Help desk software is a type of software that helps businesses manage customer support requests. It includes features such as ticketing, knowledge base management, and live chat. Help desk software can be used to track and resolve customer issues more efficiently.
Some help desk software solutions also offer additional features such as project management, asset management, and reporting. Help desk software is typically offered as a subscription service, and pricing is usually based on the number of users or support requests.
Help desk software can help businesses improve customer satisfaction by providing faster and more efficient support. It can also help businesses save time and money by automating repetitive tasks. Help desk software is a valuable tool for any business that needs to provide customer support.
Top 6 Best Cheap Help Desk Software
- LiveChat – Best overall
- RingCentral Contact Center – Best cloud service
- LiveAgent – Best for small businesses
- Intercom – Best for customer engagement
- ZenDesk Service – Best for features
- Freshdesk – Best for ticketing
1. LiveChat – Best overall
PRICING: 14-day free trial available. Plans start at $16/month to $50/month.
LiveChat is a software company that provides online chat and customer service solutions. LiveChat’s solutions are used by businesses of all sizes, from small businesses to large enterprises.
LiveChat’s integrations with third-party applications make it easy for businesses to add LiveChat to their existing website or CRM system. LiveChat integrates with popular applications such as Salesforce, Zendesk, and Facebook. LiveChat also offers a robust API that allows businesses to build custom integrations.
LiveChat’s solutions are available in over 30 languages, making it a great solution for businesses with international customers. LiveChat is headquartered in Poland and has offices in the United States, Europe, and Asia.
KEY FEATURES:
- Chat tools including message sneak-peek, Canned responses, chat tags, file sharing, archives, notifications, chat ratings, and more
- Customer engagements with a focus on target messages, chat buttons, and ticket forms
- Chat widget customization with agent profiles, languages, and chat boosters
- Reports and analytics
- Security with encryption, credit card masking, data storage, visitor banning, access restriction, and compliance
- LiveChat APIs
- Ticketing system
- Automation
- Over 200+ integrations including Zendesk, salesforce, Facebook, and Shopify
REASONS TO BUY:
- Omnichannel
- Easy customization
- Easy routing
- 200+ integrations
REASONS TO AVOID:
- Some more advanced features behind higher priced plans
2. RingCentral Contact Center – Best cloud service
PRICING: Contact for demo.
RingCentral Contact Center is a cloud-based call center solution that helps businesses manage customer interactions more effectively. It offers a comprehensive set of features and tools to help businesses handle customer calls, emails, and chats in a more efficient and organized manner. RingCentral Contact Center also provides reporting and analytics capabilities to help businesses track and improve their customer service performance.
KEY FEATURES:
- Omnichannel customer service messaging system that allows you to meet customers on their preferred channels
- Seamless integration with other RingCentral products
- Compliance and enterprise-grade security encrypts all conversations
- Flexible for all industries with any business size
- Robust reports
REASONS TO BUY:
- Advanced features
- Fantastic interface
- Impressive security features
- Many integrations
- Overall powerful platform
REASONS TO AVOID:
- Pricing is not transparent
3. LiveAgent – Best for small businesses
PRICING: 14-day free trial available. Plans range from free to $49/agent/month.
LiveAgent is a software company that provides customer service and support solutions. Their flagship product is a customer service platform that helps businesses manage customer interactions across multiple channels. This includes email, chat, phone, and social media. LiveAgent also offers a number of other products and services, such as a live chat widget, a knowledge base, and a customer satisfaction survey tool.
KEY FEATURES:
- Over 130+ ticketing features
- Automated ticket distribution and hybrid ticket stream
- Over 200+ integrations with tools such as Salesforce, WordPress, Shopify, Mailchimp, Facebook, Twitter, etc.
- Cloud phone support
- Universal inbox
- Spam filers
- Real time visitor monitoring
- Advanced reporting
- Robust API
REASONS TO BUY:
- Free account available, although with limited features
- Many integrations
- Many ticketing features
- Fantastic for live support
REASONS TO AVOID:
- Paid plans are expensive for small business
- No chat-to-SMS
- Doesn’t offer phone support
4. Intercom – Best for customer engagement
PRICING: Free trial available. Starts at $74/month. Other plans require contacting them.
Intercom is a customer engagement platform that helps businesses communicate with their customers through chat, email, and social media. Intercom’s features include automatic message routing, conversation assignment, chatbot builder, and more. Intercom also offers a robust API that allows businesses to build custom integrations. With Intercom, businesses can provide an exceptional customer experience by engaging with customers in a more personal and efficient way.
KEY FEATURES:
- In-app messenger
- Conversational bots
- Live chat
- Email marketing
- Behavior-based segmentation
- Analytics and reporting
REASONS TO BUY:
- Easy to use
- Flexible
- Powerful features
- Robust API
REASONS TO AVOID:
- Expensive for smaller businesses
5. ZenDesk Service – Best for features
PRICING: 14-day free trial available. Plans from $19/month to $99/month
ZenDesk is one of the most popular help desk software solutions on the market. ZenDesk Support provides a wide range of features and tools to help businesses provide better customer support. With ZenDesk, businesses can create custom ticket fields, automate ticket routing, and reporting, and even integrate with third-party applications.
ZenDesk also offers a number of features to help businesses improve their customer support experience. These include the ability to create custom ticket fields, automate ticket routing, and integrate with third-party applications.
ZenDesk Support is a great solution for businesses of all sizes who are looking for a way to improve their customer support experience. If you’re looking for a help desk software solution that offers a wide range of features and tools, then ZenDesk is the right choice for you.
KEY FEATURES:
- Industry-leading ticketing system
- Email, voice, SMS, and live chat support
- Easy-to-set up automations & workflows
- Reporting and analytics
- Over 1000+ apps and integrations
- Robust APIs
REASONS TO BUY:
- Affordable
- Easy to use
- Many integrations
- Works well on mobile
- Market leader
REASONS TO AVOID:
- Cheapest plan only offers foundation of features. Best to get mid-tier to upper-tier plans.
- No asset management features
6. Freshdesk – Best for ticketing
PRICING: 21-day free trial available. Plans range from free to $79/agent/month.
Freshdesk is a cloud-based customer support software that enables companies to provide great customer service. It is packed with features that include a self-service knowledge base, ticket management, multi-channel support, and more. Freshdesk makes it easy for companies to deliver excellent customer service and improve the overall customer experience.
KEY FEATURES:
- Advanced ticketing system made easy
- Team collaboration
- Support across all channels including email, phone, chat, social media, and website
- Manage end-to-end field service operations
- Chatbot powered by AI
- Help widget
- Automatic suggestion solutions
- Feedback mechanism
- Advanced reports with customer satisfaction ratings
- Portal customization
- Advanced data security
REASONS TO BUY:
- Easy to use
- Integrated ticket, chat, and phone support
- Automation and chatbots
- Free plan available
REASONS TO AVOID:
- Relatively expensive, especially for chatbots
- Advanced reports are not very easy to understand as a beginner
References:
https://www.livechat.com/
https://www.ringcentral.com/effortless-customer-engagement.html
https://www.liveagent.com/
https://www.intercom.com/
https://www.zendesk.com/service/
https://freshdesk.com/