Our Favorite Customer Service Apps

A recent report from Call Center Times showed that 78 percent of consumers use mobile apps for customer service. Our smartphones and tablets have become an extension of ourselves, turning us into a mass of digital natives. We’re constantly plugged in and would sooner fire up our mobile devices to get help or leave feedback than get on the phone and talk to somebody.

I decided to take a look at the many customer service apps available for mobile devices. The list is extensive, but I narrowed it down to eight based on several factors: popularity, customer feedback, analyst reviews and the all-important “cool” factor. Check out the apps below and be sure to let us know your favorite in the comments section.

Get Satisfaction Mobile

What it is: Online community platform
Why we like it: Get Satisfaction takes the online community support experience to digital devices. The app is built with HTML5 and operates in mobile browsers, which means no downloads. It looks exactly like the Web version, only more compact, which makes it familiar and easy to use. The social knowledgebase allows customers to get answers on the spot.
Pricing: Free for Get Satisfaction users.
Available for: Apple iOS. Android in development.

Tello

What it is: Online customer feedback tool
Why we like it: Tello captures customer sentiment in real-time. Similar to public forums such as Yelp, Tello takes it a step further. By allowing users to request a response from management, Tello creates a two-way dialogue. It also gives companies immediate insights into ratings, responses and employee performance.
Pricing: Free for companies with up to three locations. Premium version supports up to 19 locations for $99/location per month.
Available for: iOS.

Fonolo

What it is: Web-based visual dialing interface
Why we like it: Fonolo alleviates one of the most frustrating aspects of support for the customer—never-ending automated menus and long hold times accompanied by elevator music. Instead of clicking on “Contact Us,” Fonolo allows your customers to access a mapped-out version of your phone menu and connect directly to the appropriate agent. This reduces frustration on the part of the customer, improving overall satisfaction.
Pricing: Based on number of support agents. Starts at $99/month.
Available for: iOS.

Zendesk Mobile

What it is: Mobile help desk application
Why we like it: The Zendesk app provides support agents the same visibility into support ticket activity on their mobile device as they have on their desktop. Agents can create, view and resolve tickets from wherever they are. This access allows them to spot and resolve issues that may have gone unanswered for a long period of time.
Pricing: Free for Zendesk users.
Available for: Apple iOS, Android, Blackberry, Windows Phone and Kindle Fire.

Gri.pe

What it is: Location-aware customer feedback tool
Why we like it: Gripe has capitalized on the growing importance of online influence, as well as human desire to whine about things we don’t like. Dubbed the “Better Business Bureau for the Twitter-age,” Gripe empowers users to resolve their complaints by wielding their social clout. Consumers use the geolocation feature to find a company, and can then choose to post a “Gripe” or a “Cheer” about it. Feedback is posted to the user’s Facebook and Twitter account, as well as the named company’s customer service department. The company then has the opportunity to claim their Gripe account and reverse that “Gripe” into a “Cheer.”
Pricing: Free.
Available for: iOS and Android.

OTRS Mobile

What it is: Mobile help desk platform
Why we like it: OTRS allows field agents to open tickets, place orders and resolve cases on-site instead of having to wait and enter the information on a desktop or laptop. The app also syncs back wirelessly to the system in real-time, avoiding duplicate tickets. With this app, businesses can increase the productivity of their on-site support staff, as well as reduce support errors at the customer site.
Pricing: Free for OTRS users.
Available for: iOS.

IdeaScale

What it is: Virtual crowdsourcing application
Why we like it: With IdeaScale, companies can create a forum where customers can provide feedback on bugs, ideas or features. Then, through a process of voting and comments, the most popular feedback floats to the top, letting the company know what their customers really care about. The mobile app extends the power of crowdsourcing, allowing companies to trigger location-based surveys, providing immediate feedback on specific events.
Pricing: Starts at $15/month, no contracts, cancel anytime.
Available for: Any mobile platform.

SmarterTrack Mobile

What it is: Mobile customer support platform
Why we like it: The SmarterTrack interface allows companies to manage service issues, customer communications and employee performance from a mobile device just as they do on a laptop or desktop – there's no app to install. In addition to the standard ticket tracking and reporting features, agents can also chat live with customers from their mobile device and push information such as product details or instructions. They can also attach a photo or icon to personalize the exchange. In the latest release, SmarterTrack revamped their mobile UI, making it even easier for agents to navigate and manage all their tasks.
Pricing: Based on number of agents. Available for SmarterTrack Enterprise users only.
Available for: Any mobile platform.

Thumbnail image created by Tom Purves.