What is a ticket management system? A complete guide

Do your support teams often feel pressure under a high call volume of queries? When requests constantly flood inboxes, it can be difficult for support representatives to keep up. In scenarios like these, a powerful, automated ticket management system can be tremendously helpful, making a vital difference for your team.

Relying on manual processes to create, assign, route, and update tickets is time-intensive for support teams. Repetitive administrative tasks add to their workload and can increase the risk of burnout over time.

In fact, according to our 2023 Customer Service Trends Report, 54% of support leaders say that members of their teams have felt “burned out” in the previous few months. Equipping support teams with the right tools and technology can alleviate this potentially detrimental burden, ensuring that your business delivers superior customer service without overloading team members.

In this article, you’ll learn:

What a support ticket is.
What a ticket management system is.
Essential features of ticket software.
Benefits of ticketing management systems.
17 best ticket software tools.
Tips on how to implement a ticket system.

What is a support ticket?

Support tickets facilitate communication between customers and support specialists. When users require assistance, a ticket is generated upon initial contact to document pertinent details of a query or reported issue. This ticket serves as a shared record that’s visible to customers and the assigned support representatives.

At Intercom, we see support tickets as more than just queries – to us, they’re tools for effectively managing requests. Queries typically involve straightforward questions addressed through a messenger, chatbots, or self-service. Requests, on the other hand, require more extensive support, often involving multiple internal teams working together over time to achieve resolution.

What is a ticket management system?

A ticket management system simplifies the process of dealing with customer requests. Its main purpose is to assist both your business and your clients by streamlining how issues are tracked, assigned, and resolved.

Essentially, ticket management software allows you to document all customer interactions within a single, centralized platform. When a new question or problem is submitted, the system automatically generates a unique ticket number.

For internal departments and teams, this ticket serves as a single source of relevant information that’s accessible to all parties. It provides a framework for smooth collaboration between support team members as the case makes its way to a solution – whether that involves only one or two people or a coordinated effort across multiple departments.

A ticket management system can streamline processes by:

Creating tickets directly within customer conversations for a seamless experience
Giving clients visibility into ticket status and enabling progress notifications via email
Allowing support teams to easily add notes and context to tickets
Collecting customer information upfront, and reducing the need for back-and-forth communication
Facilitating collaboration between support and other teams through shared ticket access
Linking multiple tickets to tracker tickets for widespread issues
Aggregating all information related to a specific issue in one place
Minimizing repetitive updates by broadcasting resolutions to all relevant customers

How does a ticket management system work?

A ticket management system may involve manually creating and updating individual tickets. However, modern automated ticketing systems can execute those tasks and many more – including assigning priorities and routing to the right teams – based on predetermined rules.

Here's a step-by-step guide to understanding how ticket management works:

Customer request: The user reaches out through one of your support channels, sharing details about their issue or request.
Ticket creation and tagging: The automated system creates a ticket and assigns relevant tags or priority levels to provide more context to the receiving team.
Ticket assignment: The ticket is assigned to a team member. This can be based on either workload or expertise, or team members themselves can claim new tickets as they arrive.
Ticket progress: The team member starts addressing the issue or fulfilling the request. They document their progress by leaving notes or updating the ticket status, and everyone with dashboard access is kept informed.
Ticket resolution: Once the issue is resolved or the request is completed, the team member closes the ticket. Alternatively, the system may automatically close it. The person who reported the ticket is then notified.
Ticket reopening: If there are follow-up questions or additional requests, the ticket can be reopened. This brings it back into the workflow for the same team member to handle.

Essential features of ticket management software

Ticket routing

Support ticket routing ensures requests reach the right team for resolution. A representative may review a ticket and direct it manually based on the topic.

Alternatively, automated ticketing management systems scan keywords to correlate issues to billing, accounts, or technical areas for routing. The goal is efficient resolution by matching customers to specialized teams with the appropriate expertise to handle their query.

Ticket categorization and tagging

Ticket categorization and tagging offer a way to provide additional context for support tickets. Depending on your team's workflow, they can aid in viewing, tracking, and processing tickets.

A support team will handle an array of requests from customers, including issues, feedback, complaints, and new feature ideas. Over time, you’ll be able to accumulate a repository of valuable information about everything your clients are telling you – and it will all be easily searchable later.

Shared inbox

Utilizing a single shared inbox within your ticket management platform allows for more coordinated customer service. Representatives can collaborate on resolutions from a centralized location that houses all your communication channels.

Integrating channels like messenger, chatbots, and one-on-one support into this unified inbox fosters a holistic view of customer interactions. This centralized store of information gives teams the opportunity to see the full context when addressing follow-ups or potential escalations.

Omnichannel support

Omnichannel support is a vital feature of a ticket management system. Through interactions across various communication methods, customers can inquire through their preferred channel without having to repeat themselves or use platforms they’re unfamiliar with. Teams maintain visibility into all requests from a single inbox, regardless of origin.

Reporting and analytics

Ticket management tools with reporting capabilities give managers immediate visibility into team performance metrics. Leaders can monitor crucial indicators like ticket volume, response times, and resolution times.

Additionally, ticket management software can automate feedback collection and provide timely insights directly from users. Conversation ratings, customer satisfaction (CSTA) scores, NPS, surveys, and custom questionnaires capture satisfaction inputs instantly.

Integration with other tools

A ticketing management system with extensive tools integration capabilities allows businesses to customize the platform. By effortlessly connecting the ticket management system with other applications, you can tailor the platform to meet your specific needs and ensure a more efficient and thoroughly customized support process.

For instance, consider a ticket management system that integrates with a customer relationship management (CRM) tool. With this integration, you can easily access and sync information between the two systems. When a support ticket comes in, the ticketing system automatically pulls relevant customer data from the CRM, such as their purchase history, previous interactions, and preferences.

Ticket management system benefits

Respond to customer issues faster

One key benefit of ticket management systems is improved resolution times. Automating tasks such as ticket creation, routing, and status updates liberates support teams from administrative duties, enabling them to pour all their resources into resolving complex issues.

Improves team productivity and workflow

A ticket management system enhances team productivity and workflow by providing quick access to essential information for resolving issues or fulfilling requests. It also conveniently organizes tasks based on priority, status, tags, or assigned team members – further optimizing staff members’ time and energy.

With a ticket management system, representatives spend less time sifting through disparate, siloed systems or re-establishing context on inquiries. Instead, they act with decisiveness and efficiency based on priorities directly available in the interface.

Gives actionable insights into operations

Centralizing all support requests and responses within a ticket system enables easy identification of recurring questions and common issues. For instance, a surge in similar support inquiries may signal an unmet need, whether it’s for new resources or the expansion of existing articles in your knowledge base.

Ticket management software also assists in identifying areas where improved training could be beneficial. Analyzing patterns, such as situations where representatives face challenges, underscores the importance of process training to address any knowledge gaps among support teams.

Allows for cross-team collaboration

A ticket management system streamlines cross-departmental collaboration. Shared inboxes provide a centralized view of all customer requests, keeping relevant teams informed and able to seamlessly share information.

Specialized teams can privately note progress on back-office tickets while maintaining context in the public-facing ticket. This integrated approach removes silos and drives timely, meaningful responses that exceed customer expectations.

Facilitates ticket prioritization

A ticket management system facilitates ticket prioritization by assigning urgency levels so teams can address the most critical requests promptly and efficiently.

When a support ticket is submitted, the system analyzes various factors, such as the customer's importance, the nature of the issue, and relevant data from the company's database. Based on this analysis, the system assigns an urgency level to each ticket, such as low, medium, or high.

Delights customers and employees

When the numerous advantages of a ticket management system are taken together, it’s clear that the platform sets organizations up for success. Implementing this solution elevates both customer and employee experiences, fostering satisfaction for the former and operational excellence for the latter.

17 best ticket management software tools

Now that you have a comprehensive understanding of ticket management systems, let's explore some of the most well-known and widely renowned tools on the market.

1. Intercom

Intercom offers an all-in-one customer service platform with a powerful ticketing system. It provides workflow automation and artificial intelligence capabilities to streamline support.

Our help desk software integrates your inboxes, tickets, and knowledge base into a centralized, AI-enhanced workspace. This gives reps a broader, more all-encompassing view of customer histories and relationships that helps them resolve issues faster and more efficiently.

In addition, you have access to our AI chatbot, Fin, which can resolve 50% of your more common inquiries near-instantaneously by providing reliable answers directly from your help center articles.

Intercom’s ticket management system key features:

AI-enhanced shared inbox
Ticket creation with one click
Customer info collecting upfront
Real-time customer updates
Ticket states for progress tracking
Back-office ticket collaboration

Pricing:

Essential: $39 per seat/month
Advanced: $99 per seat/month
Expert: $139 per seat/month

Find out how we calculate price here.

2. Zendesk

Zendesk is a customer service platform known for its omnichannel approach. Regardless of whether users reach out via email, chat, phone, or digital channels, every request generates a ticket to ensure nothing falls through the cracks.

The integrated ticketing system within Zendesk effectively tracks, prioritizes, and resolves all customer support requests through a centralized queue.

Key features:

Centralized workspace
Automatic ticket creation
Ticket collaboration
Mobile ticketing system
Community forum posts for ticket escalation
Ticket sharing between accounts

Pricing:

Suite Team: $55 per agent/month
Suite Growth: $89 per agent/month
Suite Professional: $115 per agent/month

3. Help Scout

Designed for small teams, Help Scout is a ticketing management system that strongly relies on a shared inbox, allowing support teams to collaborate on all requests through a centralized source of information. Whether inquiries come via email or live chat, team members stay informed of important customer issues and exchanges in real time.

Key features:

Shared inbox
Ticket routing and prioritization
In-app notifications
Saved replies
Collaboration via private notes

Pricing:

Standard: $20 per user/month
Plus: $40 per user/month
Pro: $65 per user/month

4. Zoho Desk

Zoho Desk is part of Zoho's suite of business tools (which include CRM, email, analytics, and more). Just like Help Scout, Zoho Desk’s ticketing management system is built for small businesses, and it enables customer service teams to communicate with clients across all channels from a single inbox.

Key features:

Auto-tag tickets
Sentiment analysis
Reply assistant
Omnichannel inbox
Ticket reports and analytics

Pricing:

Standard: $12 per user/month
Professional: $20 per user/month
Enterprise: $35 per user/month

5. ProProfs

ProProfs serves as an email-centric help desk and support ticketing system, providing companies with a unified inbox to manage all emails from a single platform. This shared inbox acts as a centralized hub for handling both internal and external support requests.

Key features:

Ticket tracking and status
Canned responses
Multi-channel support

Pricing:

Team: $19.99 per operator/month

6. Jira Service Management by Atlassian

Atlassian provides various versatile management solutions for companies, and Jira Service Management is among its offerings. Specifically designed for engineering, IT, and development teams, Jira's help desk ticketing management system effectively addresses unique business processes.

Key features:

Request management
Configurable workflows
Customizable queues
SLA (service-level agreement) management
Reporting and analytics

Pricing:

Standard: $22 per agent/month
Premium: $49 per agent/month
Enterprise: Contact Atlassian for pricing

7. Front

Front ticket management system fosters effective team collaboration. All representatives can view ticket progress, regardless of which agent initiated work on the ticket. This provides transparency and allows professionals to easily assist one another.

Key features:

Shared and omnichannel inbox
Team collaboration
Insights and analytics
Automated workflows

Pricing:

Growth: $59 per seat/month
Scale: $99 per seat/month
Premier: $229 per seat/month

8. Hiver

Hiver is a ticket management solution built natively for Google Workspace. It streamlines customer communication by bringing all support touches directly into Gmail.

Key features:

Email delegation
WhatsApp messaging
Email tags and notes
Email templates
SLA management

Pricing:

Lite: $15 per user/month
Pro: $39 per user/month
Elite: $59 per user/month

9. JitBit

JitBit prides itself on offering the right balance of stability and personal service. Its help desk software provides a ticket management system for diverse use cases, such as IT and SaaS. Teams can forward any customer request to the JitBit app for ticket generation and management.

Key features:

Mobile helpdesk
Team mailbox
Canned responses
IT service management

Pricing:

Freelancer: $29 per month
Startup: $69 per month
Company: $129 per month
Enterprise: $249 per month

10. Freshservice

Freshservice is an IT service management (ITSM) solution from Freshworks focused on streamlining IT operations. It provides a ticketing system for help desk functions like incident and asset management, as well as project tracking.

Key features:

Automated ticket creation and prioritization
SLA management
Ticket auto-assignment
Built-in satisfaction surveys

Pricing:

Starter: $19 per agent/month
Growth: $49 per agent/month
Pro: $95 per agent/month
Enterprise: $119 per agent/month

11. HappyFox

HappyFox provides a ticketing solution for organizations of all industries and sizes. It aims to bring order and efficiency to support workflows through features like agent collision prevention, which ensures that only one agent edits a ticket at a time.

Key features:

Tickets queue
Categories
Omnichannel ticketing
Ticket status
Pinned tickets

Pricing:

Mighty: $29 per agent/month
Fantastic: $49 per agent/month
Enterprise: $69 per agent/month
Enterprise Plus: $89 per agent/month

12. LiveAgent

With LiveAgent, all customer communications are routed to a unified ticket management system. In this universal inbox, support staff can view and manage emails, chats, calls – and even social posts – through a single portal. LiveAgent also converts live chat messages into ticket requests.

Key features:

Universal inbox
Organized customer interaction
Internal tickets and notes
Canned messages

Pricing:

Small: $9 per agent/month
Medium: $29 per agent/month
Large: $49 per agent/month
Enterprise: $69 per agent/month

13. Hubspot Service Hub

HubSpot's Service Hub offers a ticketing management system alongside integrations with its own marketing and sales software. Through its Help Desk functionality and native connections to other HubSpot products, Service Hub provides a centralized solution to manage customer support.

Key features:

Private notes and internal tags
Business rules
Track request
Ticket fields
Agent signature

Pricing:

Starter: $18 per month (includes 2 paid users)
Professional: $450 per month (includes 5 paid users)

14. AzureDesk

AzureDesk provides a flexible ticket management system for customer support organizations of all sizes. The help desk software enables companies to manage support inquiries sent to unlimited email addresses, seamlessly converting all emails into tickets.

Key features:

Private notes and internal tags
Business rules
Track request
Ticket fields
Agent signature

Pricing:

Plus: $33 per user/month

15. SupportBee

SupportBee is a collaborative support ticketing system designed for modern workplaces. It enables customer support teams to organize, prioritize, and work together on tickets directly from their existing email client or mobile devices.

Key features:

Shared inbox
Customer portal
Comments for discussions
Drafts replies
Assignments

Pricing:

Startup: $13 per user/month
Enterprise: $17 per user/month

16. Mojo Helpdesk

Mojo provides a flexible ticketing platform for diverse internal support needs. Whether for IT, HR, or customer service, Mojo gives teams a centralized inbox for complete customer visibility.

Key features:

Contact ticket portal
Round robin assignments
Email integration
Time tracking
Staff notes

Pricing:

Lite: $15 per user/month
Pro: $39 per user/month
Elite: $59 per user/month

How to choose a ticket management system

Selecting the appropriate ticket management software requires evaluating your unique needs and workflows. While requirements and priorities can vary greatly from one business to the next, focusing on several key factors will help you find the best fit. Here are some key tips.

Understand your customer touchpoints

Identify your customers’ preferred methods of contact, such as phone, email, live chat, or messengers like WhatsApp. After gathering this information, choose a system equipped to capture all requests regardless of their origin point.

An optimal platform integrates fully across myriad contact methods, ensuring consistent and complete management of all inquiries. Omnichannel functionality future-proofs your service capabilities and delivers excellent experiences through every touchpoint.

Search for an easy-to-setup platform

Ease of setup is critical for success with any new ticketing system software. Complex installations delay your ability to provide support and leave teams struggling to acclimate.

Opt for software offering quick and simple deployment – high levels of usability should allow representatives to engage quickly and productively, with minimal training time.

Look for features that get the job done

As your customer support infrastructure grows in complexity, relying on a basic ticketing system will no longer suffice. A truly effective solution should be comprehensive, meeting all of your evolving needs.

Automation capabilities, for instance, can boost efficiency for both reps and customers. Look for a full-featured solution that automates common processes like ticket creation, assignment, escalation, and resolution tracking.

Find out more about the role of ticket escalation in boosting customer service efficiency.

Create a seamless ticketing experience with Intercom

While ticketing solutions were once viewed as supplementary for support processes, they have become a necessity for empowering teams at scale. Integrated tools automate routine tasks, providing visibility and freeing up team members’ bandwidth so they can tackle more intellectually demanding problems.

Through tight integrations and feedback-driven enhancements, Intercom streamlines your ticketing workflows. Our help desk platform seamlessly aligns with your existing operations for easy implementation and high productivity gains.

Start your free trial today or request a demo to elevate your ticket management and address all your customer support needs with greater efficiency.

Sources

1. Intercom, Customer Service Trends 2023. We commissioned an independent market research firm to survey a random sample of 1,775 global customer service leaders and decision-makers. The study’s margin of error is +/- 2.3% at the 95% level of significance.

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