Last Updated: October 2024
Looking for the ideal helpdesk software for schools and universities? Managing inquiries, support tickets, and communication within an educational institution can be a daunting task.
However, with the right helpdesk software tailored to the unique needs of schools, you can streamline operations and enhance the overall support experience. In this guide, we’ve curated a list of the 10 best helpdesk software solutions designed specifically for educational institutions.
So, let’s dive in!
Helpdesk Software For Schools and Universities: List of Top 10
1) Saufter
Rating: 5/5
Pricing: Custom
Saufter is an all-in-one helpdesk software designed to automate and enhance customer support. It offers a range of powerful features to simplify your support operations and empower your customers to find solutions independently.
Key Features
- Self-Service Portal: Let your customers resolve login issues and more on their own with Saufter’s self-service portal.
- Swift Automated Responses: Cut down on response time and deliver quick and precise responses to customer questions.
- Smart Knowledge Base: Continuously learns from customer interactions, improving your knowledge base and aiding in the creation of new articles.
- Multi-Channel Support: Deliver consistent support across a variety of channels, including web portals, email, live chat, phone, SMS, and social media.
- Actionable Insights: Access valuable insights into your customer support operations, optimizing knowledge base performance and enhancing customer engagement.
2) Help Scout
Rating: 4.4/5
Pricing: Offers a free trial; paid plans begin at $20/month
Helpscout is the ideal helpdesk software for educational institutions, simplifying communication and support management.
Key Features
- Efficient Ticketing System: Organize and prioritize support requests effectively.
- Collaborative Inbox: Enable support staff to work together seamlessly, improving response times and quality.
- Knowledge Base: Create a comprehensive knowledge base to provide quick answers to common questions.
- Automation: Save time by letting computers handle routine tasks like assigning tickets and follow-ups.
3) HappyFox
Rating: 4.6/5
Pricing: Offers different plans based on the number of Agents starting from $26/agent/month
HappyFox stands out as the premier help desk solution for school IT support departments. Designed to meet the unique needs of educational institutions, it simplifies IT support processes while delivering a seamless experience for students, faculty, and staff.
Key Features
- Efficient Ticketing System: Manage IT support requests effortlessly with a robust ticketing system.
- Self-Service Knowledge Base: Enable users to find answers independently.
- Automation and Workflows: Streamline your operations by automating routine tasks and workflows, such as ticket routing and status updates, improving efficiency.
- Multi-Channel Support: Manage questions and requests from different places like email, chat, and social media, all in one place.
4) Front
Rating: 4.7/5
Pricing: Begins at $19/month for smaller teams and $59/month for bigger organizations
Front Helpdesk’s collaborative approach and robust features make it an ideal choice for educational institutions.
One standout feature is that you can use your email address to reply to messages, rather than a generic one like admissions@university.edu.
Key Features
- Shared Inbox: The Front Helpdesk provides a shared inbox where support teams can collaborate in real-time, ensuring faster response times and improved communication.
- Multi-Channel Support: Manage support requests from various channels, including email, chat, social media, and more, all within a unified platform.
- Automation and Workflows: Automate repetitive tasks and set up workflows to streamline ticket routing, assignment, and follow-up.
- Analytics and Reporting: See how well support is doing with the help of detailed analytics so you can make better decisions.
Recommended: 6 Free Zendesk alternatives you need to know!
5) Zendesk
Rating: 4.3/5
Pricing: The Basic plan begins at $19/month and offers a 14-day free trial.
Zendesk specializes in customer support, sales, and engagement software, fostering strong customer relationships. Trusted by a diverse range of businesses globally, Zendesk is your partner in delivering exceptional customer experiences.
Key Features
- Multichannel Support: Zendesk helps schools handle support questions from different places like email, chat, social media, and phone all in one place.
- Ticketing System: Streamline support requests with Zendesk’s robust ticketing system, enabling schools to prioritize, assign, and track issues to ensure timely resolution.
- Self-Service Options: Help users find answers themselves with a big information library and forums.
- Automation and Workflow: Automate regular tasks like moving tickets around, updating their status, and making them more urgent.
6) Freshdesk
Rating: 4.4/5
Pricing: Free plan available, support desk plans begin at $15/agent/month, while omnichannel plans initiate at $29/agent/month.
Freshdesk redefines the way educational institutions approach customer support, making it a breeze to manage inquiries and deliver top-notch service to students, faculty, and staff.
Key Features
- Intuitive Ticketing System: Freshdesk’s robust ticketing system allows you to categorize, prioritize, and assign tickets effortlessly.
- Multichannel Communication: Freshdesk lets you easily deal with questions from email, chat, social media, and other places, all in one spot.
- Workflow Automation: Automate repetitive tasks and set up workflows to route tickets, send follow-up messages, and escalate issues.
- Self-Service Tools: Reduce support tickets by providing easy-to-understand information and forums where students, faculty, and staff can find answers themselves.
7) Gmelius
Rating: 4.4/5
Pricing: Start for free, paid plans begin at $15/month.
Gmelius revolutionizes customer service by seamlessly integrating with Gmail, turning it into a versatile help desk for impeccable support.
With Gmelius, you can effortlessly manage group emails without the need for constant tab switching, transforming your emails into actionable tickets and ensuring adherence to service-level agreements (SLAs).
Key Features
- Effortless Email Management: Handle group emails directly within Gmail, eliminating the need for cumbersome tab-switching.
- Automated Customer Support: Create rules and templates for automating responses, email triage, and task assignments, allowing your team to focus on critical matters.
- Visual Workload Monitoring: Keep track of customer inquiries using visual pipelines and receive real-time notifications of any changes.
- Transparent Collaboration: Give emails to the right people on your team, change the status of emails, add labels, and do other things, all smoothly working inside Gmail.
8) Kustomer
Rating: 4.4/5
Pricing: Plans start at $89/month.
Kustomer is the top choice for educational departments interested in AI chatbots. It offers comprehensive CRM capabilities, custom object management, and efficient customer segmentation.
Alongside its CRM features, Kustomer provides essential help desk tools, including a shared inbox, live chat software, and seamless integrations with multiple platforms, ensuring efficient and streamlined support services for schools.
Key Features
- Unified Customer View: Get a complete and organized view of each customer’s interactions and history, enabling personalized and efficient support.
- Automated Workflows: Automate routine tasks and processes, such as assigning tickets and follow-ups, to boost efficiency and response times.
- Omnichannel Support: Seamlessly handles support inquiries from various channels, including email, chat, social media, and more, all within a unified platform.
- Robust Analytics: Use smart tools to see how well your support is doing. They help you make better choices using facts helping you improve your support.
9) LiveAgent
Rating: 4.5/5
Pricing: Try LiveAgent free for 7 or 30 days; paid plans start at $9/agent.
LiveAgent, originally a live chat tool, has evolved into a comprehensive customer service platform. It now provides a suite of tools tailored for educational departments, including chat software, a shared inbox, a knowledge base builder, and phone support software.
Key features
- Multi-Channel Support: LiveAgent offers a unified platform to manage customer inquiries from various channels, including email, chat, social media, and phone.
- Universal Inbox: Streamline communication with a shared inbox that enables your support team to collaborate efficiently and prioritize incoming requests.
- Built-in Live Chat: Engage with customers in real-time through live chat, providing immediate assistance and boosting customer satisfaction.
- Ticketing and Automation: Streamline and make routine tasks automatic, like assigning tickets and sending follow-up messages, to work more efficiently.
10) Salesforce
Rating: 4.4/5
Pricing: Try free for 30 days; offers multiple plans according to your business size and needs
Salesforce, renowned for its sales software, also offers exceptional customer support solutions through Service Cloud. Tailored for educational departments using Salesforce CRM, Service Cloud provides top-tier help desk capabilities.
Key features
- 360-Degree Customer View: Gain a holistic view of your customers, enabling personalized and targeted interactions at every touchpoint.
- AI-Powered Insights: Leverage artificial intelligence to unlock valuable insights from your data, helping you make data-driven decisions and drive business success.
- App Ecosystem: Customize Salesforce with a vast ecosystem of apps and integrations, tailoring the platform to your specific business needs.
Choose The Best Helpdesk Software for Schools and Universities
In conclusion, the right help desk software is pivotal for educational institutions and businesses alike. These 10 solutions cater to diverse needs, streamlining support operations effectively.
It’s noteworthy that businesses prioritizing exceptional customer experiences can drive revenues 4% to 8% higher than competitors.
Therefore, selecting the right help desk solution is crucial for enhancing support services, fostering efficiency, and ultimately boosting satisfaction and success in both education and business.
So take your time to review each platform and choose the one suitable for your business. If you’re in a dilemma, we suggest you consider Saufter. With its self-service portal, smart knowledge base, and automation, it can elevate your customer support to new heights!
Click below to begin your 15-day free trial now!
