A customer service software helps businesses manage customer interactions across multiple channels such as email, phone, chat, and social media. It allows agents to create and track tickets, manage customer profiles, and quickly access customer history. Additionally, it can automate repetitive tasks like ticket routing and response templates to improve efficiency.
Customer Service Software
Customer service software is a Customer Relationship and Sales tool designed to manage your organization's Customer Relationship activities. Similar to an extension of the sales department, these tools centralise the omnichannel requests of customers (emails, chats, social networks, etc.) and facilitate their processing.
Our selection of 10 customer service software
Paid version from €7.00 /month
Automate customer support with an all-in-one solution. Streamline communication, track issues and resolve tickets efficiently.
With a centralised dashboard and customisable workflows, Zoho Desk helps teams collaborate and prioritise tasks. Advanced analytics and AI-powered tools provide insights to improve customer satisfaction.
Read our analysis about Zoho Desk Learn more To Zoho Desk product page
Pricing on request
A comprehensive Customer Service platform, offering ticketing, live chat, and knowledge base capabilities.
Service Hub stands out as a cutting-edge Customer Service software, providing businesses with a unified solution to handle service requests efficiently. It combines ticketing systems, live chat tools, and a comprehensive knowledge base, facilitating seamless interactions between businesses and their customers. It aids in streamlining support operations, ensuring quick and effective responses to enquiries, thereby improving overall customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Read our analysis about Service Hub Learn more To Service Hub product page
Paid version from US$15.00 /month
Improve customer experience with efficient support software that offers automation, ticket management, and self-service options.
Streamline your support process with Help Scout's automation features, including workflows and saved replies. Manage your tickets with ease and empower your customers with self-service options such as knowledge base articles and chatbots.
Read our analysis about Help Scout Learn more To Help Scout product page
Paid version from €75.00 /month
Streamline customer support with cloud-based software. Improve team efficiency and customer satisfaction with automated workflows and real-time reporting.
Service Cloud enables businesses to manage customer inquiries across multiple channels, including email, phone, and social media. The software's intuitive interface and automation capabilities reduce response times and increase first-call resolution rates. Real-time reporting and analytics provide insights into team performance and customer satisfaction levels.
Read our analysis about Service Cloud Learn more To Service Cloud product page
Paid version from €30.00 /month
Boost customer satisfaction with intuitive software that streamlines support requests and efficiently manages customer interactions.
Easiware's customer service software enhances support team productivity by automating routine tasks and providing detailed customer insights for personalised service. Its user-friendly interface and multi-channel support options make it easy to stay on top of customer requests and deliver exceptional customer experiences.
Read our analysis about easiware Learn more To easiware product page
Paid version from US$15.00 /month
Streamline customer service with a top-rated software. Automate ticket management, track customer interactions, and provide multi-channel support.
Increase customer satisfaction with Freshdesk's intuitive interface and robust reporting tools. Collaborate with teams, use AI-powered chatbots, and integrate with third-party apps for seamless workflows.
Read our analysis about Freshdesk Learn more To Freshdesk product page
Pricing on request
Enhance your customer service experience with advanced software that streamlines communication and increases efficiency.
Our software offers a range of features including automated call routing, real-time reporting, and omnichannel support to ensure your customers receive the best service possible. With inContact, you can easily manage your customer interactions and improve your overall customer satisfaction.
Read our analysis about inContact Learn more To inContact product page
Pricing on request
Streamline customer service with powerful software. Automate requests, track issues, and resolve problems quickly with intuitive tools.
Manage customer requests efficiently with automated workflows and SLA tracking. Collaborate effortlessly with your team and access real-time insights to improve service quality.
Read our analysis about JIRA Service Management Learn more To JIRA Service Management product page
Pricing on request
Enhance your customer service with AI-powered software that streamlines communication, automates responses, and offers real-time analytics.
Smart Tribune is a customer service software that uses AI to improve your customer experience. With its automated responses, you can handle high volumes of inquiries quickly and accurately. Its real-time analytics allow you to track customer feedback and make data-driven decisions.
Read our analysis about Smart Tribune Learn more To Smart Tribune product page
Pricing on request
Enhance customer service by engaging in real-time conversations with customers through a messaging platform.
Apple Business Chat provides a messaging platform that allows businesses to communicate with customers in real-time, providing an efficient and personalised customer service experience. Customers can initiate conversations from their Apple devices and businesses can easily manage multiple conversations through a single interface.
Read our analysis about Apple Business Chat Learn more To Apple Business Chat product page
Customer Service software: purchase guide
What is customer service software?
Definition
Customer service software refers to relationship management solutions that facilitate interactions with customers and prospects to improve their satisfaction and loyalty.
Customer service software centralises customers' omnichannel requests (email, chatbot, phone, SMS, mobile application, video conferencing, social networks) and allows you to address them from an online interface. The latter usually includes:
- Requests for information or advice on a product or service via live chat or messaging
- Messages left on community spaces
- Options for customer support connect with customers to help solve a problem
- Tools to manage comments and reviews online
How does it work?
Customer service software work in four steps. First, it allows customers to contact customer service as follows:
- Send an email to a contact address
- Complete an online contact form, add attachments
- Send a message on a live chat
- Post a message on social networks
Internally, each message is the subject of a support ticket and is assigned to the right person based on pre-established business rules, which can automatically sort requests. These could be useful to:
- Categorise a request based on answers to a contact form
- Send messages from social media directly to the community manager
- Provide suggestions and preliminary answers through a chatbot
Support staff are given a user account that allows them to manage tickets in real-time. They can answer messages individually, such as:
- Requests for information before choosing a product or service
- Help requests regarding the use of a product
- Technical problem reports, which can be forwarded to technical assistance
- Messages left on social networks (comments, opinions, etc.)
The customer is automatically notified of the response to his request.
After the interaction, an automatic message can be sent to invite the customer to share their user experience and rate the quality of the interaction.
Hotlines follow the same pattern: the customer contacts customer service, answers questions from the voice server, interact with an agent and is sent a follow-up satisfaction survey.
These SaaS solutions allow you to manage your company's customer service via a browser or a mobile application.
What are the main features of customer service software?
Online support tools
Customer service tools allow you to multiply the touch-points with your customers: contact forms, chats, widgets (Web and mobile), etc. Each message is assigned to the right person based on the ticket allocation rules you have defined. The sender receives an acknowledgement of receipt.
Internally, the tool works according to the same principle as a task manager. The interface help agents track the tickets they were assigned to and the associated deadline. Through this dashboard, they can:
- Respond to multi-channel messages from their newsfeed
- Transfer the ticket to the after-sales service in the event of a technical problem
- Create subtasks and assign them to relevant agents
- Use a search engine easily find customer files easily
- Assign different priority levels to customer files and requests
An internal chat allows agents to communicate and collaborate with other team members from the same or other departments.
The customer is automatically notified of the response to his request.
The same principle applies to call centres:
- The customer answers questions from a vocal server (allocation rules)
- He enters into a relationship with an agent
- The call can be transferred to other agents
- A ticket can be issued and transferred to customer support
A dashboard and performance reports measure KPIs such as the number of customer interactions, customer satisfaction, and service quality.
Feedback collection
Automatic emails can be sent to customers to collect feedback, including:
- Scores and opinions on the products they have just purchased
- Satisfaction surveys after an exchange with customer service or support
Customers are also invited to share their experience (notes and opinions) online on the company's website, a comparator, social media, etc.
The customer portal
Dedicated portals allow customers to be created so users can search for answers to their requests themselves.
A community space allows customers to share their user experience on certain products, share tips and tricks, discuss themes related to the organization's activity, and more.
Q&A sections can help customers find the answers to the most commonly asked questions.
To interact with your company, customers can use:
- A live chat
- A module for opening and tracking tickets
A web widget inserted in the company's website allows customers and prospects to enter requests and be redirected to related articles.
More recently, chatbots with artificial intelligence can interact with customers more organically.
Integration with internal CRM software
The customer service tool automatically logs all interactions (tickets, exchanges: call, email, etc.) in your CRM.
This facilitates collaboration and productivity for customer service, support and sales teams.
Why should you use customer service software?
Customer service tools can improve the overall experience, and therefore loyalty. However, they have some disadvantages.
Advantages
- Measurement of customer satisfaction and definition of areas for improvement
- Improvement in the quality of customer service: the added feeling of proximity can be a source of brand loyalty and attachment
- Inspiring interactions can be collected: feedback can be used in R&D
- SaaS are evolutive software that constantly adapts to new customer expectations
- Centralization of interactions and history
- Non-intrusive and on-demand approach for the client
Disadvantages
- Attribution rules (questions and suggested answers) may be poorly perceived by clients seeking an individualised experience
- The use of bots is a double-edged sword: if the client requests complex information, the bot could fail to deliver relevant answers
The Best SaaS Customer Service Software
Customer Service softwares: Q&A
The features you should look for in customer service software include a ticketing system, a knowledge base, live chat, social media integration, reporting and analytics, automation, and multi-channel support. Other important features to consider are integrations with other business tools, customisation options, and mobile accessibility.
Investing in customer service software can benefit your company in several ways. It can improve customer satisfaction by providing quick and efficient support, increase customer retention and loyalty, and reduce customer churn. It can also streamline communication between agents and departments, improve team collaboration, and provide valuable data for business decisions.
The best customer service software options in the UK market include Zendesk, Freshdesk, Salesforce Service Cloud, Zoho Desk, and Intercom. Each one has its own unique features and pricing plans, so it's important to evaluate your business needs and budget before making a decision.
Some free customer service software alternatives include Freshdesk's free plan, Zoho Desk's free plan, and HubSpot's free service hub. While these options may have limited features, they are a great way to get started with managing customer support without investing any money upfront.
