Customer Support Software
Helpdesk, ticketing, and customer service management.
Key Functions
| Function | Description | AI Opportunity |
|---|---|---|
| Ticket Management | Create, assign, track, resolve | Auto-routing |
| Live Chat | Real-time customer messaging | AI chatbots |
| Knowledge Base | Self-service articles, FAQs | Auto-generation |
| Email Support | Shared inbox, threading | Smart responses |
| Phone Support | Call routing, recording | Transcription, sentiment |
| Automation | Workflows, macros, triggers | Intelligent escalation |
| Reporting | SLAs, CSAT, agent performance | Predictive insights |
| Multi-channel | Unified inbox across channels | Channel optimization |
| Customer Context | History, profile, journey | Predictive needs |
| Collaboration | Internal notes, handoffs | Smart assignment |
Data Footprint
Core Entities
| Entity | Fields | Volume | Sensitivity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tickets | subject, description, status, priority | Very High | Medium |
| Conversations | messages, channel, timestamps | Very High | Medium |
| Customers | contact info, history, preferences | High | High |
| Agents | details, skills, availability | Low | Medium |
| Articles | content, categories, views | Medium | Low |
| Macros | templates, triggers, actions | Low | Low |
| CSAT | ratings, feedback, timestamps | High | Low |
| SLA Records | targets, breaches, compliance | High | Low |
Integration Points
| System | Data Flow | Direction |
|---|---|---|
| CRM | Customer data, history | Bi-directional |
| Support inbox | Bi-directional | |
| Chat | Website, app messaging | Bi-directional |
| Phone | Call routing, recording | Bi-directional |
| Product | Bug tracking, feature requests | Bi-directional |
| Billing | Subscription, payment issues | Inbound |
| Slack | Internal escalation | Bi-directional |
Data Retention
| Data Type | Typical Retention | Compliance Driver |
|---|---|---|
| Ticket history | 3-7 years | Compliance, audit |
| Chat transcripts | 1-3 years | Training, compliance |
| Call recordings | 1-2 years | Quality, compliance |
| CSAT data | 2-3 years | Trend analysis |
Evaluation Criteria
| Criteria | Weight | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Channel coverage | High | Where customers reach you |
| AI capabilities | High | Deflection, assistance |
| Ease of use | High | Agent adoption |
| Automation | Medium | Efficiency |
| Reporting | Medium | Management visibility |
| Integration depth | Medium | CRM, product |
| Pricing | Medium | Per-agent economics |
Market Leaders
| Product | Strength | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Zendesk | Full-featured, ecosystem | Mid-market |
| Intercom | Chat-first, AI | Product-led companies |
| Freshdesk | Price, ease of use | SMB |
| HubSpot Service | CRM integration | HubSpot users |
| Hiver | Gmail-based | Email-first teams |
| Help Scout | Simplicity, personal feel | SMB, boutique |
AI Disruption Potential
| Function | Current State | 2027 Projection |
|---|---|---|
| Chatbots | Scripted + basic ML | Full conversation |
| Ticket routing | Rules + ML | Intelligent assignment |
| Response drafting | Templates + suggestions | Full generation |
| Knowledge creation | Manual | Auto-generated from tickets |
| Sentiment analysis | Basic scoring | Real-time intervention |
| Predictive support | Limited | Proactive outreach |
Build vs Buy: Buy. Support infrastructure (multi-channel, reporting, AI) is complex. Focus on support quality, not tooling.