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With so many different customer messaging platforms available, figuring out which is right for you is tough. You know you want a platform to help you manage customer communications more efficiently, but you need to figure out which option is best. In this article, I'll help you make this choice easier by sharing my insights on the best customer messaging platforms to manage and personalize your customer interactions to improve your customer experience, based on my knowledge of CX.

Why Trust Our Software Reviews

We’ve been testing and reviewing customer messaging platforms since 2021. As CX professionals ourselves, we know how critical and difficult it is to make the right decision when selecting software.

We invest in deep research to help our audience make better software purchasing decisions. We’ve tested more than 2,000 tools for different customer experience use cases and written over 1,000 comprehensive software reviews. Learn how we stay transparent & our software review methodology.

The Best Customer Messaging Platforms Comparison Chart

Here’s a comparison chart that summarizes basic details about each of my top customer messaging platform selections. You can view pricing details and the availability of free trials or demos side-by-side to help you find the best platform for your budget.

Tools Price
Zoho SalesIQ From $7/operator/month
Birdeye From $299/user/month
HubSpot From $45/month
Crisp From $25/month (4 users)
Front From $19/user/month (billed annually)
MessageBird From $30/user/month
Sinch Pricing upon request
Drift Conversation Cloud Pricing upon request
Twilio MessagingX Pay-as-you-go pricing
Gorgias From $10/month
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	Compare Software Specs Side by Side</h2>

Compare Software Specs Side by Side

Use our comparison chart to review and evaluate software specs side-by-side.

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How to Choose a Customer Messaging Software

Choosing the right customer messaging software can help boost operational efficiency, enhance customer satisfaction through personalized interactions, and provide valuable insights with data-driven analytics.

As you're shortlisting, trialing, and selecting customer messaging platforms consider the following:

  • What problem are you trying to solve - Start by identifying the customer messaging platforms feature gap you're trying to fill to clarify the features and functionality the customer messaging platforms needs to provide.
  • Who will need to use it To evaluate cost and requirements, consider who'll be using the software and how many licenses you'll need. You'll need to evaluate if it'll just be the customer service team, or the whole organization that will require access. When that's clear, it's worth considering if you're prioritizing ease of use for all, or speed for your customer messaging platforms power users.
  • What other tools it needs to work with Clarify what tools you're replacing, what tools are staying, and the tools you'll need to integrate with, such as accounting, CRM or HR software. You'll need to decide if the tools will need to integrate together, or alternatively, if you can replace multiple tools with one consolidated customer messaging platforms.
  • What outcomes are important - Consider the result that the software needs to deliver to be considered a success. Consider what capability you want to gain, or what you want to improve, and how you will be measuring success. For example, an outcome could be the ability to get greater visibility into performance. You could compare customer messaging platforms features until you’re blue in the face but if you aren’t thinking about the outcomes you want to drive, you could be wasting a lot of valuable time.
  • How it would work within your organization Consider the software selection alongside your workflows and delivery methodology. Evaluate what's working well, and the areas that are causing issues that need to be addressed. Remember every business is different — don’t assume that because a tool is popular that it'll work in your organization.

Best Customer Messaging Platforms Reviews

Here’s a brief description of each customer messaging platform that showcases each system’s best use case, noteworthy features, and pros & cons. I’ve also included screenshots to give you a snapshot of their user interface too.

Best customer messaging platform for designing your own chat system

  • 15-day free trial available
  • From $7/operator/month
Visit Website
Rating: 4.4/5

Zoho SalesIQ is a powerful live chat software that can help businesses to better understand their audience, capture and manage leads, and engage with potential customers in a personalized and meaningful way.

Why I Picked Zoho SalesIQ: Zoho SalesIQ is a powerful live chat software that helps businesses engage with website visitors and convert them into leads. One of the key features that makes SalesIQ great is its ability to provide businesses with valuable insights into their website visitors' behavior. This includes information on how visitors arrived on the site, which pages they visited, and how long they stayed. 

SalesIQ also provides businesses with a range of customization options, allowing them to tailor the live chat experience to their specific needs and branding. This includes customizing chat windows, automated messages, and even the look and feel of the chat widget itself.

Zoho SalesIQ Standout Features & Integrations

Features include A/B testing, audience targeting, chat, analytics, API, contact management, CRM integration, customer management, dashboard, data export/data import, data visualization, email integration, external integrations, lead scoring, marketing automation, multi-app, multi-site, multi-user, notifications scheduling, third-party plugins/add-ons, call tracking, click-to-dial, landing pages, real-time alerts, self-service portal, ticket management, social media integration, call integration, knowledge base, and support forums.

Integrations include all other Zoho apps (CRM, Desk, Analytics, Sites, etc.) as well as Salesforce, Mailchimp, ActiveCampaign, Constant Contact, GetResponse, Google Tag Manager, Unbounce, GoDaddy, WordPress, Wix, Weebly, Joomla, Drupal, Shopify, BigCommerce, Magento, and other options. 

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Powerful live chat features and functionality
  • Real-time visitor monitoring
  • Customizable chat widgets and automated messages

Cons:

  • Time needed for setup and configuration process
  • Somewhat outdated UI

Best for automated business review management

  • From $299/user/month

Birdeye is a review management and customer engagement platform designed to assist businesses in enhancing their online reputation. It stands out for its versatility across various industries, offering specialized solutions for reputation growth, which positions it as a leading tool for businesses in sectors like healthcare, retail, and real estate to attract and manage customer interactions effectively.

Why I Picked Birdeye: Birdeye excels in creating seamless communication channels between businesses and their customers, facilitating effortless interaction across multiple platforms. Its strength lies in centralizing messages from various sources into a single dashboard, ensuring no customer query goes unanswered. With features like automated responses and personalized messaging, Birdeye enhances customer engagement, improving satisfaction and loyalty.

Birdeye's intuitive design and robust analytics also empower businesses to monitor conversation trends and customer sentiments in real-time, enabling proactive service adjustments. In essence, Birdeye simplifies customer communication, making it more efficient and effective for businesses aiming to maintain a competitive edge through superior customer service.

Birdeye Standout Features & Integrations

Features include automated review requests, review monitoring, review management, competitor analysis, customer surveys, messaging and chat, listings management, social media management, appointment scheduling, referral management, customer insights and analytics, integration with major platforms, customizable feedback forms, reputation management, customer experience journey mapping.

Integrations include Salesforce, Google My Business, Facebook, Zapier, Mailchimp, Shopify, Slack, HubSpot, WordPress, QuickBooks, and other popular business apps.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Automated review management
  • Detailed analytics and reporting features
  • Extensive integrations with a wide array of platforms

Cons:

  • Learning curve for advanced features
  • Limited customization in lower tiers

Best customer messaging platform for customer satisfaction assessment

  • 14-day free trial + free plan available
  • From $45/month
Visit Website
Rating: 4.4/5

HubSpot is a customer messaging platform that enables companies to assess customer satisfaction with feedback surveys so they can improve their performance. 

Why I picked HubSpot: HubSpot helps your support agents connect with prospects and customers via email, live chat, instant messaging tools, and social media platforms. The solution creates a universal inbox for all your teams, so your agents can easily mark conversations and escalate them to other departments. 

HubSpot enables you to route or assign conversations to specific teams or individuals. You can also create filters to automatically move specific types of customer inquiries to different departments, so your team can answer all conversations in a timely manner. You can also ask your customers to rate your team’s responses, so you can assess their satisfaction levels. 

HubSpot Standout Features and Integrations

Features include automated workflows, canned responses, follow-up notifications, conversation records, ticket prioritization, and a universal inbox. 

Integrations include Aircall, Facebook Messenger, Google Meet, Gmail, Instagram, Mailchimp, Microsoft Outlook, Slack, WordPress, Zoom, and others. 

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Comprehensive knowledge base
  • Canned response templates
  • Visual builder for automated conversations

Cons:

  • You can’t open lists directly, so you have to download, modify, and upload each one
  • Feedback surveys could be more flexible

Best customer messaging platform for efficient team collaboration

  • 14-day free trial
  • From $25/month (4 users)
Visit Website
Rating: 4.4/5

Crisp is a customer messaging platform that makes it easy for team members to collaborate and provide the best solutions for their customers. 

Why I picked Crisp: Crisp enables you to manage all your messages from a central location. The software creates profiles for your customers, so you can easily track their purchase history or previous interactions when they start a conversation. 

Crisp enables your support specialists to tag each other in conversations in order to collaborate and provide the best answers for your customers. In addition, the platform also allows you to create automated chat flows that rely on custom triggers to activate. 

Crisp Standout Features and Integrations

Features include conversation routing, chatbots, data centralization, a universal inbox, team activity reports, automation, and ticketing. 

Integrations include Cloudflare, Facebook Messenger, Joomla, Mailchimp, Prestashop, Segment, Telegram, Webflow, WhatsApp, and others.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Doubles as a flexible support software
  • Simple onboarding
  • Good personalization options

Cons:

  • Limited contact management features
  • Reporting could be more granular on certain metrics

Best customer messaging platform for collaborative chats

  • 7-day free trial + free demo
  • From $19/user/month (billed annually)

Front is a customer messaging platform that enables support teams to communicate and collaborate in order to solve customer tickets. 

Why I picked Front: Front helps your team members work together without forwarding conversations or reassigning tickets. The software allows you to tag other users when you want a second opinion, and you can have a conversation with your teammates without leaving the chat window. 

Front is great at helping small customer support or service teams handle more tickets without affecting the user experience. The tool’s collaborative email functionality enables support agents to consult with product owners or other specialists to find answers to complicated customer inquiries so they can solve tickets without delays. 

Front Standout Features and Integrations

Features include omnichannel communication, shared inbox, collaborative email, automated workflows, reply templates, and reporting. 

Integrations include Asana, CallHippo, ClickUp, Dialpad, Google Drive, Instagram, Jira, Microsoft Outlook 365, Slack, and others. 

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Does an excellent job of creating conversation threads, so you can always catch up on old conversations
  • Search functionality helps you find conversations with keywords
  • Can act as an internal messaging service

Cons:

  • The mobile app doesn’t access your calendar, so you have to switch to a calendar app and consult it if you need to schedule meetings
  • Imported tables don’t keep their coloring and formatting, so you have to reorganize them on import

Best customer messaging platform for international companies that use direct calls

  • Freemium version available
  • From $30/user/month

MessageBird is a customer messaging platform that allows international businesses to increase user engagement through direct communication. 

Why I picked MessageBird: MessageBird is a great tool for international companies that need to interact with their customers via phone calls, text messaging, or instant messaging apps. The software partners with telecom service providers from all over the world to provide virtual, localized numbers you can use to engage your customers. 

MessageBird keeps track of your customers across multiple channels and centralizes all your communications in a single thread so no information falls through the cracks. The solution also pulls data from third-party solutions like Shopify or Salesforce to enrich your data, so you can create 360 customer profiles. 

MessageBird Standout Features and Integrations

Features include SMS campaigns, a visual campaign builder, a multi-channel shared inbox, feedback collection, and automation. 

Integrations include Facebook Messenger, Google My Business, Instagram, Slack, Telegram, Twitter, WeChat, Whatsapp, Viber, and others.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Enables you to create self-service flows
  • Helps you automate your FAQs
  • Chatbots help you personalize your customer service

Cons:

  • The interface could be simpler
  • Sending links to customers can be complicated

Best customer messaging platform for mobile communication

  • Free trial available
  • Pricing upon request

Sinch is a customer messaging platform that allows businesses to drive customer engagement with communications designed for mobile devices. 

Why I picked Sinch: Sinch makes it easy for businesses to add real-time mobile communication to their messaging strategies. The platform allows companies to connect with their customers via SMS, instant messaging tools, social media platforms, and video calls. 

Sinch helps you set up automated subscription renewal campaigns, appointment reminders, and other types of notifications without difficulty. The software enables you to track the success of your messaging campaigns and collect feedback from your customers. In addition, Sinch also enables you to build self-service portals where chatbots help your customers solve their own problems, so your agents can focus on serious inquiries.  

Sinch Standout Features and Integrations

Features include SMS communication, SMS verification, video calls, automation, notifications, and number masking.  

Integrations include Adobe Campaign, Calabrio, Freshdesk Messaging, Hootsuite, IBM Watson, Instagram, Oracle, Salesforce, SAP, Whatsapp, Zendesk Chat, and others.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Helps you create self-service and assisted service portals
  • Enables you to send automated reminders to your customers’ mobile devices
  • Makes it easy to collect post-conversation feedback

Cons:

  • Setting up SMS and WhatsApp campaigns could be easier
  • Video chatting in 1080p resolution can be expensive for small businesses

Best customer messaging platform for conversational marketing

  • Free trial available
  • Pricing upon request

Drift is a customer messaging platform that helps businesses drive user engagement with meaningful conversations. 

Why I picked Drift Conversation Cloud: Drift enables your customer success specialists to understand your leads. The solution tracks the activity of your prospects, so your team members can recommend specific actions or answer questions to facilitate conversions. 

Drift’s notification system helps you stay on top of all conversations, regardless of the communication channel. Your team can personalize the chat based on the user’s activity or shopping history, so it increases the customer experience you offer. 

Drift Conversation Cloud Standout Features and Integrations

Features include conversational chatbots, a self-service portal, lead tracking, customer profiles, ticketing, and analytics.  

Integrations include 6Sense, Clearbit, Databox, Drip, Front, Google Meet, HubSpot, Marketo, Microsoft Dynamics, Salesforce, and others.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Makes it easy to create automated chat flows
  • Proactive support team
  • Helps you qualify leads for your sales team

Cons:

  • Navigation menu can be confusing at times
  • Can be expensive for startups or small businesses

Best customer messaging platform for SMS campaigns

  • Free plan available
  • Pay-as-you-go pricing

Twilio MessagingX is a customer messaging platform that allows companies to increase user engagement with SMS and direct messaging campaigns. 

Why I picked Twilio MessagingX: Twilio MessagingX helps you plan messaging campaigns for mobile devices. The software partners with over 1,500 carrier providers around the world, enabling you to reach your customers regardless of their location. 

Twilio MessagingX pulls data from third-party sources, allowing you to personalize your messages and tailor them to your target audience. The solution helps you meet your leads and customers on their customer journey, making it easy to serve them contextual messages in order to increase conversions. 

Twilio MessagingX Standout Features and Integrations

Features include an SMS campaign builder, an MMS campaign builder, a messaging API, delivery tracking, delivery insights, and push notifications. 

Integrations include Facebook Messenger, Google My Business, WhatsApp, and others.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Free plan to get started
  • Campaign templates
  • Simple to use

Cons:

  • Dashboard loads slowly from time to time
  • Limited no-code personalization options

Best customer messaging platform for ecommerce

  • 7-day free trial
  • From $10/month

Gorgias is a customer messaging platform that’s designed to help ecommerce businesses increase their conversions with improved communications. 

Why I picked Gorgias: Gorgias helps you improve the shopping experience you offer on your ecommerce website. The software offers ecommerce-specific features, allowing you to perform specific actions without leaving the chat window. So instead of creating a ticket and pushing it to another department, your agents can simply update an order’s shipping address or cancel an order on the spot. 

Gorgias also helps international ecommerce stores to answer customer questions 24/7. The platform’s chatbots can help you automate your FAQs, so your website visitors can instantly get answers to questions regarding shipping, available sizes, and more. 

Gorgias Standout Features and Integrations

Features include one inbox, chatbots, helpdesk, customer profiles, task automation, chat messaging, and push notifications. 

Integrations include Facebook Messenger, Instagram, Judge.me, JustCall, Klaviyo, Magento, NetSuite, Shopify, Twitter, and others. 

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Deep Shopify integration
  • Straightforward design
  • Autoreplies answer FAQs in seconds

Cons:

  • Training library could be more extensive
  • Limited reporting

Other Customer Messaging Software

Here are a few more worthwhile options that didn’t make the best customer messaging platforms list:

  1. Gladly

    Best customer messaging platform for personalized shopping experiences

  2. Intercom Messenger

    Best customer messaging platform for chat widgets

  3. Messagely

    Best customer messaging platform for targeted messaging

  4. Zendesk

    Best customer messaging platform for ticket organization

  5. Freshchat

    Best customer messaging platform for multilingual support

  6. User.com

    Best customer messaging platform for growing teams

  7. Viber

    Best customer messaging platform for file sharing

  8. Tidio

    Best customer messaging platform for small businesses

  9. LiveAgent

    Best customer messaging platform for social media customer service

  10. Salesforce Service Cloud

    Best customer messaging platform for enterprises

If you still haven't found what you're looking for here, check out these related customer experience management tools that we've tested and evaluated.

Selection Criteria Customer Messaging Platforms

Selecting the right customer messaging platform hinges on identifying software that meets the basic functional requirements and addresses specific use cases crucial to your business. Through comprehensive testing and research, my evaluation process prioritizes software that addresses the core objectives and challenges of managing diverse customer communications through a unified interface.

Core Customer Messaging Platforms Functionality: 25% of total weighting score

Common features for customer messaging platforms typically include live chat, automation tools, omnichannel messaging capabilities, customizable chat widgets, CRM integrations, analytics and reporting, AI and chatbots, team collaboration tools, mobile messaging, and security protocols. To be considered for inclusion on my list of the best customer messaging platforms, the solution had to support the ability to fulfill common use cases. These include:

  • Centralizing multi-channel communications in one interface
  • Automating repetitive tasks
  • Prioritizing messages to swiftly address urgent customer needs
  • Seamlessly integrating with existing communication and marketing tools.
  • Offering transparent pricing with a compelling return on investment through a comprehensive feature set.

Additional Standout Features: 25% of total weighting score

  • Unique integrations that extend functionality beyond basic customer service, such as marketing automation or sales funnel integration
  • Advanced AI capabilities for more nuanced customer interactions beyond standard FAQs
  • Customizable analytics dashboards that go beyond generic reports to offer deep insights tailored to specific business needs
  • Innovative security features ensuring data protection at a higher level than industry standards
  • Exceptional customization options allowing the platform to feel truly integrated into the business's branding and workflows

Usability: 10% of total weighting score

  • Intuitive interface design that requires minimal training for new users
  • Streamlined workflows that reduce the number of clicks to complete tasks
  • Mobile optimization for seamless use across devices
  • Clear, logical navigation paths that intuitively guide users through the platform's features

Onboarding: 10% of total weighting score

  • Comprehensive onboarding processes that guide new users through setup and initial use
  • Availability of resources like training videos, product tours, and templates
  • Interactive support options, such as onboarding chatbots or live webinars
  • Community forums or user groups for peer-to-peer support and advice

Customer Support: 10% of total weighting score

  • Rapid response times across multiple support channels
  • Access to a knowledge base for self-service support
  • Dedicated account management for personalized assistance
  • Ongoing training and education opportunities to ensure users can leverage all features

Value For Money: 10% of total weighting score

  • Transparent pricing structures without hidden fees
  • Flexible plans that scale with business growth
  • Demonstrable ROI through features that directly contribute to efficiency and customer satisfaction
  • Free trials or demo versions to assess value before commitment

Customer Reviews: 10% of total weighting score

  • High overall satisfaction ratings indicating the platform meets or exceeds user expectations
  • Positive feedback on specific features important to user workflows, like the efficiency of automation tools or the quality of analytics
  • Reports of strong customer support experiences
  • Testimonials highlighting the platform's impact on business metrics, such as response times or customer satisfaction scores

When selecting customer messaging platforms, prioritize tools that offer advanced features and a user-centric experience. The right choice will not only meet the immediate needs of your business but also support its growth and evolution over time.

Driven by the need for seamless, efficient interaction across multiple channels, customer messaging platforms are rapidly evolving. I sourced countless product updates, press releases, and release logs to uncover the most important insights:

  1. Integration of AI and Machine Learning: Enhanced AI capabilities for predictive customer service and personalized communication. This evolution shows a clear trend towards automating responses and actions based on customer behavior, significantly improving efficiency.
  2. Real-Time Messaging Capabilities: The push for real-time communication options, such as live chat and instant messaging, is evident in recent updates. These features are critical for businesses looking to engage customers with immediacy and relevance, directly impacting customer retention and loyalty.
  3. Blockchain for Customer Verification: Use of blockchain technology for secure customer verification processes. This novel approach addresses concerns around security and privacy in digital communications.
  4. Voice and Video Integration: Some platforms have begun integrating direct voice and video call functionalities within the messaging interface, offering a more intimate and immediate way to engage with customers, which was less common in previous years.
  5. Dwindling Email-Based Support Tickets: Decline in the emphasis on traditional email support in favor of real-time and automated solutions. This shift suggests a decrease in customer patience for delayed responses.

The move towards more integrated, intelligent, and secure communication solutions reflects broader shifts in consumer expectations and technological capabilities. As platforms continue to innovate, prioritizing these key features and functionalities will be essential for businesses looking to enhance their customer engagement and support strategies effectively.

What are Customer Messaging Platforms?

Customer messaging platforms are digital tools that help businesses communicate with prospects and customers through multiple messaging channels, such as live chat widgets, emails, or social media platforms. They offer personalization tools, as well as automated responses to improve the quality and speed of responses.

In today’s business environment, customer messaging platforms are essential to companies who want to deliver exceptional customer experiences. They make customer communications more efficient, leading to more engaged customers and improved user experiences. They also help companies scale their operations using data-driven insights, automation, and integrations with other key systems.

Features of Customer Messaging Platforms

When choosing a customer messaging platform to enhance your business's communication strategy, it's crucial to select one that streamlines interactions with prospects and customers across various channels. The right platform will help manage customer communications more efficiently, allowing you to prioritize and manage messages in a single interface. Here are the key features to look for:

  1. Unified Messaging Interface - Integrates multiple channels into one dashboard. This feature is essential for managing all customer interactions in one place, making it easier to respond promptly without switching between different platforms.
  2. Automated Workflows - Streamlines repetitive tasks with automation. Automation helps in efficiently handling common inquiries and operational tasks, freeing up time to focus on more complex customer needs.
  3. Real-Time Messaging - Offers immediate communication with customers. Immediate responses through live chat or instant messaging can significantly enhance customer satisfaction and engagement.
  4. Multi-Channel Support - Integrates various communication channels like email, SMS, and social media. Supporting multiple channels ensures that you can meet customers on their preferred platforms, offering seamless communication experiences.
  5. Customizable Chat Widgets - Allows personalization of chat interfaces on your website. Tailoring chat widgets to match your brand increases brand consistency and provides a familiar environment for customer interactions.
  6. AI and Chatbots - Leverages artificial intelligence for automated customer service. AI and chatbots can handle initial customer inquiries, provide instant responses, and route complex issues to human agents, optimizing response times.
  7. Analytics and Reporting - Generates insights into customer interactions and team performance. Analytics help in understanding customer behavior, agent performance, and identifying areas for improvement in communication strategies.
  8. Integrations with CRM Systems - Syncs with customer relationship management software. Integrating with CRM systems allows for a holistic view of customer interactions across all touchpoints, enhancing personalized communication.
  9. Team Collaboration Tools - Enables internal team communication and collaboration. Effective team collaboration within the platform ensures that customer inquiries are addressed by the right person, improving resolution times.
  10. Security and Compliance - Ensures data protection and compliance with regulations. Keeping customer data secure and adhering to privacy laws is fundamental, especially in industries with strict regulatory requirements.

Selecting a customer messaging platform with these features ensures your business can efficiently manage communications across various channels, improving customer satisfaction and driving engagement. Remember, the goal is to offer an integrated and seamless experience for both your team and your customers, fostering positive relationships and supporting business growth.

Benefits of Customer Messaging Software

The right customer messaging platform can elevate your customer service and engagement efforts. These platforms offer features designed to streamline how companies communicate with their customers, making interactions more efficient and impactful. Let's explore five primary benefits of customer messaging platforms for users and organizations:

  1. Enhanced Customer Satisfaction - Ensures quick and personalized responses. Quick, personalized communication via these platforms boosts customer satisfaction by addressing their needs promptly and effectively.
  2. Increased Efficiency and Productivity - Automates routine tasks and consolidates communications. Automation of common inquiries and a unified inbox for messages across channels enable teams to manage customer interactions more efficiently, allowing them to dedicate more time to complex tasks.
  3. Improved Customer Engagement - Enables proactive outreach and support. Businesses can use these platforms to initiate conversations, send targeted messages, and automate campaigns, fostering stronger relationships and enhancing customer loyalty.
  4. Better Team Collaboration - Simplifies internal communication about customer support. Internal collaboration tools within these platforms facilitate seamless discussions among team members, leading to more cohesive and effective customer support strategies.
  5. Insightful Analytics and Reporting - Delivers valuable insights into customer behavior and preferences. Accessing analytics through these platforms helps businesses gain a deeper understanding of their customers, evaluate the performance of their service teams, and refine their engagement strategies accordingly.

Adopting a customer messaging platform can radically transform the way businesses interact with their clientele. By offering a mix of personalization, efficiency, and strategic insight, these platforms can help elevate customer satisfaction and enhance operational effectiveness.

Cost & Pricing for Customer Messaging Software

With a range of plans and pricing tailored to different business needs, you need to understand what each plan offers. This ensures that your selected software fits within your budget and also supports your business objectives.

Plan TypeAverage PriceCommon Features
Free$0Basic messaging capabilities, limited automation, access to standard channels (email, chat), basic analytics
Basic$10 - $50 per user/monthMulti-channel support, enhanced automation, CRM integrations, access to analytics and reporting
Professional$50 - $100 per user/monthAdvanced analytics, increased automation and customization options, higher volume of messages, more integration options
Enterprise$100+ per user/monthCustom integrations, dedicated support, advanced security features, unlimited messaging, comprehensive analytics and reporting

Overall, you should carefully assess your business needs, budget, and desired features when choosing a plan for a customer messaging platform. Considerations such as the size of the team, complexity of workflows, integration requirements, and level of support needed are essential factors to weigh when selecting the most suitable plan. Additionally, you should review the scalability options offered by each plan to ensure the software can grow with your business. By evaluating these factors, you can make an informed decision and choose a plan that best aligns with your requirements and budget.

Customer Messaging Platforms: Frequently Asked Questions

How do customer messaging platforms work?

Customer messaging platforms integrate with third-party communication solutions, such as live chat widgets, social media platforms, email automation platforms, instant messaging apps, and telecom providers. The platforms pull data from all these tools and create a centralized location for all your communication channels so you can manage all your messages in a single interface.

What is omnichannel messaging?

Omnichannel messaging is a communication strategy that enables businesses to engage their prospects, leads, and customers on all the communication channels they use, such as social media platforms, live chat, email, voice and/or video calls, text messaging, and so on.

What role does customer feedback play in shaping messaging strategies?

Customer feedback is fundamental to shaping effective messaging strategies. It provides insights into what resonates with your audience and what doesn’t. By leveraging Voice of Customer (VoC) programs, your team can test and refine value propositions with actual customer responses rather than assumptions. This process involves asking targeted questions through surveys and focus groups to gauge the appeal of marketing messages and understand any confusion or desired changes. Successful messaging strategies are built on a deep understanding of customer needs, preferences, and pain points, making feedback essential for crafting messages that truly connect and drive loyalty

How can businesses measure the success of their messaging efforts?

Measuring the success of messaging efforts involves looking at key performance indicators (KPIs) that reflect customer engagement and satisfaction. Metrics like open rates, click-through rates, conversion rates, and customer feedback can provide valuable insights. Moreover, advanced analytics tools enable businesses to track the customer journey and identify how messaging impacts behavior at different stages. Adjustments and optimizations are then made based on this data to improve messaging effectiveness and overall customer experience​

How can businesses ensure compliance with regulations in customer messaging?

Ensuring compliance in customer messaging involves staying updated with relevant laws and regulations, such as GDPR for European customers and CCPA in California, which dictate how personal data can be collected, stored, and used. Businesses should adopt practices like obtaining explicit consent for customer data collection and messaging, providing clear opt-out options, and ensuring data security to protect customer information. Regular training for staff on compliance issues and regular audits of messaging practices can also help maintain compliance and avoid legal pitfalls​

How else can I improve my customer experience?

Offering top-class customer service is a crucial part of customer experience, but there are also some different strategies you can try, such as:

  • Optimizing your website for mobile devices
  • Offering low shipping rates and generous return policies
  • Use detailed product descriptions
  • Adding photos that enable the user to see the products from different angles
  • Offering discounts to returning customers

Provide great service with customer messaging platforms

Customer messaging platforms help you provide great customer service by bringing all your communications together and shortening your response times. And the impact of great service can be huge for your company. As Barry McCarthy, CEO of Deluxe, said

When considering how your business approaches customer service, remember that customers won’t simply compare you with other businesses within your industry. The bar for customer service is set by the best — not just the best of your direct competitors. Never forget you can find success with a barely competitive product, coupled with outstanding customer experience.

If you want to discover new ways of improving your customer service, I recommend checking out the following resources too: 

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