The answer is somewhere
A customer emails, then follows up in a messenger. Your team searches both places to piece things together.
Bring email, messaging, and live chat into one shared inbox. Give every request an owner, a next step, and a timely reply.
Shared inbox · Self-hosted option · Open API
The customer sees one company. Your team should see one conversation.
A customer emails, then follows up in a messenger. Your team searches both places to piece things together.
Two agents pick up the same request. Another waits because everyone assumes someone else is handling it.
Without a shared queue, overdue replies and uneven workloads are hard to spot.
Keep the conversation where your customer started it. Give your team one place to reply.
Availability depends on your connector and plan. Provider fees and messaging policies may apply.
From the first message to the final answer, make the next action clear.
Read messages and internal notes in a shared inbox. Keep the history available when another agent takes over.
Organize queues by topic or channel. Use routing rules and assignments to make ownership explicit.
Set response targets with SLA policies. Escalate missed deadlines so the right person can act.
Keep approved responses in templates. Apply configured macros, then personalize the reply before sending.
Connect rules and bots to your workflow. Hand the conversation to a person when it needs a decision.
Track first response time (FRT), customer satisfaction (CSAT), and agent workload. Use the same view to plan coverage.
Use the API and webhooks to exchange messages and events with your CRM or internal systems.
Start with one channel and one real support workflow.
Add your support email, messenger integration, or web chat.
Invite agents, define queues, and decide who handles which requests.
Open a conversation, assign an owner, and answer from the shared inbox.
A shared workspace for teams that need clear handoffs.
Keep order questions and delivery updates together. Hand an exception to operations with the conversation attached.
Move from a chat question to a technical investigation. Keep customer context available to the next person.
Separate work by account and queue. Choose self-hosted when infrastructure control is a requirement.
Choose self-hosted when you need control over where support data lives.
Connected messaging providers and external AI services have their own data flows. Review them as part of your deployment.
Check the plan, channel costs, and hosting model against your requirements.
| Product | ChatSupport | Zendesk | Intercom |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price per agent | {{PRICE_TEAM}} | View current pricing | View current pricing |
| Self-hosting | Docker deployment | Confirm with vendor | Confirm with vendor |
| Base-plan channels | Confirm selected connectors | Email on Support; messaging on Suite | Support email & live chat; some channels metered |
| Automation limits | {{AUTOMATION_LIMIT}} | Plan and usage dependent | Workflow builder on Advanced+ |
| Implementation time | Depends on scope | Confirm migration scope | Confirm migration scope |
| API & integrations | API & webhooks | APIs & integrations | APIs & integrations |
Sources checked 4 September 2026. Prices, taxes, usage charges, and limits can change; confirm your quote with each vendor. Zendesk · Intercom
Start with a shared inbox. Choose the controls your operation needs.
For trying your first shared inbox.
For a team with shared responsibility.
For more control across operations.
Your infrastructure, with deployment and support terms agreed separately.
Prices and plan contents are placeholders pending confirmation. Channel provider charges may be separate.
The details that matter when moving your support team.
Start by mapping channels, users, and conversation fields. Migration scope depends on your current system and its export capabilities.
History import depends on the source format, attachments, and available integration. Check a sample export before moving the full archive.
Agent, channel, storage, and automation allowances depend on the agreed plan. Confirm limits and provider fees before subscribing.
With self-hosted, you choose the infrastructure location. Confirm cloud hosting details and third-party data flows for your deployment.
Support channels, availability, and response commitments depend on your plan. Self-hosted maintenance and upgrades are agreed separately.
Check the cancellation process, notice period, and export options in your subscription terms. Arrange your export before access ends.
Connect your channels. Bring in your team. Answer together.