9 Best Customer Service Software & Platforms for Small Businesses

Monitor service performance and adjust the gaps by leveraging the small business customer service software.

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Customer Service Software for Small Businesses

Customer Service Software to Drive Business Growth

Implement the best customer support tool for small businesses to keep track of customer conversations and respond promptly to queries.

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Higher Customer Lifetime Value (CLV)

Use customer support tools for small businesses to secure the best client service experience as it makes the entire service request process more efficient. Expand your client base when happy customers refer your brand to their peers which opens up more opportunities for your sales.

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Easier Customer Communication

Make it convenient for your clients to connect with the support agent in real time by customer service platform for small business. It allows internal chat or messaging among the support executives to communicate with each other concerning customer service requests.

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Centralized Database for All Customer Information

Store and manage all customer information from a centralized database by using customer service software for small business, Get immediate access to all information and resume the conversation switch customers at ease.

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Increased Agent’s Productivity

Empower your support team to respond to user queries instantly by deploying customer service software for small businesses. It reduces the number of iterations for the sake ticket, freeing up for the agents that can be used in priority tasks.

Small businesses face the constant challenge of delivering exceptional customer service while managing limited resources. Service software has emerged as a game-changing solution, leveling the playing field and enabling small enterprises to provide support that rivals larger corporations.

From streamlining customer communications to automating routine tasks, these powerful tools help small businesses build stronger customer relationships, improve operational efficiency, and drive growth.

Let’s explore how modern service software can transform your small business’s customer support capabilities.

What is Customer Service Software for Small Businesses?

Customer service software for small businesses is a specialized digital platform designed to streamline and manage customer interactions, support requests, as well as communication channels through a centralized system.
Solutions are specifically scaled and priced for small business operations, offering essential features without the complexity and cost of enterprise-level systems.
Modern software enables small businesses to punch above their weight through automated routine tasks and professional support across multiple channels. Small teams can work more efficiently and scale support operations without proportionally increasing costs or staff.
Key objectives :

  1. Professional support operations centralize all customer communications and automate routine tasks to maximize efficiency with limited resources.
  2. Customer satisfaction grows through faster response times, personalized service, and consistent support quality across all channels.
  3. Real-time insights from data collection and analytics help improve service delivery as well as business decision-making.
  4. Support capabilities scale efficiently while maintaining cost-effectiveness and service quality as the business grows.

Overview of Top 10 Customer Service Tools for Small Businesses

Customer service is a crucial aspect of any small business, as it can make or break its reputation. There are numerous customer service tools available. Let’s explore one by one!

Software Key Features Pricing
Omni24
  1. Ticketing system
  2. Live chat
  3. Knowledge base
  4. Reporting and analytics
  5. Omnichannel support
Starting at $29/agent/month
Veemo
  1. Ticketing
  2. Automation
  3. Self-service portal
  4. Team collaboration
  5. Multi-channel support
Free plan available; paid plans start at $29/agent/month
HubSpot Service Hub
  1. Ticketing
  2. Knowledge base
  3. Customer feedback
Free plan available; paid plans start at $45/month
Intercom
  1. Live chat
  2. Chatbots
  3. Knowledge base
Starts at $39/month
Help Scout
  1. Shared inbox
  2. Knowledge base
  3. Live chat
Starts at $20/user/month
Zoho Desk
  1. Ticketing
  2. Automation
  3. AI assistant
Free plan available; paid plans start at $14/agent/month
Tidio
  1. Live chat
  2. Chatbots
  3. Email integration
Free plan available; paid plans start at $19/month
LiveAgent
  1. Ticketing
  2. Live chat
  3. Call center
Starts at $15/agent/month

Important Features of Customer Service Solution for Small Companies

Implementing customer service tools crafted for small companies helps to streamline communication and deliver best service. Let us delve into some of its crucial features.

Features of Customer Service Tool for SMB

1. Unified Communication Channels

A central hub for managing all customer interactions across multiple channels is crucial. The feature allows small businesses to consolidate communications from email, phone, live chat, social media and messaging apps into a single interface.

Unifying these channels help support staff to easily track conversations, provide consistent responses and ensure no customer inquiry falls through the cracks. Such a streamlined approach improves efficiency and helps maintain a cohesive brand voice across all touchpoints.

2. Ticketing System

An effective ticketing system is the backbone of organized customer service software for small businesses. It allows teams to create, assign, prioritize and track customer issues from initiation to resolution. Each query generates a unique ticket, which can be categorized, tagged and routed to the appropriate team member.

The system ensures accountability, prevents duplicate efforts and provides a clear overview of outstanding issues. It also enables managers to monitor team performance and identify areas for improvement in the customer service strategy.

3. Knowledge Base and Self-Service Portal

Empowering customers to find answers independently is key to reducing support volume and improving their satisfaction index. A robust knowledge base should include FAQs, product documentation, troubleshooting guides and how-to articles. The information should be easily searchable and regularly updated.

A self-service portal can also include features like account management tools, order tracking and return initiation. By providing these resources, small companies can address common issues efficiently, allowing their support team to focus on more complex issues.

4. Automation and AI-Powered Assistance

Incorporating automation and artificial intelligence can significantly enhance the efficiency of small business customer service. It can include chatbots for handling routine inquiries, automated email responses for common questions and AI-powered suggestions for customer service representatives.

These tools can help triage incoming requests, provide instant responses to simple questions, and free up human agents for more complex interactions. But, it’s important to strike a balance between automation and human touch to maintain a personalized customer experience.

5. Reporting and Analytics

Comprehensive reporting and analytics tools are essential for continually improving customer service operations. These features should provide insights into key metrics such as response times, resolution rates, customer satisfaction scores and agent performance.

Advanced analytics can help identify trends in customer inquiries, peak support hours and common pain points. The data enables small businesses to make data-driven decisions about staffing, training and process improvements.

9 Best Customer Service Software & Tools for Small Businesses

For small businesses, providing excellent customer service is very crucial hence investing in customer support software helps streamline communication and improve response times.

1. Omni24

Popular customer service platform for SMBs

Omni24 Customer Service Software for Small Businesses

Omni24 is an AI powered omnichannel customer experience platform to help businesses deliver superior CX and help desk management with an omnichannel approach. The platform leverages automation to enhance customer engagement, improve operational efficiency and deliver personalized experiences at scale.

The robust platform’s intuitive design, coupled with powerful features, makes it a great choice for brands looking to enhance their CX capabilities and deliver exceptional customer service.

Key features:

  • Omnichannel inbox: Consolidates conversations across all channels into one dashboard for streamlined management. Enables quick responses and efficient ticket handling across multiple platforms.
  • Self-service portal: Provides a customizable knowledge base and FAQ section for customers. Empower customers to find answers independently, reducing the volume of simple inquiries handled by agents.
  • Customizable workflows: Create tailored workflows to match specific business processes. Ensures consistency in handling different types of customer inquiries across the team.
  • Smart routing: Automatically assigns incoming queries to the most suitable agent based on skills, availability and query type. It ensures efficient workload distribution and faster resolution times.

Pricing: Omni24’s pricing starts from $29/user/month and goes up to $149/user/month based on the features as well as add-ons. All plans come with 14 days free trial and include a shared inbox, known base base along with omnichannel support.

2. Veemo

Leading customer service software for businesses of all sizes

Veemo Customer Service Software for Small Businesses

Veemo is an AI-powered customer engagement platform that offers a suite of products for support, sale and chat. The software provides a customizable ticketing system, AI-driven Answer Bot and multi-channel integration. Its advanced reporting and analytics tools, along with multi-language support, streamline customer service and help businesses deliver tailored, effective support.

Key features:

  • Unified ticket management: Centralizes all customer inquiries from multiple channels into a single ticket view. Enables agents to respond to and manage tickets efficiently with context-aware tools.
  • Intelligent automation: Offers customizable automation rules to route, prioritize and assign tickets based on predefined criteria. Includes AI-powered features like automatic categorization and suggested responses to speed up resolution times.
  • Self-service portal: Create knowledge base, community forums and FAQs for customer self-help. Reduces ticket volume by empowering customers to find answers independently.
  • Team collaboration tools: Provides shared ownership, parent-child ticketing and internal notes for seamless teamwork. Includes a team inbox for collaborative problem-solving and knowledge sharing.
  • Omnichannel capabilities: Supports seamless customer interactions across multiple channels and provides a consistent customer experience.

Pricing: Veemo’s pricing plans start from $29/user/month and go up to $129/user/month based on the features. The software pricing is also customizable as per business requirements.

3. HubSpot Service Hub

Excellent support software with strong integration capabilities

HubSpot Service Hub Customer Service Software for Small Businesses

HubSpot Service Hub is part of HubSpot’s broader CRM platform, offering customer service tools that integrate seamlessly with sales and marketing functions. It’s particularly well-suited for small businesses already using other HubSpot products.

Key features
HubSpot Service Hub provides ticketing, live chat and knowledge base tools. It offers customer feedback surveys, reporting dashboards and automation capabilities. The software also includes a conversations inbox for managing multiple communication channels.

Pricing: Starts at $45/month for 2 users with more comprehensive plans available at higher price points.

4. Intercom

Best conversational relationship platform for SMBs

Intercom Customer Service Software for Small Businesses

Intercom is a conversational relationship platform that focuses on providing real-time, messenger-based interactions with customers. It’s ideal for businesses looking to offer more personalized, chat-based support.

Key features
Intercom offers live chat, chatbots and targeted messaging. It includes a shared inbox for team collaboration, customer data insights and customizable bots for automating common tasks. The platform also provides self-service support options and integration with various business tools.

Pricing: Pricing is quote-based and varies depending on the number of users along with features needed.

5. Helpscout

Great email centric customer service platform

HelpScout Customer Service Software for Small Businesses

Helpscout is a straightforward, email-centric customer service platform designed for small to medium-sized businesses. It focuses on providing a clean, efficient interface for managing customer communications.

Key features
Helpscout offers shared inboxes, automated workflows and a knowledge base builder. It includes customer profiles, satisfaction ratings and reporting tools. The software also provides collision detection to prevent duplicate responses and integrations with popular business tools.

Pricing: Starts at $20/user/month for the Standard plan.

6. Freshchat

Top messaging software for conversational support

Freshchat-Customer-Service-Software-for-Small-Businesses

Freshchat is a modern messaging software designed to help businesses engage with customers through websites, mobile apps and social messaging channels. It’s particularly suitable for businesses focusing on real-time, conversational support.

Key features
Freshchat provides live chat, AI-powered chatbots and team inbox. It offers message routing, canned responses and customer context cards. The software also includes campaign management tools for proactive customer engagement and integrates with other Freshworks products.

Pricing: Offers a free plan with basic features; paid plans start at $15/agent/month.

7. Kayako

Top omnichannel customer support software for SMBs

Kayako Customer Service Software for Small Businesses

Kayako is a customer service software that aims to provide a unified customer service experience across multiple channels. It’s designed to help small businesses deliver more personalized support.

Key features
Kayako offers multichannel support, including email, live chat and social media. It provides a unified customer view, self-service options and automation tools. The software also includes collaborative tools for internal team communication and customer journey tracking.

Pricing: Starts at $30/agent/month for the Inbox plan with more advanced plans available.

8. Zoho Desk

Most preferred support platform for small businesses

Zoho Desk Customer Service Software for Small Businesses

Zoho Desk is part of the broader Zoho suite of business software, offering a feature-rich customer service platform at an affordable price point. It’s well-suited for small businesses looking for a cost-effective solution with room to grow.

Key features
Zoho Desk includes multi-channel support, ticket management and automation tools. It offers a customizable help center, team collaboration features and AI-powered assistance. The software also provides robust reporting and customization options.

Price :Free plan available; paid plans start at $14/agent/month

8. LiveAgent

LiveAgent Customer Service Software for Small Businesses

All-in-one customer service software combining ticketing system with live chat capabilities. Offers universal inbox for managing all customer communications effectively across multiple channels.
Key Features Universal inbox, real-time visitor monitoring, automated ticket distribution, built-in call center, social media integration, and comprehensive customer support portal.
Pricing Basic plan starts at $15/agent/month. All features $49/agent/month.

9. Zendesk

Zendesk Customer Service Software for Small Businesses

A comprehensive customer service platform that unifies all customer interactions across channels. Perfect for growing businesses, Zendesk offers ticketing systems, live chat, knowledge base, and analytics tools to streamline customer support operations and improve response times.
Key Features Advanced ticket management, customizable help center, automated workflows, multi-channel support integration, and extensive third-party integrations. Mobile apps available for remote team management.
Pricing Starting at $49/agent/month. Free trial available. Custom enterprise plans.

Types of Customer Service Platforms for Small Businesses

Customer service software for small businesses can be broadly categorized into several types, each designed to address specific needs and enhance the overall customer experience.

Customer Service Software for Small Business Types

1. Helpdesk Software

It is the most common type of customer service software. Helpdesk solutions typically include ticketing systems that allow businesses to track, prioritize and resolve customer inquiries. They often feature automated ticket routing, response templates and performance analytics. Popular examples include Zendesk and Freshdesk.

2. Live Chat Software

Live chat tools enable real-time communication between customers and support agents directly on a website or within an app. They often include features like chatbots for handling simple queries, visitor tracking and proactive chat initiation. Intercom and Tidio are popular choices in this category.

3. Knowledge Base Software

These tools help businesses create and maintain a self-service portal where customers can find answers to common questions. They typically include search functionality, article management and analytics to track usage. HubSpot Service Hub and Help Scout offer robust knowledge base features.

4. All-in-One Customer Service Platforms

These comprehensive solutions combine multiple features like ticketing, live chat, knowledge base and analytics into a single platform. They’re ideal for businesses looking for a unified approach to customer service. Zoho Desk and Zendesk are examples of such platforms.

5. Social Media Management Tools

As social media becomes an increasingly important channel for customer service, tools that help manage social media interactions are crucial. These tools allow businesses to monitor mentions, respond to messages and track engagement across various social platforms. Hootsuite and Sprout Social fall into this category.

6. Call Center Software

For businesses that handle a high volume of phone support, call center software can be invaluable. These tools often include features like call routing, IVR (Interactive Voice Response) systems, call recording and performance analytics. LiveAgent and Talkdesk are examples in this space.

7. Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Software

CRM systems include strong customer service features. They can help track customer interactions across multiple channels and provide a unified view of the customer. Salesforce Service Cloud and HubSpot CRM are popular choices.

8. Survey and Feedback Tools

These tools help businesses gather and analyze customer feedback, which is crucial for improving service quality. They often include features for creating surveys, analyzing responses and generating reports. SurveyMonkey and Typeform are well-known options.

9. AI-Powered Customer Service Tools

Artificial Intelligence is increasingly being used in customer support software for small businesses. AI can power chatbots, provide automated responses and offer predictive analytics. Many all-in-one platforms now incorporate AI features, but there are also specialized AI customer service tools like Ada.

Factors to Consider While Choosing Small Business Service Tools

Small businesses have a plethora of software options available to streamline their operations and drive growth. Here are the list of factors to consider while choosing the best of the options.

Key Considerations for Choosing Small Business Software
  • Ease of use and implementation: The software should be user-friendly and intuitive. A steep learning curve can hinder adoption and efficiency. Consider the time and resources required for implementation, training and ongoing management. Look for solutions that offer good documentation, tutorials and customer support during the onboarding process.
  • Essential features : Identify the core features your business needs. Common essential features include ticketing systems, live chat, knowledge base functionality and reporting tools. Prioritize software that excels in the areas most critical to your business operations and customer service strategy.
  • Scalability: Choose a solution that can grow with your business. It should be able to handle an increasing number of customers, support tickets and team members without a significant drop in performance. The ability to easily add or remove features as your needs change is also important.
  • Integration capabilities: The software should integrate seamlessly with your existing tools and systems, such as your CRM, e-commerce platform, or marketing automation software. Good integration reduces data silos and improves overall efficiency.
  • Customization options: Look for customer support software for small business that allows you to customize various aspects, such as the user interface, workflows and reporting. This ensures the tool can be tailored to your specific business processes and branding.
  • Multichannel support: Modern customers expect support across various channels. Ensure the software can manage inquiries from multiple sources like email, social media, live chat and phone, all from a single interface.
  • Reporting and analytics: Robust reporting features help you track key metrics, identify trends and make data-driven decisions. Look for software that offers customizable dashboards and the ability to export data for further analysis.

Elevate Small Business with Efficient Customer Service Platforms

Implementing the right customer service platform stands as a transformative step for small businesses seeking to enhance their customer support operations. Modern platforms offer scalable solutions that combine affordability with enterprise-grade features, enabling smaller organizations to deliver exceptional customer experiences.

Smart deployment of these platforms leads to streamlined operations, reduced response times, and improved customer satisfaction without straining limited resources. Small businesses can leverage automated workflows, self-service options, and integrated communication channels to maintain competitive edge against larger competitors.

The investment in a customer service platform ultimately translates into sustainable growth, enhanced brand reputation, and stronger customer relationships – essential elements for small business success in today’s customer-centric market.

Scale Your Conversations with Omni24’s Digital Customer Experience Platform

Omni24’s DCX platform harnesses automation and AI to deliver unified customer experiences across digital channels, while keeping human touch

FAQs on Customer Service Software for Small Businesses

Small businesses need customer service software to effectively manage customer inquiries, provide timely responses and streamline communication across various channels. With customer service software, small businesses can track customer interactions, gain insights into customer preferences and ultimately improve the overall customer experience.

Yes, customer service software can integrate with other business tools such as CRM systems, email marketing platforms and e-commerce platforms. Integration allows for seamless data sharing, better coordination among teams and a more holistic view of the customer journey.

Customer service software comes in various pricing options, including subscription-based models and pay-as-you-go plans, making it a cost-effective solution for small businesses. Investing in customer service software can help small businesses save time, improve efficiency, and deliver superior customer service without breaking the bank.

Most customer service software solutions offer customization options to fit the specific needs and preferences of small businesses. From customizing ticketing workflows to branding the customer portal, small businesses can tailor the software to align with their unique requirements and enhance the customer experience.

Implementing customer service software in a small business is relatively straightforward, especially with cloud-based solutions that require minimal IT resources. Many customer service software vendors offer onboarding assistance, training resources and ongoing support to help small businesses running quickly.

Customer support software provides small businesses with valuable data and analytics on customer interactions, preferences and feedback. By leveraging this information, small businesses can gain insights into customer behavior, identify trends and tailor their products/services to meet customer needs more effectively. Customer service software helps small businesses build stronger customer relationships and drive business growth.