What are Customer Service Apps, and How Do They Work?
Bad communication is one of the most well-known ways that negatively affect a Shopify store. Ask yourself this, how many times have you downloaded an app anywhere with bad customer reviews?
It's only natural for us to incline away from platforms with a bad reputation amongst their customers. This is where Shopify store owners need customer service apps/helpdesks to facilitate healthy communication with customers or leads.
Today, we'll skim through some of the best customer service apps for Shopify and determine which one we recommend for every store owner. Customer support apps fall under the must-have Shopify app list because it can truly impact how good or bad your business does.
Detailed Review of Customer Service Apps
1) Helpdesk Support & FAQ‑UVdesk
Key Features
UV desks are probably the most popular and robust Shopify integrated helpdesk system. Its prime features include seamless multi-channel support with a well-organised ticket generation system.
It also allows the integration of more than 50 apps and delivers automated responses to customer queries. In short, it manages to provide complete customer support and a fast response system to build valuable customer support.
Pros:
- Multi-channel integration, +50 apps.
- UV desk is an easy to use app and is highly customisable.
- Live chat support from the website and a quick automated response system for customer queries.
- Offers a good range of features in an affordable package.
- Good technical support.
Cons:
- Merchants cannot add brand images to specific icons in the knowledge base banner on UV desk.
- Providing too many options thus might be confusing to handle in the beginning.
2) WhatsApp Helpdesk + Marketing
Key Features
WhatsApp Helpdesk + Marketing by DelightChat is a customer support application.
You can manage customer queries through its integration with several social media platforms, including Whatsapp, Instagram, Facebook and Email. One of its USPs is the feature of being an omnichannel support inbox and handling all queries on one dashboard.
Another great feature of this app is that it gives D2C brands an official WhatsApp Business API phone number and a free green tick, allowing them to communicate with customers securely and receive or answer unlimited Whatsapp messages.
Pros:
- WhatsApp Helpdesk + Marketing enables broadcasting Whatsapp messages to customers and sends order tracking notifications.
- Allows consumers to integrate any amount of online stores on a single platform.
- Integration with WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram and Email. You can even pair it with a Shopify social login app for easy maneuvering.
- Supports a free plan.
Cons:
- WhatsApp Helpdesk + Marketing is not available on other eCommerce platforms like WooCommerce or Magento.
3) Gorgias ‑ Live Chat & Helpdesk
Key Features
Gorgias - Live Chat and HelpDesk is one of the most well-known Shopify apps on our list. It allows store owners from multiple eCommerce platforms such as WooCommerce and Magento to provide smooth customer support. Gorgias is also one of the best Shopify live chat apps to have on board.
It also has automation features to help you reply to common customer questions. In addition, you can also live chat with customers who are browsing your store.
Pros:
- Gorgias allows you to add customer details to their dashboard.
- Integrates with social media platforms such as Facebook.
- Offers a feature called user-intent to detect the intention of the customer, helping in organising live, automated texts.
Cons:
- Not easy to use for beginners.
- Gorgias's plans can prove to be more expensive for startups.
- Collaboration within the app is a bit difficult.
4) Shopify Chat
Key Features
Shopify Chat is an impressive tool that helps reduce the time required in handling every customer and helps scale customer conversations. Shopify Chat brings real-time communication with customers, including online store chat and social media conversations.
Additionally, if you cannot send real-time responses, you have the option of sending in automated responses for any queries.
Pros:
- Shopify Chat is free of cost.
- Easy set-up.
- Integrates with messaging platforms such as Messenger, Facebook Shop and Facebook Page.
- Sends new orders, products and discounts in chats itself, turning the chats into checkouts.
Cons:
- Cannot switch between multiple stores. Users need to log out every time.
- Shopify Chat’s interface can be complicated for specific users.
- Notifications from customers are delayed sometimes.
5) Live Chat, Help Centre & CRM
Key Features
The fifth pick for this list is Live Chat, Help Centre & CRM. The app lets you live to chat with people in your store to offer them coupons and recommendations and convert them into customers.
It also allows you to respond to SMS and social media texts in one place. The app also supports multiple languages and offers to add any other language that you may not find on it.
Further, you can also send surveys to learn consumer behaviour.
Pros:
- Live Chat, Help Centre & CRM offers users the ability to create self-service layouts to solve common problems quickly.
- Integrates with multiple eCommerce and social media platforms.
- Enables adding unlimited stores in one place.
Cons:
- Not the most user-friendly platform.
- Live Chat, Help Centre & CRM has no free plan available.
- Collaboration with your team can be complex.
6) eDesk: Live Chat & AI Helpdesk
Key Features
eDesk is one of the leading and best customer service apps for Shopify. To begin, the app itself has an AI tool that assists you in replying to consumer queries in the best way.
You can also create invoices with one click and auto-translate customer queries. In addition, there are also ready-made templates that help you reply to buyers quickly. You can also integrate with other Shopify translation apps to gain access to a wider range of languages across the world.
Pros:
- eDesk: Live Chat & AI Helpdesk has customisable widgets to align with your store colours.
- The auto-reply feature helps at weekends and holidays to ensure customer satisfaction.
- Offers feedback to customers to learn about their experience.
Cons:
- The lowest price plan at eDesk: Live Chat & AI Helpdesk can be expensive for new stores.
- The app can be hard to navigate.
- Reviews have suggested that customer support can be unresponsive.
7) Zendesk
Key Features
Zendesk is a famous SaaS firm assisting users with their support software. There are a lot of features that Zendesk provides for billings, support, queries, tickets and order information. In this way, it works very similarly to a Shopify invoices app.
Overall, it provides what almost every other app on this list does and has earned a good reputation as one of the best customer service apps for Shopify.
Pros:
- Zendesk has an extensive FAQ build section where you can store your customers' most commonly asked questions.
- It also provides an interface that assists you in replying to customers outside of Shopify with ease.
- The app contains one of the biggest chat tools, including several features to increase the conversion rate.
Cons:
- Similar to a few others on the list, Zendesk is complicated to collaborate with your team.
- The company isn't built specifically for the eCommerce industry and may not cope with its customer requirements.
- The massive features make it a bulky and clustered app that can be difficult to navigate.
8) Tidio ‑ Live Chat & Chatbots
Key Features
The last app for today's list is Tidio, one of the most compact and straightforward eCommerce customer apps. Tidio has a decent interface, which simultaneously lets your teamwork on a single customer.
It also has other intriguing features that help complete abandoned carts and better communicate with your customers.
Pros:
- Great for team collaboration
- Tidio lets you automate replies to common questions.
- You can use widgets to connect with your consumers in real-time and integrate with the best business software.
Cons:
- Tidio does not integrate with social media platforms.
- Akin Zendesk, Tidio is a general support software, keeping all industries in mind, not just eCommerce.
9) Reamaze Live Chat and Helpdesk
Reamaze is one of the most high-rated live chat apps on Shopify and competes with other big names such as Gorgias.
With a seamless live chat feature, your employees can also solve any customer problem on the platform. In addition, it also integrates with other eCommerce platforms such as Magento and BigCommerce.
Pros:
- Offers a good chatbot feature to trigger when your customers take certain actions in your store.
- You can analyse the current live visitors on your store and help them complete their purchases or queries.
- Reamaze also enables you to solve queries from mails, WhatsApp, Facebook and other platforms.
- Not the most user-friendly when it comes to collaboration and requires a third-party app like Slack for better communication.
- Reamaze does not support any free plans with subscriptions that may be expensive for new store owners.
10) Chatdesk 24/7 Email & Social
The final pick for this list is Chatdesk 24/7 Email and Social. The app itself allows you to solve customer queries from different platforms such as Facebook, Tiktok (comments), mails, etc. You can also improve conversion by answering pre-sale questions.
Overall, the app is helpful in providing quick customer support and also integrates with other platforms such as Gorgias, Zensdesk, etc without the need of a software developer.
Pros:
- Helps provide 24/7 assistance to customers, even during peak hours.
- Allows prioritization of certain tickets and matches your brand voice.
- No software developer needed to setup and run the app.
Cons:
- Has high-priced plans.
- Includes extra charges for every 10 tickets once the pre-set number of tickets are solved. The charge is present for all price plans.
How to Pick The Best Customer Service App for Shopify
Now that we've shown you the importance of customer support for eCommerce stores online and some of the best options, let's look at what factors you should keep in mind while curating a customer app for Shopify.
1) Features
With each day, more needs emerge from a consumer's perspective. To stay on top, ensure to get an app that is aware of the latest trends and has features to tackle every type of support that customers may request.
2) Price
While features are necessary, they cannot be compromised with your budget. Larger organisations can afford to spend vast amounts of money to cover every aspect.
However, the same isn't true for every brand. Get an app that stays within your budget and does not mess up your cash flow.
3) Customer Support
Ironic as it may sound, you'll have to confirm that the app you've selected has an excellent responsive support team backing it up. If not, you'll have to deal with the backlash when the app is down or does not work as intended.
4) Integrations
It’s more than important to learn if your selected app integrates well with other platforms. Also, ensure to get an app that provides easy integrations.
5) Collaborations
For every customer support team, coordination is vital. Get an app that smoothens the process of your customer team communicating with one another.
6) User-Friendly
Look for an app that is user-friendly, has all the important options in the dashboard and does not take a lot of time to navigate around.
7) Design
Your team may not be able to output their best if the app they work on is dark and monotonous. Get an app that has fresh, vibrant colours or can match the theme of your store.
8) Ease of Setup
The last thing you want is to install an app and not understand a thing about configuration. Look for an app that doesn’t require coding to set up.
9) Adaptive
Different stores have different needs for customers. Search for an app that best fits your needs and doesn't have features that you end up paying for and not use them.
10) Ease of Use
Last but not least, ensure to go for an app that helps your customer support team solve any query/problem seamlessly and does not take time to process requests.
Overall Recommendation
Every app presented in today's list has benefits that others may not provide.
However, if you ask us, we'll recommend our readers to use the UV customer service app. The reason is that UV desk offers almost every other feature that you'll require from a customer support app on Shopify.
It's convenient, easy to use, offers several integrations, is priced optimally for even new brands to afford, and automates a good part of your support system. Essentially, the UV desk is an all-in-one solution for every customer care issue.
FAQs
1) Are customer service apps important?
Ans: Yes. Without a good customer support app, your team will face trouble handling all consumers, which can very well lead to a decrease in sales and retention.
2) Do customer service apps also help in marketing?
Ans: While a few apps on this list can help with marketing a little, not all customer apps provide marketing tools.
3) Do I need to pay to use every customer service app on Shopify?
Ans: No. In fact, Shopify has its very own customer service app, which is entirely free to install and use.
Conclusion
In a nutshell, these were some of the best customer service apps for Shopify that you can use in 2024. All of the mentioned apps have good ratings and can be used for different purposes, depending on your store's needs.