4 Types of Helpdesk Software: Choose the Best for Your Business

Posted by Maulik Shah on February 28th, 2022

Every business craves to provide the best customer satisfaction. Don\'t they? A good product or service is not enough to build a brand. You need to be available to your customers to solve all their questions and issues. Doing this thing the old way with calls and emails will consume a lot of your time, and you won’t be able to reach out to your customers on time. For that, your business needs a helpdesk system. 

An IT help desk software generates and categorizes tickets as per your business flow and displays them on a unified platform. The various types of helpdesk software are classified based on the size of the audience, deployment, and accessibility of the source code. Let’s have a look at them.

Cloud-Based

Cloud or web-based helpdesk software is also known as Software as a Service(SaaS). It is deployed on the vendor\'s servers. The software is accessible by logging in to your vendor\'s website or locally installed mobile and desktop applications. Vendors provide monthly and yearly subscription plans, which include maintenance, backup, technical support, data storage, and security. 

This type of helpdesk software can be used by businesses that don\'t have a developer team. Little or no technical knowledge is required to use this application as all sorts of complex things are handled by vendors. The disadvantage with such software is data security. Your data is stored at some remote location. Also, whenever any issue arises, you have to wait until it is resolved from the vendor’s side. 

Self-Hosted (On-Premise)

Self-hosted helpdesk software, also called On-premise helpdesk software, is licensed software that an organization purchases and then hosts on their servers and maintains the database by themselves. This software is highly customizable and provides utmost security as all the data is stored on the company\'s own storage.

The drawback of such software is that it requires a huge investment to purchase and host it. Companies also require an in-house IT support team to maintain the database and update it as and when required. Data backup is required in case of any mishaps or hardware failure.

Enterprise

Enterprise helpdesk software is used by large organizations. Enterprise software has advanced features like IT asset management, account management, survey management, enterprise reporting, etc. These features are not offered by low-cost helpdesk software.

Apart from customer support, it also includes employee support. It provides internal assistance to its employees to make sure their efficiency is not hindered. The disadvantage of this software is that it is loaded with too many features. So it can get confusing for employees to use it. Your employees must be well trained to make the best use of the software.

Open Source

First, let us understand what open source software is? Open-source software allows you to access and alter its source code without seeking approval from its producers. The software is free, but the vendor might charge fees if you want updates, installation help, or troubleshooting issues. 

With open source helpdesk software, developers can modify changes according to the needs of the business and enhance its capabilities. Developers can add features, fix bugs, and release new updates. To use this software, you need an in-house IT team who can make the software useful for business needs. 

Companies like UVdesk and osTicket provide open-source helpdesk software. Despite being free, you need to invest in an IT team of skilled developers who can update and manage the code on a regular basis. And save it from malicious code and risks that come with it. There is no support provided from the vendor side, but you can rely on support from the community. 

Conclusion

It is really important for organizations, small or big, to have an IT support ticketing system. Depending on the size and needs of your business, you can choose the helpdesk software. The advantage of using such software is customer satisfaction. Your organization will be able to reach your customers quickly and provide efficient solutions.