In a world where a business’s success is determined by how well it treats its customers, the value of customer service cannot be left to chance. But how can companies exceed customers’ expectations in this competitive landscape? Are there tools that can help them do so?
Yes, there are! There’s no better way to improve customer support than use the best SaaS help desk software.
This blog will explore different SaaS help desk software, their benefits, and best practices.
Let’s dive into it!
What is SaaS help desk software?
SaaS (Software as a Service) help desk software is a customer support solution delivered over the Internet. It helps customer service teams manage and track support requests from different customer service channels in a unified platform.
Modern SaaS help desk have features such as task automation, AI assistance, and reporting tools to help support teams work more efficiently.
SaaS help desk software can be accessed from anywhere in the world for a subscription fee, making it more reliable and affordable than traditional help desk software hosted on company premises.
What are the benefits of using SaaS help desk software?
The overall SaaS market is expected to keep growing as companies of all sizes worldwide adopt SaaS solutions.
A study by Statista shows that in 2023, the SaaS industry was estimated to be worth approximately 197 billion U.S. dollars.
Below are some benefits of SaaS help desk software:
Minimizes costs: With SaaS, you don’t need to invest in additional hardware, such as servers, to host the software on your own. Moreover, you don’t need to hire a team to develop your app. This saves your company a lot of resources.
Quick set-up: Help desk SaaS software requires little time to download, install, and run. The setup procedures are often very simple. Unlike traditional on-premise software, you can have your help desk up and running within a few hours.
Scalability: SaaS apps can handle an increasing number of users and accommodate additional functions that you can add onto your existing subscription as your business grows.
Enhanced accessibility: You can access SaaS help desk software anywhere, anytime on different devices such as smartphones, tablets or desktops. All you need is an internet connection. This facilitates remote work and collaboration that drives business success.
Frequent updates: SaaS providers regularly release updates to ensure users can access the latest security patches and features. This makes SaaS apps secure and very reliable.
Improved data security: Apart from having robust infrastructure with advanced security measures like firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and encryption technologies, SaaS software providers also comply with global regulations like GDPR and HIPAA that guarantee data security.
Features of SaaS help desk software
SaaS help desk software includes various features to increase the efficiency of your support team and streamline your customer service. Below are some key features the software should have.
Ticketing system
A ticketing system efficiently converts customer requests from platforms such as email and social media into support tickets. The system further prioritizes and routes these tickets to the appropriate agents and tracks them to resolution.
Omnichannel capabilities
Omnichannel support allows customers to request support via their preferred communication channels.
These interactions are centralized in one omnichannel inbox, making it easier for support teams to track and manage conversations from different channels such as social media, live chat, and email.
Self-service options
SaaS help desks offer multiple self-service options to ensure customers get the help they need whenever needed. This can include:
- A knowledge base with tutorial videos and how-to guides.
- A detailed FAQ section to help clients resolve issues independently.
Automation capabilities
Automation features in a SaaS app help you computerize repetitive tasks like prioritizing and organizing tickets, assigning them to the appropriate agents, and setting up SLAs for quick resolution. This improves agent productivity and streamlines the support process.
Customization options
SaaS help desk software allows you to change it to match your brand’s colors and design. This enhances your branding efforts and provides a uniform customer experience for your clients across your platforms.
Integrations
Third-party integrations with CRM systems, project management software and ecommerce platforms ensure that your SaaS help desk for customer service is holistic and is integrated in all aspects of your business.
How to choose the best SaaS help desk software
We have already seen the benefits of SaaS software. But now that we know the advantages of using SaaS help desk software, we need to choose the appropriate SaaS help desk software that can help you maximize these benefits.
Below are a few points to consider:
Affordability
SaaS help desks are often subscription-based, where you pay monthly or annually, unlike on-premise alternatives. With this model, you can cancel a subscription at any time whenever the app no longer serves your needs.
Most SaaS providers also offer varying price plans for businesses with different needs. You can pick SaaS help desk solutions that fit within your budget and offer value for money
Scalability
As your business grows, your requirements might change. Therefore, you need a SaaS solution that can adapt to your business’s changes.
It should accommodate additional functions and users, so you won’t need to subscribe to multiple plans when your business expands.
Ease of use
SaaS help desks should have simple setup procedures. The software should be user-friendly, enabling agents to set it up and run it quickly and easily. Customers should be able to easily navigate the platform and and troubleshoot issues as well.
The benefit of choosing a user-friendly SaaS is that you don’t have to spend a lot of time on training and onboarding. Instead, you can concentrate on providing customer care.
Security and compliance
It is crucial to check whether the SaaS help desk vendor you choose complies with SaaS industry regulations such as SOC 2 and GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation). They should be ISO certified. This will build customer trust in the safety of your Saas help desk offering.
Free trials
A good SaaS help desk software should have a free trial period to allow you to try out the features before purchasing. This ensures that you do not end up with features you do not need or get tied up with a subscription that doesn’t serve you.
Top SaaS help desk examples
You must carefully analyze and compare the options available to pick the right help desk for your business. We’ve put together a list of some top SaaS help desk software for you to pick from.
BoldDesk
BoldDesk is an AI-powered SaaS help desk solution that offers a range of cutting-edge, user-friendly support functions that allow businesses of all sizes to provide excellent customer service.
It consolidates customer inquiries from different communication channels into an omnichannel inbox, giving agents a unified platform for tracking, resolving, and managing tickets.
Uniquely, BoldDesk bridges language barriers by allowing businesses with clients from all over the world to provide support in a variety of languages with its multilingual support feature. This has made it garner a lot of positive SaaS help desk software reviews.
Key features
- Robust ticketing system: The SaaS help desk automatically converts support emails into tickets and assigns them to service agents, streamlining the support process.
- Live chat: BoldDesk’s live chat software allows you to provide real-time customer support. It integrates into your website so your support team can respond immediately to customer inquiries, provide tailored support, and build stronger relationships.
- Multichannel support: The platform offers multiple support channels such as phone, email, social media, and live chat in one combined portal.
- Knowledge base: You can create and update detailed articles and FAQs to help your customers solve issues independently without contacting support.
- AI and automation: BoldDesk leverages AI to enable you to automate repetitive tasks such as ticket assignment and escalation, increasing your agents’ efficiency.
- Mobile support: BoldDesk’s mobile help desk is optimized for iPhone and Android smartphones and tablets, allowing support agents to respond to customer requests on the go.
- Integrations: It integrates with several other applications to increase the functionality of your helpdesk and create a unified platform for delivering exceptional customer experiences.
- Reports and analytics: You can easily generate reports on agent performance and ticket resolution times and perform analyses to gain crucial insights.
- Customization features: The app lets you personalize the look and feel of your help desk according to your brand’s colors and design.
Pricing
BoldDesk has three pricing categories:
- Scale: $12 per agent/month
- Momentum: $25 per agent/month
- Enterprise: $39 per agent/month
- Include tiered pricing for teams with 10, 25, 50 or 100 agents.
- Scale: $49/month for 10 agents
- Momentum: $129/month for 10 agents
- Enterprise: $199/month for 10 agents
- Essential: $799 per month
- Pro: $1499 per month
- Business: Contact us
LiveAgent
LiveAgent provides features such as multilingual chat widgets, chat routing, and chat history. Its interactive live chat software helps support teams to provide exemplary customer service.
Key features
- Chat routing
- Reports and analytics
- AI assistant
- Real-time typing view
Pricing:
- Small business package: $15/month
- Medium business package: $29/month
- Large business package: $49/month
- Enterprise package: $69/month
HappyFox
HappyFox is a popular SaaS help desk offering features such as canned response, task management and reports.
Key features
- Satisfaction surveys
- Automation
- Knowledge base
Pricing
- Basic: $9/month
- Team: $39/month
- Pro: $89/month
- Enterprise PRO: Contact sales
Plans for unlimited agents start at $1599/month.
Zoho Desk
Zoho Desk’s help desk SaaS software boasts of several integrations, amongst other features such as chatbots and reports.
Key features
- Multi-brand help centre
- Web forms
- AI chatbot
Pricing
- Standard: $12/month
- Professional: $20/month
- Enterprise: $35/month
Kayako
Another good help desk software SaaS example is Kayako. It offers several features such as reporting and AI assistance.
Key features
- AI suggested responses
- Ticketing system
- Integrations
Pricing
- Essential: 39/month
- Professional: $99/month
- Enterprise: Contact sales
Jira Service Desk
Jira, which is well known for its IT service system, provides Jira service desk as its customer-facing SaaS help desk solution. It has basic features including integrations and a knowledge base.
Key features
- Knowledge base
- Reports
- Automation
Pricing
- Standard: $19.04/month
- Premium: $47.82/month
- Enterprise: Contact sales
Hiver
Hiver is an easy-to-use help desk SaaS software well-known for its Gmail integrations. It enables teams to share and manage email accounts fostering seamless collaboration.
Key features
- Multichannel support
- Reporting and analytics
- Shared inbox
Pricing
- Lite: $19/month
- Growth: $29/month
- Pro: $49/month
- Elite: Contact sales
Kustomer
With Kustomer, you get a SaaS help desk equipped with the necessary features to personalize customer support. These include multiple integrations and AI assistance.
Key features
- Data storage
- Reporting and analytics
- Workflow automation
Pricing
- Professional: $0.59 per conversation
- Enterprise: $0.75 per conversation
- Ultimate: Contact sales
Talkdesk
Talkdesk is a SaaS help desk popular for its AI agent assistant. It has several features to enable support staff to provide satisfactory assistance.
Key features
- AI assistance
- Intelligent routing
- Call recording
Pricing
- Cloud Digital Essentials: $85 per month
- Cloud Essentials: $85 per month
- Cloud Elevate: $115 per month
- Cloud Elite: $145 per month
Tidio
Tidio helps customer service agents to respond to client inquiries using AI. It is also equipped with a dedicated chatbot for customer service.
Key features
- AI powered support
- Real-time conversations
- Video call support
Pricing
- Starter: $29/month
- Growth: $59/month
- Plus: $749/month
- Premium: $2999/month
Jitbit
Jitbit is a SaaS help desk with a live chat and multiple integrations. It is designed to help customer support teams provide assistance with the help of a ticketing system.
Key features
- Mobile help desk
- Team mailbox
- Help desk automation
Pricing
- Freelancer: $29/month
- Startup: $69/month
- Company: $129/month
- Enterprise: $249/month
Best practices for SaaS help desk software
Having the right SaaS help desk tool is just the first step to achieving top class customer support. You also need to know how to harness it’s capabilities fully. To achieve the best results, you need to also do the following:
Choose the right software: Pick a SaaS help desk with advanced features, easy-to-use interface and affordable pricing plans.
Offer omnichannel support: Provide support across multiple platforms and channels through which clients can easily reach you. An omnichannel strategy enhances accessibility and facilitates smooth client interaction.
Track key metrics and KPIs: Define and identify key KPIs and use them to track the performance of your SaaS help desk. Tracking help desk metrics gives you insights that allow you to configure your application to best serve your customers.
Provide self-service options: Empower your users to troubleshoot issues on their own by adding self-help resources such as FAQs, a customer self-service portal, and a knowledge base.
Utilize AI: Use AI to automate repetitive tasks, give proactive responses, and auto-assign tickets to reduce the workload of your service agents and improve ticket response times.
Train and empower the support staff: Another essential component of SaaS customer support is educating your agents. It is crucial to equip them with in-depth product knowledge and the skills to make judgments and resolve issues quickly.
Listen to customer feedback: Companies must understand their customer’s pain points by routinely asking for and acting upon customer feedback. When you listen to customers, you can gain knowledge about the effectiveness of your SaaS solution.
Keeping these in mind will ensure you maximize the benefits of your SaaS help desk and will give you value for your money.
Choose the best SaaS help desk software to elevate your business
The best SaaS help desk software is one that enables your team to perform at their highest level, gives customers a better experience and makes them more inclined to stick with you. BoldDesk does just this.
With robust features for ticketing management, self-service and team collaboration, BoldDesk empowers your business to provide top class SaaS customer support across all communication channels.
Contact us to discover how this SaaS help desk can complement your support efforts and propel your business to greater heights! Book a live demo or sign up for a 15-day free trial today to experience its features.
We hope these tips will help you pick the right SaaS help desk software. Do you have any additional insights? Please leave your comments in the section below!
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