In the competitive business environment, where customer satisfaction is the decisive factor, you require reliable and powerful customer support software.
However, finding the best customer support software for your business is nothing less than searching for a needle in a haystack.
As a customer support professional with years of experience, I know how frustrating it can be. Thus, I have curated a list of the 12 best customer support software that can help you increase customer satisfaction and reduce churn rates for your business.
| Customer Support Software | Best For | Plan |
|---|---|---|
| ProProfs Chat | Chatbot and Proactive Support | Forever-free for a single operator. Paid plan starts at $19.99/operator/month. |
| ProProfs Help Desk | Omnichannel Ticketing | Forever free for a single user. Paid plan starts at $19.99/operator/month. |
| Olark | User-Friendly Interface | Starts at $29/seat/month. |
| Zendesk | Automation | Starts at $55/agent/month. |
| Freshdesk | Helpdesk Management | Free plan is available. Paid plan starts at $12.05/month. |
| Help Scout | Shared Inbox | Starts at $20/user/month. |
| HubSpot | Ticketing System | Starts at $800/month. |
| LiveAgent | Real-Time Collaboration | Starts at $9/agent/month. |
| Zoho Desk | AI-Powered Support | Starts at $10/user/month. |
| Intercom | Customization | Starts at $74/month. |
| Sprout Social | Social Media Management | Starts at $249/month. |
| ProProfs Knowledge Base | Self-Help Articles | Forever free for up to 25 articles. Paid plan starts at $19.99/100 articles/month. |
Top 12 Customer Support Software in 2024
Let me start with the obvious question – Why trust my list?
Well, I have first-hand experience with most of the tools on this list. I have also included tools recommended by my industry peers and review sites.
1. Proprofs Chat
Best for 24/7 delightful customer support with AI chatbots
I’m using ProProfs Chat, and I can’t help but rave about how it’s transformed my website and customer support experience. This live chat software delights my website visitors with instant responses and helps me close sales faster.
With ProProfs Chat, I can create chatbots that grow leads, increase sales, book appointments, and automate support, all without any coding skills required. It’s a total game-changer!
This tool helps me engage my customers proactively with personalized greetings and announcements, making every interaction unique. Managing multiple channels and domains has never been easier, ensuring I don’t miss customer support requests.
What you’ll like
- Customizable chat widgets to match your website’s design seamlessly.
- Post-chat surveys to collect customer feedback on agent interaction.
- Advanced reporting and analytics to measure operator performance.
- Intelligent chat routing for transferring chats to the right agents/departments.
What you may not like
- Frequent updates on the AI chatbot can get overwhelming for new users.
- The free plan is limited to a single operator.
Pricing: ProProfs Chat’s live Chat pricing ensures cost-effective solutions, starting at $19.99/agent/month for multiple operators. Forever free for a single operator.
Also Read: 21 Best Chatbot Software: Top No-Code Picks
2. ProProfs Help Desk
Best for Omnichannel Ticketing
As someone who relies on the ProProfs Help Desk daily, I can confidently say that this software has helped me immensely in managing my customer support. Setting up my help desk took less than 5 minutes, and I was up and running.
The shared inbox feature is a real delight. I no longer have to jump between multiple inboxes; everything is neatly organized in one place, just like my favorite email platform. It’s a time-saver and makes managing customer emails an easy task.
ProProfs Help Desk provides me the ability to assign tickets automatically and use canned responses for common queries saving the team valuable daily hours
Its omnichannel ticketing is seamless, allowing us to capture customer requests from various channels, including email, live chat, and mobile apps. This helps us provide a 360-degree support experience and meet our customers on their preferred communication channels.
What you’ll like
- Internal notes to discuss complex issues with team members.
- Reports to track help desk metrics like response times, customer satisfaction, NPS, etc.
- Recording and storing remote support sessions for future reference.
- Integration with ProProfs Chat and ProProfs Project.
What you may not like
- The tool rolls out new features consistently, so you will need to adapt regularly.
- More industry-specific canned response templates can be added.
Pricing: Forever free for a single user. Paid plan starts at $19.99/operator/month.
3. Olark
Best for User-Friendly Interface
As an experienced user of Olark, I can confidently attest to the value this live chat software brings to any business. Olark proved to be a real help for me, providing a direct channel for real-time communication with website visitors.
The user-friendly interface allowed for seamless integration, making it effortless to engage with customers and address their inquiries promptly. With features like automated chat triggers and robust customization options, I was able to boost my customer engagement significantly.
One of the best features was the detailed visitor insights, which helped me understand my audience better and effectively tailor my responses to their needs. Accessing chat transcripts and analytics was invaluable for improving my customer support strategies.
What you’ll like
- Real-time monitoring of website visitors and their browsing behavior.
- Customizable chat widgets and chat shortcuts for quick responses.
- Mobile apps for managing chats on iOS and Android devices.
- Visitor information and history for personalized conversations.
What you may not like
- Inability to send images during live chat sessions.
- Customization options for the chat widget require HTML/CSS knowledge.
Pricing: Starts at $29/seat/month.
4. Zendesk
Converting sales and engaging customers with free live chat
Zendesk is complete customer service software that’s easy to use and scales with your business. I have used Zendesk and found it to be an effective tool for managing customer support interactions.
The robust automation features effortlessly handled repetitive tasks, freeing up valuable time for personalized interactions. The analytics tools empowered strategic decision-making by unveiling insights into customer behavior.
Zendesk’s multi-channel support seamlessly integrates emails, chats, and social media, creating a unified hub for efficient communication.
What you’ll like
- A unified workspace for agents to manage all their customer interactions in one place.
- Zendesk’s integrated voice software to manage phone support alongside other channels.
- A robust ticketing system for tracking and managing customer inquiries.
- Self-service portal to help customers find their answers.
What you may not like
- You won’t be able to offer multi-language support to customers with its basic pricing plan.
- Limited customization options for the chat widget’s appearance.
Pricing: Starts at $55/agent/month.
Also Read: 10 Best Zendesk Alternatives for Enhanced Customer Service
5. Freshdesk
Best for Freshworks suite users
Freshdesk is a cloud-based customer service software that I have used in the past. It is an excellent tool that helps businesses of all sizes to deliver customer support. Freshdesk converts requests coming in via email, web, phone, chat, and social into tickets, and unifies ticket resolution across channels.
The platform maintains a record of customer interactions so you can respond efficiently to new requests and manage the resolution of issues. I found it to be very user-friendly and easy to navigate.
The automation options in Freshdesk are also noteworthy, allowing you to suggest specific support articles when people search for certain keywords on the support site. This tool is an excellent platform for helpdesk management, and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for reliable customer support software.
What you’ll like
- A shared inbox feature that allows agents to manage all their emails in one place.
- AI-powered bot Freddy to handle repetitive tasks and answer FAQs.
- Custom statuses that suit your workflow to identify what stage a ticket is in.
- Real-time reporting features to improve performance.
What you may not like
- Limited customization options.
- Reports are not as robust as its competitors.
Pricing: A free plan is available (without custom ticket fields). Paid plan starts at $12.05/month.
6. Help Scout
Shared Inbox & Customer Support
I’ve used Help Scout for customer support, and I was impressed with it. It’s a simple yet powerful tool that makes it easy to manage all your customer interactions in one place.
One of my favorite things about Help Scout was its shared inbox feature. It allowed me and my team to collaborate on tickets and ensure everyone was on the same page. I could also assign tickets to specific team members so that everyone knows who is responsible for what.
Another great thing about Help Scout was its knowledge base. This allowed me to create self-service articles that my customers could use to find answers to their questions without needing to contact me.
I highly recommend Help Scout to anyone looking for a customer support software solution.
What you’ll like
- Collaborative email management for support teams.
- Seamless integration with Help Scout’s knowledge base for self-service support.
- A robust tagging system to categorize and organize customer inquiries.
- Automation of routine tasks to improve efficiency and response times.
What you may not like
- Help Scout does not offer phone support.
- Limited integration with third-party apps.
Pricing: Starts at $20/user/month.
7. HubSpot
Converting sales and engaging customers with free live chat
HubSpot Service Hub proved to be a lifesaver for my team. It helped us streamline our customer support process, improve our communication with customers, and provide a better overall customer experience.
One of the things I loved most about HubSpot Service Hub was the ticketing system. It was easy to track all of our customer support tickets in one place and gave us a clear view of the status of each ticket. We could also use the ticketing system to assign tickets to specific team members, set priorities, and track our progress over time.
HubSpot helped me provide better customer service. The knowledge base and live chat features were a great help in providing my customers with the information and support they needed.
What you’ll like
- Lead nurturing through targeted content and communication.
- Personalized interactions with customers using AI-powered chatbots.
- A unified inbox to track customer interactions across multiple channels.
- A comprehensive dashboard for tracking customer interactions and sales performance.
What you may not like
- Limited customization options.
- Complex setup and onboarding process.
Pricing: Starts at $800/month.
8. LiveAgent
Simple and feature-rich live chat with gamification for agent motivation
After facing challenges with different customer support platforms, a colleague in my industry strongly recommended LiveAgent, emphasizing his positive experience with this platform.
With LiveAgent, you get email, chat, social media, and call center support within a single platform, making it incredibly convenient and cost-effective. Unlike Intercom, LiveAgent offers a more comprehensive solution with advanced automation features, making it not just a chat tool but a holistic customer service suite.
The real-time collaboration among team members and the ability to customize automation rules are amazing. If you’re seeking a customer support tool that goes beyond the basics, LiveAgent is the way to go.
What you’ll like
- A built-in knowledge base to create and manage a self-service portal for customers.
- Powerful automation to save time and automate support workflow.
- A comprehensive set of reports to help users track their customer support performance.
- Collaboration features, such as internal chat, notes, and tagging.
What you may not like
- Reports are difficult to generate, and the data is not very detailed.
- LiveAgent can be expensive, especially for small businesses.
Pricing: Starts at $9/agent/month.
9. Zoho Desk
Best for AI-Powered Support
Having relied on Zoho Desk for customer support in my previous role, I found it a dependable solution for managing inquiries seamlessly.
Its unified platform streamlines communication by integrating email, chat, and social media. The intuitive interface and customizable automation tools significantly increased team efficiency. Its robust ticketing system ensured that no customer concern slipped through the cracks. Zoho’s knowledge base feature also facilitated self-service for users.
However, compared to some competitors, the reporting and analytics capabilities felt somewhat basic. Nevertheless, Zoho Desk is a commendable option for businesses seeking a reliable, all-in-one customer support solution with efficient communication, striking a balance between functionality and user-friendliness.
What you’ll like
- Multi-channel support to manage customer interactions from email, chat, phone, and social media in one place.
- Ticketing system to track and manage support tickets for streamlined issue resolution.
- Community forums for user collaboration and support.
- AI-powered assistant, Zia, to help users automate tasks.
What you may not like
- A lot of users have complained about slow and unresponsive customer support.
- The tool does not offer the chatbot functionality.
Pricing: Starts at $10/user/month.
10. Intercom
Omnichannel platform with messenger and app
In my experience, Intercom is a reliable and efficient tool as customer support software. The platform offers a user-friendly interface, making it easy to manage and respond to customer queries and requests.
I particularly appreciate its user-friendly interface, which is easy to navigate and quite customizable to align with your brand’s aesthetics. It also allows for automated responses and efficient message routing, saving time and resources.
Intercom’s reporting and analytics tools provide insights into customer interactions, helping businesses make data-driven decisions.
What you’ll like
- In-app messaging to engage with users directly within the application.
- Customer segmentation for targeted communication.
- Automated chatbots to handle routine tasks and queries.
- Knowledge base Integration for self-service options.
What you may not like
- Intercom’s pricing plans can seem confusing to new users.
- Customer support is slow to respond at times.
Pricing: Starts at $74/month.
11. Sprout Social
Best for Social Media Management
I have found Sprout Social to be one of the best customer service software based on my personal experience. It is a comprehensive social media management tool that offers a range of features, such as scheduling, publishing, and analytics.
Sprout Social has a user-friendly interface that makes it easy to navigate and use. The software allowed me to track customer interactions on different social channels and respond to them quickly, which was essential in boosting my brand’s reputation.
Overall, Sprout Social has helped me stay organized and efficient with my customer support while also providing valuable insights into my audience and their engagement with my content. Highly recommend it to anyone looking to up their social media game!
What you’ll like
- Unified social inbox to respond, engage, and collaborate with their audience.
- Scheduling tools to determine the best time for publishing social media content.
- Social listening to monitor brand mentions and trends.
- Team collaboration for effective social media management.
What you may not like
- Some users have reported experiencing bugs and glitches with Sprout Social.
- Pricing is at the higher end for small businesses.
Pricing: Starts at $249/month.
12. ProProfs Knowledge Base
Best for Self-Help Articles
ProProfs Knowledge Base is a great way to empower my customers to find the answers they need quickly and easily.
I can easily create and manage a comprehensive library of help articles, tutorials, and other self-service resources. This software allows me to add images, videos, and other multimedia content to my articles to make them more engaging.
One of the things I love most about ProProfs Knowledge Base is how easy it is to use. This tool lets me create and edit articles quickly and easily, even if I’m not a tech expert. I can also manage my content by categorizing articles and making them searchable for customers to easily find the needed information.
Another great feature of ProProfs Knowledge Base is its integration with ProProfs Chat and ProProfs Help Desk. When a customer starts a chat conversation, I can easily send them links to relevant help articles in my knowledge base.
What you’ll like
- Build content quickly using expert-designed templates
- Define user roles and permissions to boost collaboration
- Generate insightful reports to track article and FAQ page performance
- Set up password and security controls to keep your content secure
What you may not like
- Getting accustomed to all the features and settings can take some time.
- More personalized templates would have been even better
Pricing: Forever free for up to 25 articles. Paid plan starts at $19.99/100 articles/month.
Find the Best Customer Support Software for Your Business
Though I have provided you with the list of the 12 best customer support software for your business, let me drill it down to my top 3 recommendations.
Option A: ProProfs Chat
If you are looking for a robust live chat solution to proactively engage your website visitors, I highly recommend ProProfs Chat. This tool has proven immensely effective for me. It covers everything from proactive chat invitations to post-chat surveys, ensuring continuous engagement with your prospects from the moment they land on your website until they exit.
Option B: Zendesk
For businesses aiming to streamline support team tasks by automating routine activities, Zendesk is an excellent choice. This tool is designed to efficiently manage tickets, reducing the workload on your support team and enhancing overall productivity.
Option C: ProProfs Help Desk
If your business requires a comprehensive help desk solution, ProProfs Help Desk is the go-to tool. With robust ticket management and seamless live chat integration, this customer support software addresses all your support needs, providing a holistic solution for managing customer interactions.
Ultimately, selecting the best customer support software for your business hinges on your specific requirements. When deciding, carefully consider features, pricing, and user reviews to ensure the chosen solution aligns perfectly with your business needs.
Learn More About Customer Support Software
Q: What are the top benefits of customer service software?
- Increased efficiency and productivity: Customer service software can automate many tasks, such as ticket routing and response, freeing customer service representatives to focus on more complex issues.
- Improved customer satisfaction: It can help you provide faster and more efficient customer support. This can lead to significant improvements in customer satisfaction.
- Reduced costs: Customer service software can help you reduce costs by automating tasks and reducing the number of customer service representatives needed.
- Improved insights: It can provide you with valuable insights into customer interactions. This information can be used to improve customer service, develop new products and services, and make better business decisions.
Q: What are the different types of customer support software?
Various types of customer support software exist, including live chat tools, help desk systems, knowledge base platforms, and social media monitoring tools. Each type serves specific needs, from handling tickets to engaging customers on various communication channels.
Q: What are the latest customer service software trends?
Recent trends in customer service software include AI-driven chatbots, omnichannel support, self-service options, and an increased focus on data analytics to understand customer behavior. Personalization and automation are key drivers in delivering exceptional customer experiences.
Q: How to choose the right customer service software?
To choose the right customer service software, assess your business needs, budget, scalability, and integration requirements. Consider user-friendliness, features, and customer reviews. Selecting a solution that aligns with your organization’s goals and enhances the overall customer experience is essential.
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