As markets develop, it’s widespread for firms to begin differentiating themselves by means of specialization. Because the saying goes, “The riches are within the niches.” Relying on the enterprise you’re in, there’s actually some benefit to that line of considering.
On the planet of help software program, we’re beginning to see the specialization pattern. Some firms deal with a sure business, some on a particular use case, and others on a particular channel. Such is the case with Helpshift.
Helpshift describes itself as an “in-app, mobile-first customer support platform.” For that particular use, there aren’t many instruments available on the market that may compete. However there may be one main draw back to going the hyper-specialized route: You’re taking company away out of your prospects.
We’re not ones to make the argument that it’s essential to dedicate sources to each channel a buyer might presumably contact you on, however prospects ought to be empowered to a point to decide on their very own help journey.
In case you’re a present Helpshift buyer or are simply beginning your help software program search, we’ve put collectively an inventory of 9 Helpshift alternate options to think about on your help wants.
9 Finest Helpshift Options
For our alternate options, we chosen merchandise that supplied comparable performance to Helpshift but in addition embody a number of different instruments. There’s some characteristic overlap, however every choice beneath has a use case the place it excels.
1. Assist Scout
Finest Helpshift various for customer-focused groups.
Assist Scout is an entire buyer communication platform that empowers groups to work together with prospects throughout a number of channels. Just like Helpshift, you’re in a position to provide in-app and reside chat help by means of Beacon, an embeddable chat widget. Nevertheless, that’s simply one of many instruments you get entry to when signing up.
Our shared inbox encourages workforce collaboration by means of options like personal notes and @mentions. Collision detection reduces duplicate work by displaying when somebody is actively engaged on a particular dialog. You’re additionally in a position to automate routine duties like dialog sorting with workflows and get further context with buyer profiles.
One other highly effective software you get entry to is our data base builder, Docs. Docs allows you to create, arrange, and handle each inner and exterior assist documentation. The WYSIWYG editor makes content material creation easy. All Docs websites have built-in search performance, making it straightforward for purchasers to seek out what they’re in search of. You additionally get entry to Docs-specific reviews to grasp which articles are performing finest and areas the place you may develop.
To higher perceive total workforce efficiency, Assist Scout comes with pre-built efficiency dashboards. With reviews, you’re additionally in a position to create customized views to deal with the metrics that matter most to you. And in case you ever need assistance with something, reporting or in any other case, our world-class help workforce is able to help 24/6.
Worth: Beginning at $20/agent per thirty days.
2. LiveAgent
Finest Helpshift various for ecommerce groups.
When LiveAgent first began, it was a reside chat software (therefore the “reside” within the identify). Since then, they’ve grown right into a multichannel buyer help platform together with a shared inbox, a data base builder, telephone help, and buyer portals.
LiveAgent additionally has fairly a number of integrations, serving to you present help on quite a lot of completely different platforms like Shopify and social websites like Twitter and Fb. You’re additionally in a position to automate sure handbook duties like ticket sorting and perceive workforce efficiency by means of channel-specific reviews.
Worth: Beginning at $15/agent per thirty days.
3. Zoho Desk
Finest Helpshift various for groups utilizing Zoho CRM.
Zoho Desk is a multichannel buyer help software that covers e-mail, telephone, and reside chat. In case you use Zoho’s flagship CRM product, you’re in a position to join the 2 and get much more perception in regards to the prospects contacting you, giving your workforce the context they should resolve points shortly.
There are a number of different options distinctive to Zoho like headquarters, which is a reside dashboard displaying each macro and micro-level traits. Their work modes characteristic robotically assigns open tickets to brokers to maintain productiveness up. Final, they’ve an AI assistant referred to as Zia that may deal with primary requests or make recommendations to brokers to maintain issues working easily.
Worth: Free plan out there. Paid plans begin at $14/agent per thirty days.
4. HelpDesk
Finest Helpshift various for e-mail help.
HelpDesk is a shared inbox software that lets your workforce collaborate and reply to buyer inquiries from a centralized location. HelpDesk is generally meant for e-mail communication, although the makers of HelpDesk do have a few different merchandise to cowl different help channels like chat.
With HelpDesk, you’re in a position to group tickets collectively by matter to create customized views. You possibly can handle a number of e-mail addresses in a single account and create particular folders for every to maintain issues organized. You’re additionally in a position to create primary automations and saved replies for routine requests to take care of workforce productiveness.
Worth: Beginning at $29/agent per thirty days.
5. Zendesk
Finest Helpshift various for giant groups.
Zendesk is an enterprise-focused buyer help platform that provides instruments to supply help throughout quite a lot of channels. They’ve two major plan sorts: foundational and suite. If you would like chat performance, you’d take a look at the suite plans since chat isn’t supplied on their foundational plans.
With Zendesk you’re in a position to automate routine duties by means of automation and even reply primary tickets utilizing their AI-powered bot. On their higher-cost plans, you may create self-service portals for particular prospects and customized reporting dashboards to raised perceive workforce efficiency.
Worth: Beginning at $19/agent per thirty days.
6. Freshdesk
Finest Helpshift various for groups in search of a free choice.
Freshdesk has a really comparable providing to Zendesk. Nevertheless, they do have a few issues that set them aside. First, they provide a free plan groups can use for primary help, however it’s restricted to e-mail and social media messages. If it’s essential to do in-app help, you’d have to enroll in one among their omnichannel plans.
Past having a free plan, in addition they have minutes added to all their omnichannel plans, which could be very helpful for groups providing telephone help. Another standout options are co-browsing capabilities and the choice to arrange customized SLAs for various shoppers to make sure you’re all the time hitting the mark.
Worth: Free plan out there. Paid plans begin at $15/agent per thirty days.
7. HappyFox
Finest Helpshift various for groups new to help.
HappyFox is a help platform that provides a number of completely different instruments to help prospects and streamline workforce operations. Their main product is a assist desk that permits you to reply to e-mail requests in addition to construct a data base. You’re additionally in a position to create buyer portals to permit safe file and knowledge sharing.
In case you’re in search of chat performance, it’s not supplied as a part of their assist desk, however they’ve not too long ago launched HappyFox chat. It’s a separate product and does come at some further value.
Worth: Beginning at $29/agent per thirty days.
8. Olark
Finest Helpshift various for chat-focused groups.
Like Helpshift, Olark can also be a devoted chat software. With it, you’re in a position to provide reside chat help in addition to present automated help by means of customizable chatbots. Olark affords a lot of productiveness options like saved replies to reply regularly requested questions shortly and chat routing to robotically assign new chats.
Olark additionally has fairly a number of native integrations, permitting you to hook up with a lot of different instruments in your tech stack. Additionally they embody agent- and team-level analytics to raised perceive the place you’re excelling and the place you may develop.
Worth: Beginning at $29/seat per thirty days.
9. ChatBot
Finest Helpshift various for automated help.
Because the identify suggests, ChatBot is a chatbot software that helps groups present automated help to prospects. Its no-code builder makes establishing a chatbot easy and pretty fast. Additionally they have a library of prebuilt chatbots you should utilize if you wish to get began even sooner.
ChatBot offers you entry to reporting information to be higher knowledgeable about when and why prospects are contacting you. You’re additionally in a position to hook up with quite a lot of platforms like Slack, Fb Messenger, and WhatsApp to supply chatbot help wherever your prospects are.
Worth: Beginning at $42/month.
Making the precise alternative
There’s little question that Helpshift is a useful gizmo, however it’s restricted in scope. The very fact of the matter is there are a number of instruments available on the market in the present day that supply comparable performance, together with different instruments that in the end present higher worth for many groups.
That stated, you’re the one one who can say for sure what’s going to work finest on your workforce. Take the time to grasp your wants, vet the choices out there, and be considerate in your eventual alternative. In case you do, we’re sure you’ll land on a software that’s in a position to serve your wants now and into the longer term. In case you’d like extra steering, take a look at our Purchaser’s Information to Selecting the Proper Assist Instrument.