Customer Service Tools

These 19 Customer Service Tools are Critical for Your Business

From omnichannel support to AI-powered automation, here are the best customer service tools you need to organize your customer support operation.

catherine heath

Last updated: July 31, 2023

22 mins read

It really is true – Customer service tools are beyond critical. 

  • They help make your customers happy. 
  • They make your customer support team more efficient (and much much happier,) too.
  • Not to mention that they can seriously propel your growth.  

In this guide, not only you’ll learn how it happens. You’ll also discover 19 amazing customer support tools that will make it happen for you. 

Ready? Let’s take it from the top, then.

A complete help desk, inside Gmail?
Keeping turns your Gmail into a fully featured help desk. It's not magic, but it feels magical.

What are customer service tools, and what do they do?

The label—customer service tools—refers to any software that helps deliver more efficient service and support to customers and, ideally, saves you money in the process.

As you’ll shortly see, these tools fall into several categories, and that’s an important thing to remember. You rarely use just one customer service tool. Granted, which ones you’ll choose will depend on your customer service team structure, what communication channels you use, or your budget.

Companies primarily choose their customer support software because they save them time and money. They also enable businesses to deliver customer service online. That’s why tools that can include features such as rules and automations are particularly appealing for busy customer service teams. 

Since customer service is so important, this means that any tool which can augment and improve your service should be a welcome addition and revenue driver – more on this later. 

What do customer service tools do?

Customer service tools can augment human customer service and provide a higher level of service than you could provide without the tool. A chatbot can automate many common answers, while a help desk can route tickets. 

Let’s review all the different use cases for customer support tools, then.

Facilitate online customer service

As we’ve already mentioned, customer service is so important. Particularly for ecommerce companies, other retailers, SaaS companies, and more, providing support online is essential as more business takes place over the internet. 

You absolutely need the right customer service tools to function well. Customers notice, and feel more loyal to your business.  

Great customer service means meeting customers where they’re at using tools of their choice. That could include live chat, email, chatbots and self-service knowledge bases. These all enable you to provide service online. Online businesses have more options than companies operating primarily in-store. 

Enable the use of AI and automation

While it’s commonly believed that AI will power 95% of customer interactions by 2025, 73% of shoppers also believe that AI can positively impact the customer experience now. Generative AI in particular is currently producing much excitement in this field. 

Since these tools rely on algorithms to work, this raises the possibility of using AI to perform tasks (whether customer-facing or not) that were previously accomplished by agents and to make accurate predictions. Companies have been using automation for longer, which means using technology to reduce the need for human assistance to perform tasks. 

Connect multiple channels together

Certain tools such as a help desk can help you bring many communication channels together. This means your service is more unified and consistent. An approach like this is usually known as omnichannel customer service. The goal is for the customer experience to be seamless and connected, no matter what channel customers are using. 

Instead of having an email team, a telephone team, and a social media team, you can manage them all from one dashboard and even jump between them. This avoids customers having to repeat problems and details to different agents when trying to obtain help. 

Breaking down silos is a key function of customer service tools. This results in a better customer experience.

Provide self-service support

We’ve already discussed AI and automation. Self-service support is a broader category of service that enables customers to help themselves. This can involve using a tool such as a chatbot but also a knowledge base or FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions). Knowledge bases can be static or dynamic. In the latter case, AI will help customers find answers and discover more knowledge. 

The great advantage of self-service support is in deflecting more tickets and also empowering customers to troubleshoot. 67% of customers prefer self-service over speaking to an agent. Many will have looked for answers before contacting support. Offering these options sets your company apart.  

Deliver round-the-clock customer service

With the increasing prevalence of globalization, one business may have customers in many time zones. That means, customers in Azerbaijan or Canada may have questions at any time of day. If you don’t get back to them, you risk losing their business. 72% of customers say they’ll only stay loyal to a company if the brand provides the fastest service. 

If you can expand your potential customer base using customer service tools, that’s a good thing. A chatbot or knowledge base will allow you to provide 24/7 answers, even in your customer’s native language, while agents are off the clock. You can achieve this standard even if you can’t afford the resources to implement a follow the sun model of customer service. 

Personalize the customer experience

Partly due to technological innovations like generative AI, 73% of customers now expect a much greater degree of personalization in customer service. When a company scales customer service, it’s not always possible to offer the degree of personal service that customers prefer. Technology can help bridge this gap using data and AI. 

Personalization means tailoring your service to meet customer needs and validating their unique characteristics. This means you can make predictions, offer targeted products, and celebrate milestones. You create a more engaging customer experience that results in loyalty.

What are the specific types of customer service tools?

Help desks

A help desk was originally a term referring to a contact point for customers in IT. Help desks are now used by the vast majority of businesses that wish to provide customer service. A help desk software is defined primarily by its ability to turn customer support requests into tickets, enabling teams of agents to collaborate on solving them.

You may have heard of a solution such as Zendesk, but there are a great variety of help desks out there. A help desk, or call center, can be used for multiple channels, including email, social media, voice and SMS.  When you turn inquiries into tickets, this opens up the possibility of managing them with prioritization, routing, assignment and tagging. 

For email help desks in particular, the return on investment can be particularly high because 93% of customers prefer to use email. This makes it the most popular customer service channel in use today. If you use an email help desk like Keeping, you can integrate it with Gmail which you may have already been using.  

Example of a customer service tool.

Our own help desk software for Gmail, Keeping

Live chat

Live chat is a specialized tool that businesses use to have real-time conversations with customers over messaging. You may well have a live chat widget on your website or application which will connect them to a customer service representative. Usually, customers don’t need to submit any details in order to access live chat. Intercom is a good example of live chat software.  

Live chat can enable you to provide fast and effective service. Live chat is so popular that even the UK police are using it to field non-emergency inquiries. Another benefit is agents being able to conduct multiple conversations at once, as they wait for customers to get back to them. It’s a good way to exchange screenshots and share files. 

Live chat customer support tool.

Live chat for the UK police

Knowledge bases

Knowledge bases and other self-service portals are resources for customers who want to solve their own problems and find answers to common questions. Writing user documentation is a whole field in itself. Providing the right documentation can often make customers even bigger fans of the company. This was the case with Stripe

There are a few popular knowledge-base vendors, such as Helpjuice. 

A knowledge base is basically a website that has been specifically designed for documentation. It emphasizes categories and search, and now often employs AI to help users find content and discover new information. 

Not only can you control customer support costs through deflecting tickets and saving time for your agents, you can help customers at any time of day. Customers are able to obtain immediate answers, which makes them happy. As we’ve already mentioned, fast service is good service. Knowledge bases can help with both customer retention and acquisition through providing instant help. 

Using knowledge base to boost customer support.

The Stripe knowledge base

Customer relationship management system

A customer relationship management system (CRM for short) is a database for your customers that records important details and interactions. You may have heard of Salesforce, a popular CRM. You could use a CRM for either sales or customer service, since both departments involve managing customer relationships. 

Information you might want to keep track of would include a customer’s history with you and the status of their orders. In this way, agents can provide a personalized service to customers even as your business scales. 

While a help desk focuses on tickets, CRMs are concerned with a moving leads through the stages of a sales pipeline and storing important data about customers. Use a CRM to nurture leads and customers instead of relying too heavily on acquisition to grow.  47% of businesses say their CRM software has a positive impact on customer retention. 

Social media monitoring and engagement

Social media is a popular way for customers to get in touch with businesses and talk about them online. As such, businesses are very interested in social listening tools, where they can jump into customer conversations and manage their reputation. Customer service can be proactive as well as reactive

Social media monitoring is important because it is a great way to provide customer service. Half of businesses use advanced social media management tools to provide customer care, since 80% of customers use social media to engage with brands.  

Call center and voice support

Many people think of a typical call center with computers and headsets when they envision customer service. And indeed many businesses do use voice to support their customers, which many customers prefer for their more complex queries. 

For voice support to work you need a call center and voice support system such as Aircall or TalkDesk. Some help desks may also integrate voice support so you can manage customer service requests in a more centralized fashion. 

With call center and voice support software, instead of having to build a call center in a physical location your agents can work remotely. Namely, cloud contact centers are on the rise with the value of this market predicted to reach $82.43 billion in 2030.

Feedback and review monitoring

Customer service is not only about problem-solving but also about listening to your customers. In this way customer service might happen indirectly when you read and respond to reviews and other customer feedback. Instead of manually checking every review website, feedback and review monitoring tools allow you to keep tabs on all your feedback. TrustPilot in particular allows you to proactively solicit reviews. This will help to improve your service. 

Since customers trust online reviews 84% of the time, you’d do well to respond to customer reviews and offer solutions if necessary. Not only can you monitor reviews, but also analyze and identify key trends. Managing your brand’s online reputation is essential for customer-service focused companies. 

Reviews also have the advantage of helping to attract customers through the phenomenon of social proof. Peer-reviewed products and services are more popular with customers who trust online recommendations. 

Using reviews to boost customer support.

TrustPilot reviews

Video recording

For companies with complex products, sharing video recordings with customers seeking customer service is often essential. You may want to record the process of using an app or assembling a product. You could demo a product for customers easily by recording your screen with an extension. Explainer videos are a great resource for customers seeking support if they like to learn visually. 

Alternatively, customers could give agents permission to take over their screen in order to troubleshoot a problem. This is often easier than explaining the problem to an agent over an email or live chat and speeds up the time to resolution. Customers could also record a video and send it to your customer support team.   

38% of video creators have made explainer videos and 28% have made customer service videos. 

Why do customer service tools matter?

Our founder, Cody Duval, puts it like this: “Think of customer service tools as the secret sauce for modern businesses. They make everything smoother, from helping customers faster to making sure every message feels personal. 

“These tools are like having a super-smart assistant that knows what customers need before they even ask. Plus, they grow with your business, keeping things running smoothly without missing a beat. It’s all about keeping customers happy and coming back for more, which really is the name of the game.”

1. Tools make you more efficient and productive

Completing every customer service task manually is not efficient. Not only is this a waste of resources, but risks exposing your agents to call center burnout. Successfully integrating technological tools means agents are more productive and have a better agent experience. Automating manual processes, eliminating unnecessary tasks and streamlining collaboration are all features and effects of customer service tools. 

When agents are liberated from mundane and repetitive processes, they are free to do their best work in helping customers. Overall, this improves the agent experience and positively impacts retention when agents get to work in a better environment. 

2. They positively affect your bottom line

Customer service tools reduce the minimum amount you have to spend on operating customer service – particularly help desks, chatbots and knowledge bases. 

For example, you could say agents spend less time on a ticket if you use a proper help desk, meaning you could employ fewer agents. You could use an equation that worked out length of time spent on ticket, number of tickets, and agents required  +  salary per agent. If you can work through the same amount of tickets while employing fewer agents, you could calculate costs saved with your help desk. 

Minimizing ticket volume is another way to control costs with customer service software. You could also use the example of a knowledge base deflecting X number of tickets, also meaning fewer tickets which would result in fewer agents again to operate at the same capacity. It costs $8 per agent handled ticket versus $0.10 for self-service, according to Gartner

3. Tools improve the customer experience you can deliver

Shep Hyken, author and customer service expert, said it all when he opined of customer service, “To the customer, you are the company.” Customer service tools do not automatically guarantee amazing customer service, but they certainly make it a lot easier. All that matters is what your customers think. 

If you’re forcing them to wait hours on the line because you didn’t provide a knowledge base then your business will suffer. Faster response times, more effective resolutions, and more personalized service all contribute. You’ll see an improved customer experience, and higher customer satisfaction.  

4. Customers expect the the right tools

Closely related to the concept of customer experience is the fact that you meet customer expectations when you use the correct tools. Nowadays, a customer lands on your website and expects to find live chat, or discover an email address on the contacts page. Customer service tools make you contactable and bring you closer to customers. 

For example, if you are an insurance company and you require customers to send their supporting documents via post rather than email, you risk causing great inconvenience. Customers will prefer your competitors, who are using a modern help desk tool. 

5. You can deliver support on multiple channels

Customer service tools expand your opportunities to provide support depending on your customer’s preference. Some inquiries will be best solved by live chat while others require a more detailed discussion on the phone. Customers prefer different channels depending on context, with email standing at the most preferred channel at 93%

Businesses that can be flexible stand a better chance of earning customer loyalty. If customers are predominantly on mobile you may find that enabling them to fire off an email, jump on social media or quickly make a call is the best way of providing support. 

How to choose the right customer service tool

Determine your budget

If you’re just trying to cut costs then you will be much less willing to invest in a superior customer service tool than if you view it as a driver of revenue. The reason for this is that retaining more customers increases revenue while minimizing acquisition costs by improving the amount of return you get from each customer. Increasing customer retention by just 5% can result in increases in revenue of up to 95%, depending on industry.  

So when determining a budget, this means you should be very clear about your aims with the platform you’re considering. Generally speaking, more features translates to a more expensive option. You need to calculate how much you’re already spending on each customer service interaction, and invest in a tool that either allows you to save on costs or grow your revenue. 

This ideally means viewing customer service as a revenue driver rather than cost center. Such an approach is also known as support-driven growth. An overly complex tool that is under-utilized or under-adopted will end up costing you more than you make.

Identify how customers want to contact you

You can’t make the decision about what tool to invest in until you know what your customer preferences are. If you already have a most popular channel for customer support, you can find a solution that makes managing email much easier, for example. If you find your customers are interested in self-service content, and you don’t already provide this, you can investigate a knowledge base tool. 

There are some general trends you can follow. Research shows that 67% of customers prefer self-service over contacting a human. This means while keeping channels of communication open you should also be identifying topics that would be good to write an article or record a video about. 

Imagine the desired customer experience

Customer service tools should bring the customer closer to the business rather than raising barriers to support. Help desk tools that feel just like regular email can accomplish this well. 75% of customers desire a consistent experience over every channel they use to engage, so an omnichannel tool might be a good idea. Looking for integrations with your existing tools can also be a good alternative. 

Ultimately, customers don’t want to wait, they want to be treated like humans, and feel like your business values them. Investing in self-service can either be a way to deflect customers or show that you respect their time and have anticipated their needs. Whatever tool you choose must always be geared towards creating the desired customer experience. 

Examples of top businesses using customer service technology

Goal Grass

Goal Grass, a company specializing in artificial turf, has seen a remarkable transformation in how they handle customer support, thanks to the adoption of Keeping. With a dedicated team of 9, they previously juggled between Google Groups and Gmail labels to navigate through 40 to 50 inquiries each day—a process that was anything but efficient. 

The switch to Keeping has been a game-changer. It’s allowed them to remain within the familiar confines of Gmail, their preferred platform, while streamlining their workflow significantly. Moreover, Keeping has made it a breeze to bring in additional staff from outside the support team when they need an extra hand with specific types of requests. 

This technological leap has not only enhanced their efficiency but also improved their ability to deliver timely and effective support to their customers. Moreover, they have been able to scale their customer support operation without adding additional employees.

Beerwulf’s AI-powered chatbot

Beerwulf doubled their ROI using AI-powered chatbot Zowie. There are many AI chatbots to choose from out there, but Zowie is a great choice because it looks great and you can instantly reach out to customers on your website. Zowie enables Beerwulf to manage customers across ten different European markets without the need to expand their support team. Generative AI automatically converts internal resources into a comprehensive knowledge base which Zowie then uses to help customers. 

Example of a company using customer support tools to boost customer satisfaction, experience, and growth.

Virgin Mobile’s knowledge base

Virgin Mobile increased self-service by 40% with a Helpjuice knowledge base. They were looking for a data-driven and SEO friendly solution to enable them to solve more customer inquiries. In short, their self-service click-through rate prior to Helpjuice was 5% which then increased to 45% after implementation. Customers were able to access the information they needed instead of contacting Virgin Mobile customer support. 

Another example of a company that successfully uses customer service tools.

Lush’s help desk

You may have heard of Lush, the handmade cosmetics company originally founded in Bournemouth, UK. Their customer service has been improved by using Zendesk help desk software since 2016. In 2022, their customer care team used Zendesk to support 170 agents, in 21 markets, in 15 different languages. Without Zendesk, Lush would not be able to provide this level of global support and substantially cut costs by $208k in one year alone. 

Example of a company boosting customer service with relevant software and tools.

Top 19 customer service tools in 2024

As with any software tool, you could opt to build your own but there is huge time and expense involved – not to mention maintenance. There are many software vendors out there who offer tailored customer service tools to suit a range of budgets and requirements. 

We’ll run through our top seventeen of these tools now. 

1. Keeping – help desk for Gmail

43% of businesses want to use ticket automation, partly because email is the fastest growing customer service channel. This is where Keeping comes in. Often, the choice to use Keeping is driven by the need to move on from relying on Gmail for customer service. The good news is that Keeping integrates directly with Gmail so it gives you added help desk features in the familiar interface. 

Businesses love Keeping because the training and adoption time for agents is virtually non-existent. You’re free to focus on customer service instead of learning a new tool. Key features of Keeping include advanced analytics for analyzing performance, automation and rules, and ticket routing. 

That means Keeping offers all the features of a full-fledged help desk while keeping things simple. Agents can collaborate on tickets, track inquiries and reuse shared saved replies, making this shared inbox a top choice for customer support teams. 

Keeping keeps it simple while enabling agents to collaborate, with features such as assignment, collision detection, prioritization, shared notes and saved templates. This means customer service is now a team effort rather than agents working in isolation. 

Example of a Gmail help desk customer support software.

2. Help Scout – help desk

Another help desk you might want to consider is Help Scout. Help Scout takes traditional email and combines it with collaboration features, knowledge base and live chat. When businesses use Help Scout, they often need no other tools to support their customers. Combining the various support channels into one platform results in a very cost-effective solution. Help Scout is good at providing vital context for every customer and allowing support teams to organize their tickets with tags and statuses. 

Help desk software for customer service.

3. Zendesk – help desk

If you want a powerful solution for handling customer service tickets, Zendesk could be the right choice. Suitable for companies large and small, it’s particularly customizable for the enterprise – for example by using the API. Increase the value of your orders by 23% with Zendesk. Zendesk goes beyond a ticketing system to include a knowledge base and live chat, ensuring you can cover all bases with customers. 

Another example of a help desk software.

4. Tidio – live chat

Tidio is live chat software that is fully integrated with an AI chatbot that can answer up to 70% of customer queries. That’s a lot of automation. You can update Shopify orders without ever leaving Tidio, which is exactly in line with what we were saying about looking for integrations that support your existing tools. Supporting customers is much faster when you can help them without leaving live chat. 

Live chat for customer support.

The availability of a free tier plus further integrations with Wix and WordPress make Tidio an attractive option for businesses. Customers benefit from the seamless experience of Tidio where you use chatbots and integrations to automate your many customer processes. Agents jump in where bots can’t help. You can nurture leads and manage tickets all within Tidio. 

5. LiveAgent – live chat

LiveAgent started life as live chat and has now expanded to include multiple different channels – almost too many to name. Live chat is still a prominent feature but LiveAgent also covers phone, many social media channels, Slack and video. Live chat has the potential to increase revenue by 48% because you are able to provide instant, real-time support to customers, while it’s easy to hop onto the phone if you need to have a proper conversation with a customer. 

Another example of a customer support tool live chat.

6. Intercom – live chat

At its core a live chat tool, Intercom also offers a chatbot, ticketing system and help center. Many businesses use Intercom to connect with customers on their websites and provide instant support. View details about every customer. Nurture leads as well as manage relationships with existing customers. AI helps you provide better support through summarizing and rephrasing responses to customers. 

Intercom live chat.

7. Helpjuice – knowledge base

Helpjuice is a knowledge base software that many users appreciate for its simplicity. A customer service knowledge base is a vital tool for self-service, essential for deflecting tickets and reclaiming agent time. The necessary time spent creating knowledge base articles is reduced by the intuitive and easy interface. You have the ability to collaborate on and review articles.  

Knowledge base software.

8. HelpDocs – knowledge base

Use HelpDocs to create a knowledge base that provides the user experience your customers are seeking. It facilitates extensive customization with JavaScript and CSS so your knowledge base can perfectly represent your brand. Although you can adjust the style yourself, HelpDocs also offers extensive templates that help your knowledge base get off the ground. You can also embed the widget on your website or app so customers can access your knowledge base on-the-go. 

Another knowledge base tool.

9. Stonly – knowledge base

If you want straightforward knowledge base software then choose Stonly. It’s particularly designed for customer service teams to provide support, also using AI to offer instant and relevant answers for customers. Customers can interact with Stonly through step-by-step decision trees, meaning you can decrease support tickets by up to 50%. Stonly can also be used to give agents contextual information about how to help customers. 

Another knowledge base software for customer support.

10. Salesforce – CRM

Salesforce is ubiquitous with the CRM industry and were pioneers in cloud computing before most people had heard of it. That’s why their CRM is used by top companies such as L’Oreal and Uber Eats to manage their relationships with the customers. It’s part of Customer 360, the Salesforce suite of products uniting all of your customer-facing teams. Incorporating AI and analytics means Salesforce works much harder for your agents. 

CRM software for customer service.

11. Zoho CRM – CRM

Another CRM you can try is Zoho CRM which is part of Zoho’s suite of products. Zoho CRM is actually free so you can build customer relationships with a limited budget. With automations and workflows, it’s much easier to manage customers and also collaborate as a team. With analytics helping you break down your customers into manageable segments, you can identify long-term trends and make improvements. 

Another example of a CRM that's perfect for customer service teams.

12. Hootsuite – social media monitoring

Businesses have many social media accounts these days, and monitoring them all can be a challenge. TikTok, Instagram, Facebook – which is the best channel? The good news is you don’t have to choose. Hootsuite addresses this problem by helping you use social media to engage with customers by creating a publishing schedule, bringing your channels together and employing advanced analytics. Use OwlyWriter AI to generate post ideas and captions to win on social media. 

Social media monitoring tool that customer support can use to answer customer inquiries via social media.

Image source

13. Sprout Social – social media monitoring

Sprout Social is another social media management tool for customer care. Bring multiple accounts and channels together and listen for customers talking about you on social media. You can handle much larger volumes of messages with automation and AI, which do much of the hard work for you. Sentiment detection allows you to identify high-priority messages before they get out of control. Improve your responses with AI which helps you modify your tone to make it more engaging and positive. 

Another social media monitoring software for customer service.

14. TalkDesk – call center

The traditional call center is still popular in customer service and TalkDesk powers customer service interactions with AI. Guardrails in place prevent AI from hallucinating and makes sure your agents are always in charge. TalkDesk generates the necessary post-call reports and information with minimal work on the part of your agents. Directly insert knowledge base articles into your conversations and use AI to automate customer service. 

Call center software.

15. Aircall – call center

Aircall is call center software focusing on telephone for customer service. It removes the need for a physical desk phone and means your agents can work remotely from anywhere. This is especially good for distributed support teams providing a follow  the  sun model of support. Performance insights give you the tools for better productivity. Integrate with other essential systems such as Salesforce. 

Another example of a call center software.

16. TrustPilot – feedback and review monitoring

Both customers and companies can take advantage of TrustPilot to build trust in businesses. 77% of UK consumers said that a good TrustPilot score would make them more likely to buy from a brand. If you’re not using TrustPilot, you should be. You can sign up for TrustPilot as a business and start gathering reviews from customers. Reviews help customers understand whether a business is the right choice for them. 

Customer service tool for monitoring customer feedback and reviews.

17. Reviews.io – feedback and review monitoring

As an alternative to TrustPilot you can consider Reviews.io to help entice customers to try your business. You can display reviews on your website with the no-code widget. If you are already using TrustPilot but want to switch, import existing review content with a simple process. Include Google seller ratings so you can add stars next to your products for better credibility. 

Another feedback monitoring tool for customer support teams.

18. Loom – video recording

Loom is a screen recorder for Mac and PC with a free tier. However, Loom is more than just a screen recorder because it allows you to edit and caption videos that you can then share with customers. Make sure your videos for customers are on brand and provide explainers or tutorials for troubleshooting problems. Loom is also a platform for sharing videos and interacting with others so that videos become a better tool of communication. 

Video recording software for customer service.

19. Clip by ClickUp – video recording

ClickUp is an extremely powerful tool used for project management. Its suite also includes a screen recording solution called Clip. Use it to capture your screen and send short video clips to customers. It works really well if you’re already using ClickUp to keep track of customer service tickets or projects. Customers watch the video in their browser through clicking on a shareable link, removing the need to download any software or log into a platform. 

Another video and screen recording software for customer support.

Why Keeping is an essential customer service tool

Keep your eye on Keeping as an option for taking your customer service to the next level for these reasons. 

Keeping as a help desk is a top contender for customer-forward businesses. Here are even more features that support the argument for Keeping: 

  • Integration with Gmail – first and foremost, Keeping is an extension of Gmail. Keep using your Google Workspace plan to support customers by turning your inbox into a help desk. 
  • Rules and automations – eliminate the busywork by automating what happens to tickets as they progress through the inbox. 
  • In-depth analytics – use Keeping’s reporting capabilities to gain insight into performance and ticket volumes so you can optimize your customer service team. 
  • Collaborative features – work together on tickets as a team with assignment, prioritization, shared responses, and collision detection. 

The cost of not using customer service tools

You might lose customers to businesses that are better prepared

You can make do with ineffective tools, but customers will notice and switch to competitors who invest more in customer service. A traditional email inbox simply won’t cut it when compared to a shared inbox or help desk. Failing to provide self-service content means customers would be stuck waiting in queues for a long time with simple queries. 

You won’t be able to solve customer problems

Since customer service tools also offer features such as collaboration or shared knowledge, customer service won’t be possible in a team that fails to use the right tools. Customer service agents can’t communicate, find information or delegate responsibilities. As problems mount up and customers start to churn, your business will lose revenue. 

Your business’s reputation will suffer

As word spreads about your business’s poor customer service, new customers may be unwilling to try your business. Customer service is a key factor that customers consider when deciding whether to use your business, for 88% of customers

A complete help desk, inside Gmail?
Keeping turns your Gmail into a fully featured help desk. It's not magic, but it feels magical.

Wrapping up

The fact is that many businesses will not be able to deliver effective customer service without the appropriate tools. Customers are consistently going online, contacting you at all hours, and preferring to find information themselves. The question is not: do you need a customer service tool? It’s which customer service tool, or tools, you ultimately choose. 

Customer service tools should be able to improve your existing processes and help you work in ways that provide more value for customers. When you spend less time on support tickets because you’re using help desks, chatbots, automations, help desks, or knowledge bases, you can reinvest your savings back into the business. 

In many ways, a support department is defined by its tools. The experience and level of service your team is able to provide is highly dependent on technological resources. A skilled customer service team can’t do its job properly unless you equip them with the right tools. Companies with the best customer service will win in the end.

catherine heath

Catherine is a content writer and community builder for creative and ethical companies. She often writes case studies, help documentation and articles about customer support. Her writing has helped businesses to attract curious audiences and transform them into loyal advocates. You can find more of her work at https://awaywithwords.co.

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