Every business requires a customer support tool. This is because all businesses strive for happy customers, which leads to increased revenue generation, repeat business, and brand recognition. These happy customers will be able to give favorable reviews about the company and help increase its visibility.
In today's world, providing exceptional customer service can make or break a business. But with so many support tools out there, it can be overwhelming for companies to choose the best ones. That's where we come in - we've dedicated ourselves to researching and compiling a list of the top 13 customer support tools available in 2023. We've kept the list diverse, ensuring that there's something for everyone, no matter the industry or budget. With these tools at your disposal, you can focus on what truly matters - keeping your customers happy and satisfied.
Let’s dive in!
What is a customer support tool?#
Customer support tools are the superheroes of the business world. Designed to assist with any customer needs, from problem-solving to building lasting relationships, these software applications are crucial for any modern enterprise. Businesses of any size and type need these tools to efficiently provide support, prevent customer attrition, and boost satisfaction levels. Think of it as a personal concierge service for your valued customers.
Why do you need a customer support tool?#
Introducing a crucial element to keep your business thriving - customer support tools. With the power to connect and satisfy your customers, these tools are a must-have for any business looking to expand its reach and solidify its customer relationships. Don't let missed opportunities become a common theme in your business's growth journey. By utilizing a reliable customer support tool, you open the doors to a world of benefits beyond expectation. Discover how this tool can provide you the support you need to take your business to the next level.
Elevate customer experience#
Looking for a way to stay connected with your customers? Customer support tools are the solution! With multiple channels for communication, it can be difficult to keep track of all customer inquiries on your own. That's where these tools come in, bringing coherence and a solid process to ensure timely and personalized responses.
Features like chat support and phone lines allow for real-time solutions to your customers' problems, boosting satisfaction and building long-term relationships. You'll see less churn and more loyalty once you start utilizing these helpful tools. Don't let customer communication fall through the cracks - invest in customer support tools today!
Makes customer support teams productive#
Revolutionize your customer support process with cutting-edge AI tools that take care of repetitive tasks and leave your agents free to handle more complex cases. By automating live chat, knowledge base deflection, and ticket management, our solutions help your teams achieve faster response times, improved productivity, and happier customers. Thanks to reduced resolution times and streamlined workflows, you can save time and resources while providing top-notch support.
Listen to your customers#
Without a reliable customer support tool, businesses can struggle to stay afloat amidst a sea of customer requests, missing valuable opportunities for growth. Customer support tools provide insights that help businesses understand and connect with their customers, making informed decisions about their wants, needs, and preferences. Invest in a customer support tool to ensure your business soars.
This information is a goldmine for your business because you get valuable feedback from your customers that can be translated into improving your customer operations and building products your customers love - otherwise, it becomes guesswork.
No holes in your pocket#
Introducing a powerful tool that can enhance business profitability - an innovative customer support solution. Not only does it streamline routine tasks, but it also incorporates advanced AI technologies, such as ChatGPT, enabling businesses to handle even complex inquiries effortlessly and without human intervention.
Additionally, this automation not only reduces labor costs but also has the potential to boost profitability. Seize the opportunity to leverage automation and enhance your business performance.
Customer service is a competitive edge (Your unique selling point)#
Have you scoured through reviews to find that good customer service is often celebrated by a happy customer?
Nothing delights a customer more than prompt solutions when they face an issue.
Enhance your customer support strategy and stand out from the crowd with the right tools. By streamlining your processes and investing in powerful customer support resources, you can create a positive image for your brand and earn the trust of your customers. Build meaningful relationships and establish your business as a reliable partner for your clients with efficient and effective support. Give yourself a competitive advantage and reach new levels of success today.
How do you choose the right customer support tool?#
Looking for the ideal customer support tool can be overwhelming with numerous options available in the market. However, leveraging "real-user" feedback through online communities, review websites, and networking platforms can aid in making an informed decision. Let the experiences of those who have gone through the process before guide you toward success.
Here are some factors to consider when choosing a customer support tool:
Checks off the basic features#
To evaluate a customer support tool, it's crucial to ensure it offers the essential features for efficiently managing customer inquiries and resolving issues. These features include ticket management, chat support, email support, phone support, knowledge base management, and analytics, which are vital for providing excellent customer service.
💡Pro Tip: To choose the right customer support tool, it's important to go beyond the basics and consider what sets it apart from the rest. Does it address real-world problems and enhance efficiency? Does it incorporate advanced technologies like AI and ML? These questions require careful consideration before making a final decision.
Integrates seamlessly with your tool stack#
To provide excellent customer support and retain customers, it's crucial to choose the right support tool that seamlessly integrates with your existing toolset.
By selecting a tool that integrates with developer tools, product management tools, and sales tools, you can streamline your support operations and offer a 360-degree view of your customer. This eliminates manual data entry and reduces redundancy in work, allowing you to serve your customers with confidence and accuracy.
Choose a tool that integrates with your existing tools and elevates your support game today!
Grows as you grow#
As your business grows, so does your customer base. But can your customer support keep up? Don't let your support team drown in a sea of inquiries. Look for a robust tool that can handle the high volume of requests while maintaining top-notch quality.
Don't compromise on excellent customer service – find a tool that can scale alongside your business.
It’s not rocket science#
The usability of a customer support tool is a crucial factor in determining its effectiveness. To ensure optimal performance, the tool should prioritize ease of use and navigation. This can be achieved through a simple and intuitive interface that requires minimal training for your support staff.
Simplify integration by streamlining workflows and optimizing for efficiency, free of unnecessary features and distractions.
Fits your pocket#
Consider the cost of the customer support tool and ensure that it fits within your budget.
As you venture into the world of digital tools, finding the perfect match can be a daunting task. Sure, pricing is important, but don't let it be the only factor that determines your choice. Look out for those extra features that could set a tool apart from the rest. After all, you want value for your money. And if a tool offers real value, then a slightly higher price tag can be justified. So, before you make your decision, consider your budget, the benefits of the tool, and the price - all together.
Remains true to its core (Good customer support)#
Finally, consider the quality of customer support offered by the tool provider. Look for a provider that offers excellent customer support and is responsive to your needs and concerns.
This is because a customer support tool has a lot of modules and layers, and thus becomes important to make sure that there is adequate support to make sure that you navigate without any hiccups. By considering these factors, you can choose the right customer support tool that meets the unique needs of your business and helps you to provide efficient and effective support to your customers.
Types of customer service software#
Customer service software is designed to help businesses manage customer inquiries and provide support.
Here are some of the most common types of customer service software:
Help Desk Software#
Empower your customer support team with help desk software, which offers a centralized ticketing system to efficiently manage and respond to customer inquiries. With its advanced reporting and analytics, businesses can optimize their support operations for enhanced customer satisfaction.
Live Chat Software#
Live chat enables customers to engage with support agents in real-time, providing a convenient and effective means of obtaining instant answers to their inquiries. It is a valuable tool for businesses seeking to offer prompt customer support, enabling them to address concerns related to pricing, shipping, product information, and more.
With live chat, customers can easily communicate with support teams and receive timely assistance, leading to improved customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Knowledge Management Software#
Maximize the potential of your business by utilizing knowledge management software to develop and manage a comprehensive knowledge base consisting of articles, FAQs, and other resources. This software is a powerful tool that facilitates self-service customer support, enabling customers to easily access relevant information and resolve their queries.
By utilizing knowledge management software, support agents can eliminate repetitive queries and save valuable time. The software automates responses to routine requests by directing customers to relevant links and extracting answers from the knowledge base resources, resulting in a more efficient and effective support system.
Social Media Management Software#
Businesses require effective tools to manage customer inquiries and interactions across social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook.
In today's digital age, customers are accustomed to reaching out to brands on social media for everything from product queries to complaints. Ensuring prompt and efficient management of these interactions is essential for providing exceptional customer service.
Effective tools enhance brand reputation and loyalty by monitoring and engaging with customers across social media channels. Don't let social media become a headache - choose tools that empower you to handle customer inquiries across all channels with ease.
Customer Relationship Management Software#
Customer Relationship Management Software (CRM) software is designed to help businesses manage customer interactions and relationships. It can include features like contact management, sales tracking, and customer support
The Complete Breakdown#
1. DevRev#
DevRev is OneCRM for next-generation Customer Support and Product Management.
The platform's product, PLuG, enables direct conversations between customers and support agents regarding tickets and engineering issues by being installed directly on their apps.
The platform's AI capabilities include search and case deflection. However, what distinguishes it from conventional CRM and support tools is its ability to connect the product catalog to engineering issues, customer tickets, and ongoing conversations in the widget. This makes it an ideal solution for companies that embrace Product-led Growth (PLG) models.
Features#
- AI-powered live chat
- Omnichannel support
- Shared Inbox
- Ticket management
- Knowledge center
- AI suggested answers
- GPT-powered replies
- Snap-ins to integrate seamlessly
- Turing AI for summary
- Deflect with generative AI
- Intelligent ticket clustering
- AI-powered ticket routing
Pros#
- Let AI handle routine 'how-to' queries to boost your agents' productivity and empower them to focus on complex customer issues
- Leverage customer insights to build beautiful products with your product teams
- Ensure accurate responses and improve customer satisfaction by eliminating errors in customer support
- Enhance the customer experience by analyzing sentiments in tickets and identifying pain points and frustrations
- Reduce wait times and provide instant resolution to customers with AI-powered customer support
- Provide customer support around the clock with AI, even outside of regular office hours
Cons#
- It’s a relatively new brand
- While it offers top-of-the-line features, it may not be the most cost-effective option for small businesses
Pricing:#
| Plan | Price |
|---|---|
| Starter | $19 |
| Pro | $34 |
| Ultimate | Custom pricing |
Overall verdict:#
DevRev is a unified platform that focuses on customer centricity by bringing together build, support, and growth as “ONE”. If you are looking for a groundbreaking solution that helps you reimagine support from the ground up, DevRev is the way to go! Go ahead and see it yourself by booking your free demo.
2. Zendesk#
Zendesk is a cloud-based helpdesk software that enables businesses to manage customer inquiries across multiple channels.
Features#
- Help desk
- Knowledge base
- Live chat
- Call center
- Ticketing system
- Mobile app support
- Automation
- Social media integration
- Reporting and analytics
Pros#
- Zendesk enables omnichannel support through various channels like help desk, live chat, and call center among others
- Provides extensive reporting and analytics to track and glean insights based on customer service metrics
- Offers a mobile app to help support agents and other key stakeholders manage customer queries on the go
- Robust integrations
Cons#
- Cluttered interface for some users
- Integrations are clunky and cumbersome
- The review forums and Zendesk community are key channels where the users share their woes about poor customer support and response times
- Advanced features like AI-powered chatbots are only available in higher-priced plans
Pricing#
| Plan | Starting Price |
|---|---|
| Team | $19 per agent |
| Professional | $49 per agent |
| Enterprise | $99 per agent |
Overall rating#
Based on reviews from popular platforms such as G2, Capterra, and Trustpilot, Zendesk has an overall rating of around 4.5 out of 5 stars.
3. Hiver#
Hiver is a customer support tool that integrates with Gmail. It's a popular tool for teams that use Gmail for customer support, as it helps manage support seamlessly and improve response times.
Features#
- Email delegation
- Shared inbox management
- Internal notes
- Collision detection
- Email reminders
- Email snooze
- Automated workflows
- Plenty of integrations
- Email templates
- Analytics and reporting
Pros#
- Hiver integrates with Gmail, which is a popular email platform used by many businesses
- Offers automated workflows that can help save time and reduce manual effort
- Provides collision detection and email reminders, which can come in handy because you never miss messages
Cons#
- Offers a plethora of features which could be overwhelming for users who are not in need all of them, creating complexity
- Hiver users find the tool to be buggy and glitchy at times
Pricing:#
| Plan | Monthly Price (per user) |
|---|---|
| Lite | $15 |
| Pro | $39 |
| Elite | $59 |
Overall rating:#
Hiver has an overall rating of around 4.5 out of 5 stars on popular review platforms such as G2 and Capterra.
4. Sproutsocial#
Sprout Social is a social media management platform that helps businesses manage their social media presence with powerful features.
Sproutsocial for customer support - Sprout Social can also be used for customer support. Its features allow businesses to monitor and respond to customer inquiries and feedback on social media timely and efficiently.
Features#
- Social media monitoring
- Automated rules and workflows
- Real-time notifications
- Team collaboration and assignment
- Reporting and analytics
- Helpdesk integration
- Tagging and filtering
- Social listening (the act of analyzing social media for information purposes)
- Message response time tracking
- Sentiment analysis
Pros#
- Monitor, engage, and manage customer inquiries and feedback across company’s social media handles
- Automated rules and workflows to respond and resolve customer inquiries in a timely manner
- Real-time notifications to stay in the know of customer issues and take action on them immediately
Cons#
- Limited features when compared to other customer support tools that cater to multiple channels
- May not be suitable for small businesses with limited social media presence
Pricing#
| Plan | Price Per User ( month ) |
|---|---|
| Standard | $249 per month |
| Professional | $399 per month |
| Advanced | $499 per month |
| Enterprise | Custom pricing |
Overall rating#
Sproutsocial has an overall rating of around 4.5 out of 5 stars on popular review platforms such as G2 and Capterra.
5. Intercom#
Intercom is a customer service solution that enables businesses to communicate with customers through chat, email, and social media.
Features#
- Live chat support
- Mobile app support
- Customer data management
- Automated messaging
- In-app messaging
- Email support
- Knowledge base management
- Team inbox
- Advanced analytics
- Integration capabilities
Pros#
- Intercom has a user-friendly interface that is easy to navigate
- The tool offers support via multiple channels, including chat, email, and social media
- Provides robust analytics to track and measure customer interactions and make data-driven decisions
Cons#
- The starting price of Intercom can be high, especially for small businesses
- The tool does not offer a ton of customization options
Pricing#
| Plan | Starting Price |
|---|---|
| Starter | $74 |
| Support | Custom |
| Engage | Custom |
| Convert | Custom |
Overall rating#
Intercom has an overall rating of around 4.4 out of 5 stars on popular review platforms such as G2 and Capterra.
6. Document 360#
Document360 in its own words: “The Knowledge Base Platform, engineered for growing companies that allows you to instantly create an online Self-Service Knowledge Base for your customer and employees (accessed either publicly or privately).”
Features#
- Knowledge Base Portal
- Ticket Deflector
- API Documentation
- Knowledge Base Assistant
- Integrations
- Platform API
- Analytics
Pros#
- The tool is user-friendly and makes it easy for non-technical users to create and manage knowledge-base articles
- Provides customizable templates
- Offers analytics and reporting features to help businesses track user engagement
- Document360 integrates with other tools and platforms such as Slack, Zapier, and GitHub
Cons#
- Some users have mentioned that the software may have limited customization options
- While the software integrates with several tools and platforms, it may not essentially cover the entire spectrum of tools that different businesses need
Pricing#
| Plan | Starting Price |
|---|---|
| Standard | $149 |
| Professional | $299 |
| Business | $399 |
| Enterprise | $599 |
| Enterprise Plus | Custom pricing |
Overall rating#
Document360 has an overall rating of around 4.6 out of 5 stars on popular review platforms such as G2 and Capterra.
7. Hootsuite#
Hootsuite is a social media management platform that allows businesses and individuals to manage and schedule their social media content across all key platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and more. The tool helps brands improve their online presence and increase their social media ROI.
Features#
- Social media listening
- Social media engagement
- Analytics and Reporting
- Collaboration tools
- Automated scheduling
- Content creation and curation
- CRM integration
- Brand monitoring
Pros#
- Their centralized dashboard makes it easy to manage and monitor customer interactions across multiple social media channels
- The social media listening feature allows businesses to track and respond to customer complaints, feedback, and inquiries in a timely manner.
- Team collaboration features allow multiple team members to hustle and work together on customer support
Cons#
- Hootsuite's pricing plans can be expensive
- Their customer support is unresponsive at times which makes it difficult for its users
Pricing#
| Plan Name | Price Per Month |
|---|---|
| Free | $0 |
| Professional | $299 |
| Team | $249 |
| Business | $738 |
| Enterprise | Custom pricing |
Overall rating#
Hootsuite has an overall rating of around 4.0 out of 5 stars on popular review platforms such as G2 and Capterra.
8. LiveAgent#
LiveAgent is an all-in-one helpdesk software that includes features like ticketing, live chat, and social media integration.
Features#
- Omnichannel help desk
- Ticketing system
- Live chat
- Social media integration
- Email management
- Call center support
- Knowledge base
- Gamification
- Automation
- Reporting and analytics
- Customizable branding
- Integrations
Pros#
- Comprehensive set of features, including ticketing, live chat, call center support, and social media management
- Affordable pricing plans
- Omnichannel support, allowing businesses to manage multiple communication channels in one place
Cons#
- Some users have noted occasional glitches
- Complex user interface
Pricing#
| Pricing Plan | Features |
|---|---|
| Small | $9/agent/mo |
| Medium | $29/agent/mo |
| Large | $49/agent/mo |
| Free | $0 |
Overall rating#
LiveAgent has an overall rating of around 4.6 out of 5 stars on popular review platforms such as G2 and Capterra.
9. HappyFox#
HappyFox is a help-desk software that offers features like ticketing, automation, and reporting.
Features#
- Ticket management
- Knowledge base
- Community forums
- SLA management
- Help desk automation
- Team collaboration
- Multi-channel support
- Performance reports
- Mobile apps
- Integrations
Pros#
- Intuitive and user-friendly interface
- Comprehensive set of features
- Customizable branding and integrations
- Flexible pricing plans
- Has a free trial
Cons#
- Limited reporting and analytics features compared to some other help desk software
- Expensive pricing plans compared to some competitors
Pricing#
| Plan Name | Price Per Month |
|---|---|
| Mighty | $26/agent/month billed annually |
| Fantastic | $39/agent/month billed annually |
| Enterprise | $52/agent/month billed annually |
| Enterprise Plus | $64/agent/month billed annually |
Overall rating#
Hootsuite has an overall rating of around 4.6 out of 5 stars on popular review platforms such as G2 and Capterra.
10. Zoho Desk#
Zoho Desk is a cloud-based helpdesk software that includes features like ticket management, knowledge base, and social media integration.
Features#
- Ticket Management
- Multichannel Support
- Automation
- Collaboration
- Customizable Help Center
- Reports and Dashboards
- SLA Management
- Ticket Assignment and Escalation
- Agent Performance Metrics
Pros#
- Zoho Desk offers a wide range of features to manage customer support
- The help center is highly customizable, allowing businesses to create a knowledge base, community forums, and customer portal
- Offers affordable pricing plans for businesses of all sizes
Cons#
- Wide range of features may be overwhelming for new users
- Provides basic and limited reporting and analytics features compared to other support platforms
Pricing#
| Pricing Plan | Price per Agent per Month |
|---|---|
| Free | $0 |
| Standard | $18 |
| Professional | $35 |
| Enterprise | $45 |
Overall rating#
Zohodesk has an overall rating of around 4.4 out of 5 stars on popular review platforms such as G2 and Capterra.
11. Drift#
Drift is a conversational marketing platform with features like chatbots, email, and video.
Features#
- Real-time dashboard
- AI bot deflection
- Live chat
- Self-serve
- Shared inbox
- Conversational AI
- Integrations
Pros#
- Real-time chat provides instant responses
- Automated routing improves response times and boosts agent efficiency and productivity
- Analytics and reporting capabilities provide insights into customer satisfaction and support performance
Cons#
- Customizable chatbots or automated responses may not be able to handle all support inquiries and can lead to frustration
Pricing#
| Pricing Plan | Price Per Month |
|---|---|
| Basic | $0 |
| Premium | $50 |
| Advanced | $500 |
| Enterprise | Custom |
Overall rating#
12. Zoom#
Zoom meetings allow people to connect and communicate with each other from remote locations and in the customer support context, it helps coordinate with customers and resolve issues in a friendly, real-time, and easy way.
Features#
- Screen sharing
- Remote control
- Recording
- Waiting rooms
- Breakout rooms
- Annotation tools
- Whiteboarding
- Closed captioning
- Integration with other tools and platforms
Pros#
- Zoom meetings allow for face-to-face communication between customers and support representatives
- Screen sharing and remote control features can help support representatives troubleshoot issues
- Recording meetings can provide a reference for future support requests
Cons#
- Zoom meetings can be less personal than in-person interactions
- There may be concerns about privacy and security
Pricing#
| Pricing Plan | Price Per Month |
|---|---|
| Basic | $0 |
| Pro | $149.90/year/license |
| Business | $199.90/year/license |
| Enterprise | Custom pricing based on the number of hosts and participants |
Overall rating#
Zoom meetings has an overall average rating of around 4.5 out of 5 stars on popular review platforms such as G2 and Capterra.
13. Chatfuel#
Chatfuel is a chatbot-building platform that enables businesses to create and deploy chatbots on various messaging platforms.
Features#
- Drag-and-drop chatbot builder
- AI-powered chatbots
- Integration with Facebook Messenger
- Lead generation tools
- Automated responses
- Third-party integrations
- Analytics and Reporting
- Customizable templates and designs
- Multi-language support
Pros#
- Easy to use drag-and-drop chatbot builder
- Chatfuel’s AI-powered chatbots help in elevating the customer experience
- Intuitive analytics and reporting to help businesses track and analyze chatbot interactions
Cons#
- Limited integrations
- Lack of advanced features compared to other customer support tools
- Pricing can be expensive
Pricing#
| Plan | Price |
|---|---|
| Free | $0 |
| Entrepreneur | $14.99 |
| Startup | $24.99 |
| Small Business | $59.99 |
Overall rating#
Chatfuel has an overall average rating of around 4.4 out of 5 stars on popular review platforms such as G2 and Capterra.
Final thoughts#
Finding the ideal customer support tool for your business may seem daunting, but it's a vital choice that can streamline support, increase customer satisfaction, and reduce churn. Fortunately, several options can improve team productivity, provide a competitive advantage, and save on labor expenses.
Our compilation of the top 13 customer support tools for 2023 can help your business excel in customer support and achieve its growth objectives. With these recommendations, you can confidently select a tool that enhances your team's productivity, lowers labor costs, and takes your customer experience to the next level.
