The last couple of years have been tumultuous ones due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The business world has had to adapt to a new normal, most notably by focusing on transitioning from in-office work to remote work.
Managed service providers (MSPs) took the pandemic and turned it into an opportunity to help customers based on their new needs. For example, many companies have decided to make a digital transformation and migrate apps to the cloud, and MSPs play a significant role in helping them accomplish this and other goals.
MSPs must have access to various help desk tools to ensure they’re supporting clients. An MSP’s ultimate goal is to assist their clients with IT infrastructure and manage support requests using IT help desk tools. Without these useful IT resources, MSPs may fail to meet their clients’ expectations and lose them as customers.
Below are some of the key benefits MSPs can reap when using help desk tools as well as a list of the top tools MSPs can use to meet and exceed their clients’ expectations.
Also see our picks for the Best Remote Monitoring & Management (RMM) Tools
Choosing the Right Help Desk Tool
Knowing what help desk features are available will help MSPs determine which software will best suit their needs. Help desk software and solutions come in handy when MSPs try to resolve issues quickly and effectively, especially in a world with ever-changing client demands.
With the rise of digitization, the relationship between MSPs and their clients has become more complex. Leveraging help desk tools allows MSPs to improve, secure, and capitalize on the services they offer, which in turn, helps MSPs foster positive relationships with their clients.
There are plenty of paid tools available to MSPs. However, some devices can be leveraged for free, so MSPs can keep costs low. Keeping a tight budget is crucial to any business, and MSPs are no exception.
MSPs must identify their needs before investing in any of the tools below. As a general rule of thumb, the more customization options a help desk tool offers, the more valuable it is to an MSP.
Moreover, IT help desk tools vary in price, features, and customization options. When companies identify their issues, they’re better prepared to select the best solution to fix those issues.
Also see our picks for the Top Remote Desktop Software Products
10 Best Help Desk Tools for MSPs
Below are some of the top MSP help desk tools that will assist MSPs in streamlining their processes to deliver the best service to their clients.
Jump ahead to:
- Zendesk
- Faveo Help Desk
- ConnectWise Manage
- Freshdesk
- Web Help Desk by SolarWinds
- N-able
- Hesk
- Zoho Desk
- ServiceDesk Plus MSP
- osTicket
1. Zendesk
Zendesk is an award-winning software as a service (SaaS) company that offers solutions for those working in customer support, sales, and other customer service communications. Clients can test out Zendesk software with a free trial to see if the software would be a good fit.
Zendesk provides an internal help desk solution for IT professionals, so teams can work and collaborate more efficiently. Internal team managers can also create a customer-like experience for their employees, which is becoming more important for helping with employee retetntion, especially during The Great Resignation.
2. Faveo Help Desk
Faveo Help Desk software is an open-source, cloud-based, and self-hosted solution that IT departments should consider leveraging. Faveo’s help desk ticketing system is web-based, easy to use and install, and best suited for small to medium-sized businesses or startups.
Some of the platforms that can be integrated with Faveo software include Facebook, Twitter, and WhatsApp. Customer service is a particular strength, as Faveo’s Help Desk has won awards in 2020 and 2021 for ultimate customer support.
3. ConnectWise Manage
ConnectWise Manage help desk software can make managing the customer experience (CX) more efficient. Whether it’s helping customers with password resets or more complex issues, ConnectWise is a viable option for MSPs. It’s other features include multi-channel ticketing, time entry management, intelligent dispatching, and mobile access.
Other benefits MSPs can reap when using ConnectWise Manage’s software include efficient team management, automated escalation processes, and service team performance analytics.
4. Freshdesk
Over 50,000 businesses use Freshdesk’s internal help desk solutions. Some well-known companies like Big Bus, Aramex, Bridgestone, and Pearson use Freshdesk tools to improve their operations. Freshdesk software can help IT teams simplify multi-channel ticketing; provide intuitive customer portals; deliver faster resolutions; and make support effortless for customers, agents, and admins.
Powerful collaboration tools can help teams work better together, making it an attractive option for many MSPs.
5. Web Help Desk by SolarWinds
SolarWinds offers an affordable help desk ticketing and asset management solution for its clients. It has a centralized knowledge base, project and task management, reporting to measure SLAs, and integration with Active Directory and LDAP.
The software helps automate internal processes and streamline workflows and overall help desk management. It’s also highly customizable, making it easy for companies to tailor it to their specific needs. Users can experience a free trial before deciding to purchase Web Help Desk.
6. N-able
Another tool MSPs can leverage to enhance customer support is N-able. N-able offers users ticket management, fast ticket creation, and a mobile app to give technicians ease of access. N-able offers a remote monitoring and management (RMM) solution and N-central for MSPs looking to scale their business, utilize advanced automation, and customize offerings.
Managing an IT workforce by using dashboards, scheduling, user management, and billing is made possible using N-able’s all-in-one platform. Users can try the software for free or get a quote when looking into N-able’s services.
7. Hesk
Hesk is a free and simple-to-use tool. This PHP platform can allow users to offer next-level customer support, faster response times, and less support work for technicians. The software has been downloaded over 650,000 times. Big names like the Department of Education and Arkansas.gov use Hesk for their operations.
According to its website, 86% of Hesk users report fewer customer support requests due to utilizing the integrated knowledge base. Having fewer requests means agents can focus on more important tasks that put the customer at the forefront. Users can experience a free live demo of Hesk or download the software solution for free.
8. Zoho Desk
Over 50,000 businesses use Zoho Desk for their operations. It’s a customer service solution that MSPs should consider using to increase productivity and efficiency and deliver on customer expectations. Zoho Desk’s solution is regarded as the industry’s first context-aware help desk.
Users can take advantage of Zoho Desk’s free trial program to test the software before purchasing it. Some key features include ticket management, process automation, omnichannel customer support, and workflow automation. Organizations like McAfee, UCLA, and Daimler use Zoho Desk as a solution for IT processes.
9. ServiceDesk Plus MSP
ServiceDesk Plus MSP is a web-based ITSM suite that is specifically designed for MSP use. The solution comes with key features: a comprehensive help desk, service desk, asset and account management, remote control, and advanced reporting capabilities. The goal of this solution is to allow MSPs to bring quality customer support to their clients.
Incident, problem, change, and asset management are all made possible by using ServiceDesk Plus. Users can also build knowledge bases for different accounts. It’s fully customizable, so the solution can be tailored to fit varying needs.
10. osTicket
osTicket is one of the industry’s leading customer support solutions. osTicket includes features such as customization, ticket filters, help topics, and agent collision avoidance, to name a few. osTicket offers value to its customers for free, whereas many help desk tools come at a price.
osTicket offers customer support packages that fit a company’s needs and budget, making it a viable choice for most MSPs.
Adopting Help Desk Tools for Increased Efficiency
Companies across all industries need to adopt new technologies to improve internal processes and achieve higher productivity levels, and MSPs are no exception. MSPs need to constantly address customer needs and satisfy them if they want to be profitable and competitive.
Consider the options listed above when searching for useful help desk solutions, as they all offer value that can translate into cost reductions and improved CX. Be sure to research some of these tools before investing in one. And because many of these options offer free trials, be willing to test them out first.
Read next: Best Incident Response Tools for MSPs and MSSPs in 2022
