CRM helpdesk ultimate guide

There’s a big difference between what we would call Customer relationship management (CRM) systems and helpdesk software. They solve very different problems and have very different uses, but many businesses will find that they need to have both. It’s also often the case that both your CRM and your helpdesk software will work best when they’re connected, which is why CRM-helpdesk integrations are very common.

Whether you're a small business owner or a manager at a larger enterprise, understanding how CRM and helpdesk software function is critical to competing in today’s fraught business landscape.

Help desk vs CRM

A CRM system is software or a web app that allows you to store customer information and interact with those customers in various ways. Many CRMs will let you email your customers or put them into email drips to move them toward action. Others will send you reminders or updates on what’s going on with a customer:

• Have they bought something recently?

• Do you need to follow up with them?

• Did they recently have a bad interaction with someone on your team?

The goal is to make sure every customer and potential customer is tracked and managed so that existing customers don’t fall through the cracks or find other providers and new leads are kept up until they become customers.

On the other hand, a helpdesk is a specialized tool that brings together a wide range of functionalities to streamline and optimize the support process—it’s specifically designed for customer support issues, not sales—however, there’s often overlap between these two domains. Though these two systems are explicitly for different purposes, most can integrate—those that can’t usually have APIs that can be used to connect them.

Why is help desk and CRM software important?

Helpdesk software serves as a centralized hub where customer interactions, inquiries and complaints are efficiently managed. A CRM is a comprehensive customer database, stores valuable customer information, such as contact details, purchase history, and previous interactions. An integrated CRM-helpdesk system combines all this data together to give both sales and customer service a broader, deeper picture of a client’s entire interaction with their company. Such a holistic view of each customer ensures both teams can provide personalized and tailored support.

Beyond that, having both of these pieces of software working together synchronously has three significant benefits for your organization:

1. Streamlines workflows

2. Unifies customers across channels

3. Allows you to track and measure customer satisfaction

1. Streamline customer service workflows

While you can use a CRM for customer service, it’s not the ideal use of the software—it’s better to use helpdesk software for customer service. That being said, using a CRM-helpdesk combination will ultimately improve customer service, part of which will be due to the more streamlined workflows it creates (which will also make your teams happier, more efficient, and more effective).

Helpdesk software is designed to streamline the support process, ensuring it runs smoothly and efficiently. By automating support ticket routing, prioritization, and escalation, helpdesk software eliminates the need for manual intervention, saving time and effort. This automation leads to more efficient case resolution, allowing customer service agents to dedicate their energy to problem-solving rather than getting bogged down by administrative tasks. With a CRM system, the sales team can work more effectively, ensuring that existing and potential customers get the attention and care they need.

2. Unify customers across marketing channels 

Helpdesk software is designed to seamlessly integrate customer communication across various channels, including email, phone, live chat, and social media. Adopting an omnichannel approach guarantees that, regardless of the channel through which a customer chooses to reach out, all their relevant information and interaction history can be conveniently accessed and managed from a single centralized platform.

Integrating a CRM with this system feeds your customer service team even more data on their experience with your business. This consolidation of customer data ensures a consistent and efficient customer experience (CX) across your organization.

3. Track, measure & improve customer satisfaction with CRM 

Using helpdesk software for customer service is essential—it allows you to track and measure customer satisfaction efficiently and effectively. Integrating this software with a CRM system only enhances tracking and measuring by feeding more data into both systems. By keeping a record of customer interactions and feedback, you gain valuable insights into the level of satisfaction your customers have with your products, services, and overall experience.

This information serves as a guide for you to identify areas of improvement and make necessary adjustments to enhance customer satisfaction. With a CRM system, you can analyze customer data, identify patterns, and trends, and make data-driven decisions to optimize your offerings and provide an exceptional customer experience. By continuously monitoring customer satisfaction, you can stay proactive in addressing any issues or concerns, ensuring that your customers are consistently satisfied.

Best helpdesk and CRM software

With numerous options available on the market for both CRM systems and helpdesk software, choosing the best options requires a thorough understanding of features, scalability, integration capabilities, and user-friendliness. Here are the top 5 options available on the market today:

1. Freshdesk

Key Features

• Omnichannel support, which allows businesses to provide customer support across multiple channels such as email, phone, chat, and social media

• Automated support ticketing system, which helps streamline the support process by automatically assigning and categorizing support tickets based on predefined rules

• AI-powered chatbots, which can help you provide instant support to customers and answer common queries without the need for human intervention

Pros

• User-friendly interface, which makes it easy for both support agents and customers to navigate and use the platform

• Extensive integration options—seamlessly integrates with popular tools and platforms, including many CRM systems and project management tools

• Very easy to customize for your unique needs

• Included support ticket templates to improve customer experience and agent experience

Cons

• Can become expensive when additional features are added

• Businesses may need to upgrade to a paid plan to access advanced features or accommodate a larger number of support agents

Price

• 14-day free trial

• Free trial for up to 2 agents

• $15/agent/month for entry-level paid plan

2. Zoho Desk

Key Features

• Contextual AI, which helps agents provide personalized and efficient support by analyzing customer data and providing relevant information

• Advanced process management capabilities, allowing you to streamline your support workflows and automate repetitive tasks

• Customizable help center, which enables you to create a knowledge base tailored to your specific needs

Pros

• Known for being an affordable option in the customer support software market

• Integrates well with other Zoho products, allowing you to leverage the full suite of Zoho tools for a seamless and integrated experience

Cons

• Some users may find that there is a steep learning curve for all Zoho products

• Some users have reported their customer support team is low-quality and fragmented

Price

• 15-day free trial

• $14/user/month for entry-level paid plan

3. HelpScout

Key Features

• Shared inbox, which your team can use to collaborate efficiently and ensure that no customer query goes unanswered

• Knowledge base feature, which allows you to create a repository of helpful articles and resources for your customers to access

• Robust reporting tools, which help you track and analyze your customer support metrics effectively

Pros

• User-friendly, intuitive, and easy to navigate, making it simple for your team to get up and running quickly

• Offers excellent customer support that is reported to be responsive and knowledgeable

Cons

• Certain advanced features are missing compared to the competition

• Documentation functionality lacks many basic features and can be frustrating to use

• Many of the best features are only available for higher-priced plans

• Significantly more expensive than competitors

Price

• 15-day free trial

• $20/user/month for entry-level plan

4. Hiver

Key features

• Built directly into Gmail, providing users with a seamless integration experience

• Ability to create shared inboxes, which allows teams to collaborate efficiently and effectively

• Offers analytics capabilities, enabling users to gain valuable insights into their email communication

Pros

• Hiver's integration with Gmail makes it easy to use, as users can access all of its features within their familiar Gmail interface

• Eliminates the need for additional software or platforms, streamlining the workflow for users

Cons

• Limited to email support, which means that it may not be suitable for teams that require other forms of communication channels, such as live chat or phone support

• May not scale well for larger teams with more complex needs

Price

• 7-day free trial

• $15/user/month entry-level plan

5. Zendesk

Key Features

• Powerful support ticketing system that is complemented by integrated voice, chat, and messaging capabilities

• Integrated routing and intelligence for automated ticket assignment

• Includes other AI and automation features

Pros

• Highly scalable, making it suitable for businesses of all sizes

• Offers a wide range of features and apps that can be customized to meet specific needs

Cons

• Can be costly, especially for smaller businesses with limited budgets

• Setup process can be complex, requiring some technical expertise

Price

• Free trial available

• $19/agent/month for basic plan

3 major benefits of integrating CRM and helpdesk software

Integrating CRM and helpdesk software is important for businesses seeking to improve operations and customer service. By merging these two systems, organizations get many benefits, with the most impactful among these being the ability to streamline customer interactions, foster collaboration among departments, and increase data-driven decision-making. 

1. Unified customer view and streamlined interactions

By consolidating data from various channels into a single platform, businesses gain a unified understanding of each customer’s journey. This view allows support teams to anticipate needs, personalize interactions, and resolve inquiries more efficiently, increasing customer satisfaction. Sales and marketing teams also benefit as they can better tailor their outreach efforts, identify high-value opportunities, and increase revenue growth. This integration streamlines customer interactions by centralizing communication channels and support processes. Customer inquiries and support tickets can be managed from a unified platform, reducing response times and making the resolution process more accessible. 

2. Enhanced cross-department collaboration

CRM and helpdesk software integration also improves cross-department collaboration and information sharing between sales, marketing, and customer service departments. Integration means these teams can access a central location for customer data, interactions, and feedback. This shared information helps teams align their efforts for a more consistent and coordinated approach to customer engagement. Sales teams can leverage insights from support interactions to identify cross-sell and upsell opportunities, tailor pitches, and prioritize leads based on support history. Marketing teams can use customer feedback and sentiment analysis to target specific audiences, update messaging, and launch more personalized campaign efforts. Cross-department collaboration also means businesses can quickly address customer inquiries and feedback regardless of the channel. 

3. More advanced data and analytics 

Consolidating customer data into one platform means organizations can leverage advanced analytics tools to gain deeper insights into customer behavior, preferences, and trends. Advanced reporting and analytics allow businesses to track key performance indicators (KPIs), such as customer satisfaction scores, first response times, and resolution rates. This means organizations can identify patterns, emerging issues, and proactively address customer needs for improved service and operational efficiency. Integrating these two software also helps with data analysis techniques like predictive analytics. Analyzing customer data and support interactions helps businesses develop predictive models to identify future trends, anticipate customer behavior, and identify areas for growth. 

Key features for successful helpdesk crm software

When shopping for help desk and CRM software, it's important to focus on features that improve the efficiency of your help desk and sales teams while delivering insightful analytics and improving customer interactions. 

• Omnichannel support 

• Intuitive self-service 

• 360-degree customer view

• Chatbot utilization

• Automated workflows and resolutions

• Proactive assistance

• Reporting and analytics 

Omnichannel customer support

When searching for help desk software, it’s crucial to find a solution that provides comprehensive support for all the different channels through which your customers may contact you, including phone calls, emails, live chat, and social media platforms. By having helpdesk software that covers all these channels, you can effectively address your customers' needs and concerns without losing track of previous or parallel interactions, ensuring a seamless and satisfactory customer experience.

Intuitive self-service for your customers

High-quality helpdesk software should provide self-service options like knowledge bases and customer portals, allowing customers to find answers quickly on their own. Your knowledge base, in particular, should cover a wide range of topics and be easily searchable. Additionally, your customer portal should be user-friendly and intuitive, making it easy for your customers to navigate and find the information they need. By offering these self-service options, your helpdesk software can empower customers to solve their own problems and reduce the need for them to contact support, ultimately improving customer satisfaction and efficiency while saving you money.

Chatbot utilization

AI-powered chatbots have the ability to handle routine inquiries without the need for human intervention. This capability not only improves response times but also enhances overall efficiency for both sales and CX teams. By leveraging advanced algorithms and machine learning techniques, these chatbots are able to understand and respond to user queries in a timely and accurate manner, deflecting many inquiries without reducing customer satisfaction. Because customers can receive the assistance they need without having to wait for a human agent to become available, you’re able to retain customers more effectively.

Additionally, AI-powered chatbots can handle a large volume of inquiries simultaneously, further increasing their value. This technology has revolutionized customer service by providing a seamless and efficient experience for users. With the ability to handle routine inquiries, AI-powered chatbots free up human agents to focus on more complex and specialized tasks, ultimately improving productivity and employee satisfaction.

Automated workflows and resolutions

Automation tools are highly beneficial in optimizing the support ticket resolution process in your helpdesk solution while also increasing your sales team’s ability to reach out to and follow up with more leads through your CRM system.

For helpdesk software, these tools play a crucial role in various stages, such as categorization and assigning the most suitable agent to handle the task. By automating these tasks, you can ensure a more efficient and streamlined workflow, ultimately leading to improved customer satisfaction and agent efficiency. With the help of automation tools, the categorization of support tickets can be done swiftly and accurately, ensuring that each support ticket is assigned to the appropriate department or team. This eliminates the need for manual intervention, reducing the chances of human error and saving valuable time. Additionally, automation tools can also assist in assigning the right agent to each support ticket. By analyzing factors such as agent availability, workload, and expertise, these tools can intelligently allocate tickets to the most suitable agent, ensuring that customer queries are addressed promptly and effectively.

Proactive assistance

Proactive customer service becomes much easier when your customer service team is being alerted to potential issues before they develop into actual issues. Many modern helpdesk solutions can do exactly this, alerting you to customers who should be proactively reached out to.

CRM reporting and analytics 

Reporting tools play a crucial role in the business world as they are indispensable for monitoring and evaluating the success of customer service and sales initiatives. Most helpdesk and CRM software have robust reporting and analytics built in, enabling you to gather and analyze data so that you can make informed decisions based on concrete evidence.

Streamline your CRM helpdesk needs with Freshdesk

Freshdesk is an innovative and cutting-edge helpdesk solution that offers businesses a wide range of tools and features to refine CRM helpdesk operations. 

With Freshdesk, companies can effortlessly streamline their helpdesk operations, resulting in increased efficiency and productivity. This comprehensive helpdesk platform allows businesses to effectively manage customer interactions, track customer issues, and provide timely resolutions. By centralizing customer data and communication channels, Freshdesk enables businesses to deliver personalized support and build strong customer relationships.