Zoho Desk is available via mobile apps (available for Android and iOS) and on the web, but it doesn’t offer dedicated desktop clients for macOS or Windows. I primarily tested Zoho Desk on iOS and via the Chrome browser. The mobile apps make tickets easy to find and categorize. You can also browse contacts, explore the Zoho marketplace (apps and extensions), and configure settings accordingly.
The platform is easy to configure once you sign up for a plan. Of course, setting up your knowledge base (if your tier supports it) takes longer because you have to add all your support articles. Once you create the articles, Zoho’s AI-based Answer bot can find resolutions and craft automated replies.
(Credit: Zoho/PCMag)
Zoho Desk’s interface is intuitive and functional, although its design is a bit outdated. The dull look at least makes it simple to find even the most complex options related to the Answer bot and routing agents. You are likely to spend a lot of time in the Tickets tab, where you can view all the incidents that need your attention. Other tabs across the top include (in order) Knowledgebase, Contracts, and Customers. You can adjust, move, and rename the tabs as needed.
Adding agents works similarly to Freshdesk, allowing you to quickly enter their name, role, and any additional information via a drop-down menu. You can invite multiple agents at once simply by adding a new row for each invite. You can also specify agent permissions using checkboxes: Full Agent, Light Agent, Admin, or Custom. All new additions—agents, customers, and tickets—happen via that drop-down menu.
Zoho clearly outlines its support options. The free Basic (for free users) and Classic support (for all paid versions) tiers get you support via chat, email, phone, and WhatsApp during daytime hours. However, the Classic plan has a max response time of 8 hours versus 24 hours for the Basic plan. Note that you must subscribe to at least the Professional tier of Zoho Desk to access live chat support. The Premium support plan, which costs 20% of your total license fee, provides 24/5 support and additional onboarding assistance. Finally, the Enterprise support plan, which costs 25% of your total license fee, introduces 24/7 chat and toll-free phone support. The maximum response times decrease for each of the latter two plans as well.
During a test chat with Zoho tech support, I inquired about browser support and discovered which browsers Zoho Desk supports. The agent was courteous, helpful, and responsive. Zoho Desk’s live onboarding sessions make its support options feel more extensive than those of Freshdesk, but the latter does provide 24/7 support for all its subscribers.
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