Help Desk Software
Prioritize, track, and resolve customer and employee support tickets efficiently with help desk software. Discover the benefits of an AI-powered solution today.
A guide to the 13 best help desk software
Last updated February 11, 2025
Customer expectations are rising, and businesses must implement systems that help their teams deliver outstanding customer experiences (CX). Whether you’re still using people to make first contact with customers or leveraging AI to increase efficiency, you need the right help desk software to achieve it.
Help desk software empowers businesses to deliver more efficient and higher-quality service, whether managing customer conversations or handling IT support requests. Read on to learn about some options on the market so you can find the right fit for your needs.
More in this guide:
- What is help desk software?
- Help desk software comparison chart
- The 13 best help desk systems
- Features of help desk systems
- Benefits of using help desk tools
- How to choose the right help desk software
- Frequently asked questions
- Elevate your help desk with Zendesk
What is help desk software?
Help desk software is a tool designed to assist support teams in tracking, prioritizing, and resolving service queries from customers, employees, or business partners. The right help desk system empowers agents to collaborate on requests and personalize conversations across channels. Additionally, with AI and automation, help desk software can help teams automate resolutions, boost agent productivity, and optimize workflows.
Help desk software comparison chart
Below is a brief overview of the help desk options on the list, including starting prices, key features, and free trial length, if applicable.
Software | Starting price | Free trial | Best for |
---|---|---|---|
Zendesk | $55 per agent/month (billed annually) | 14 days | Customer experience and employee service |
HappyFox | $24 per agent/month (billed annually) | 14 days | Marketing teams |
Help Scout | $0 per technician/month (one inbox) | 15 days | Collaboration |
SolarWinds Service Desk | $0 per user/month (one technician) | 30 days | Enterprise service management |
Jira Service Management | $0 per year (three agents) | 7 days | Project management |
Salesforce Service Cloud | $25 per user/month | 30 days | Sales support |
SysAid | Contact sales | Available | Codeless interface customization |
Vivantio | $59 per user/month (billed annually) | Available | Concurrent licensing |
Zoho Desk | $0 per user/month (three agents) | 15 days | Mobile app issue resolution |
Freshdesk | $0 per agent/month (two agents) | 14 days | Agent day passes |
HubSpot Service Hub | $0 per seat/month (limited tools) | Unavailable | Teams using HubSpot’s CRM |
Spiceworks Cloud Help Desk | Free (ad supported) | Not applicable | Teams looking for a free product |
LiveAgent | $15 per agent/month (billed annually) | 14 or 30 days | Live chat support |
The 13 best help desk systems
Next, we’ll dive into more comprehensive product overviews. Below, you’ll find expanded product descriptions, pros and cons, and other information that can help you make your selection.
- Zendesk: Best for customer experience and employee service
- HappyFox: Best for marketing teams
- Help Scout: Best for collaboration
- SolarWinds Service Desk: Best for enterprise service management
- Jira Service Management: Best for project management
- Salesforce Service Cloud: Best for sales support
- SysAid: Best for codeless interface customization
- Vivantio: Best for concurrent licensing
- Zoho Desk: Best for mobile app issue resolution
- Freshdesk: Best for agent day passes
- HubSpot Service Hub: Best for teams using HubSpot’s CRM
- Spiceworks Cloud Help Desk: Best for teams looking for a free product
- LiveAgent: Best for live chat support
1. Zendesk
Best for customer and employee service
![The AI-powered Zendesk Agent Workspace in the help desk software.](https://d1eipm3vz40hy0.cloudfront.net/images/AMER/zendesk-help-desk-software-optimized.jpg)
Zendesk provides a comprehensive help desk solution for the AI era. Designed specifically for service teams, it prioritizes ease of use and scales to any use case, whether supporting customers, employees, or both.
Enable agents to provide fast, personalized service on any channel with the Zendesk Agent Workspace. This omnichannel ticketing system is fused with AI features like agent copilot—an AI-powered assistant that proactively anticipates and suggests next steps and can even take action on behalf of an agent based on defined business procedures.
Zendesk AI agents are pre-trained on over 18 billion real customer interactions and integrate with your business systems. It empowers you to offer personalized support to even the most complex customer questions like your human agents would. AI agents can autonomously resolve requests, share knowledge base content, and execute tasks such as refunds and order tracking.
Routing and intelligence can automatically forward requests to the right agent based on their availability, workload, and expertise. Additionally, Zendesk QA can review 100 percent of your tickets to ensure your agents—both human and AI—are operating as efficiently as possible.
Zendesk seamlessly integrates with your existing tech stack and is easily customizable with the over 1,800 apps and integrations in the Zendesk Marketplace. Keeping your company and customer data is our top priority, and we have the compliance certifications and memberships to prove it.
Who is it for?
Zendesk excels for businesses seeking an AI-powered help desk solution that effectively serves customers and employees. Its robust AI capabilities automate customer experiences, assist agents for faster ticket resolution, and streamline operations. This leads to improved response times and enhances customer satisfaction.
Features
- Omnichannel support
- Security
- AI-powered self-service
- Workflow automation
- AI copilot
- Quality assurance
- Workforce management
- Reporting and analytics
- Apps and integrations
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
User reviews
- “Zendesk is by far the best platform for customer support companies.”
- “All-in-one tool to support our clients in different channels.”
- “Versatile and powerful ticketing solution for our SMB needs.”
- “Excellent support experience with Zensdesk: Professional and prompt assistance.”
- “Zendesk is a very useful tool for handling service reports.”
Pricing: Plans start at $55 per agent/month, billed annually. A 14-day free trial is available.
Explore more Zendesk pricing plans.
2. HappyFox
Best for marketing teams
![The ticket action tool in the HappyFox help desk software.](https://d1eipm3vz40hy0.cloudfront.net/images/AMER/happyfox-help-desk-software-optimized.jpg)
HappyFox is a cloud-based help desk solution that helps support and marketing teams track and manage customer issues. The help desk features a ticketing system that creates tickets from email, voice, live chat, messaging, social media, and web form requests and routes them to its shared inbox.
HappyFox’s help desk offers a few options for its self-service knowledge bases. These include an internal knowledge base for support teams and HR, an external knowledge base software for customers, and a multilingual knowledge base for global self-service.
Who is it for?
The HappyFox help desk is a tool for marketers to consolidate internal and external communication. It allows for automated task assignment, progress tracking, and centralized communication within marketing teams, ensuring projects stay on schedule and deliverables are met.
Features
- Omnichannel support
- Security
- AI-powered self-service
- Workflow automation
- AI copilot
- Reporting and analytics
- Apps and integrations
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
User reviews
- “HappyFox, good mix of tools capabilities, and customization.”
- “Does what it needs to do, but not the most user-friendly.”
- “HappyFox works for us, and it’s easy.”
- “Rolling out HappyFox during Hurricane Ida to a nationwide group of users could have been a lot worse.”
Pricing: Plans start at $24 per agent/month, billed annually. A 14-day free trial is available.
Learn more: Discover how HappyFox integrates with Zendesk.
3. Help Scout
Best for collaboration
![The shared inbox in the Help Scout help desk software.](https://d1eipm3vz40hy0.cloudfront.net/images/AMER/help-scout-help-desk-software-optimized.jpg)
Help Scout offers a customer help desk that enables support teams to collaboratively manage customer conversations. The tool consolidates requests from email, live chat, self-service portals, and other channels into a shared inbox. All requests filter into this centralized location, where the system can tag, update, and assign tickets to agents or teams.
Other features of Help Scout’s help desk include a help center, live chat and messaging software, automation, custom workflows, pre-built reporting dashboards, and collaboration tools. Help Scout also offers integration options in their app marketplace.
Who is it for?
Help Scout’s shared inbox supports teams wanting to increase collaboration. It allows multiple team members to access and respond to customer inquiries, fostering knowledge sharing and preventing messages from falling through the cracks. Additionally, its built-in communication tools, such as internal notes and tags, can help internal coordination.
Features
- Omnichannel support
- Security
- AI-powered self-service
- Workflow automation
- Reporting and analytics
- Apps and integrations
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
User reviews
- “Down-to-earth product that works.”
- “Clear and intuitive platform for managing multiple inboxes within the team.”
- “Help Scout has improved quite a bit in the last six months.”
- “Saved replies crippled.”
Pricing: Paid plans start at $50 per month, billed annually. A free plan and a 15-day free trial are available.
Learn more: Discover how Zendesk vs. Help Scout compare.
4. SolarWinds Service Desk
Best for enterprise service management
![The incident reporting feature in the SolarWinds Service Desk software.](https://d1eipm3vz40hy0.cloudfront.net/images/AMER/solarwinds-service-desk-software-optimized.jpg)
SolarWinds Service Desk lets users manage and track support tickets in one centralized interface. It features reporting tools that allow users to analyze business metrics and agent performance. It's also an incident management software, letting users manage tickets from different channels, including mobile apps, phone calls, and live chats.
Finally, SolarWinds’ ITSM system enables businesses to standardize their service requests and processes. It helps teams manage daily IT tasks, collaborate internally, and offer customer portals for self-service. SolarWinds also helps users automate ticket creation, escalation, and routing.
Who is it for?
SolarWinds Service Desk is an ITSM platform designed for enterprise environments. Capabilities like incident management, change management, and asset management make it suitable for organizations with complex IT infrastructures.
Features
- Omnichannel support
- Security
- AI-powered self-service
- Workflow automation
- AI copilot
- Reporting and analytics
- Apps and integrations
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
User reviews
- “Good tool, but could be great with a bit of improvement.”
- “Good product if you take the time to set it up right.”
- “Reliable and Easy to use Service Desk Tool.”
Pricing: Plans start at $39 per technician/month. A free plan and a 30-day free trial are available.
Learn more: Discover how SolarWinds integrates with Zendesk.
5. Jira Service Management
Best for project management
![The Jira Service Management help desk software welcome page.](https://d1eipm3vz40hy0.cloudfront.net/images/AMER/jira-help-desk-software-optimized.jpg)
Jira Service Management from Atlassian offers a help desk program for project management and customer service. The software features a self-service portal that offers customizable request forms and gives customers and employees a place to create requests, find answers, and get help.
Jira offers conversational ticketing, meaning agents have a single view of requests from email, chat, and its service desk. Users can triage, track, and route incoming requests to agents or teams and use bulk ticket actions to group similar tickets.
Who is it for?
Jira Service Management, while primarily an ITSM solution, can be effectively utilized for project management, particularly for agile teams. Its customizable workflows, Kanban boards, and integration with other Atlassian tools enable task tracking, progress visualization, and streamlined collaboration.
Features
- Omnichannel support
- Security
- AI-powered self-service
- Workflow automation
- Reporting and analytics
- Apps and integrations
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
User reviews
- “Not my favorite CSM app, but solid.”
- “Handle and track service requests, incidents, problems, changes, and assets all in one platform.”
- “Useful for some basic ticketing, mostly self-service/Build it yourself product.”
Pricing: Paid plans start at $700 per year for one to three agents. A free plan and a seven-day free trial are available.
Learn more: Discover how Jira Service Management integrates with Zendesk or how Zendesk vs. Jira compare.
6. Salesforce Service Cloud
Best for sales support
![The Salesforce Service Cloud knowledge base is accessed in the Service Console.](https://d1eipm3vz40hy0.cloudfront.net/images/AMER/salesforce-service-cloud-help-desk-optimized.jpg)
Salesforce Service Cloud is a customer service platform that provides a single view of customer information and history. It features automated workflows, AI-powered productivity tools, and a single ticketing system for issue resolution.
Self-service options allow customers to find articles in the help center. Teams can build their help center via a no-code interface and customize it with their logo and branded colors. From there, the Einstein Service Agent chatbot can direct customers to relevant articles and solve problems.
Remember that Salesforce can be intricate, requiring a longer learning curve for first-time users. Salesforce isn't solely dedicated to customer experience, providing a comprehensive suite for sales and marketing. That means businesses seeking to enhance their customer service may find it easier to achieve their goals by opting for software specifically designed for CX.
Who is it for?
Salesforce Service Cloud is particularly advantageous for sales teams already using other Salesforce products since they natively integrate. This allows sales teams to access customer data within the same platform, including service history, support interactions, and case resolutions.
Features
- Omnichannel support
- Security
- AI-powered self-service
- Workflow automation
- AI copilot
- Workforce management
- Reporting and analytics
- Apps and integrations
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
User reviews
- "A software for your schedule and other things that will make you lose your mind.”
- “An efficient and scalable customer service solution.”
- “It’s difficult to transfer data from sales to service.”
- “Very versatile CRM platform.”
Pricing: Plans start at $25 per user/month. A 30-day free trial is available.
Learn more: Discover how Salesforce integrates with Zendesk or how Zendesk vs. Salesforce compare.
7. SysAid
Best for codeless interface customization
![The self-service portal within SysAid help desk software.](https://d1eipm3vz40hy0.cloudfront.net/images/AMER/sysaid-help-desk-software-optimized.jpg)
SysAid's help desk software offers a suite of ITSM capabilities. The platform provides ticketing functionality, allowing users to log, prioritize, and track support requests. SysAid can help teams with asset management so businesses manage and monitor their IT assets throughout their life cycle.
The software includes a knowledge base with automation features to handle repetitive tasks, and its reporting and analytics tools provide metrics for help desk performance and customer support trends. SysAid is also customizable and offers integrations with third-party tools and applications.
Who is it for?
SysAid’s drag-and-drop functionality allows administrators to configure workflows, customize forms, and create reports without extensive technical expertise. This makes SysAid a suitable option for businesses that prioritize a no-code approach to IT service management, enabling them to implement and adapt the platform with minimal IT support.
Features
- Omnichannel support
- Security
- AI-powered self-service
- Workflow automation
- AI copilot
- Reporting and analytics
- Apps and integrations
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
User reviews
- “SysAid - A life saver for handling tickets.”
- “SysAid has been our main ITSM tool for over a decade.”
- “Full of Features but comes at a cost.”
Pricing: Contact SysAid for pricing. A free trial is available.
8. Vivantio
Best for concurrent licensing
![The ticketing system within Vivantio help desk software.](https://d1eipm3vz40hy0.cloudfront.net/images/AMER/vivantio-help-desk-software-optimized.jpg)
Vivantio's help desk software assists businesses with service management. Teams can integrate Vivantio with a support mailbox to automatically tag and categorize incoming emails. It also offers email templates for automated responses, ensuring customers receive acknowledgment.
The product’s portal widget builder features custom themes and designs, and the software’s searchable online knowledge base comes with custom forms and fields. Its help desk also features pre-built and customizable reporting and analytics dashboards and a report builder that allows teams to create custom charts to display data and metrics.
Who is it for?
Vivantio offers flexible licensing options, including concurrent licensing models. This allows businesses to purchase a specific number of concurrent users, enabling multiple employees to access the platform with a single license. This model particularly benefits businesses with fluctuating user needs, such as businesses with multiple work shifts.
Features
- Omnichannel support
- Security
- AI-powered self-service
- Workflow automation
- Reporting and analytics
- Apps and integrations
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
User reviews
- “Vivantio—Does everything you need and more.”
- “Mostly good—scope for improvement (which they appear to take seriously).”
- “My experience with Vivantio is good. It is an invaluable tool.”
- “Good experience. It does the job as expected. The price is also good.”
Pricing: Plans start at $59 per user/month, billed annually. A free trial is available.
9. Zoho Desk
Best for mobile app issue resolution
![The team conversation feed in Zoho Desk.](https://d1eipm3vz40hy0.cloudfront.net/images/AMER/zoho-desk-help-desk-optimized.jpg)
Zoho Desk is a cloud-based help desk software that assists businesses with customer support operations. The platform offers a ticketing system, allowing users to create, categorize, and prioritize support tickets. Zoho Desk features a knowledge base so users have access to self-service resources.
The help desk also features automation tools that allow users to set predefined rules and workflows for ticket routing. Additionally, its reporting and analytics tools track ticket volumes, response times, and agent performance. Zoho Desk offers integration with other Zoho applications and third-party tools.
Who is it for?
Zoho Desk is for agents who regularly respond to help desk requests from their mobile devices. The iOS and Android apps let teams manage customer inquiries, track tickets, and resolve issues on the go. The platform offers real-time notifications and access to customer histories, enabling timely responses.
Features
- Omnichannel support
- Security
- AI-powered self-service
- Workflow automation
- AI copilot
- Workforce management
- Reporting and analytics
- Apps and integrations
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
User reviews
- “Extended tool that makes things easier!”
- “Amazing support ticket for a small business like ours.”
- “Zoho Desk has been very easy to set up and is perfect for our small team.”
- “Functional but poor user interface.”
Pricing: Paid plans start at $7 per user/month, billed annually. A free plan and a 15-day free trial are available.
Learn more: Discover how Zoho integrates with Zendesk and/or how Zendesk vs. Zoho compare.
10. Freshdesk
Best for agent day passes
![The self-service knowledge base in Freshdesk help desk software.](https://d1eipm3vz40hy0.cloudfront.net/images/AMER/freshdesk-help-desk-optimized.jpg)
The Freshworks cloud-based help desk tool, Freshdesk, serves as a centralized platform for support teams to manage and respond to customer requests. Its ticketing system consolidates requests from various channels into a shared team inbox.
It offers automation capabilities and customizable ticket fields to help categorize and route incoming customer inquiries and requests. Additionally, users can define custom ticket statuses for greater visibility into the ticket's progress.
It's worth noting that the Freshworks platform comprises three systems: Freshdesk, Freshchat, and Freshcaller. Each system operates within its own workspace, requiring agents to navigate between multiple tabs to access customer information. This setup may impact customer service efficiency, potentially leading to delays and oversight of important information.
Who is it for?
Freshdesk is best for businesses with seasonal workload changes or who are regularly hiring contractors. For a nominal fee, it provides day passes that grant temporary access to agents without committing to a full license.
Features
- Omnichannel support
- Security
- AI-powered self-service
- AI copilot
- Workflow automation
- Reporting and analytics
- Apps and integrations
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
User reviews
- “Straight-forward helpdesk that provides all the features you need to excel at CS.”
- “Freshdesk—simplifying our customer services.”
- “The overall offering is excellent, but as with everything, there's room for improvement.”
- “Efficient, but the new reporting system needs improvement.”
Pricing: Plans start at $15 per agent/month, billed annually. A free plan and a 14-day free trial are available.
Learn more: Discover how Zendesk vs. Freshdesk compare.
11. HubSpot Service Hub
Best for teams using HubSpot’s CRM
![The email tool within HubSpot Service Hub.](https://d1eipm3vz40hy0.cloudfront.net/images/AMER/hubspot-service-hub-help-desk-optimized.jpg)
HubSpot Service Hub provides a single dashboard that lets your support team log, organize, and track all customer issues in one place. Agents can view customer data, ticket status, queue location, and the time it takes to resolve an issue. Reporting and analytics help you monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) like ticket volume and first contact resolution time.
The software offers ticket routing and automation features that allow your team to automate tasks. The platform also automatically creates tickets when a customer submits a form, email, or chat.
Who is it for?
HubSpot Service Hub is a natural extension for businesses already leveraging the HubSpot CRM. It allows for a unified customer view across sales, marketing, and service departments. This shared data provides a 360-degree understanding of customer interactions.
Features
- Omnichannel support
- Security
- AI-powered self-service
- Workflow automation
- AI copilot
- Reporting and analytics
- Apps and integrations
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
User reviews
- “A perfect tool for startups, but there's room for improvement.”
- “Really useful tool for service teams to stay on top of requests and tickets!”
- “Easy to use platform for managing customer support.”
- “Very easy to use and work within HubSpot, but some limitations around privacy.”
Pricing: Paid plans start at $15 per seat/month, billed annually. A free plan is available.
Learn more: Discover how HubSpot integrates with Zendesk or how Zendesk vs. HubSpot compare.
12. Spiceworks Cloud Help Desk
Best for teams looking for a free product
![The knowledge base feature in Spiceworks Cloud Help Desk software.](https://d1eipm3vz40hy0.cloudfront.net/images/AMER/spiceworks-cloud-help-desk-optimized.jpg)
Spiceworks Cloud Help Desk is a web-based ticketing system designed to assist IT professionals in managing and tracking support requests. The platform allows users to create, prioritize, and assign tickets. Users can also set alerts and customize ticket attributes and rules to receive ticket activity and status notifications.
The software supports email integration, automatically converting incoming customer emails into tickets. The software includes reporting tools for tracking ticket metrics, response times, and overall support performance.
Who is it for?
Spiceworks is a free help desk solution, allowing businesses operating on a tight budget to access the necessary tools to serve their customers. Additionally, its cloud-based nature eliminates the need for infrastructure setup, ensuring quick deployment and ease of use.
Features
- Omnichannel support
- Workflow automation
- Reporting and analytics
- Apps and integrations
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
User reviews
- “Streamline your tracking with easy ticket submission.”
- “Spiceworks' free cloud help desk: A clunky option with delayed updates.”
- “Ease of use and free.”
Pricing: Free
Learn more: Discover how Zendesk vs. Spiceworks compare.
13. LiveAgent
Best for live chat support
![A chat interface in LiveAgent, a help desk software.](https://d1eipm3vz40hy0.cloudfront.net/images/AMER/liveagenthelpdesksoftware.jpg)
LiveAgent is a help desk software that helps customer support teams manage inquiries across multiple communication channels. Its ticketing system supports channels like phone, email, live chat, knowledge base, and social media, routing tickets into a shared team inbox. Its chat software allows agents to provide live support and features a real-time typing view so support agents can see what the customer is typing before they hit send.
The software includes automation tools like pre-written responses and automated ticket routing. Additionally, LiveAgent provides a knowledge base for help center articles, FAQs, and self-service resources. The platform also offers collaboration tools, reporting and analytics software, and integrations with third-party applications.
Pros:
- Multichannel support
- 130+ ticketing features
- Call center capabilities
Cons:
- Fewer integrations than other options
- Limited features in the basic plan
Pricing: Plans start at $9 per agent/month, billed annually. A 30-day free trial is available.
Recommended reading: Learn how Zendesk vs. LiveAgent compare.
Key features of help desk systems
Here are a few key features to look for when comparing help desk software.
Omnichannel support
An omnichannel approach creates connected and consistent interactions across channels and touchpoints. With it, customers and employees can get convenient support over their preferred communication mediums, like Slack, Microsoft Teams, email, and live chat.
With Zendesk, context moves with the user from channel to channel and lives in the omnichannel Agent Workspace, which creates a unified view of conversation history and background information and can even bring in data from key business systems. Help desk software that prioritizes omnichannel service allows agents to deliver efficient, personalized service at scale.
Security
Help desk systems have access to a tremendous amount of confidential customer and employee information, and you need to be sure that information is safe. Comprehensive security features protect data and can help organizations achieve security compliance. Look for options like Zendesk with comprehensive compliance certifications and memberships to know your information is in good hands.
AI-powered self-service
Customers can become angry, frustrated, or stressed when they can’t complete simple tasks independently. Using customer service software with self-service capabilities allows them to quickly find relevant resources and resolve issues independently, reducing the number of support tickets.
Adding AI capabilities can supercharge the experience for your customers and employees. With AI, you can:
- Create and optimize new self-service articles through generative AI.
- Deploy AI agents to walk through and solve even the most complex user issues.
- Review existing content to identify knowledge gaps and articles that need to be updated.
- Provide advanced search capabilities that help your users find what they need faster.
With AI-powered software like Zendesk, you can empower customers and employees to help themselves. Just look at Unity, a development platform that used Zendesk AI-powered automations and self-service to save $1.3 million.
Workflow automation
Workflow automation uses technology to streamline business activities, eliminating the need for manual input. In the context of a help desk, workflows can help businesses establish predefined sequences of actions and rules that automate and guide the processing of support tickets.
For example, organizations can establish omnichannel routing to automatically direct customer or employee requests across multiple support channels, factoring in agent status, capacity, skill set, and ticket priority. Doing so can reduce wait times, increase agent productivity, and boost customer satisfaction.
Reporting and analytics
Help desk software that features reporting and analytics gives you fast access to valuable customer insights that can help you:
- Identify areas of improvement so you can provide better experiences.
- Monitor team and agent performance to see where they excel and where they need to improve.
- Understand your customers better so you can personalize interactions and improve their overall experience.
With a reporting and analytics solution that integrates data from every channel, you can measure how customers interact with your business and how you perform.
Apps and integrations
The right integrations can extend the functionality and capabilities of your help desk systems to get a 360-degree view of the customer and streamline your data across systems. This information can help you and your team gain a complete, accurate picture of your customers—and understand exactly what they need.
Consider help desk software that offers a variety of pre-built, third-party integrations. For example, the Zendesk Marketplace offers over 1,500 apps and integrations, complete with user reviews and ratings.
Benefits of using help desk tools
Help desk tools have benefits for customers and employees alike. Here are a few to consider.
Improved service efficiency
Help desk tools can streamline the process of providing fast and easy support options to internal and external customers. An omnichannel ticketing system, for example, consolidates customer requests and IT support tickets in a single location. This eliminates the need to toggle between systems and channels, enabling agents to deliver quick, efficient service.
Revamped service quality
Businesses can use help desk software to offer a higher standard of service. With this technology, teams can:
- Establish and maintain helpful knowledge bases.
- Reference information on customer and employee interactions to enhance personalization.
- Provide comprehensive, 24/7 support with chatbots and AI agents.
The result is a faster and more effective experience for customers and employees.
Boosted cost savings
Investing in help desk tools can lead to significant cost savings for businesses. Teams can take advantage of self-service resources and workflow automation to reduce the pressure on support teams, leading to labor cost savings.
Additionally, organizations can use help desk software to spot inefficiencies in their support processes, leading to more efficient service and less time wasted on unnecessary tasks. Take Degreed, for example. The learning experience platform uses Zendesk to increase automation and self-service—leading to $1M in cost savings.
Refined collaboration
Help desk tools foster better team collaboration by providing a centralized platform where all team members can access and update information. They also help support reps better understand the customer journey so they can focus on delivering an exceptional customer experience at every touchpoint.
It also gives HR and IT teams a comprehensive view of the employee journey, facilitating seamless employee service. With context and data, tracking software, reporting and analytics tools, and easy-to-automate workflows all in one place, your business will stay in sync.
Enhanced optimization
With help desk software, teams can quickly spot inefficiencies and implement improvement opportunities. For example, businesses can use these tools to track customer service key performance indicators (KPIs) like first reply time (FRT) or average resolution time. This information can help organizations stay agile and deliver outstanding service at every turn.
How to choose the right help desk software
With the right help desk system, support teams are equipped with all the tools they need to provide quick, effective service. Here are a few common things to consider when choosing a partner:
- AI and automation: Generative AI, AI agents, and more can take your customer and employee support to the next level. Choose help desk options like Zendesk that emphasize these technologies to help provide more effective support.
- Low total cost of ownership: The monthly fee isn’t the only cost associated with help desk software. Look for tools that can get you up and running quickly so you can realize the value of your investment as soon as possible. Also, choose an option with transparent pricing that doesn’t have endless add-ons.
- Fast ROI and ease of use: Help desk software with out-of-the-box functionality can help your business see a faster return on investment (ROI). Look for help desk software with an intuitive, agent-friendly interface, easy customization options, and simple admin. For example, cosmetics retailer Lush used Zendesk to achieve a 369 percent ROI in less than one year.
- Scalability and agility: Consider an open, flexible, and agile help desk solution that easily integrates with the rest of your tech stack and helps you make changes at the speed of your business. It should scale with you and evolve with your customer needs.
Be sure to factor in these variables and the features that matter most to you.
Frequently asked questions
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Read customer storyElevate your help desk with Zendesk
The right help desk solution enables you to adapt to evolving expectations so you can continuously provide a great customer experience and employee service. That’s where Zendesk excels.
By infusing AI across the entire service experience, Zendesk can help unlock your support team’s potential. Our AI is purpose-built for customer service and can help your team resolve even the most complex customer interactions at every touchpoint. If you want to promote a hands-off CX experience, we can assist with that too by helping you write and update help center articles, and assist your users with 24/7 AI agent support. Not only that, but Zendesk is easy to use and easy to scale—meaning we can get you started quickly and be there for you as you grow.
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