There's no ifs and buts about it: to achieve business success, your customers must be happy. According to the Zendesk Customer Experience Trends Report 2022, 57% of customers say excellent customer service is important to their loyalty. And 61% of them will not hesitate to jump to a competitor after just one bad experience.

A service ticket software is an integral asset in your array of tools. In this article, we'll discuss what it is, the best platforms on the market, and how Email Meter can help you supplement your service ticket software with insights into your email communications.

What is a Service Ticket Software?

Service ticket software, also known as helpdesk or ticketing software, helps businesses like yours manage and track customer inquiries, support requests, and service-related issues. It provides a centralized platform for organizing, prioritizing, and resolving customer tickets efficiently. Service ticket software typically includes features such as:

• Ticket Management: allows support agents to create, assign, and track tickets throughout their lifecycle, from initial submission to resolution
• Automation: automates repetitive tasks and workflows, such as ticket routing, assignment, and escalation, to streamline processes and improve efficiency
• Communication Tools: provides communication channels for interacting with customers and internal teams, including email integration, live chat, self-service portals, and social media support
• Knowledge Base: offers a repository of articles, FAQs, troubleshooting guides, and other resources to help customers find answers to common questions and resolve issues on their own
• Reporting and Analytics: generates reports and analytics on ticket volume, resolution times, customer satisfaction, and other key metrics to help businesses track performance, identify trends, and make data-driven decisions
• Integration: integrates with other business systems and applications, such as CRM platforms, email clients, project management tools, and collaboration software, to facilitate seamless data exchange and workflow integration

What is an Email-Based Service Ticket Software?

An email-based service ticket software is a tool designed to manage and track customer support inquiries and service requests primarily through email communication. Typically available as a standalone tool, it allows businesses to convert customer emails into tickets, which can then be assigned, prioritized, and tracked through a centralized platform.

However, such a system can get rather expensive. Here are some options to consider.

Email-Based Service Ticket Software Options 

1. Groove

Groove is an email-based helpdesk software designed for small to medium-sized businesses. It offers features such as shared inboxes, ticketing, automation, and reporting, all within an intuitive and user-friendly interface. Groove also integrates with popular email platforms like Gmail and Outlook.

2. Help Scout

Help Scout is a popular email-based helpdesk solution known for its simplicity and ease of use. It offers features such as shared inboxes, email ticketing, knowledge base management, and customer satisfaction surveys. Help Scout's streamlined interface and collaboration tools make it ideal for small businesses and startups.

3. Front

Front is a collaborative email platform that integrates with various helpdesk and CRM tools to streamline email-based customer support. Like the first two options, it also has shared inboxes, as well as email routing, internal comments, and analytics. Front's advanced collaboration features make it suitable for teams of all sizes looking to manage email-based support efficiently.

4. Hiver

Hiver is another email collaboration tool that transforms Gmail into a helpdesk solution. It offers features such as shared inboxes, email assignment, collision detection, and analytics. Hiver's seamless integration with Gmail makes it a popular choice for businesses looking to manage customer support directly from their email inbox.

5. Freshdesk (Email Ticketing)

Freshdesk offers an email ticketing solution as part of its broader helpdesk platform. It allows businesses to convert customer emails into tickets, track their status, and collaborate with team members to resolve issues efficiently. Freshdesk's email ticketing feature integrates seamlessly with its other helpdesk modules, such as self-service portals and automation tools.

6. Zoho Desk (Email Ticketing)

Zoho Desk includes an email ticketing module as part of its comprehensive helpdesk software suite. It enables businesses to convert customer emails into tickets, categorize them, assign them to agents, and track their resolution status. Zoho Desk's email ticketing feature integrates seamlessly with its other helpdesk capabilities, such as knowledge base management and reporting.

Now, for businesses that want a more cost-effective way to get an email-based service ticket software up and running, the best alternative is to use a shared mailbox.

How a Shared Mailbox Functions As an Email-Based Service Ticket Software

Using a shared mailbox on Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 can function as a basic ticketing system by centralizing customer inquiries into a single inbox accessible by multiple support team members. Each email can be treated as a ticket, with team members assigning, tracking, and responding to these emails collaboratively. 

Additionally, shared mailboxes offer features like categorization, tagging, and automated rules to streamline the management of support requests. This approach leverages existing email infrastructure, avoiding the costs associated with dedicated ticketing software -- so it's perfect for businesses that do not have a lot of resources.

However, it's not a perfect system. This type of email ticketing system does not come pre-built with mailbox analytics, so the functionalities that you will enjoy are basic, at best.

The workaround?

Use Email Meter.

Why You Need Email Meter Alongside Your Service Ticket Software

Whether you’re opting for the expensive software or saving costs by using a shared mailbox on Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 as a service ticket system, there are many benefits to using Email Meter. Email Meter helps deliver:

1. Comprehensive Email Analytics

Email Meter provides detailed metrics on various aspects of email communications, such as response times, resolution times, email volumes, and team performance. These metrics help identify patterns and trends, allowing support teams to optimize their workflows and prioritize tasks effectively.

Email Meter also tracks how quickly support agents respond to customer emails, offering insights into average response times, first response times, and resolution times. This information helps ensure that SLAs (Service Level Agreements) are met, and response times are minimized, leading to higher customer satisfaction.

2. Agent Performance

Additionally, by monitoring individual agent performance, Email Meter identifies top performers and those who may need additional training or support. Metrics such as the number of emails handled, response speed, and resolution efficiency provide a clear picture of each agent's contribution.

3. Workload Management

Email Meter also analyzes the volume of incoming emails, highlighting peak times and periods of high activity. With this information, managers can allocate resources more effectively, ensuring that there are enough agents available during busy periods to handle the workload.

Finally, Email Meter helps support teams prioritize urgent issues and organize tickets based on various criteria such as issue type, priority, or customer segment. This ensures that critical issues are addressed promptly and that the support process is more organized.

Want to see all of these in action? Request a demo for your organization today.