As someone who’s worked closely with schools, I’ve seen the struggles firsthand.
The endless stream of requests – tech issues, parent concerns, vendor coordination – can overwhelm even the most dedicated staff. Lost emails, delayed responses, and frustrated stakeholders are all too common.
But I’ve also witnessed the transformative power of a well-implemented help desk software for schools and Universities. It brings order to the chaos, streamlining communication, empowering staff, and ensuring every inquiry gets the attention it deserves.
In this guide, I’ll share my insights on the 8 best help desk solutions for schools in 2024. Discover how the right tool can free up your team, improve response times, and ultimately create a more positive experience for everyone involved.
Which Is the Best Help Desk Software for Schools and Universities?
Before we dive into the detailed list, here’s a quick preview of my top three picks:
Option 1: ProProfs Help Desk
ProProfs Help Desk is the perfect partner for any educational institution. It offers a shared inbox to manage multiple email accounts and an online knowledge base to streamline handling common student queries. AI-powered automation features can also help you respond to student queries much faster.
Option 2: Zendesk
If pricing is not a concern, you can go for Zendesk. The tool is ideal for large schools and educational institutions, offering a scalable solution with extensive customization and automation tools to manage complex support needs.
Option 3: Gmelius
Gmelius integrates seamlessly with Gmail, providing personalized support and real-time collaboration for school staff. With powerful automation and workflow tools, it simplifies email management, ensuring that every inquiry is handled efficiently and effectively.
8 Best Help Desk Software for Your Educational Institution
I think the right help desk ticketing system can make all the difference to your school and to each student’s life.
After extensive research, I’ve compiled a list of some of the top-rated and well-trusted help desk options. Let me share a comprehensive comparison of each tool’s unique features, pros, cons, and pricing details.
1. ProProfs Help Desk – Best for AI Help Desk & Support Ticketing for Student Delight
Personally, I find ProProfs Help Desk relatively easy to use—it can be easily accessed by those teachers or support staff who are not tech-savvy.
Whether students or their parents share concerns via email, live chat, or web forms, the ProProfs Help Desk allows me to centralize all messages in one place.
With the shared inbox feature, I can manage multiple email accounts, such as admissions@, info@, edu@, facilities@, etc., in one place. I’m sure you will love the AI and automation features like canned responses, AI summary and response suggestions, and ticket escalations. These features lead to faster issue resolution and delighted students.
Additionally, prospective and existing students might have multiple questions about the admission fee, types of courses, etc. The tool helped me create an online knowledge base and reduce our team’s workload to tackle such common queries. This reduces the workload on my team and empowers students and parents to find answers on their own.
What You’ll Like:
- Online portal to allow students and parents to track ongoing tickets on their own
- Automated CSAT surveys to allow students to rate their support experience
- ProProfs Knowledge Base and Live Chat integrations for a complete support solution
- IP restrictions let you restrict help desk access to specific IP addresses only
- Awesome human support 24/7 via phone, chat, and knowledge base
What You May Not Like:
- No downloadable or on-premise version
- No dedicated account manager for the free plan, unlike paid
Pricing:
FREE for a single user. Plans start at $19.99/user/month for 2 or more users.
2. Front – Best for Email Automation & Collaboration Platform
Image Source: Front
Front is another impressive help desk for schools that need a robust platform for email automation and team collaboration.
I think its email automation capabilities are fantastic— it makes it easier for teachers and school staff to manage their inboxes effectively. For instance, they can work together seamlessly with features like shared drafts and comments.
With Front, schools can automate repetitive tasks, saving time and reducing the workload for support teams. This automation helps in prioritizing and categorizing emails, so that the most important issues are addressed first.
Also, this software provides powerful analytics and reporting tools, giving schools insights into their communication patterns and helping them improve response times. Overall, I find Front to be a versatile tool that enhances the efficiency of school operations.
What You’ll Like:
- Centralized email management for streamlined communication
- Automation of repetitive tasks to improve efficiency
- Real-time collaboration on support requests
- Detailed analytics and reporting for performance tracking
What You May Not Like:
- Limited integration options with some educational tools
- Can be overwhelming for smaller schools with fewer support needs
Pricing:
Starts at $19/user/month
3. Help Scout – Best Simple & Unified Help Desk Platform
Image Source: Help Scout
When using Help Scout, I really liked how easy it was to set up and use. I think it’s an ideal choice for schools looking for a unified platform to manage conversations between students and their respective teachers and support staff.
It offered a clean, intuitive interface, allowing our school support staff to track and manage all inquiries from one place. Help Scout’s shared inbox feature also ensured effective collaboration among team members.
The platform excels in providing a personalized touch to each interaction, allowing support teams to respond with the right context. This is particularly beneficial for schools, where understanding the specific needs of students is crucial.
On the downside, AI features are only available in the top–tier plans. So, you will have to pay more to leverage AI-powered automation.
What You’ll Like:
- Shared inbox for efficient team collaboration
- Canned responses to send quick replies to common requests
- AI Summarize automatically summarizes a long inquiry or complaint
- Easy-to-use reporting tools for tracking support performance
What You May Not Like:
- Limited customization options for the user interface
- Some advanced AI features are only available in the top-tier plans
Pricing:
Starts at $22/user/month
4. Zendesk – Best for Large Organizations
Image Source: Getvoip.com
Zendesk is a powerful help desk solution that is well-suited for large educational institutions with complex support needs.
Zendesk’s scalability makes it an excellent choice for schools with a large number of staff and students. The platform allows for extensive customization, enabling schools to tailor the support experience to their specific requirements.
I’m quite impressed with Zendesk’s wide range of integrations which make it easier for schools to connect their existing systems and workflows with the help desk platform. Some notable integrations include Aircall, SurveyMonkey, Trello, etc.
Having said that, I’m not a big fan of Zendesk’s over-the-top pricing. The tool is quite expensive and may not be the right option for small organizations.
What You’ll Like:
- High scalability makes it a good choice for large institutions
- Self-service knowledge base to encourage self-service
- Unified agent workspace to allow support staff to manage interactions across all channels
- Automated ticket routing to ensure every ticket is handled by the right person
What You May Not Like:
- Zendesk can be expensive for smaller schools
- Steeper learning curve for new users
Pricing:
Starts at $55/user/month
5. HappyFox – Best for Insightful Reports & Analytics
Image Source: HappyFox
HappyFox is a top choice for schools that prioritize data-driven decision-making.
The platform provides insightful reports and analytics, allowing school administrators to understand support performance clearly. For example, with the Activity Report, you can monitor your team members’ ticket participation, closure, and replies.
Also, I find its SLA report quite unique and intuitive. It highlights SLA breaches and helps you measure service delivery standards. HappyFox also offers automation features that help manage recurring tasks, thereby improving the support team’s efficiency.
On the downside, the HappyFox team offers phone support only to its premium customers, who have opted for the Enterprise plan. For the rest, email support is available, which can be time-consuming.
What You’ll Like:
- Advanced reporting and analytics for performance tracking
- Multilingual support to assist students and parents in multiple languages
- Fully integrated knowledge base to allow users to find answers to common questions
- Customizable ticket queues for effective ticket management
What You May Not Like:
- Phone support is available only for premium customers
- Higher cost for advanced reporting features
Pricing:
Starts at $9/user/month
6. Freshdesk – Best for Multichannel Communications
Image Source: Freshdesk
I’ve used Freshdesk for over six months and feel it is an ideal help desk solution for schools that need to manage communication across multiple channels.
It enabled my team to handle inquiries via email, chat, phone, and social media, all from a single platform. Freshdesk’s multichannel support ensured that every query was addressed, regardless of where it came from.
Freshdesk also offers automation tools that streamline workflows, helping school support teams manage tasks more efficiently. Its ability to create and manage support tickets automatically ensures that no issue goes unresolved.
Also, its reporting and analytics tools provide valuable insights into the performance of support teams, helping schools improve their service delivery. The platform’s scalability means it can grow with the institution’s needs.
What You’ll Like:
- Multichannel support for comprehensive communication management
- Collision detection to ensure that no two agents work on the same ticket
- Freddy AI helps predict tickets and share automated responses
- Custom statuses for improved ticket organization
What You May Not Like:
- Some advanced features require a higher-tier plan
- Limited customization options for the dashboard
Pricing:
Starts at $15/user/month (a free plan is available with limitations)
7. Gmelius – Best Gmail-Based Help Desk
Image Source: Gmelius
Gmelius is a great choice for schools that value personalized support and collaboration.
I think the best part is that It integrates seamlessly with Gmail, allowing school staff to manage support requests directly from their inbox. The platform makes it easy to collaborate on emails, ensuring that the right team members are involved in resolving issues.
Also, automation features help schools manage routine tasks, such as email routing and follow-ups, without manual intervention. Gmelius also offers powerful tools for creating workflows, which can be customized to fit the unique needs of educational institutions.
Besides this, Gmelius provides comprehensive analytics, allowing schools to track communication patterns and improve their support strategies. Sadly, this tool might not be the one for you if you use an email client other than Gmail.
What You’ll Like:
- Seamless integration with Gmail for easy email management
- Automation of routine tasks and workflows
- Collaboration tools for team-based support
- Comprehensive analytics for tracking communication performance
What You May Not Like:
- Limited to Gmail users, which may restrict broader adoption
- Lacks some advanced features found in more comprehensive platforms
Pricing:
Starts at $10/user/month
8. Deskero – Best for Help Desk Customization
Image Source: LiveAgent
I’ve used Deskero’s Grow plan and was quite impressed with the tool’s customization capabilities.
Deskero stands out as a help desk solution that offers extensive customization options, making it ideal for schools with specific support needs. The platform is designed to be flexible, accommodating a variety of communication channels.
For instance, I could easily upload our logo and choose specific colors to make the platform look and feel like our own. Also, custom data fields made it easier for us to record data relevant to our institution.
Besides this, Deskero also offers powerful automation tools that streamline the support process, reducing the manual workload for support teams. This ensures that inquiries are handled promptly and efficiently.
On the downside, Deskero does not offer any AI help desk features like auto-response generation or AI chatbots, making it an unsuitable option for those looking for advanced automation capabilities.
What You’ll Like:
- Extensive customization options for tailored support
- Custom chat widgets can be easily added to your website
- Public knowledge base to answer repetitive questions and inquiries
- Configurable password policies help you determine how frequently users need to update their passwords
What You May Not Like:
- Some customization features may require a learning curve
- Does not offer any AI-powered help desk features
Pricing:
Starts at $9/user/month
Evaluation Criteria
The evaluation of products or tools chosen for this article follows an unbiased, systematic approach that ensures a fair, insightful, and well-rounded review. This method employs six key factors:
- User Reviews / Ratings: Direct experiences from users, including ratings and feedback from reputable sites, provide a ground-level perspective. This feedback is critical in understanding overall satisfaction and potential problems.
- Essential Features & Functionality: The value of a product is ascertained by its core features and overall functionality. Through an in-depth exploration of these aspects, the practical usefulness and effectiveness of the tools are carefully evaluated.
- Ease of Use: The user-friendliness of a product or service is assessed, focusing on the design, interface, and navigation. This ensures a positive experience for users of all levels of expertise.
- Customer Support: The quality of customer support is examined, taking into account its efficiency and how well it supports users in different phases – setting up, addressing concerns, and resolving operational issues.
- Value for Money: Value for money is evaluated by comparing the quality, performance, and features. The goal is to help the reader understand whether they would be getting their money’s worth.
- Personal Experience / Experts’ Opinions: This part of the evaluation criteria draws insightful observations from the personal experience of the writer and the opinions of industry experts.
Say Yes to Seamless Learning With School Help Desk Software!
If you wish to enhance the student learning experience, you must be able to answer students’ queries and resolve their complaints 24/7. Unanswered questions can prevent students from reaching their full potential.
When finding help desk software for K-12 schools, I suggest you consider several factors before making the final investment. For example, ease of use, pricing, advanced automation, reporting, etc., are some essential aspects that deserve your attention.
While all the above-discussed tools are worth considering, I strongly recommend ProProfs Help Desk for several reasons. Its powerful AI capabilities and features, like automated ticket routing, online knowledge base, shared inbox, etc., have truly impressed me. Plus, it provides a forever-free plan for a single operator, making it an unbeatable choice for schools seeking a robust and cost-effective solution.
Learn More About Help Desk Software for Schools and Universities
What are the key features of help desk software for schools and Universities?
Help desk software for schools and educational universities typically includes features like a shared inbox for managing multiple email accounts, automation for handling repetitive tasks, a knowledge base for self-service support, and reporting tools for tracking and improving support performance.
How does help desk software benefit students and staff?
Help desk software streamlines communication between students and support staff, making it easier for students and parents to get timely assistance. It reduces workload with automation and provides quick access to information, improving overall efficiency and satisfaction within the school community.
Watch:
How secure is help desk software for handling sensitive information?
Help desk software is generally equipped with robust security features like data encryption, role-based access controls, and IP restrictions, ensuring that sensitive information is securely managed and protected.
What are some common challenges when implementing help desk software in schools?
Common challenges include resistance to change from staff, the need for proper training, ensuring the software integrates well with existing systems, and addressing any initial technical issues that may arise during setup.
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