Introduction

Zendesk has long been the go-to customer support platform, but its complexity, cost and lack of innovation has seen lots of people look for alternatives.

The rise of Slack Connect, Discord and other instant messaging apps has changed the way companies and customers are increasingly interacting and this requires a new set of tools.

In this blog post, we'll delve into five alternatives to Zendesk: Mava, Gorgias, Intercom, Zoho Desk, and Freshdesk.

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1) Mava

Mava is a versatile customer support and helpdesk solution that stands out for its powerful AI features, group chat and community support features, as well as its Discord integration. 

Mava natively integrates with Slack (coming soon), Email, Discord, Telegram, and web chat. 

Mava goes beyond traditional helpdesk solutions with powerful AI automations that can instantly be trained on a company's support content,  unique integrations such as Discord, and its group support features.

Who It's Best For:

Mava is ideal for businesses and teams that are  looking to provide support in group chats like WhatsApp (coming soon), Slack Connect & community channels like Discord. With its unlimited seats, Mava is also ideal for customer-centric & community-centric teams that want to give all team members access to its support platform.

Key Features:

• Multi-channel support (Slack (coming soon), Email, Discord, Telegram, and web chat)
• Support in group or public community channels 
• AI-powered conversational ticketing
• Seamless integration with popular communication platforms
• Instantly train AI with all your existing support content & community conversations so you never have to answer the same question twice

Pricing:

Mava is the best value solution with a freemium pricing model, so teams can get started for free. Mava has several pricing tiers based on usage vs. charging per seat, so it’s extremely cost effective compared to other support tools.

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2) Gorgias:

Gorgias is a customer support platform that focuses on automating repetitive tasks to enhance efficiency. It integrates seamlessly with various e-commerce platforms, making it a popular choice for businesses in the online retail sector. Gorgias streamlines customer interactions by centralizing data and automating responses to common queries.

Who It's Best For:

Gorgias is best suited for e-commerce businesses looking to streamline their customer support processes. Its automation capabilities are particularly beneficial for handling a high volume of customer queries in a timely and efficient manner.

Key Features:

• E-commerce integration
• Automation of repetitive tasks
• Centralized customer data
• Multichannel support

Pricing:

Gorgias' pricing is based on the number of tickets received. It offers a free trial for businesses to evaluate its features before committing to a plan but doesn’t have a free pricing tier for smaller businesses.

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3) Intercom:

Intercom is a comprehensive customer communication platform that goes beyond traditional helpdesk functionalities. It offers live chat, marketing automation, and customer engagement tools in addition to its helpdesk capabilities. Intercom is designed to foster personalized, real-time communication with customers at various touchpoints in their journey. Intercom recently launched their experimental AI bot called Fin.

Who It's Best For:

Intercom is best suited for businesses looking to purchase a premium support desk software to use across traditional ticket channels such as web, phone and email.

Key Features:

• Live chat
• Marketing automation
• Customer engagement tools
• Helpdesk functionalities
• AI support bot

Pricing:

Intercom's pricing is tiered based on the features and number of users, they do offer a discount for startups and a14-day free trial but many of their features come as an add on which can make the product very expensive. 

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4) Zoho Desk:

Zoho Desk is part of the Zoho suite of business applications and offers a robust helpdesk solution with a focus on customization. It allows businesses to tailor their support processes to meet specific requirements. Zoho Desk's intuitive interface and integration capabilities make it a popular choice for businesses seeking a flexible and customizable helpdesk solution.

Who It's Best For:

Zoho Desk is suitable for businesses looking for a customizable helpdesk solution that can adapt to unique workflows. It caters to organizations that value flexibility and want to tailor their support processes to align with specific requirements.

Key Features:

• Customizable helpdesk solution
• Integration capabilities
• Intuitive interface
• Knowledge base management

Pricing:

Zoho Desk's pricing is tiered and based on the number of users. It offers a 15-day free trial for businesses to assess its suitability.

5) Freshdesk:

Freshdesk is a popular customer support software that caters to businesses of all sizes. It offers a range of features, including ticketing, automation, and knowledge base management. Freshdesk is known for its user-friendly interface and scalability, making it a versatile option for growing businesses.

Who It's Best For:

Freshdesk is best suited for businesses looking for a scalable customer support solution. Its user-friendly interface and comprehensive features make it suitable for both small businesses and enterprises experiencing growth.

Key Features:

• Ticketing system
• Automation capabilities
• Knowledge base management
• Multi-channel support

Pricing:

Freshdesk's pricing is tiered based on the features and number of users. It offers a free trial for businesses to test its capabilities before committing to a plan.

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Conclusion:

In conclusion, businesses exploring alternatives to Zendesk have a variety of options to consider. 

The unique features and elements of support tools means there can be large benefits from selecting a product aligned with your communication style, budget and business type. For example, if you’re an ecommerce business using Shopify, it’s likely you’ll find a product like Gorgias the best fit. If, on the other hand, you’re looking to engage with your customers over platforms like Discord or Slack connect then Mava would likely be the best option.