You can leverage Atera free trial at no cost to learn more about the product’s capabilities.
What is Unique about Atera
Detailed Atera Review
Jira Service Desk is a cloud-based information technology service management (ITSM) platform that provides end-to-end service delivery on IT infrastructure and services. The software helps IT teams to monitor and resolve requests and issues sent from various channels, including tickets, from internal (employee) or external sources. Businesses with a significant IT backbone or IT assets turn to Jira Service Desk because it is fast and reliable. Some of the key Jira Service Desk features include knowledgebase builder, SLA delivery, ITIL compliance, and reports and analytics.
As part of the Jira family of products, it’s also highly extensible. It can work with other Jira software and can connect with thousands of apps on the Atlassian marketplace. If this doesn’t scratch your integrations itch, it’s also open-source, which means you can customize the Jira’s engine to work exactly as you would want it for your business. Plus, it also has a native mobile app for iOS and Android so your agents can answer queries anywhere they go.
As for pricing, Jira Service Desk offers three paid plans and a starter plan that’s completely free for up to 3 users. You can sign up for a free trial for their paid plans as well.
What is Unique about Jira Service Desk
Detailed Jira Service Desk Review
SysAid is a powerful ITSM, IT help desk and service desk software built to enable different types and sizes of businesses to solve a wide swath of technology-related issues. Billed as a feature-rich, multilayered ITSM, the platform provides tools that enable SMBs and fortune 500 businesses to enhance the end-user experience. Some of the key SysAid features include a ticketing system, help desk, IT asset management, IT service management and advanced BI and analytics.
Moreover, with these tools, SysAid reduces the Mean-Time-to-Repair (MTTR) for the ticketing cycle. It also offers a centralized dashboard to manage the entire ITIL framework and simplify asset monitoring. Should you want to learn more about the product capabilities, you can do so at no cost thanks to the SysAid free trial.
What is Unique about SysAid
Detailed SysAid Review
Genesys PureCloud is an easy-to-use customer experience platform designed to empower businesses to deliver personalized experiences and build stronger relationships. The platform offers an all-in-one cloud contact center solution that enables businesses to follow customer conversations across all digital channels. Boasting, intuitive real-time dashboard, the solution helps turn every call, chat, social comment and email into a conversation. The most notable Genesys PureCloud features include omnichannel contact center, collaboration tools, and seamless system integrations.
Additionally, Genesys PureCloud provides up-to-the-second analytics to uncover insights for agents across all digital channels. It provides real-time visibility into performance and helps you to understand omnichannel interactions better. This way, you can tweak the nature of customer service to help agents meet expectations throughout the customer journey. The Genesys PureCloud free trial allows you to use the product features for a period of time.
What is Unique about Genesys PureCloud
Detailed Genesys Cloud Review
JitBit HelpDesk is an innovative ticketing system that is available as a SaaS software or an on-premises tool. Built with businesses of all sizes in mind, the solution provides features that empower help desk teams to manage requests from multiple sources. Some of the notable JitBit HelpDesk features include automation engine, knowledgebase, file attachments, a self-service portal and incident management.
The ticket grid embodies JitBit HelpDesk’s effectiveness in ticket management. This intuitive interface provides instant access to all customer requests and files related to these cases. The best part is that the requests are updated in real-time and agents have the right information at the fingertips to solve each case. Should you want to learn more about JitBit HelpDesk, be sure to try its free trial.
What is Unique about JitBit HelpDesk
Detailed JitBit HelpDesk Review
Qualtrics CX is an extremely flexible and agile customer experience platform designed to empower businesses to delight consumers at each touchpoint. Primarily, the solution makes it easy for businesses to monitor, respond and improve every customer interaction along the customer journey. Besides, the platform helps gather customer feedback and glean insights that drive customer satisfaction and help improve team performance. Some of the core Qualtrics CX features include dynamic case management, role-based dashboards, integrated analytics and call center process enablement.
The platform ultimate goal is to improve customer satisfaction and boost team performance with real-time insights. Qualtrics CX puts business leaders in total control of their customer experience programs. Most importantly, it helps leverage customer feedback and to monitor keys trends. This way, it empowers businesses to uncover new niche opportunities and automate actions to enhance efficiency and ultimately, financial outcomes. You can use the product features for a period of time at no cost thanks to Qualtrics CX free trial.
What is Unique about Qualtrics CX
Detailed Qualtrics CX Review
ConnectWise Control orients its efforts towards remote support, letting agents and teams control the devices of their clients regardless of their location. The system is very reliable, fast (enables instant, 3-step access) and secure (surpasses cyber threats with AES-256 encryption and two-factor authentication); and offers premium assistance for new teams and first-time users. Other notable ConnectWise Control features include remote access, remote meetings, shared toolbox, file transfer and device monitoring.
Just recently, the system was upgraded with an array of collaboration and in-team assistance options for faster solving. Mac and Linux agents, for instance, will now get a personalized kit that allows remote execution of scripts and applications through the host UI and a Mac-exclusive window option allows for quicker session switching. To learn more about the product capability, be sure to try the ConnectWise Control free trial.
What is unique about ConnectWise Control?
Detailed ConnectWise Control Review
Salesforce Essentials brings together two solutions – a CRM and customer service – in one platform. The package is designed for small businesses so they can use Salesforce’s renowned CRM software to help them speed up sales processes as well as provide quality customer service and support without having to get separate solutions for these two important customer-facing functions. Salesforce Essentials features set embodies its sales and service capabilities with robust tools and functionalities that are offered at budget-friendly prices.
The CRM side of Salesforce Essentials is powered by a built-in intelligence to facilitate faster and smarter selling and total visibility over your customers and your entire business. The other side of the software is powered by an automation engine that puts most customer support and service tasks on auto-pilot for increased efficiency and better agent productivity.
What is unique about Salesforce Essentials?
Detailed Salesforce Essentials Review
PhoneBurner is a cloud-based, outbound call center and sales acceleration platform built for salespeople who use the telephone as a primary sales tool. The software allows users to log in from a computer and call customers from a connected phone. Fundamentally, the solution is designed to simplify and streamline the sales workflow, contact management, and follow-up. Some of the PhoneBurner features include lead management, power dialing, performance management, analytics, and email followup.
The solution automates repetitive tasks, saving time for salespeople and allowing them to handle each opportunity better and close more deals. For better dial sessions, PhoneBurner offers an integrated sales CRM module that keeps detailed customer contact records. Also, the intelligent lead filtering helps search contacts based on last call results, tags, location, custom fields and more. The PhoneBurner free trial allows you to try the product’s features for a period of time at no cost.
What is Unique about PhoneBurner
Detailed PhoneBurner Review
RingCentral Engage Digital, formerly Dimelo by RingCentral, is a cloud-based customer support platform built for various businesses including banks, telecom, transport, insurance, retail and energy. The platform empowers businesses to spearheads digital transformation through exceptional omni-digital customer relations. The RingCentral Engage Digital features include message filters, queue management, reply assistant, smart routing, identity merge, automatic responses and knowledgebase.
Primarily, RingCentral Engage Digital enables users to manage all digital customer care channels from a centralized hub. Whether its requests, reactions, questions, or complaints from social media, mobile, email, or live chat, the solution assembles them all in a single platform. The issues are automatically routed to agents based on their availability, nature of the request and customer profiles. This way, it reduces response time thus improving customer satisfaction, streamlines resource allocation and improves the management of peaks. To learn more about the product features, be sure to try the RingCentral Engage Digital free trial.
What is Unique about RingCentral Engage Digital
Detailed RingCentral Engage Digital Review
Ytel is a robust call center platform built for organizations and businesses that connect with a huge number of customers for customer care or campaign purposes. As such, the software is apt for businesses that want to streamline lead generation, coordinate marketing campaigns and accelerate sales. Primarily, the solution enables SMB businesses to manage their multichannel communications and optimize the efficiency of their outbound calling. Some of Ytel features include auto-dialing, call distribution, a scripting module and voice response.
As you may have known, Ytel is a renowned telephone carrier with notable experience in the telecom industry. The decades of experience coupled with the use of proprietary technology help the vendor engineer an intuitive solution that enables businesses to engage customers on any channel. This way, businesses can reach more prospects and initiate conversations to turn leads into customers. You can learn more about the product feature at no cost thanks to the Ytel free trial.
What is Unique about Ytel
Detailed Ytel Review
Velaro is an easy-to-use, cloud-based live chat solution designed for SMBs in various verticals including higher education, ecommerce, insurance, health care, online retail, pharmaceuticals and more. The platform empowers businesses to provide stellar support on their websites and manage customer interactions with ease. Some of the main Velaro features include workflow and routing, customizable surveys, visitor monitoring, performance management, sales, and conversion tracking and reporting.
Besides, regardless of how complex the customer engagement challenge is, Velaro provides apt tools to make every chat better than the last. Even better, the solution provides reliable data collection and reporting tools that make it easy to monitor agent performance and track critical support KPIs. Overall, Velaro aims to increase operational efficiency, drive customer satisfaction and boost sales. Should you want to learn more about the product capability, be sure to try the Velaro free trial.
What is Unique about Velaro
Detailed Velaro Review
CloudTalk is a feature-rich call center software that enables small and medium businesses to create virtual phone systems for their customer service and sales teams. Primarily, the software is designed to help SMBs build better relationships with customers around the world. Some of the key CloudTalk features include call recording, call queueing, voicemail, intelligent routing, click to call, call tagging, callback, call monitoring, agent reporting, and a real-time dashboard.
The platform is easy to adapt to the unique needs and size of business. As such, whether you operate a large call center with numerous busy agents or are a soleprenuer who handle calls rather rarely, the solution is designed with you in mind. The CloudTalk free trial allows you to learn more about the product features at no cost.
What is intriguing is that CloudTalk allows you to keep your local number and engage customer across the globe with an easy to use a virtual phone, anywhere anytime. It automates the call management process making it a breeze to make and receive phone calls from over eighty countries around the world.
What is Unique about CloudTalk
Detailed CloudTalk Review
There you have it, our list of the best customer support software. As you may have noticed, the solutions offer features that are designed for different industry verticals. Ideally, you should have a predefined selection criterion based on your needs, the size of the business, and your budget.
Luckily, our list certainly offers solutions that are designed to suit different needs profiles. As a result, it should be a piece of cake to find a solution that ticks all the boxes, one that will boost customer loyalty, increase sales and grow your bottom line.
However, if you are torn between solutions and can’t make the final decision, worry not. Our experts put all these solutions to test and found Freshdesk to the best. We highly recommend using Freshdesk because it’s intuitive and easy to use. Besides, the software offers customizable workflows and is designed to help businesses of all sizes deliver exceptional customer experience. The best part is that you can check the solution closely when you sign up for Freshdesk free trial.
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