A common question among help desk users is – which one to choose between ProProfs Help Desk vs. Kustomer?
If you’re unsure, I’m here to assist. I’ve evaluated both these help desk systems on several aspects – from user interface and reporting features to total cost.
Let’s find out which tool comes out on top!
| Features | ProProfs Help Desk | Kayako |
|---|---|---|
| Deployment Type | Cloud-based | Cloud-based |
| Pricing | FREE for a single user. Plans start at $19.99/user/month for 2 or more users. No hidden fees. A 15-day money-back guarantee. | Starts at $89/user/month and goes up as high as $139/user/month. |
| User Interface | Simple and inbox-like UI.
Support managers and agents can easily navigate the interface without extensive training. |
Intuitive and clean interface.
Too much white space can make the interface look bland and outdated. |
| Automation | Canned responses and automated surveys, notifications, and report generation. | Automatically tag incoming conversations and close abandoned chats. |
| Customization | Customizable ticket forms, email templates, knowledge base, and more. | Customizable email templates and live chat widgets. |
| Privacy & Security | Single Sign-On, Two-Factor Authentication, IP restrictions, and more. | Enable Single Sign-On (SSO) for Google and Microsoft users. |
| User Management | Different roles & permissions to control access to the help desk. | Easily add, deactivate, or bulk import new users to your help desk account. |
| Integrations | Seamlessly integrates with leading CRM solutions like Salesforce and MS Dynamics. | Integrates with some of the most popular e-commerce and social media platforms. |
| Reporting | Smart reports to track ticket response and resolution times, customer satisfaction ratings, and more. | Custom reports to view total inbound customers, total inbound conversations, and conversation handle time. |
| Support | 24x7 human support via email, live chat, and phone. An online knowledge base is also available for self-service. | Get in touch with the company via email. Phone and live chat support are exclusively available in top-tier plans. |
ProProfs Help Desk vs.Kustomer: A Detailed Comparison
Kustomer and ProProfs Help Desk have been integral components of my customer service team’s toolkit for the last four years.
To simplify your decision-making process, I’ve leveraged my experience to identify their pros and cons across 9 critical factors, including user interface, security, integrations, and more.
1. User Interface
An uncomplicated and intuitive interface in best help desk software is essential as it promotes user adoption, minimizes training duration, and supports easy navigation.
With an easy-to-use interface, support teams can prioritize issue resolution instead of wrestling with complicated features.
ProProfs Help Desk
Image Source: ProProfs Help Desk
My experience with ProProfs Help Desk has been notably user-friendly, thanks to its straightforward, email-like interface. The platform’s design is intuitive and mirrors a typical email layout, which simplifies navigation.
One of the features I appreciate is the advanced search bar at the top of the screen, which provides precise search results. To locate previous conversations with ease, I can specify details such as the ticket’s priority, inbox, status, assignee, and more.
I can also sort tickets by their status, including New, Open, Pending, Sent, Overdue, and others.
Additionally, essential help desk components like Dashboards, Reports, and Contacts can be quickly accessed from the screen’s top-right corner.
Kustomer
Image Source: Kustomer
My first impression of Kustomer’s user interface wasn’t great. Even though the design is minimal, I feel a lot of white space can make the interface appear dull and lifeless.
As soon as I click on a ticket, I can see important customer information on the right-hand side of the screen. This includes the customer’s name, email ID, phone number, total conversations, last activity, and even birthday. This gives my agents some crucial context needed for personalized assistance.
From the top-right corner, I can easily search for past conversations and click on the notifications tab to stay updated about recent help desk activities.
Winner: I think ProProfs Help Desk is a deserving winner here and gets a score of 9. I will give an 8 to Kustomer as I feel its UI still needs some work.
2. Automation
When your team is stuck with manual and repetitive tasks, it can lead to a decline in customer satisfaction. This is where automated customer service becomes significant.
The incorporation of automation in help desk software helps optimize workflows, reduce response times, and increase overall efficiency. By automating regular tasks like ticket assignments and responses, support teams can focus on more complex issues and lessen the burden of manual work.
ProProfs Help Desk
Image Source: ProProfs Help Desk
ProProfs Help Desk stands out with its robust automation tools and capabilities. From automated ticket assignments and canned responses to survey sharing and custom chatbots, it has significantly improved our support operations.
The automated ticket assignment feature streamlines task allocation, ensuring a balanced workload among agents. The canned response feature enables quick replies and helps save a considerable amount of time.
Automated survey sharing after ticket resolution is excellent for gathering feedback, leading to continuous improvement. I would also recommend implementing custom chatbots on your website or help center for round-the-clock customer support.
Kustomer
Image Source: Kustomer
With Kustomer, I can create simple business rules to automate repetitive tasks like assigning conversations or auto-tagging tickets.
For instance, I can apply relevant tags to incoming conversations automatically. This is a great way to keep the help desk inbox well-organized.
Now, you must have noticed that, at times, customers might discontinue a chat in the middle of a conversation, ceasing to respond to agents. This can have an adverse effect on your overall response times. To prevent this, Kustomer allows you to close an abandoned chat session automatically.
Winner: I will give ProProfs Help Desk a score of 8.5 and Kustomer an 8. The former comes with robust automation capabilities to help you enhance efficiency and handle more customers.
Read More: 10 Service Desk Automation Ideas that Boost Performance and Quality
3. Customization
The availability of customization features enables organizations to adjust workflows, classify tickets, and set up reporting structures, assuring that the software can be adjusted to meet the distinctive needs of the company.
ProProfs Help Desk
Image Source: ProProfs Help Desk
My experience with the customization features of ProProfs Help Desk has been outstanding.
The feature to create custom fields empowers my team to tailor our support process to our specific needs, enhancing the relevance of the information we collect. The content of email notifications can also be customized according to our requirements.
While the platform provides pre-built ticket statuses like Open, New, Overdue, etc., it also allows the creation of custom ticket statuses for better ticket organization.
For example, I have created a custom ticket status “With logistics team” to categorize and sort tickets related to delivery issues.
Here is a video that helped me learn more about customizing the help desk solution:
I highly recommend it for organizations seeking a customizable and adaptable help desk solution.
Kustomer
Image Source: Kustomer
Kustomer gives me the option to customize different elements of the help desk.
I can create custom email templates to standardize the overall design and content of my support team’s outbound emails.
From the Chat Management page, I can customize the live chat window without any custom code or developer resources.
For instance, I can enable or disable whether my agents get to see customers typing and vice-versa. Also, I can select the Hide Chat History icon to hide the previous chat conversations from the customer.
You can also customize the help desk language to cater to a global audience. Some popular languages other than English include Polish, Russian, Italian, French, Arabic, etc.
Winner: I will give ProProfs Help Desk a score of 8 and Kustomer an 8.5. Kustomer offers more customization features, in terms of languages supported, needed for global operations.
4. User Management
In any ticketing system, the term ‘users’ denotes individuals who are actual users of the tool, like support agents and managers.
User management is essential for the effective distribution of tasks and for maintaining a secure environment for communication. It provides the ability to designate roles, regulate access levels, and structure support duties.
ProProfs Help Desk
Image Source: ProProfs Help Desk
The user roles and permissions feature in ProProfs Help Desk lets me control what agents in my team have access to and can see within the platform.
The user roles encompass Admin, Manager, Staff, and Watcher. By assigning different roles to team members, I can define their permissions.
For example, Admins have the authority to add or remove users, while managers can perform bulk actions on tickets.
Also, when adding a new user, you can conveniently input details such as names, phone numbers, assigned teams, and other information. I recommend enabling the “Assign Tickets Automatically” option to ensure incoming tickets are automatically allocated to a specified user.
Kustomer
Image Source: Kustomer
Kustomer makes it easier for me to add, deactivate, or bulk import new users to my help desk account.
Just like ProProfs Help Desk, different roles can be assigned to team members. The default user roles include Owner, Administrator, Content Administrator, Manager, and User.
I like how Kustomer offers multiple User Statuses to let other people know of an agent’s availability. When agents log in to their Kustomer account, they are offline by default. They can then choose to change the status to available, busy, or unavailable.
Winner: I think it’s a tie here. I will give an equal score of 9 to ProProfs Help Desk and Kustomer for their robust user management features.
5. Privacy & Security
The fear of data security threats and incidents can be a source of constant worry for business owners. Consequently, there’s no room for compromise regarding data security.
Strong security measures, such as data encryption, access controls, and secure storage, are crucial for safeguarding customer data. Prioritizing data security not only fosters trust but also ensures adherence to privacy laws, preserving the integrity of customer interactions.
ProProfs Help Desk
Image Source: ProProfs Help Desk
ProProfs Help Desk comes packed with a comprehensive range of security features, allowing you to provide uninterrupted support with peace of mind.
From Single Sign-On to Two-Factor Authentication, there are various ways to secure the help desk. I have personally activated the Two-Factor Authentication to add an additional layer of security during login.
In addition, I recommend using IP Restrictions to confine help desk access to your company’s PCs or laptops only.
Furthermore, if you believe that certain reports should not be accessible to all team members, you can manage their access through roles and permissions.
Kustomer
Image Source: Kustomer
Kustomer doesn’t disappoint when it comes to security features.
For instance, with the Google single sign-on feature, I can enable my team members to log in to the help desk without having to enter their unique login credentials repeatedly.
You can even set up a customer portal, which is a secure location for customers to access their conversation history with your business.
I’m also impressed by another security feature called the Session Lifetime. It determines the time (hours or days) your agents will stay authenticated within the Kustomer platform before they are asked to log in again.
Winner: Again, I think it’s a tie. I will give ProProfs Help Desk and Kustomer a score of 8.5 each. Both tools will help you keep your customer service data safe and sound.
6. Integrations
Customer service tools don’t perform optimally when used as a standalone solution. They need to be incorporated with your current set of tools to minimize the constant back-and-forth between applications.
A variety of integration possibilities boost efficiency by merging data and automating procedures, allowing support teams to gain a holistic understanding of customer interactions and work smoothly with other departments.
ProProfs Help Desk
Image Source: ProProfs Help Desk
ProProfs Help Desk brings to the table a selection of carefully chosen integration options that can enhance the capabilities of your help desk.
You can seamlessly integrate your ProProfs Help Desk account with CRM solutions your team uses, such as Salesforce or MS Dynamics.
Other noteworthy in-house integration options include ProProfs Knowledge Base, ProProfs Project, and ProProfs Chat.
Kustomer
Image Source: Kustomer
Kustomer can be integrated with many business applications that your team probably uses already.
I like the fact that the tool has made it easier for anyone to search for the right tools across various categories like productivity, e-commerce, survey, data analytics, etc. Some popular integrations include Amazon Connect, Instagram, and Aircall.
If you ask me about my favorites, I would say connecting our help desk with e-commerce platforms like Shopify, Magento, and BigCommerce has proved to be a game-changer for my team.
Winner: I will give ProProfs Help Desk a score of 7 and Kustomer a solid 9. The latter can be easily integrated with some of the most popular e-commerce platforms.
7. Reporting
Reports and analytics form the core essentials for every customer service manager.
By monitoring crucial help desk metrics and trends, businesses can pinpoint areas that need enhancement and boost the overall quality of service. This analytics-driven approach facilitates informed decision-making, leading to more efficient and customer-focused support operations.
ProProfs Help Desk
Image Source: ProProfs Help Desk
ProProfs Help Desk provides extensive reports and analytics, offering users a comprehensive overview of the support process. Various types of reports can be generated, including Summary, Custom Field, and Child Ticket, among others.
Here’s a brief explanation of a few of them:
Summary: The Summary report provides a holistic view of various help desk metrics such as new tickets, open tickets, average first response time, average ticket resolution time, and more.
Ratings: Upon selecting the Rating report, you can view how customers have rated their service experience (on a scale of 5) for any given day, week, or month.
In addition, you have the option to schedule your help desk reports to receive them directly in your email inbox at selected time intervals.
Kustomer
Image Source: Kustomer
Kustomer gives me multiple options to filter my reports.
For instance, if I wish to view the performance of any two agents, I can simply select the Assigned Users filter and type in their names.
The Overview report helps me understand the inbound volume and customer behavior. I can track some key metrics like total inbound customers, total inbound conversations, and the average conversation handle time.
On the downside, I feel Kustomer misses out on some key metrics and reports. For instance, unlike ProProfs Help Desk, there is no provision to create separate reports for custom fields.
Winner: I will give ProProfs Help Desk a score of 8.5 and Kustomer a score of 8. ProProfs Help Desk offers rich metrics that are easy to scan and visualize.
8. Customer Support
What’s the course of action when you’re uncertain about the functionality of a help desk feature? The obvious move is to reach out to the vendor’s customer support team.
A responsive support team cultivates a positive user experience, enabling users to fully leverage their help desk system and instilling confidence in the software’s dependability.
ProProfs Help Desk
Image Source: ProProfs Help Desk
ProProfs has established its name in the SaaS market thanks to its highly dependable and responsive customer support.
In case of any issues, I have the flexibility to contact their team through email, live chat, or phone support. For less critical problems, I can simply fill out a brief form and raise a ticket directly from their website.
What’s impressive is the extensive online help center offered by ProProfs Help Desk. It features articles on a variety of topics, such as customizing your help desk, navigating the support agent interface, adding users, and more.
What I find most beneficial is that some articles are complemented with video tutorials, making it incredibly easy to obtain the necessary guidance.
Kustomer
Image Source: Kustomer
Kustomer also offers various methods for requesting assistance or reporting issues. You can get in touch with its customer support team via email, chat, or phone.
Having said that, If you have opted for a lower-end plan, I’m sure you will not be happy with the company. You can only reach out to support only via email (support@kustomer.com). Live chat and phone support are exclusively available in the top-tier plan.
There is also a Kustomer community where you can view discussions on product-related topics, submit suggestions or feature requests, and read the latest news from its product team.
Winner: I will give ProProfs Help Desk a perfect 10 and Kustomer a 7. The former offers 24/7 human support on multiple communication channels.
9. Pricing
For a majority of small to medium-sized businesses, price is a crucial factor. Most cloud-based help desk ticketing system offer adaptable pay-per-user schemes, which help your business avoid hefty upfront costs.
Transparent and affordable pricing models allow companies to choose a solution that fits their needs, preventing unexpected costs and ensuring a value-for-money investment.
ProProfs Help Desk
Image Source: ProProfs Help Desk
So, what’s the cost of ProProfs Help Desk? The short answer is it’s quite affordable. The company offers two plans:
Free plan: This is a forever-free plan for a single agent.
Team Plan: This starts at $19.99 per user per month.
The Forever-Free Plan is likely to appeal to many startups and small business owners as it provides all the premium features (limited to a single user). If your team has more than two users, you can opt for the paid plan, which starts at $19.99 per user per month (billed annually).
I appreciate that ProProfs Help Desk offers a single-paid plan to avoid potential confusion for customers. The tool also comes with a 15-day money-back guarantee. If you decide to cancel your subscription within this period, you’ll receive a full refund. That’s indeed a fantastic deal!
Kustomer
Image Source: Kustomer
So, how much does Kustomer cost?
The short answer is “a lot!”
There are two plans on offer: Enterprise and Ultime.
Enterprise: Starts at $89/user/month (billed annually)
Ultimate: Starts at $139/user/month (billed annually)
From Kustomer’s pricing, it is pretty much evident that it is targeting large enterprises. If you are a startup or SMB (small and medium business) on a budget, Kustomer will surely feel too expensive.
The Ultimate plan ($139/user/month) offers some advanced features like live agent auditing, unlimited collaborators, and an extended API limit.
Winner: I think it’s a no-brainer here. I will give ProProfs Help Desk a perfect 10 for its affordable pricing and forever-free plan. I will give Kustomer a 6.5 for its highly expensive subscription plans.
Which Is Better: ProProfs Help Desk or Kustomer?
So, following this thorough analysis of ProProfs Help Desk vs. Kustomer, which one comes out on top? Which one should be incorporated into your support process this year?
I believe we should first take a brief look at the various pros and cons of these two software systems before we arrive at a conclusion.
ProProfs Help Desk
Pros:
- Shared inbox helps you manage multiple customer-facing inboxes (support@, help@, contact@, etc.) in a centralized location.
- Develop custom chatbots for 24×7 customer assistance, lead generation, appointment scheduling, and more.
- Support reps can use a dedicated mobile app to view customer complaints and respond to queries even when on the move.
- Report scheduling to receive the latest information on help desk performance directly in your email inbox.
- Capture feedback on service experience with automated CSAT surveys.
Cons:
- Frequent feature releases and updates can be overwhelming for some users.
- More integration options should be offered for improved team collaboration and personalized support.
Kustomer
Pros:
- Automatically tag and route conversations to the most relevant member of your team.
- Share FAQs and knowledge base articles with customers from within the chat widget.
- Give agents quick access to canned responses for enhanced productivity.
- Deploy custom bots across your website and messaging applications to handle common customer requests.
- Language detection helps you automatically detect the language of a customer message.
Cons:
- Extremely expensive pricing makes Kustomer an unsuitable option for small and mid-sized businesses.
- The UI can look very bland with just two themes to choose from.
It’s finally time to reveal the winner!
I think ProProfs Help Desk is a clear winner and the right option for your team. From a simple and straightforward interface to powerful reporting features, there is a lot you can’t dismiss.
Most importantly, if you compare the pricing, ProProfs Help Desk offers a forever-free plan, and the paid plan starts at a much more reasonable price. On the other hand, Kustomer’s basic plan is almost 4 times more expensive compared to ProProfs Help Desk.
Before you invest your time and money in any tool, I suggest you go for a free trial to explore the different features and UI elements on your own.
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