How to Choose Helpdesk Software

With so many options available for customer support software today, it's hard to decide which one to use. Although the growing availability of SaaS or web-based software has made the purchase decision a little less risky, you still don't want to end up with a helpdesk solution that you'll need to change in a few months. The time involved with setting up a new system, training your users, and migrating data is not without cost, so you want to choose a software that will meet your needs - both now and in the future.

As with any software, the complaints against helpdesk software are many - however, in a recent study by software reviews site GetApp, a handful of complaints stood out:

Poor User Interface

This was a standout leader in customer complaints - almost a quarter of respondents noted a poor user interface (UI) as their primary complaint with helpdesk software.This of course is something you need to make note of when choosing a customer support software - make sure you sign up for a free trial so you can play with the interface, use it extensively the same way you would in your day to day operations, and test everything to ensure it will work for you. Being the prettiest or fanciest isn't important here, it's about functionality and ease of use.

Missing Features

This is not surprising, as study after study show that helpdesk software buyers are looking for certain feature sets, and many times the reason they are looking for new software is that their current solution doesn't have enough features. In a similar study by software comparison site Software Advice, 35% of buyers were looking for more functionality in their helpdesk solution. Again, this is something you need to consider while you're comparing support software - does it have all the features you need for your current business, as well as your future business. Consider your future growth, while a basic system may meet your needs right now, if you'll have to upgrade in a few months or even a year then consider choosing a more complete system that includes features like attachements, a customer & contacts database, product tracking, and reporting.

Lack of help/Documentation

This one should go without saying - a helpdesk software should by its very nature have spectacular help options. Sadly, that is not always the case, as evidenced in the support scores on G2 Crowd's latest Help Desk Grid Report. From documentation to community forums, self-service to omnichannel support, make sure you choose a solution that will meet your customer service expectations. While trialing the software be sure to check out the help section to see what options are available. And don't forget to read real user reviews on software comparison sites!

Looking for helpdesk software? Sign up for a free trial of TeamSupport customer support software to see if it's right for you: