Ticketing systems are an essential part of modern customer service. They allow companies to track, prioritize, and respond to customer support requests in an organized manner. The software used for ticketing systems has advanced significantly in recent years, providing more options and flexibility for businesses of all sizes.
Types of Ticketing System Software
There are a few main types of ticketing system software available today:
- Help desk software – Designed specifically for customer service ticketing. Examples include Zendesk, Freshdesk, Help Scout.
- Service desk software – Used for internal IT support ticketing. Examples include ServiceNow, BMC Remedy, Cherwell.
- Customer service software – Combination of help desk ticketing, knowledge base, and customer communication tools. Examples include Salesforce Service Cloud, Oracle Service Cloud.
- Issue tracking software – Flexible for ticketing/issue tracking for software development teams. Examples include JIRA, Azure DevOps.
Key Features of Ticketing System Software
Some key features common across most ticketing system software platforms include:
- Ticket management – Tools to create, assign, escalate, and resolve tickets through different statuses.
- SLA tracking – Set service level agreements (SLAs) per ticket priority and track compliance.
- Query management – Saved searches and custom views to filter and manage tickets.
- Real-time dashboard – Dashboard for agents to view and manage ticket workload.
- Email management – Email piping to create tickets from inbound emails.
- Customer portal – Portal for customers to submit and track tickets.
- Automation – Rules to automatically route, assign, escalate, and update tickets.
- Reporting – Built-in and custom reports on agent performance, ticket metrics, etc.
- Integrations – APIs and integrations with other systems like CRM,sms, and live chat.
Popular Ticketing System Software
Some of the most popular ticketing system platforms used by companies today include:
Zendesk
Zendesk is one of the leading dedicated customer service and support ticketing tools. Key features include:
- Email, social media, and self-service support channels
- SLA monitoring with custom ticket priorities
- Bulk editing and management of tickets
- Custom agent roles and views
- Over 200 pre-built integrations
- Analytics and custom reports
Freshdesk
Freshdesk is a cloud-based help desk system known for its ease of use and affordable pricing. Key features include:
- Email management with support inboxes
- Tickets sorted into simple queues
- Team collaboration tools
- Customizable support agent interface
- Suite of productivity features
- Robust third-party integrations
Help Scout
Help Scout provides an email-based customer service platform focused on simplicity. Key features include:
- Shared email inboxes with @helpscout.net addresses
- Conversations grouped into tickets
- @mention and assignment functionality
- Automations for workflow
- Built-in analytics and reports
- Suite of productivity features
ServiceNow
ServiceNow provides service desk software focused on speed and manageability. Key features include:
- Incident, problem, change, and request management
- ITIL and ITSM best practices built-in
- Automated workflows and approval processes
- Dashboards for tracking KPIs
- Robust configuration management database (CMDB)
- Integrations with many IT tools and workflows
JIRA Service Management
JIRA Service Management offers flexible service desk software. Key features include:
- Lightweight ticketing for IT teams
- Agile methodology support
- Highly customizable workflows
- Seamless integration with JIRA
- Time tracking and reporting
- Scales from small teams to enterprises
Key Considerations When Choosing Ticketing System Software
Important criteria to evaluate when selecting a ticketing system platform include:
- Type of ticketing – Is it for customer service, IT support, or something else?
- Team size – Number of agents and expected ticket volume.
- Key features needed – Reporting, SLAs, custom fields, etc.
- Ease of use – How easy is it for agents, admins, and customers?
- Platforms supported – Web, mobile, email, etc.
- IT needs and integrations – Does it integrate with your other systems and support your tech stack?
- Scalability – Can it easily scale with your company’s growth?
- Budget – How well does the pricing model fit within your budget?
It’s important to consider both your current support workflows and future needs. The goal is choosing a solution that can handle your ticket volume now but also as your company grows over time.
Popular Integrations and Apps
One benefit of modern ticketing systems is the ability to integrate and connect with other software tools. Some popular integrations include:
Email and Live Chat Tools
- Gmail
- Outlook
- Intercom
- Zendesk Chat
- Olark
CRM and Contact Management
- Salesforce
- HubSpot
- Pipedrive
- Insightly
- Zoho
Team Collaboration Tools
- Slack
- Teams
- Discord
ITSM and Software Development Tools
- Jira
- ServiceNow
- Cherwell
- BMC
- TOPdesk
These are just a few examples of the many integrations available. Most ticketing systems also have their own app marketplaces for adding new capabilities.
Conclusion
Ticketing system software has evolved into full-featured customer service platforms. While early systems focused solely on ticket management, today’s solutions encompass the entire customer support workflow. They provide omni-channel options like email, live chat, messaging apps, self-service portals, and more. Robust reporting, automation, and integration capabilities allow modern ticketing systems to be highly scalable and flexible.
Leading solutions like Zendesk, Freshdesk, ServiceNow, and JIRA provide a range of options to meet different business needs. Whether it’s simple help desk ticketing or advanced ITSM capabilities, there is a ticketing platform designed to improve customer and IT support processes. With the right software choice, companies can streamline issue tracking, enhance productivity, and deliver exceptional service experiences.