10 best customer service tracking software

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Customer service tracking software helps organizations collect, manage, and respond to customer support requests. Customer support tools can also gather tickets from various communication channels like emails and phone calls and organize them on a single platform.  

But with so many customer support tools out there, which one should you pick?

Don’t worry. We’ve got you covered.

In this article, we’ll cover the six types of customer service tracking software and highlight the top ten customer service software in the market. Then, we’ll walk you through the three benefits of customer service software and guide you on how to choose one.

Table of Contents

Let’s dive in.

10 best customer service tracking software

You can pick from tons of customer issue tracking software  — each serving different business requirements. To get the most out of the software, you need to find one that suits your business needs and budget.

Let’s look at ten excellent customer service solutions and their features and pricing plans:

1. Zendesk

Zendesk is a CRM (Customer Relationship Management) software, founded in 2007. 

The app provides SaaS customer service, sales, and other customer communication products across 160 countries and territories.  

Learn about Zendesk and its features in detail.

Best for

Large enterprises and businesses handling high ticket volumes requiring advanced automation, omnichannel support, and a robust CRM integration.

Key features

• Assign agents different roles like advisor, staff, team leader, chat-only agent, and more.
• Communicate with customers from inside the platform with its customer database tool.
• Collects and stores customer information and interactions in a single place.
• Provides automated 24/7 customer support via help centers, chatbots, and other AI-powered features.

Pricing

Zendesk customer support software’s paid plans start from $19/agent per month.

Customer ratings

• Capterra: 4.4/5 (4000+ reviews)
• G2: 4.3/5 (6000+ reviews)

2. Zoho Desk

Zoho Desk is a customer support software launched in 2016 by its parent company, Zoho Corporation. 

Best for

Small to medium-sized businesses looking for affordable, customizable ticketing systems with multi-channel support and automation features.

Key features

• Generates blueprints for every ticket so that your customer service team can track its status easily.
• Has a multi-channel ticketing system that collects and organizes support tickets from various platforms 
• Send a ticket automatically to the right department and agent by setting up assignment rules.
• Integrates with translation apps like Google Translate to provide contextual translation for the support team.

Pricing

Zoho Desk is free for up to three agents. Paid plans start at $7 Can use up to 5 Users

Customer ratings

• Capterra: 4.5/5 (2100+ reviews)
• G2: 4.4/5 (6000+ reviews)

3. Freshdesk

Freshdesk is a popular US-based helpdesk software founded in 2010. 

This customer service management software has a ticketing system designed for team collaboration and agent productivity. 

Best for

SMBs and enterprises in e-commerce and SaaS industries that need a gamified ticketing system and streamlined workflows for improved agent collaboration.

Key features

• Helps identify bottlenecks in the ticketing system with time tracking functionality.
• Improves agent experience with a helpdesk gamification feature that rewards agents for resolving tickets successfully.
• Respond faster to customers by simplifying complex workflows with no-code bots.
• Find and solve urgent tickets using keywords and search filters. 

Pricing

Freshdesk offers a free plan with limited features. Their paid plans start at $15/agent/month.

Customer rating

• Capterra: 4.5/5 (3300+ reviews)
• G2: 4.4/5 (3400+ reviews)

4. HubSpot Service Hub

HubSpot Service Hub is a customer service software with an advanced ticket management system.

This help desk solution also offers a live chat feature and knowledge base functionality.

Additionally, these features are synced with their CRM tool, HubSpot CRM. This means that you can align your customer support tasks with sales and marketing projects.

Best for

Businesses already using HubSpot’s ecosystem (marketing and sales tools) and looking to integrate customer service seamlessly into their existing workflows.

Key features

• Use automation features to boost the efficiency of your support agents.
• Take your customers’ most frequently asked support questions and tickets and transform them into an optimized knowledge base of help articles.
• Allows agents to create up to 300 dashboards to help them track their metrics.
• Automatically routes customer requests to the right support agent.

Pricing

Pricing plans start at $20/month/user.

Customer ratings

• Capterra: 4.4/5 (150+ reviews)
• G2: 4.4/5 (2400+ reviews)

5. LiveAgent

LiveAgent is a multi-channel customer support solution aiming to help businesses reduce response time and optimize ticket tracking. Established in 2006, the tool is one of the best-rated live chat widgets with automatic chat routing and a built-in CRM.

Best for

Businesses that need multi-channel customer support, including live chat, email, and social media ticketing, with real-time notifications and automated routing.

Key features

• Offers cloud-based call center software to reduce call hold time. 
• Has completely customizable and scalable ticketing functionality.
• Converts all mentions, comments, and messages from social media into tickets.
• Notifies support agents when a ticket hasn’t been answered for a long time.

Pricing

LiveAgent offers a customizable free plan. Its paid plan starts at $15/agent per month.

Customer ratings

• Capterra: 4.7/5 (1600+ reviews)
• G2: 4.5/5 (1500+ reviews)

6. Slack

Slack is a communication tool that helps your service team resolve support tickets quickly and efficiently. 

Despite being a communication platform, it can act as a customer support software by helping your service team communicate effectively around the clock.

Get to know more about Slack.

Best for

Teams that prioritize internal communication and collaboration for resolving customer issues quickly, with integrations to ticketing tools like Zendesk or Freshdesk.

Key features

• Speeds up the support ticket resolution process by using the advanced AI-powered search feature to find answers across files, channels, and messages.
• Integrate Slack with Freshdesk or Zendesk so agents can connect with colleagues without leaving the ticketing tool.
• Provide customers personalized and live help through a dedicated Slack channel.
• Connects with external organizations using enterprise-grade security features to protect customer data.

Pricing

Slack offers plans that start at $6.67/agent/month.

Customer ratings

• Capterra: 4.7/5 (23K+ reviews)
• G2: 4.5/5 (33K+ reviews)

7. Jira Service Desk

Jira Service Desk, offered by Atlassian, is an ITSM (IT Service Management) software solution. It helps agents in startups and enterprises with omnichannel ticket resolution.

Best for

IT support teams and enterprises that need ITSM solutions, robust queue management, and machine learning-driven self-service portals.

Key features

• Manage ticket escalations by creating queues and issuing mentions.
• Collect information from all support agents and store it as easy-to-access answers.
• Resolve tickets quickly by distributing equipment and other assets to customer issues.
• Offers a premium self-service portal with machine learning.

Pricing

Contact Jira Service Desk for a custom quote.

Customer ratings

• Capterra: 4.5/5 (600+ reviews)
• G2: 4.2/5 (700+ reviews)

8. Salesforce Service Cloud

This CRM system lets support agents automate service processes, streamline workflows, and find answers quickly.

Salesforce Service Cloud aims to build customer relationships and improve customer satisfaction by empowering agents with the right customer service tools.

Learn more about Salesforce Time Tracking.

Best for

Enterprises requiring CRM-powered customer service solutions with advanced reporting, telephony integrations, and a focus on customer experience.

Key features

• Improve customer experience by integrating the app with the Salesforce Customer Success Platform.
• Record each customer interaction so that you can resolve similar issues in the future with ease.
• Call customers with a click of a button with the tool’s telephony integrations.
• Make well-informed decisions based on real-time reports.

Pricing

Salesforce Service Cloud pricing begin at $25/agent/month when billed annually.

Customer ratings

• Capterra: 4.4/5 (700+ reviews)
• G2: 4.4/5 (5000+ reviews)

9. Help Scout

Help Scout is a US-based help desk software founded in 2011. The organization is completely remote and offers premium customer service through its help desk software. 

Best For

Small businesses and startups looking for a simple yet powerful help desk solution focused on email support and knowledge base management.

Key features

• Customize your knowledge base.
• Access performance reports for each customer support team member.
• Escalate customer requests easily from the knowledge base stage to live chat.
• Evaluate your support request volume based on channels, busiest time, and trending topics.

Pricing

This help desk software’s paid plans begin at $50/agent per month.

Customer ratings

• Capterra: 4.6/5 (200+ reviews)
• G2: 4.4/5 (400+ reviews)

10. TeamSupport

TeamSupport is a B2B customer support software that helps businesses provide great customer service by enhancing support team collaboration.

Software Advice, a service advisory and user review company, named the tool in its 2020’s top CRM software list. 

​​Best for

B2B companies aiming to improve customer support collaboration with features like sentiment analysis and SLA tracking for complex service needs.

Key features

• View and track every support request, ticket, or issue that has been submitted to your support department.
• Gauge the customer sentiment from their tone using AI.
• Remind support agents to follow up on pending tickets nearing their SLA (Service Level Agreement).
• Show customers exactly how to solve an issue by sending pictures, videos, or screencasts.

Pricing

TeamSupport’s paid plans start at $50/agent/month when billed annually.

Customer ratings

• Capterra: 4.5/5 (800+ reviews)
• G2: 4.4/5 (800+ reviews)

Comparison table

Now let’s see how to classify these customer service software based on the the specialized services they offer.

6 types of customer service tracking software

Let’s look at the six different types of customer service software:

1. Live Chat

Overview
Live chat software enables businesses to engage with customers in real time, offering immediate assistance through messaging. Recent innovations include AI-powered chatbots, predictive analytics, and multilingual support.

Trends driving adoption:

• AI chatbots: Automate responses and handle simple queries 24/7, reducing agent workload.
• Proactive messaging: Reach out to customers before they ask for help, enhancing customer experience.

Examples of software

• Zendesk: Provides an integrated live chat experience powered by AI chatbots and analytics.
• LiveAgent: Features customizable live chat widgets and automatic routing for faster resolution.
• Freshdesk: Offers no-code chatbots and advanced search filters to simplify workflows.

2. Phone support

Overview
Phone support software streamlines call handling through features like IVR (Interactive Voice Response), call queuing, and automatic call distribution. These tools ensure efficient communication for businesses that rely heavily on voice-based customer support.

Trends driving adoption:

• VoIP integration: Reduces call costs and offers flexibility for remote teams.
• Speech analytics: Analyzes customer sentiment and feedback in real-time.

Examples of software

• Zoho Desk: Includes IVR and call routing for better call management.
• Salesforce Service Cloud: Offers telephony integrations for seamless voice support.
• TeamSupport: Provides AI-driven sentiment analysis during calls.

3. Email support

Overview:
Email support software helps manage customer inquiries via email by consolidating tickets into a single platform. Features like auto-replies, canned responses, and analytics ensure efficiency.

Trends driving adoption

• Personalization: AI algorithms craft personalized email responses.
• Shared inbox tools: Improve collaboration by allowing teams to manage emails collectively.

Examples of software

• Help Scout: Offers a shared inbox and email automation for streamlined support.
• Jira Service Desk: Tracks email queries with clear escalation paths.
• Freshdesk: Includes keyword-based prioritization for urgent emails.

4. Knowledge base

Overview:
Knowledge base software creates a self-service repository for customers to find answers to common questions without contacting support. It benefits businesses by reducing ticket volumes and empowering customers to resolve their issues independently.

Trends driving adoption

• Interactive knowledge bases: Use videos, GIFs, and visual aids for better engagement.
• AI-powered search: Enhances accuracy by predicting what customers are looking for.

Examples of software

• Zoho Desk: Includes tools to create and update a knowledge base with minimal effort.
• HubSpot Service Hub: Allows businesses to transform frequently asked questions into a searchable database.
• Freshdesk: Integrates knowledge base functionality with ticketing workflows.

5. Social customer service

Overview:
Social customer service tools manage and respond to customer inquiries or complaints on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. They help businesses monitor brand mentions and respond quickly to improve customer satisfaction.

Trends driving adoption:

• Omnichannel integration: Links social media with other communication channels for a seamless experience.
• Sentiment analysis: Detects customer mood in posts and messages for better prioritization.

Examples of software

• LiveAgent: Converts social media interactions into tickets for easy tracking.
• Zoho Desk: Automates ticket creation from social media messages and comments.
• Salesforce Service Cloud: Combines social listening with response management.

6. Help desk

Overview:
Help desk software acts as a central hub for customer inquiries, complaints, and issues. It provides features like ticket routing, escalation, and advanced reporting to improve resolution times and team efficiency.

Trends driving adoption:

• Omnichannel support: Combines email, live chat, phone, and social media into one platform.
• AI recommendations: Suggests solutions or resources based on ticket content.

Examples of software:

• Zendesk: Known for its advanced ticketing system and integrations.
• HubSpot Service Hub: Offers robust ticket management with CRM integration.
• TeamSupport: Designed for B2B companies, it enhances collaboration between agents.

By understanding the unique capabilities of these six types of customer service tracking software, businesses can identify the tools best suited to their specific customer communication needs. Whether leveraging AI for live chat or integrating social media into support channels, these tools provide the foundation for superior customer experiences.

3 key benefits of customer service tracking software

Most businesses don’t have customer support software when they start. 

However, it’s necessary to invest in one as your customer base expands and your business grows. 

Let’s look at some benefits of customer service tracking software that make it a necessity:

1. Improves customer loyalty and satisfaction

Customer tracking software is built for improved customer service management. 

They have features that enable:

• Automation of processes.
• Knowledge base integration.
• Optimization of workflows.
• Reduction of response time.

Customers who receive a quick service are usually happier and more likely to be loyal and buy your products or services again.

Learn how to improve customer satisfaction with these 20 no-nonsense tips.

2. Streamlines self-service

Customers usually search a company’s website for solutions to their issues.

And having a poorly maintained knowledge base will only confuse the customer further and lead to poor customer experience. Further, out-of-date chatbots and live chats can delay responses if they can’t access information from the knowledge base readily.

On the other hand, having to update your site’s knowledge base regularly can be incredibly time-consuming.

Fortunately, customer support software can streamline the creation, maintenance, and management of your knowledge bases for you.

3. Boosts agent experience and productivity

Since a customer service tool maintains and manages knowledge bases for you, agents can use these tools to retrieve data quickly.

On top of that, agents can access a customer’s history in seconds. This way, they can gain context around the customer’s issue and avoid asking more questions. 

Additionally, customer service tools give you insight into useful performance metrics like customer satisfaction and response time. You can use this data to monitor your team’s productivity.

However, these metrics might not give you a complete picture of agent productivity. 

Fortunately, Time Doctor can help you out here.

Time Doctor is an agent productivity management tool that has several features like interactive time tracking, productivity reports, and distraction alerts to keep your agents focused.

With these features, you can track how much time is spent on specific customer support tasks and make sure your agents are productive. 

How to choose the best customer service software for your business?

Customer support software is designed to optimize customer support operations for different teams and businesses. 

Some are developed to meet the needs of a small business, others for large enterprises. However, they all specialize in different communication channels. 

For example, LiveAgent is mainly a live chat software that streamlines customer support via live chat. Whereas, Freshdesk has remote customer support, making it a decent choice for a call center with a flexible work system.

You need to consider your company’s unique needs before you choose a customer support tool. 

Here are some factors that can help you decide:

• Consider the size of your support team: Larger support teams require advanced collaboration features and role-based ticketing. In contrast, small ones will need only a basic tool like live chat software. 
• Determine the method of customer communication: Identify your business’ key customer support channels and buy software accordingly. For example, a social media company would rely on Facebook, Instagram, and other social media platforms for customer service. As a result, they could opt for social customer service software.
• Learn about software features: Before you decide, you need to research a few customer service software and their features. This way, you can determine if the software has every key feature your business requires and if the price meets your budget.

Wrapping up

Customer support plays an important role in customer satisfaction and retention for all businesses. However, it can be difficult to manage as your business grows.

Fortunately, with the right customer issue tracking software, you can track, prioritize, manage, reply, and resolve ticket requests with ease. 

To find the right customer support software for your business, take a look through the list of best customer tracking tools in this article and refer to the tips we covered before making a decision.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

1. What is the difference between a help desk and customer service tracking software?

A help desk is a specific type of customer service software that focuses on resolving customer inquiries and issues efficiently, often using ticketing systems. On the other hand, customer service tracking software is a broader category that includes help desks but also incorporates tools for managing multi-channel communication (like email, social media, and phone support), live chat, knowledge bases, and customer analytics. Essentially, customer service tracking software provides a more comprehensive solution to monitor and improve overall customer service performance.

2. How much does customer service tracking software cost?

The cost of customer service tracking software varies widely based on features, the number of agents, and the type of solution (cloud-based vs. on-premise). Here’s a general breakdown:

• Small businesses: Tools like Zoho Desk or Freshdesk start at $15–$20 per agent per month.
• Mid-sized businesses: Software with advanced automation like Zendesk or Salesforce Service Cloud costs $20–$50 per agent per month.
• Enterprise solutions: High-end tools with extensive integrations and customizations may cost $50 or more per agent per month, with custom quotes for large-scale deployments.

3. Can small businesses benefit from customer service tracking tools?

Yes, small businesses can greatly benefit from customer service tracking software. These tools help small teams:

• Automate repetitive tasks like ticket assignments and canned responses.
• Consolidate customer inquiries from multiple channels (email, social media, etc.) into a single platform.
• Track and analyze customer service metrics to identify areas for improvement. Many tools, such as Zoho Desk and Freshdesk, offer affordable plans or even free versions for small teams, making them accessible and valuable for growing businesses.

4. Are there free customer service tracking software options?

Yes, several customer service tracking tools offer free plans with limited features. Examples include:

• Zoho Desk: Free for up to three agents.
• Freshdesk: Offers a free plan with basic ticketing and email support.
• LiveAgent: Provides a customizable free plan. These free options are ideal for small teams looking to get started without significant investment.

5. What features should I prioritize when choosing customer service tracking software?

The features you prioritize will depend on your business needs. Here are some key ones:

• Ticketing system: Essential for tracking and resolving customer inquiries.
• Multi-channel support: To manage interactions across email, phone, chat, and social media.
• Automation: Features like chatbots and auto-routing to improve efficiency.
• Knowledge base: For self-service options that reduce ticket volumes.
• Integrations: Seamless compatibility with existing tools like CRM systems. By focusing on these features, you can ensure the software meets your team’s requirements.

6. Is it worth investing in AI-powered customer service software?

AI-powered customer service tools offer significant benefits, including:

• Faster resolution times: AI can handle simple queries 24/7 using chatbots.
• Enhanced personalization: AI analyzes customer data to provide tailored responses.
• Improved insights: Machine learning models identify trends and suggest improvements. For businesses with high ticket volumes or repetitive queries, AI-powered software is a valuable investment.