The top 10 e-commerce help desks 2024

What is an e-commerce help desk?

An e-commerce help desk is a customer service solution tailored for online retail businesses, enabling them to efficiently manage customer inquiries, complaints, and support requests. It integrates various communication channels like email, chat, and social media into a single interface for better customer interaction and resolution tracking. This system often includes features like automated responses, ticket management, and analytics to improve the overall customer service experience.

What are the benefits of a help desk for your e-commerce business?

1. Unify multiple channels into a single view

Customers today expect brands to meet their needs on communication channels they use daily, including email, phone, and social media. As you add more support channels to your customer service strategy, you may run the risk of delayed responses or missing specific customer inquiries. An e-commerce help desk lets you streamline all queries into one interface and stay on top of customer requests

2. Offer personalized and contextual help

Using multiple tools and platforms to communicate with online shoppers often results in a fragmented view of the customer and their needs. Customers get frustrated and unhappy to repeat their issues repeatedly to support agents while looking for assistance. A good help desk software is deeply integrated with other common e-commerce platforms and gives your customer service team a complete context of customer requests.

3. Reduce ticket volume by building comprehensive knowledge bases

E-commerce customer support teams are usually dealing with a ton of repetitive questions. An e-commerce help desk is the right place to set up a rich knowledge base with FAQs, tutorials, and solution articles to deflect these common questions so they never have to reach your support team. Your customers can look for information and resolve issues on their own even before contacting your service agents. It’s a win-win for customers and support teams—quicker resolutions and fewer support tickets.

4. Measure customer satisfaction and team performance

When you process your customer inquiries through an e-commerce customer service software, there’s a ton of data available in the tool that helps you make better decisions to improve the e-commerce customer experience. You can monitor critical support metrics like first response rate, first call resolution, tickets meeting response and resolution SLAs, or even track CSAT scores by triggering feedback forms after every customer service interaction. For instance, Freshdesk allows you to automatically collect customer feedback with customizable surveys and determine how satisfied the customer is with the extended service experience.

“Using Freshdesk has improved our service. Customers can rate our responses, which allows us to track our service and pick up on anything we can improve on. Emails from customers are sent to the correct department, so they are dealt with quicker. We can also make comparisons between members of staff to monitor progress.”

Elliot Lees-Bell, Founder & MD, Beyond Retail

e-commerce help desk software best practices

Following certain best practices for e-commerce help desk software can help to have a more organized approach to resolving issues and handling issues on various communication channels. Some best practices are:

• Efficient use of automation and AI to handle routine tasks like categorizing inquiries and offering responses using AI-powered chatbots

• Emphasizing personalized communication using data like past interactions with customers to provide better product recommendations and support

• Prioritize regular training and support for your service team by familiarizing them with the software’s functionalities and developing their communication skills, product knowledge, and strategies for handling challenging situations

• Regularly review data from the software’s analytics and reporting features to gain insight into the service’s effectiveness

Essential features to look for in an e-commerce help desk software

1. Ticketing

A core functionality of a help desk ticketing system is organizing, prioritizing, and tracking customer requests from major support channels as ‘tickets’ on a single screen.

2. Omnichannel support

Your help desk should be able to process customer conversations from your primary support channels like email or social media in one centralized location.

3. SLA management

Configuring business hours and SLA targets for different types of customer requests within your help desk sets the expectations right between brands and customers.

4. Automation

Your team can be more productive when your help desk has automation capabilities like setting up workflows for recurrent scenarios or adding common responses in a click.

5. Collaboration

A good e-commerce support software should make it easy for you to loop in team members and solve customer issues together without any hassles.

6. Knowledge base

Create solution articles, convert tickets to articles, and list repeated queries as FAQs within a knowledge base built from your help desk.

7. Customized support portal

Hosting a customized customer support portal—also known as a help center—enables you to give a seamless self-service experience for online buyers.

8. Integrations

Offer contextual customer support by integrating your help desk with other common e-commerce business tools, including your CRM, order management system, and payment platform.

9. Help desk reports

Built-in help desk reporting and analytics features allow you to track and measure your support team performance in real-time or periodically.

The 10 best e-commerce help desk tools

Considering the significant role of customer support in e-commerce success, selecting the right e-commerce help desk tool is crucial. If you're convinced about the need for such a tool, explore these top picks to find the perfect fit for your e-commerce business needs.

1. Freshdesk

2. Freshworks Customer Service Suite

3. UVdesk

4. Sprout Social

5. LiveAgent

6. Gorgias

7. Groove

8. Zoho Desk

9. Zendesk

10. Hubspot

Freshdesk

Freshdesk is a feature-rich, multi-channel customer support software that e-commerce businesses can use to deliver personalized, instant, consistent support across email, Twitter, Facebook, and support portals.

Key Features

• Access to customer requests across various channels as tickets on a simple, easy-to-use interface.

• Efficient ticket management

• No-code bots

• Automated ticketing 

• AI-powered automations

• Collaboration tools 

• Analytics

• Customizable knowledge bases 

• Trigger built-in CSAT surveys with customizable questions

Advantages:

Freshdesk has numerous advantages for businesses seeking help desk. It streamlines support ticket categorization according to SLA targets while automating common e-commerce workflows to boost efficiency. Its ticket assignment options can be based on agent skills, workload, and more to ensure proper handling of inquiries. Freshdesk’s multi channel support also promotes efficient service, while its automation services save time on repetitive tasks. Its customization options allow businesses to determine how they want to use Freshdesk. 

Why customers rave about Freshdesk:

Freshdesk’s user-friendly interface and automation capabilities enhance effective response times and allow for quick and efficient support. Its multichannel use is also helpful for customers as they can use the service on communication channels of their preference. Additionally, Freshdesk works to ensure personalized support and to optimize workloads to ensure the satisfaction of both customers and agents.

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2. Freshworks Customer Service Suite

Freshworks Customer Service Suite is an omnichannel conversational support and ticketing solution with various AI features tailored to help businesses optimize their services and elevate customer relationships. Whether managing tickets, automating tasks, or delivering exceptional service, Freshworks Customer Service Suite helps businesses stay ahead in a competitive market. 

Key Features:

• Multi-channel support

• Automated self-service with chatbots

• Unified agent workspace

• Gen AI-powered productivity tools

• Performance data analytics

• Collaboration tools for teams

• Advanced ticketing

Advantages:

The Freshworks Customer Service Suite has a host of benefits with its automation capabilities that allow it to effectively handle mundane tasks and ticket assignments, resulting in better efficiency among support agents. It also eases burdens on support teams with chatbots-based self-service solutions for customers. Its analytics tools provide performance insights that businesses can use to improve service and operations.

Why customers rave about Freshworks Customer Service Suite:

Customers praise Freshworks Customer Service Suite for its ability to foster strong connections and deliver exemplary service. Its easy-to-use interface is an effective tool for customers and agents, and its multichannel application means customers can engage with the platform on several communication channels. Freshworks' continual commitment to advancement and improvements means customers will always have access to features inspired by a commitment to excellence.

3. UVdesk

UVdesk is a helpdesk and customer support service designed to enhance customer interactions. UVdesk is able to centralize customer interactions and provide insights into support operations to help businesses make data-informed decisions to improve their service. 

Key features:

• Ticket, task, and email management

• Knowledge base creation

• Multichannel support

• Agent performance analysis

Pros and Cons:

• User-friendly interface

• Customizable 

• Limited features

• Learning curve

4. Sprout Social

Sprout Social monitors brand mentions and engages with customers across various social media channels. Sprout Social is an exceptional solution for online stores that rely on social media for customer engagement. 

Key Features:

• Social media listening

• Task assignment for customer queries raised on social media platforms

• Managing online reviews on popular sites.

• Track customer conversations

Pros and Cons of Sprout Social:

• Comprehensive social media management

• User-friendly interface

• Pricing may be high for some businesses

• Learning curve for mastering all features

5. LiveAgent

LiveAgent provides a comprehensive range of tools for managing live chat, email, social media, and phone support. LiveAgent's strength lies in its ability to provide a seamless and integrated customer service experience across different platforms, ensuring that customer inquiries are handled promptly and efficiently, regardless of how they are received.

Key features:

• Fast live chat support

• Website visitor tracking to understand user demographics

• Shared inbox that streamlines customer requests

Pros and Cons of LiveAgent:

• UI is slightly complex and requires a steeper learning curve

• Multichannel 

• Limited interface customization 

• Learning curve for some users

6. Gorgias

Gorgias began as a Shopify customer service app and has transformed into a well-regarded help desk solution in the e-commerce market. Its close integration with Shopify makes it an ideal choice for e-commerce businesses that use this platform. 

Key Features:

• Omnichannel ticketing

• Macros to automate routine tasks

• CSAT surveys within the help desk

• ROI calculator

• CX growth playbook

Pros and Cons of Gorgias:

• Unified customer communication platform 

• AI assistance with ticketing 

• Higher price for some businesses

• Integration with certain tools may be limited

7. Groove

Groove's customer service software is specifically tailored for small businesses and startups, offering a efficient and user-friendly solution. Groove's design focuses on organization, making it an excellent choice for businesses that require a straightforward, effective customer service tool without the bells and whistles of more complex systems. The platform's focus on email management makes it particularly useful for businesses where email remains a primary communication channel with customers.

Key Features:

• Shared inbox for email, chat, and social media conversations

• Simple collaboration features

• Good knowledge base capabilities

Pros and Cons of Groove:

• Clean, intuitive interface

• Minimizes clutter and complexity

• Limited automation and workflow customization options

• Reporting and analytics features may be basic compared to some other helpdesk software

8. Zoho Desk

Zoho Desk is a customer support and helpdesk software designed to improve customer service operations for all kinds of businesses and business sizes, from startups to enterprises. Zoho Desk allows businesses to strengthen customer relationships by providing a better understanding of customer needs and values and enabling organizations to manage customer inquiries, support requests, and tickets. 

Key features:

• Ticket management 

• Zia, an AI virtual assistant designed to assist customer support agents with services like sentiment analysis, auto-tagging of tickets, and more

• Customer self-service 

• Reporting and analytics

• Service Level Agreement (SLA) management

Pros and Cons of Zoho Desk:

• Can track customer issues

• Mobile accessibility

• Steeper learning curve for mastering advanced features

• Integration options with certain third-party tools may be limited

9. Zendesk

Zendesk is a customer service and support platform that assists businesses in building relationships with customers and delivering exceptional service. Its user-friendly applications and customizable features make Zendesk helpful for many companies to foster customer loyalty and satisfaction. Zendesk allows organizations to analyze customer support operations, provide self-service resources with a knowledge base and community forums, and assess customer interactions. 

Key Features:

• ROI calculator

• CX Trends Report 

• Messaging services with automation and AI

• 24/7 support with Zendesk bots

• Connectability to social channels

• Message customization

• An integrated ticketing system

Pros and Cons of Zendesk:

• Flexible and customizable

• Advanced analytics and reporting

• Some features may need Add-Ons

• Learning curve for complex features

10. Hubspot

Hubspot is a customer relationship management platform designed to manage company interactions with customers. Hubspot allows companies to connect to customers using its software for marketing, customer service, sales, operations, and content management purposes. 

Key Features:

• Campaign and content creation using AI and automation

• Data quality and data sync tools

• Analytics and reporting tools 

• Customer feedback and surveys, as well as conversational tools

• SEO recommendations 

Pros and Cons of Hubspot:

• User-friendly interface

• Detailed analytics

• Limited e-commerce features

• Pricing may be a problem for some businesses

How to choose an e-commerce help desk software

Choosing the right e-commerce help desk software is crucial for maintaining efficient customer support, which can significantly impact customer satisfaction and retention. Here are a few things you should consider to help you make an informed decision:

Identify your specific needs and goals

Before diving into the sea of available options, it's essential to understand what you specifically need from a help desk software. Consider the size of your business, the volume of customer interactions, and the nature of your product and service offerings. 

Are you looking for a solution that primarily handles email queries, or do you need a more robust system to manage multiple channels like live chat, social media, and phone calls? Define clear objectives, such as improving response times, managing high ticket volumes, or providing more personalized customer support.

Evaluate the features and functionality

Next, compare the features of different help desk software. Key features include multichannel support, automation tools, ticket management, integration capabilities with your existing eCommerce platform and other tools (like CRM systems), and reporting and analytics features. 

Advanced functionalities might include AI-powered chatbots for initial customer interactions, self-service options like knowledge bases, and tools for customer feedback collection.

Assess user-friendliness and scalability

The software should not only be powerful but also user-friendly. Your team should be able to easily understand its interface and utilize its features effectively. Consider the training and support provided by the software vendor. 

Scalability is another significant consideration. As your business grows, your help desk software should be able to accommodate increased demands without compromising performance or requiring a complete system overhaul.

Consider cost and return on investment (ROI)

Cost is always a critical factor. However, don't just go for the cheapest option. Evaluate the pricing structure of each software – some might charge per agent, per ticket, or offer a flat rate. 

Also, consider the potential return on investment. A more expensive system that leads to significantly better customer satisfaction and retention might be more beneficial in the long run than a cheaper option.

Read reviews and test with free trials/demos 

Finally, don't underestimate the value of reviews and firsthand experience. Read what other eCommerce businesses have to say about the software. Look for case studies or testimonials that reflect a business scenario similar to yours. 

Most importantly, take advantage of free trials or demos. This hands-on experience can be invaluable in understanding whether a particular help desk solution fits well with your business operations and meets your expectations.

Why Freshdesk is the right help desk for your e-commerce business

Our award-winning help desk has exceptional ticketing and automation capabilities which are simple and easy to use for customer support teams of all sizes. Freshdesk has all the essential features listed in the above sections and also has some unique capabilities for e-commerce businesses.