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Software as a Service Help Desk Solution - 2024 Guide

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When you are in charge of a customer service team handling customer issues, using just one inbox is not practical if you are a scaling SAAS business.

To handle all customer interactions well, you need to organize the communication channels, automate tasks smartly, and have a tool that does not make you miss any essential customer data.

What is the SaaS Help Desk Software

The SaaS help desk is a customer-focused tool designed to help you deliver exceptional customer service. It operates in the cloud and is accessible to all team members without hardware setup.

The service software provider provides customer data security, backups, and maintenance. Their agents also help you streamline self-service support. All these software as a service are for various businesses that fit customers of different price brackets.

A SaaS help desk solution stands out from the traditional support system by being internet-based rather than hosted by your servers. Its features can also be tailored for different customer requests.

Service providers manage many things for businesses, making it easier for them to manage customer interactions and lift off various responsibilities from you.

Top SaaS help desk features to look out for

Choosing the right SaaS help desk software can be very tricky for businesses, especially if they are unaware of what type of software will suit their business. You need to know the essential features of SAAS help desk software that you must look for before choosing software for your business.

Great Customer Support Experience

You have to ensure that the help desk software you choose prioritizes customer experience over anything, as help desk software aims to promote a seamless experience for customers.

The system should be capable of handling all customer complaints and have a robust ticketing system that never misses any customer tickets. It should also not have any complex processes to access the support.

Intuitive Interface

Look for SaaS help desk platform with an intuitive interface that users can navigate easily. It should load quickly and help users adapt to the changes and updates. It should also provide a clear pathway for customers to use the software.

The software should be very easy for the administrative team to handle as well, and they should be able to make workflow adjustments very easily. The team should not require extensive knowledge or external intervention to learn about the system, and such software also enhances the team's productivity.

Security and Compliance

Choose a SaaS help desk tool that prioritizes security according to industry standards. It should offer access to sensitive data after two-factor authentication, ensuring no privacy breach regarding the customer data.

The software should ensure transparency with customers and communicate that their data is secured with the software company. There should be proper encryption to protect user data and to build customer loyalty.

Scalability

The SaaS help desk software should also have the ability to scale to accommodate your business growth. If you are a growing business, you need software incorporating various features in plans and growth.

AI-powered automation capabilities should also scale with the team and su[support volume. Ensure that you opt for relevant pricing plans and then change the plans later to meet changing business needs.

Support Channels

Choose a SaaS help desk that supports multiple communication channels your team prefers. This includes live chat, voice notes, video conferences, phone support, and social media platforms.

Ensure that the software can support every channel you need at any business point to provide a consistent support experience to your customers.

Third-Party Integrations

Look for software that allows third-party integrations, as businesses rely on various third parties for effective customer service operations. This can include any billing systems, project management tools, or other tools the team may use daily.

Integration of these third parties with the software helps streamline workflows, reduces the need for manual tasks, and improves the overall efficiency of the business.

Collaboration Features

There should be multiple collaboration tools to facilitate teamwork among your support agents. It should allow all agents to interact with one another and know which agent is assigned to what task. This will prevent duplication of tasks.

It should also allow mentions to involve specific team members to help customers deal with a relevant problem. There should also be options to interact with each other using internal noes for efficient support operations.

Reporting Metrics

Choose a SaaS help desk system that provides comprehensive reporting capabilities and analytics. It should offer metrics such as average response time, resolution rate of customer expectations, and customer satisfaction rates.

These customizable reports with advanced options will ensure that data is being analyzed effectively and help businesses make data-driven decisions to improve their support.

8 best SaaS help desk solutions

Following is a list of the 8 Best SaaS help desk software that you can opt for to streamline your business operations and enhance customer journey.

  1. HelpScout
  2. Zoho Desk
  3. Kayako
  4. Just Reply AI
  5. Freshdesk
  6. Zendesk
  7. Salesforce Service Cloud
  8. LiveAgent

Now, we will discuss each software in detail, including its offerings and pricing plans, so you can make an informed decision after comparing them. You can go with the software that fits best for your business needs.

HelpScout

Helpscout is a comprehensive customer support platform facilitating seamless communication between companies and their customers. It offers support through multiple channels and enhances customer experience through its features.

It has a feature known as a beacon, which helps customers find answers and solutions. Beacon enables customers to interact with live agents via chat and provides access to frequently asked questions. It also has a user-friendly interface with extensive integration capabilities. It also enables its users to automate repetitive tasks.

Pricing Plans

HelpScout offers the following pricing plans along with a free plan.

  • The standard plan costs $20 and has API and 100+ integrations.
  • The Plus Plan is priced at $40 and offers collaboration features.
  • The Pro Plan costs businesses $65 and offers tiered discounts and advanced API access.

If you are a small to mid-sized business, you should go for HelpScout.

Zoho Desk

Zoho Desk is a cloud-based customer support SaaS help desk that is aimed at helping businesses effectively manage and streamline their customer service. The platform provides tools for organizing and prioritizing customer inquiries on a centralized platform.

Zoho Desk software reshapes the business by connecting with customers and helping them find answers to common queries. This empowers customers to resolve issues on their terms, reducing the workload on the support agents.

It has a robust analytics and reporting system, which empowers businesses to make informed decisions. It seamlessly integrates other applications and third-party tools for efficient support operations.

It has AI-powered automation that provides intelligent support, categorizes tickets, and identifies queries to relevant agents. The software overall enhances the customer experience.

Pricing Plans

It offers the following pricing plans to clients.

  • It costs $14 to have Zoho Desk's standard plan.
  • Professional Plan is priced at $23.
  • Enterprise plan costs $40.

The software is suitable for businesses of all sizes, even the ones that are scaling.

Kayako

Kayako is a leading customer support software that caters to businesses of all sizes. It offers a robust platform for efficient customer service management. Kayako's strength lies in support channels, including email, live chat, phone, and social media integration.

Kayako provides 24/7 online support and dedicated customer success to enterprise clients. The resources ensure that users receive prompt assistance throughout the journey, contributing to a positive user experience. It has an effective ticketing system that directs customer support tickets to relevant personnel.

Pricing Plans

Kayako is not transparent about its pricing plans, but according to reviews, it is good value for money, and you can always contact its support team to provide details about the plans. It also offers its users a free plan for a limited time.

JustReply

JustReply is a customer support solution designed for teams that rely heavily on Slack for communication and collaboration. It is built with teams where everyone is involved in support requests, allowing users to view, assign, reply, and resolve all support and live chat conversations directly from Slack.

The platform is ideal for smaller teams that operate with Slack, as it empower customers to manage and respond seamlessly from their workspace. One standout feature is the help center, praised for its ease of navigation and visually appealing design.

Pricing Plans

It offers the following pricing plans to its customers.

  • Its Pro Plan is priced at $19.
  • The Pro Plus Plan costs businesses $39.
  • The Enterprise plan is for $59.

Freshdesk

Freshdesk is an innovative online cloud-based customer support software designed to streamline help desk software support processes while enhancing customer engagement. With its array of smart automation, Freshdesk empowers businesses to manage customer queries and concerns as they scale efficiently.

Freshdesk provides a centralized platform for managing customer problems across various channels, including email, phone, chat, social media, and more. Freshdesk is renowned for its user-friendly interface, making it easy for users to navigate and utilize its features effectively.

All these effects make it a powerful tool for businesses looking to elevate their customer support capabilities and deliver exceptional customer experiences.

Pricing Plans

It has the following pricing plans.

  • Free Plan is the basic starting plan for customers, which includes access to Basic analytics and reporting, Priced at $0.
  • The growth plan is more developed with Collision Detection and is priced at $15/agent/month, billed annually.
  • The pro plan is heavily developed with Advanced automation capabilities priced at $49/agent/month, billed annually.

If you own a business, you should use Freshdesk because it suits all company sizes.

Zendesk

Zendesk is an all-around customer support platform facilitating seamless communication between customers and businesses across diverse channels.

Zendesk allows businesses to connect with customers via phone, chat, email, and other channels, consolidating all interactions into one easy-to-use platform. Setting up and using its key features is straightforward, with most functionalities ready. This user-friendly approach ensures quick implementation.

Zendesk can scale to meet your customer support needs. It provides all the necessary CRM tools in a cloud-based platform, adaptable to different business sizes and requirements.

It enables personalized customer journey across various devices, including websites, social media, and applications. This customized approach enhances customer satisfaction and engagement.

Pricing Plans

Zendesk has extensive pricing plans, but the "Basic" starts with these:

  • Support Team Plan is priced at $19 per agent/month, which includes eligibility for workforce management and quality assurance add-ons
  • Support Professional Plan is priced at $55 per agent/month, which includes Multilingual support and Service level agreements (SLA)
  • Support Enterprise Plan is priced at $115 per agent/month, including Contextual workspaces for focused agent productivity and many more.

If you own a company looking for a strong sales force and a good customer service platform, Zendesk is your optimal answer.

Salesforce Service Cloud

Salesforce Service Cloud is a customer relationship management (CRM) platform built upon Salesforce's Sales Cloud; it is a comprehensive platform designed to empower businesses to deliver exceptional customer service across various communication channels, streamline workflows, and foster meaningful relationships with customers.

Service Cloud enables users to automate service processes and streamline workflows, enhancing efficiency and productivity for customer service agents. Users can easily access critical articles, topics, and experts that provide proactive support to customer service agents in resolving customer inquiries effectively.

Service Cloud facilitates communication across multiple channels and devices, fostering one-to-one customer marketing relationships. It can automatically route cases to the appropriate agent and integrate with social platforms for social customer service.

Pricing Plans

SalesForce services start with different packaged pricing.

  • Starter Suite is priced at $25 per user/month, which includes Customizable Reports & Dashboards.
  • The professional plan includes Computer Telephony Integration (CTI), which is priced at $80 per user/month.
  • The enterprise plan, which is $165 per user/month, includes Workflow Automation and other primary services.
  • The unlimited plan is a heavily pro plan priced at $330 per user/month, including AI-powered Chatbots.
  • Einstein 1Service is priced at $500 per user/month and includes a special feature, "Einstein Copilot (Beta) powered by generative AI."

LiveAgent

LiveAgent is a comprehensive cloud-based help desk solution that is designed for customer service agents offering affordable prices without compromising on features. With over 175 advanced features, the live agent allows you to integrate all the service channels to create a seamless customer experience.

The platform has over 200 integrations, ensuring all tools are accessible to your agents. It resolves complex issues quickly, and its scalability makes it suitable for small and large firms looking to enhance customer experience.

Pricing Plans

It offers the following pricing plans.

  • For small businesses, the plan is for $9.
  • For medium-sized businesses, the plan is for $29.
  • The large business plan is priced at $49.
  • The enterprise plan is for $69 per agent.

Benefits of using a SaaS help desk

Businesses use SaaS help desk software to leverage the various benefits they offer; a list of benefits is as follows.

Direct Customer Support Access

In any business, customers will have questions no matter how well your product is designed. If we characterize SaaS customer support, it is the direct support any SaaS business offers its customers throughout the user journey and may extend to after the service has been provided.

With direct customer support, businesses can ensure that their customers have access to the very humane and immediate help and guidance they need whenever they need it.

Improved Customer Relationships

SaaS Customer Support goes above the mile. While resolving customer issues, it also plays a crucial role in building trust and loyalty with excellent customer service.

When customers sense their concerns are being heard and addressed promptly, they are more likely to develop a positive brand perception and become loyal supporters.

These qualities are crucial for maintaining a dynamic software environment because they are a non-negotiable aspect of any business.

Powerful Collaboration Features

An effective SaaS help desk incorporates powerful collaboration features, facilitating seamless teamwork across departments. These tools enable teams to collaborate efficiently, ensuring the delivery of swift and consistent customer support.

By streamlining communication and coordination among team members, these features enhance productivity and enable a unified approach to addressing customer queries and concerns.

Ease of Use and Implementation

SaaS help desks offer ease of implementation, boasting user-friendly interfaces and intuitive navigation. Their clear modules streamline processes for both agents and administrators, minimizing training time and facilitating swift adoption.

Automatic Updates and Maintenance

SaaS help desks soothe the burden of manual software updates and maintenance tasks. They operate on a cloud-based infrastructure, meaning the system automatically handles updates, patches, and bug fixes. 

This automated maintenance saves valuable time and resources and ensures uninterrupted performance, eliminating the risk of disruptions that can hinder productivity and impact customer service delivery.

Affordability

SaaS is an excellent service; it comes with a price like every great service. But SaaS help desks operate on an economic-rule subscription-based model, offering flexibility in payment options (monthly or annually) and allowing you to choose features based on your business needs, making it cost-effective.

Summing Up

To summarize, businesses need SAAS help desk software to streamline operations and enhance customer service. It would help if you opted for software that can scale with your business and should also include features that align with your business needs. After carefully analyzing its offerings and pricing plans to fit your budget, you can select any software mentioned earlier. 

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