A new help desk tool is introduced that promises unbelievable things at reasonable prices every now and then. So, of course, some of you will pass by, and some will give it a shot. But, on the other hand, we see them as an opportunity to make a comparison. Why? So you don’t have to! That’s right; today, we will look at two platforms, Kustomer vs Intercom.
Both are dedicated ticketing systems, and as usual, we will look at features, user interface, and price. But unlike we usually do, we will also explore the integration options as these are becoming increasingly in demand. So, without further ado, let’s look at Intercom vs Kustomer.
Kustomer vs Intercom: Features Comparison
As per tradition, we’ll start with features, as these are the ones that form the tool in the first place. However, for viewing pleasure, we’ve decided to spice things up and create a table that will make things easier for us.
| Kustomer | Intercom | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| AI-Based Sentiment | This function allows you to trace your consumers’ attitudes so that your agents can determine the best course of action. With it, you can prioritize and participate in conversations based on critical metrics, meaning your actions will be more effective and meaningful. | Customizable bots | One of the critical functions Intercom brings to the table is the customizable bots. They will work for you all week, every hour, without pay. Bots can start conversations, ask for additional information, and report on potential leads. |
| Team Pulse | This feature lets you see your agents' actions in real time. This will prevent a collision and ensure that the appropriate agent handles the specific case. | Automated answers | The key idea of this function is to deliver precise answers to your customers in an automated manner. This system will provide immediate and accurate solutions to common problems by drawing solutions from your knowledge base and historical data. Your service will continue working even when you are away or offline. |
| Context Cards | Designed to help agents, this feature allows you to set up context cards to help your agents make more effective decisions without scrolling through different pages or programs. Saving time and delivering good results are the main benefits here. | Product Tours | If you operate with products, this feature will allow you to set up an interactive page where your goods are in front and center. In addition, it will enable you to highlight different areas of your page and have several dynamic content elements. |
| Custom Reporting | While simple, this module has more tech behind it than you think. Whether you want a custom-built report or a simple download option, this feature will allow you to create pieces of any kind. Team performance? Got it! Sales charts? No problem! Satisfaction rates? Say no more. It has everything you might ever need, and the best part of it is that it is speedy at crunching numbers. | Targeted Messages | As the name implies, this feature allows you to target customers with custom-tailored messages. Essentially, the way it works is that it tracks where your customers are and sends the appropriate messages. Say, if one of your leads views a particular product, he will get a predetermined discount (say 5%) in his mail. You can launch whole campaigns and expand this feature to social media platforms. |
Intercom vs Kustomer: User Interface
Now that we have the features' gist, let’s look at the whole experience. Both tools promise clever UIs and high levels of accessibility, so let’s see if there is any weight to these words.
Kustomer UI
Now, if you look at Kustomer UI, there’s like 100% you’ll say the phrase “This is just like Zendesk,” provided you’ve seen Zendesk's UI. So yes, the tool is very similar in this regard. However, the way features are laid out differs, and it takes some time to get used to it. Of course, it has the usual staff: the sidebar, the main body with data, and the profile icon at the top right corner. What’s different, though, is how these features work.
Everything is modular and will guide you to what you might need. Say, if you open a ticket, you will see a bunch of buttons that will tell you additional information such as who the customer is, what kind of knowledge base article on the issue you might have, etc. This is a testament to the user experience gurus over at Kustomer. Overall, we had a good time using the tool. Sure, there are a few rough edges, but nothing will distract you from your work.
Intercom UI
Intercom is very much like Kustomer in terms of user experience, but the main difference is that it is more reminiscent of an email system than a help desk. Yes, Intercom is all about messaging,, which is evident in its user interface (not to mention features). The main body is like an email client. It has contact information, text, and action buttons (open, close, and whatnot). You have the rest of the messages on the right side of things, whereas on the left, you have customer details. It’s all very reminiscent of an email system.
Yet, what is different, though, is the top portion of the menu. You have the standard stuff, such as the notification bell and profile menu on the top left side. On the left side are the People menu and the Conversation menu. Both of these are directly responsible for quick access to vital submenus. Overall, the design is straightforward, perhaps too much for its sound. Well, you don’t have to worry that someone will have trouble navigating.
Kustomer vs Intercom: Communication Channels
Communication is everything in business, and there’s always insufficient. Hence, most help desk solutions focus on providing good interaction across all channels.
Kustomer Communication Channels
So, to kick things off, Kustomer has cross-channel communication. It does what it sounds like. The feature allows you to break down all communication silos into one hub where you can see the entire story. Whether it is your customer timeline or social media platforms, the system will allow you to consolidate all those funnels into a threaded conversation akin to a mobile messaging app.
With this module, you can pick up conversations, switch between different channels on the fly, and even send notifications in popular apps such as WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and Twitter. This is a competent system that marketing automation tools and extra integrations can further enhance.
Intercom Communication Channels
Intercom is all about messaging, naturally, it offers a cross-communication module, but unlike its rival, it is implemented granularly. While it can connect to social media platforms, it can be implemented inside an application; you don’t get a hub where all these connections are laid before you. Instead, the whole tool treats the connections as standard; in other words, you get the feature, but it's just system-wide. This isn’t a bad thing; this is just a gripe and hardly a deal-breaker, as the quality is technically still there and gets the job done.
Overall, Intercom’s communication tool is quite powerful. With it, you can track, sell, and support users through every step of the funnel that matters the most. Both devices are very similar, and you can’t go wrong here. Both connect to social media platforms, and both can track conversations.
Intercom vs Kustomer: Integrations
Integrations are very underappreciated these days. It is tricky to get right as the vendor has to adapt its system to work with a completely different beast. But thankfully, both Intercom and Kustomer support many native integration options. So let’s take a look at each system separately.
Intercom Integrations
Intercom is no stranger to integrations, and it offers a ton of connections. Some are one-click sign-in options; others are a bit convoluted as they require you to configure or, more appropriately, use the API system. You can hook the system with up to 62 different platforms. Among the most popular connections the tool allows are Salesforce, Zapier, Zendesk, Front, Slack, and GitHub. Remember that this isn’t the definitive list, and we are confident that more platforms will be added in the future.
Kustomer Integrations
Next is Kustomer, which is quite similar to Intercom regarding integrations. It also supports many BI and analytics platforms and several eCommerce sites. Out of the entire list (which is 49 units long, mind you), the most popular one's connections are Gmail, Shopify, WhatsApp, Jira, Magento, Olark, Facebook Messenger, and Twilio.
Kustomer vs Intercom: Pricing Policy Checkup
And the last part of our review/comparison is pricing. This is essential, as it will be the deciding factor for many of you. We will take a look at the top-tier plans as they, we believe, represent the system best. Let's see which of the two tools offers the best value for your money.
Kustomer: Ultimate Plan ($139 per month, per user)
- Enhanced Routing
- Live Agent Auditing
- Real-time Dashboards
- Unlimited Collaboration Users
- Sandbox Access
- SAML Single Sign-On
- Extended API Rate Limit
Intercom: Expert Plan ($139 per month, per seat)
- Automate multi-touch campaigns
- Rules and automation
- Control who can chat with you
- Mobile SDKs
- Office hours
- Auto and manual messages
- Permissions
If we had to pick one, it would be Kustomer. It has way more sophisticated stuff despite the somewhat higher price tag. It’s not that Intercom is worse or anything; it’s just that it still has another tier ahead of it. Yes, the company offers a personalized plan that doesn’t have a distinct price point (hence why we didn’t include it). However, the price is calculated based on the number of features it has, so if you need a super personalized plan, you can do that.
Should You Choose Kustomer vs Intercom as Your Next Help Desk?
So this wraps it up for our Kustomer vs Intercom analysis. It was tough to decide as both systems are great, so we suggest you spin them yourself. Both have a demo/trial plan, so there’s nothing to lose. And in case you already set your mind and know what you want, we can help you move your stuff. If you’ve been following us, you know the drill; just drop a message, and we’ll get you started. But for now, thanks for joining us; we’ll see next time.
