Top 10 Customer Support Platforms for Small Business in 2024

Unlike large corporations with layers of separation between management and the public, small businesses thrive on direct interaction with customers. This unique opportunity to build personal relationships and gather direct feedback can be a game-changer. However, as your business grows, managing increasing volumes of customer inquiries becomes challenging. If this sounds familiar, it might be time to consider a customer support platform.

The 10 Best Customer Support Programs for Small Businesses

If your small business is ready to enhance its customer support with specialized software, here are ten great options:

1. Usedesk

The best all-in-one customer support program for small businesses.

Usedesk is a comprehensive communications platform designed to help businesses effectively manage customer interactions across multiple channels.

Key Features:

• Omnichannel Inbox: Consolidate messages from email, WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, and other messengers into one place, making it easy to manage and track conversations.
• Team Collaboration: Enhance teamwork with features like saved replies, internal comments, and custom fields. Assign tasks to the best-suited team members and keep track of issues with tags and message statuses.
• Live Chat & Knowledge Base: Built-in live chat accessible via a help widget on any page of your website. Create a customized help center using Usedocs, their knowledge base tool, to provide proactive support and reduce incoming inquiries.
• Automation: Implement customizable workflows to automate repetitive tasks such as message tagging, assigning tasks, and escalating issues.
• Data Integration & Reporting: Integrates with CRMs, e-commerce platforms, and project management software, providing valuable insights through reporting tools. Track conversation volume, agent performance, and product issues to inform business decisions.

Price: Plans start at $20 per user per month.

2. Help Scout

For support for businesses

HelpScout is a communications platform tailored for small businesses, enhancing customer interactions with features designed for team collaboration and process optimization.

Key Features:

• Shared Inbox: Manage customer inquiries from a centralized inbox, assign tasks, use tags, message statuses, and custom fields to organize and track issues.
• Proactive Support: The Beacon widget provides live chat and access to your knowledge base, offering proactive support by suggesting relevant articles to customers.
• Automation & Reporting: Automate repetitive tasks with workflows and track performance with detailed reports that provide insights into team efficiency and customer satisfaction.
• Data Integration: Seamlessly integrates with popular applications and services such as CRMs and e-commerce platforms.

Price: Free trial available, plans start at $22 per user per month.

3. HappyFox

For large teams focused on customer support

HappyFox offers robust customer support management, making it ideal for large teams needing comprehensive support through various channels.

Key Features:

• Task Management & Automation: Utilize workflows and automation rules to assign tasks, categorize requests, and prioritize them efficiently.
• Real-Time Support & Knowledge Base: Provide immediate help with real-time chat features and reduce support burden with a knowledge base tool that allows customers to find answers to frequently asked questions.
• Reporting & Analytics: Access detailed reports on team performance, request volumes, and product issues to make informed decisions and improve support quality.
• Integration: Integrates with popular applications and services such as CRM systems, e-commerce platforms, and project management software.

Price: Free trial available, plans start at $29 per user per month.

4. Hiver

For teams using Gmail

Hiver transforms Gmail into a powerful customer support system, perfect for businesses already using Google Workspace.

Key Features:

• Request Management: Organize, assign, and track requests directly within Gmail, using tools like tags, request status, and internal notes to keep everything organized.
• Collaboration & Automation: Simplify team collaboration with response templates, collision detection, and internal comments. Automate repetitive tasks to streamline processes.
• Reporting & Integration: Track team performance, request volume, and product issues with reporting tools. Seamlessly integrates with other Google Workspace apps and services.

Price: Free trial available, plans start at $12 per user per month.

5. Cayzu

For teams that work with remote employees

Cayzu offers robust customer support software designed for small teams managing inquiries from anywhere.

Key Features:

• Request Management & Collaboration: Manage requests from a single interface, assigning tasks to specific agents or teams and utilizing internal comments and notifications for effective collaboration.
• Multi-Channel Support & Automation: Support customers via email, chat, social media, and phone. Automate repetitive tasks such as classifying requests, assigning agents, and setting priorities.
• Reporting & Flexibility: Detailed performance reports provide insights into team efficiency and customer satisfaction. Integrates with popular applications such as CRMs and e-commerce platforms.

Price: Free trial available, plans start at $4 per user per month.

6. Zendesk

For scalability and advanced functionality

Zendesk is a popular solution offering extensive features for managing customer inquiries and providing multi-channel support.

Key Features:

• Request Management & Workflows: Centralized handling of customer requests with automation to simplify repetitive tasks.
• Multi-Channel Support & Self-Service: Support customers via email, chat, social media, and phone. Create comprehensive knowledge bases and self-service portals.
• Reporting & Integration: Extensive analytics track team performance and request volumes, integrating seamlessly with numerous applications and services such as CRMs and e-commerce platforms.

Price: Free trial available, plans start at $19 per user per month.

7. Crisp

For startups and small teams

Crisp provides an intuitive solution for small teams and startups with tools for managing customer inquiries and real-time support.

Key Features:

• Request Management & Multi-Channel Support: Manage requests from a single interface, supporting chat, email, and social media.
• Real-Time Chat & Knowledge Base: Offer immediate assistance via chat and reduce support load with a knowledge base tool.
• Automation & Bots: Enhance efficiency with chatbots and automated responses for handling simple requests.
• Reporting & Integration: Track performance and integrate with popular applications such as CRMs and e-commerce platforms.

Price: Free trial available, plans start at $25 per user per month.

8. HelpDesk

For companies looking for a simple and affordable solution

HelpDesk offers a straightforward and budget-friendly way for small teams to manage customer inquiries.

Key Features:

• Request Management & Automation: Centralized handling of customer requests with automation to simplify repetitive tasks.
• Collaboration Tools & Response Templates: Improve team collaboration with internal comments and response templates.
• Reporting & Integration: Track team performance and request volumes, integrating with popular applications such as CRMs and e-commerce platforms.

Price: Free trial available, plans start at $4 per user per month.

9. Zoho Desk

For companies looking for integration with other business applications

Zoho Desk integrates seamlessly with other Zoho products and popular business applications, making it a comprehensive support solution.

Key Features:

• Request Management & Multi-Channel Support: Handle requests from various channels, assigning tasks to specific agents or groups.
• Automation & Self-Service: Simplify tasks with automation and provide a knowledge base for self-service options.
• Reporting & Integration: Extensive analytics track team performance and integrate with other Zoho products and popular business applications such as CRMs and e-commerce platforms.

Price: Free trial available, plans start at $14 per user per month.

10. Tidio

For companies that want to improve customer interaction through chat

Tidio focuses on chat-based interactions, providing powerful tools for managing customer requests and automating processes.

Key Features:

• Live Chat & Chatbots: Offer real-time assistance and handle simple requests with chatbots.
• Multi-Channel Support & Request Management: Manage requests from chat, email, and social media from a single interface.
• Automation & Knowledge Base: Automate responses and provide a knowledge base for self-service.
• Reporting & Integration: Track performance and integrate with popular applications such as CRMs and e-commerce platforms.

Price: Free trial available, plans start at $18 per user per month.

Key Takeaways on Customer Support Platforms

Choosing the right customer support platform can significantly enhance your business's ability to manage customer interactions effectively. From user-friendly interfaces to advanced automation and integration capabilities, each platform offers unique features tailored to various business needs.

Explore these top customer support platforms to find the one that best suits your business requirements and take your customer service to the next level. Whether you’re a small startup or a growing company, these tools can help streamline your support processes and improve customer satisfaction.

Ready to get started? Sign up for a free trial with one of these top customer support platforms and elevate your customer service today. For a comprehensive approach to integrating these platforms with your existing systems, consider exploring iPaaS solutions.

Pro tip: Check if your customer base is really yours if you use booking platforms.