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With so many different internal help desk software available, finding the right one for your needs is tough. You know you want software to help you centralize and resolve your internal support requests and queries, but you need to figure out which system is best. In this article, I'll help you make this choice easier by sharing my insights on the best internal help desk software to track requests, streamline communication, and improve your operational efficiency.

What is Internal Help Desk Software?

Internal help desk software is a tool that helps companies manage internal support or service requests from their employees. They automate receiving, tracking, and resolving internal issues through features such as automated responses, ticket management, an internal knowledge base, and reporting and analytics.

Implementing an internal help desk offers numerous benefits, including improved efficiency, enhanced communication, and increased employee satisfaction by addressing employee needs faster. The data gathered by internal help desk software can also help companies uncover weak spots so they can improve their internal processes.

Overviews of the 10 Best Internal Help Desk Software

Here’s a brief description of each internal help desk software that showcases each vendor’s best use case, their noteworthy features, and some pros and cons. I’ve also included screenshots to give you a snapshot of their user interface too.

Best for centralized HR and IT support

  • 14-day free trial
  • From $19/user/month (billed annually)
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Rating: 4.2/5

Zendesk is an AI-powered customer service and support platform that helps businesses manage and resolve customer inquiries and issues. But it's not just for external customer service. It also offers a customer experience solution that serves as an excellent internal help desk, with solutions for both HR and IT teams.

For HR teams, Zendesk offers an omnichannel ticketing system, which makes it easier both for employees to contact their HR representatives and for HR teams to manage and respond to tickets. Zendesk's HR help desk solution can also help teams to track key metrics, such as article views, types of employee requests, and response times in order to continuously improve their services.

For IT teams, Zendesk offers AI-powered chatbots that can help employees resolve issues on their own, freeing up time for IT team members to work on more challenging tasks. Zendesk can also help IT teams stay organized with its issue tracking system, which allows teams to group together similar issues to be resolved.

Features include integrations with payroll and employee attendance and management tools, knowledge base management tools, self-service portals, and collaboration tools.

Integrations include Asana, Google Workspace, HubSpot, Jira, Microsoft Dynamics, Salesforce, Shopify, Slack, Trello, Zoom, and over 1200 more options on the Zendesk Marketplace.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Comprehensive automation features
  • Robust ticket management capabilities
  • Intuitive user interface

Cons:

  • Slight learning curve for advanced features
  • Limited customization options

Best for remote support training

  • 15-day free trial available
  • From $12/month
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Rating: 4.6/5

Zoho Assist is a comprehensive remote support and screen sharing software that empowers customer service teams to provide efficient and personalized assistance to their customers.

Why I picked Zoho Assist: This tool is great at allowing customer support teams to assist users using a variety of features. You can navigate multiple monitors, engage with the client through chat, voice call and video call, run diagnostics, power on/off devices without external intervention and so much more. However, I particularly like its ability to record sessions and store them in a repository that your team can search through and access at a later time.

This makes Zoho Assist a great tool for training future customer reps that join the team. It also allows you to build a knowledge base that everyone can access to answer questions they might have during a support session. Finally, it makes for a great resource to conduct audits and look back on session proceedings.

Zoho Assist Standout Features & Integrations

Features include multi-platform support and 'Wake on LAN'. The customer support team can access multiple devices, including Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android, and Raspberry Pi. This covers almost any device you can think of and makes it easier for your team to do their job. The 'Wake on LAN' feature allows your team to turn on shutdown computers with a single click.

Integrations include Zendesk, ServiceNow, Jira, Spiceworks, Freshdesk, Slack, MS Teams, Zoho Desk, and ZohoSalesIQ. You can also build custom integrations with your current tech stack using the Zoho Assist API.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • On-demand and unattended remote access
  • Ability to deploy bulk updates
  • Enterprise-grade security

Cons:

  • Some features may require coding knowledge
  • Session recording only available in enterprise plan

Best for IT service automation

  • 30-day free trial
  • Pricing upon request
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Rating: 1/5

SysAid offers three distinct tools for internal assist solutions, which include the Help Desk, ITSM, and ITSM AI. While there is some overlap between tools, each one is designed to address specific needs and best practices for your industry.

With automation and self-service tools, SysAid aims to reduce scrolling, clicking, and waiting to achieve ticket resolution faster. One tool that can help communicate issues with the help desk team is Hotkey, which allows users to record exactly what’s on their screen with a click and automatically uploads the recording to a ticket inside the self-service portal to search for answers.

Because SysAid offers a variety of editions, businesses can more easily find the right solutions for their industry and level. SysAid has experience supporting education, healthcare, manufacturing, MSP, and HR with cloud and on-premise deployment options.

SysAid Standout Features and Integrations

Features include asset management, service automation, ticket automation, self-service, automated reporting, workflow automation, advanced customization fields, ITIL package, and supported implementation.

Integrations include Active Directory, Azure, Cass SSO, Chromebook, Google Apps, Jira Software, Openam, Shibboleth, and Slack.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • User-friendly for admins and teams
  • Easy to learn
  • Fast implementation with support

Cons:

  • Outdated design for dashboards
  • Pricing is high

Best for multilingual support

  • 30-day free trial
  • From $9/user/month (billed annually)
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Rating: 4.5/5

LiveAgent is a multi-channel customer support software that enables businesses to interact with customers through various communication methods, including email, live chat, social media, and phone calls. The platform integrates these channels into a unified interface, providing a ticketing system that helps organize customer inquiries and ensures timely responses. 

LiveAgent offers a ticketing system that organizes and prioritizes internal requests, ensuring that no query is overlooked and that the most urgent issues are addressed promptly. LiveAgent also facilitates internal communication with features like live chat and a built-in call center, allowing team members to collaborate and share information quickly, as well as a knowledge base for self-service support. This combination of asynchronous and real-time assistance, in addition to its multilingual support features, makes LiveAgent a great tool for multinational companies that support employees across the globe.

Additionally, LiveAgent offers reporting and analytics tools to track customer service performance and customer satisfaction. These reporting and analytics tools provide insights into help desk performance, helping organizations identify areas for improvement in their internal support processes.

LiveAgent Standout Features and Integrations

Features include a hybrid ticket stream, automation rules, time rules, SLA and escalation rules, video calls, a customer portal, gamification elements, and security features such as HTTPS encryption, role-based access, and audit logs to protect sensitive data.

Integrations include Whatsapp, Mailchimp, Intercom, Slack, Forum, Shopify, Magento, WordPress, Facebook, and Twitter.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Can additionally help with marketing and advertising
  • Offers responsive customer support services
  • Intuitive, easy-to-user interface

Cons:

  • Lacks major updates
  • Limited incorporation of social media communications

Best for companies who are all about Google

  • 7-day free trial
  • From $15/user/month (billed annually)
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Rating: 4.7/5

This help desk and customer service solution is the first platform built for the Google Workspace. Users can help colleagues internally and communicate with customers through a tool they already know how to use — Gmail.

Using a Google-based interface allows your agents to assign, track, and collaborate on all emails, running all advanced analytics and automations through the Gmail interface. Any team that already knows how to use Google tools doesn’t have to learn the quirks and navigation of a new platform to start working.

Hiver offers separate customer service and ITSM support plans, depending on your needs. They provide solutions for a variety of industries, including logistics, travel, real estate, non-profit, and education.

Hiver Standout Features and Integrations

Features include ticket assignment and tracking for IT support, automation for tasks and workflows, deep insights about team performance, shared inbox management, real-time feedback, KPI tracking, and collaboration tools.

Integrations include Aircall, Asana, Jira, Maintenance Care, Okta, Salesforce, Slack, WhatsApp, Y Meadows, and Zapier.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Works inside Gmail
  • Setup in under an hour
  • 24/7 guided support

Cons:

  • No ERP Netsuite integration
  • No live dashboard with SLA highlights

Best satellite help desk software for managing multiple brands in one location

  • 30-day free trial available
  • From $10/agent/month
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Rating: 4.6/5

Vision Helpdesk offers four distinct help desk solutions, including a basic help desk ticketing system for incident or service requests, ITIL/ITSM service desk for IT team needs, live chat software for real-time, multi-company communication, and a satellite help desk option for managing more than one brand in the same location.

With the satellite help desk, Vision Helpdesk offers customer support and IT service desk functionality for multiple products, brands, or companies in one place. However, even with the help desk managing more than one business, the system maintains complete isolation for each category, end user, and staff.

Vision Helpdesk supports SaaS cloud licensing, a recurring license download, and a one-time license download to suit your business needs. Each one has a tiered system based on the number of agents in your organization.

Vision Helpdesk Standout Features and Integrations

Features include incident management, multi-language and time zone capabilities, CMDB asset management, incident billing and time tracking, form builder, and change management. Each type of help desk has some unique features.

Integrations include 2SMS, Active Directory, Clickatell, Clientexec, Drupal, Facebook, Microsoft Office, PayPal, Twitter, and WHMCS. Vision Helpdesk also has iPhone and Android apps.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Simple software solution
  • Minimal training requirements
  • Tons of real-time reports

Cons:

  • Limited integrations
  • Report duration is up to three months

Best for multilingual customer and colleague support

  • Free demo available
  • From $39/agent/month (min 5 agents)
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Rating: 4.5/5

The HappyFox help desk software integrates customer service and internal support so your business can utilize one tool to manage both aspects of your organization. 

No matter which language your team or your customers speak, HappyFox can help with multilingual support in 35 languages. With an automated ticket management system, agents can track support requests from end-users, create internal and external knowledge bases, and provide omnichannel communication through text, email, voice, and social media.

HappyFox is a versatile solution that can provide options for small and medium businesses, large organizations, and enterprise-level needs across a variety of industries, including education, IT services, retail, non-profit, airlines, healthcare, and real estate. They offer discounts for non-profit and educational organizations.

HappyFox Standout Features and Integrations

Features include ticketing system, canned actions, task management, help desk reports, knowledge base, and automations. Users can create a custom FAQ and knowledge base for internal and external needs.

Integrations include Azure, Asana, Jira, Microsoft Teams, Okta, Pipedrive, Salesforce, Slack, WhatsApp, and Wrike. HappyFox has integration compatibility with apps for accounting, automation, business intelligence, bots, CRM, device management, and marketing.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • User-friendly tools
  • Customizable solution
  • Scalable as businesses grow

Cons:

  • Limited self-training tools
  • Intensive implementation requirements

Best for growing teams and scaling businesses

  • 15-day free trial
  • From $20/user/month
Visit Website
Rating: 4.4/5

As a dedicated support platform that’s built for growing teams, Help Scout delivers a suite of tools, including a knowledge base, live chat software, and shared inbox that can improve collaboration and communication throughout the company.

One of Help Scout’s most useful solutions is the shared inbox, which features tools like private notes and mentions, as well as collision detection that connects users and prevents duplicate work. Whenever an agent is working on a specific conversation, other agents can see that this ticket is already being handled.

Some of the industries within Help Scout’s wheelhouse include logistics, ecommerce, SaaS, manufacturing, education, media, professional services, healthcare, and property management. They also offer special discounts for startups and nonprofits.

Help Scout Standout Features and Integrations

Features include shared mailboxes, automated workflows, knowledge base, reporting, live chat, customer management, beacon tracking and history management, and integrated messaging tool.

Integrations include Active Campaign, Aircall, Constant Contact, Jira, HubSpot, Infusionsoft, Mailchimp, Salesforce, Super SLA, and unitQ. Help Scout has tools categorized by Analytics, Communication, CRM, ecommerce, Marketing, Support, and Utilities

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • User-friendly design and UI
  • Intuitive navigation structure
  • All-inclusive plans

Cons:

  • Limited integrations for Standard Plans
  • Limited reporting

Best for automated service that allows users to speed and scale

  • 14-day free trial
  • From $74/month (billed annually)
Visit Website
Rating: 4.4/5

Intercom is a complete customer service and internal help desk solution that delivers a seamless experience with a blend of automation and human support. This platform offers automated answers to free your team from repetitive questions with chatbots and other AI-powered tools.

With up-leveled support automation through the 24/7 resolution bots, Intercom claims it can help service teams resolve 33% of common questions. Intercom case studies also show that their AI solutions saw a 44% improvement in agent response times. This chatbot is available in different languages and time zones for comprehensive coverage.

Intercom supports companies of all sizes, including early-stage startups, which receive Early Stage Academy at a 95% discount if they qualify. This platform also has solutions for small, mid-market, and enterprise organizations in ecommerce, education, healthcare, and financial services.

Intercom Standout Features and Integrations

Features include AI automation, custom chatbots, shared inboxes, proactive support tools, messenger, email, and SMS communication, help center articles, management tools, surveys, and transactional messaging. 

Integrations include Aircall Now, Delighted Inc., Google Calendar, Import, Instagram, Jira Cloud, Marketo, Salesforce, Stripe, and WhatsApp.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Quick and easy to learn
  • Intuitive navigation and tools
  • Great support team

Cons:

  • Piecemeal pricing for add-ons
  • Costly to pay for every service you need

Best cloud-based help desk for a 360° approach to IT service management

  • Free demo
  • Contact for quote
Visit Website
Rating: 4.2/5

ServiceDesk Plus from ManageEngine is a software solution that combines IT asset and service management with CMDB  to deliver enterprise-grade capabilities across all departments, including finance, HR, and facilities. Available on-premises and in the cloud, ServiceDesk Plus is trusted by organizations worldwide.

The holistic approach from ServiceDesk Plus focuses on security through their own data centers with no sub-processors, deep native integrations with a wide spectrum of IT tools, and multi-instance model for clear data and process segregation. This internal help desk solution is currently available in 23 languages.

ServiceDesk Plus delivers flexible editions to suit the maturity level of your business. Choose from a platform that provides a service desk for non-IT teams, an option with ITAM capabilities, and an all-in-one solution for enterprise businesses.

ServiceDesk Plus Standout Features and Integrations

Features include multi-instance management, low-code capabilities for customization, incident management, asset management, service catalog, IT release management, space management, and change management.

Integrations include Jira, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Teams, Office 365, TeamViewer, Zoho Cliq, Zoho Flow, and Zoho Voice. Developers can use public, web-based APIs to integrate with ServiceDesk Plus.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Infinitely configurable
  • Robust administrative automations
  • Great customer service

Cons:

  • Missing some minor functionalities
  • Custom configurations require an investment

The 10 Best Internal Help Desk Software Summary

Tools Price
Zendesk From $19/user/month (billed annually)
Zoho Assist From $12/month
SysAid Pricing upon request
LiveAgent From $9/user/month (billed annually)
Hiver From $15/user/month (billed annually)
Vision Helpdesk From $10/agent/month
HappyFox From $39/agent/month (min 5 agents)
Help Scout From $20/user/month
Intercom From $74/month (billed annually)
ServiceDesk Plus Contact for quote
Preview Image - <h2 class="c-block__title b-summary-table__title c-listicle__title h3" > 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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Other Options

Here are a few more worthwhile options that didn’t make the best internal help desk software list:

  1. Jitbit Helpdesk

    Best for self-hosted, email-first functionality

  2. Kayako

    Best for viewing internal interactions with colleagues

  3. Solarwinds

    Best for full-stack observability for on-premise, cloud, and hybrid solutions

  4. Freshservice

    Best for AI-driven IT support with integrated collaboration tools

  5. Zoho Desk

    Best cloud-based system for customizing interdepartmental services

  6. OneDesk

    Best for help desk needs through web, cloud, and mobile app

  7. Issuetrak

    Best for omnichannel ticket submission

  8. ProProfs Help Desk

    Best help desk platform for single-inbox ticket management

  9. Front

    Best help desk software for centralizing messaging across all channels

  10. Mojo IT Helpdesk

    Best service platform for centralizing IT and maintenance requests

How I Selected the Best Internal Help Desk Software

If you’re wondering how I chose the best internal help desk software for this list, it was quite a process. I started by aggregating all those options with high user satisfaction ratings. This was an extensive list and needed a little more filtering. I put together some criteria to narrow this list by comparing them one to the other. Finally, I used my years of CX Lead experience to pinpoint which ones had the features that added a lot of value.

Selection Criteria

Here’s a short summary of the main selection and evaluation criteria I used to develop my list of the best internal help desk software for this article.

Usability

In addition to ensuring these software options are easy to learn and intuitive to navigate, usability also refers to essential functionality for more reliability. This list contains software that has cloud, web, and/or mobile functionality to provide more options for various workflows.

Standout Features

Wondering which features are essential to any internal help desk software? All the options on this list have more than just the basics. The software options on this list provide omnichannel support capabilities and scalability that grows with your organization.

Software Integrations 

Your company probably uses several internal management software to enhance productivity and efficiency. With integration capabilities that connect you to the most commonly used tools, your help desk software can ensure two-way data sharing that keeps up with everything and everyone.

Pricing

Businesses come in all shapes and sizes, so there needs to be variety and versatility in the pricing for the tools on this list. I included help desk software for small businesses and large organizations with transparent, tiered pricing that offers more advanced features as you grow.

People Also Ask

If you want to learn more about the basics of internal help desk software, I have some answers to get you started. Check out the most frequently asked questions below.

What's the difference between an internal help desk and a customer service help desk?

Internal help desk software is a different tool than the helpdesk you use for customer support. Unlike customer service help desks, internal help desk software is designed to support your own team. If you want to provide a service desk for the people in your organization, internal help desk platforms provide a virtual solution with a central repository for internal communications about issues and a knowledge base of relevant information for automating workflow.

There is a lot of crossover between customer and team help desks, so you can expect most software to provide support for both. Some of the most common internal help desk tools provide support for IT and HR departments.

What are the benefits of internal help desk software?

The most important part of internal help desk software is to track support requests for your team, sending them to the appropriate service agents and helping with faster resolution through automations and rules-based management. Some of the most significant benefits of help desk software you can expect include:

  • More efficiency with automated tasks, like status updates and ticket routing, that allows your service team to spend more time resolving tickets.
  • Better communication with chat channels that integrate into the tool to aggregate help requests and follow-ups.
  • Improved organization by tracking tickets and managing support requests in one centralized location.
  • Powerful reporting that provides valuable data about internal operations and necessary updates.

What are the key features of internal help desk software?

Whether you’re looking for IT, HR, or general internal help desk software, there are several features that are essential across the board. The key features of powerful internal help desk software include:

  • Ticket automation: Automating tickets can help optimize your agents’ time with more even issue distribution among your team to speed up response time and establish a ticketing escalation process.
  • Self-service portal: Many times, solutions to IT and HR problems can be resolved with a self-service portal. This type of portal provides 24/7 access to common concerns and questions without the need to involve a live agent.
  • Service level management: SLAs route tickets based on knowledge level and skills. They provide signals for support agents that can ensure they prioritize tickets by urgency.
  • Asset management integration: Any internal help desk team will need to manage hardware maintenance, so you need a solution that tracks and organizes these needs alongside the needs of your team.

Interested in learning more? Read our detailed breakdown of how help desk software can help your business.

Other Help Desk Software Reviews

Are you looking for a different type of help desk software? You may want to check out these other top 10 lists as well:

If you need a little more help refining your selection process, we have several tips to help you choose help desk software as well.

What Do You Think?

This list provides you with some of the best internal help desk software available. Once you clearly define your needs, you can decide which product offers the best solutions for your business. You might also consider exploring a few other tool listicles, including 10 Best Help Desk Software For Small Business for more targeted solutions.

If you’re looking for more insights from the top thinkers in help desk management, The CX Lead is here to help. Sign up for the newsletter to get up-to-the-minute advice for the internal and external aspects of running your company.