- Onboarding academy courses and self-service options praised for efficiency.
- Easy integration with other apps and user-friendly interface.
- Built-...
- Users love Front’s intuitive and user-friendly interface.
- Collaboration features are highly appreciated, especially tagging, commenting, and share...
What users criticise the most
- Frequent latency issues and system lags that disrupt user experience.
- High costs, especially for smaller businesses, with complicated and opaque p...
- Difficulty finding archived emails and using the search function.
- Issues with integration and syncing, notably with calendars and various email sy...
Choosing the Best Customer Support SaaS: Intercom vs Front
When selecting the right Customer Support Software as a Service (SaaS) for your business, the universal truth is that there is no one-size-fits-all solution. The choice heavily depends on your specific business needs, including the size of your business, industry, customer engagement channels, and whether you prioritize automating customer experiences (CX) or driving sales. Let's delve into why Intercom and Front stand out in this crowded space, their unique offerings, and the tradeoffs involved in choosing one over the other.
Software Requirements to Consider
Selecting the best customer support software requires a focus on certain key functionalities, including:
- Channel Support: The diversity of channels (e.g., email, SMS, live chat, social media) supported by the software.
- AI and Automation Capabilities: The software’s ability to automate responses to frequently asked questions (FAQs) and customer experiences.
- Compliance and Security: SOC2 compliance indicates a high level of security, which is critical for businesses handling sensitive customer data.
- Scalability: Whether the tool fits small, medium, or large businesses and its ability to grow with your company.
- CRM and Integration: Built-in CRM functionalities and integration capabilities with other business tools, like Shopify.
With these requirements in mind, let’s explore why Intercom and Front are leading choices for businesses focusing on CX automation and how they cater to different business needs.
Intercom: A Comprehensive CX Automation Tool
Intercom excels in offering a wide range of channels including website live chat, phone, Instagram, SMS, and more, making it highly versatile for businesses aiming to consolidate all customer conversations into a single view. Its strengths lie in its ability to automate CX across various channels, backed by conversational AI capabilities, and support for in-chat surveys, appointment scheduling, and follow-up emails.
However, Intercom shows limitations in areas such as sending physical post as follow-ups, supporting voice recognition in customer interactions, and custom AI integrations. While it's designed to fit businesses of all sizes, its extensive features might be better leveraged by medium to large businesses with a primary goal of automating CX rather than purely increasing sales.
Front: A Flexible and Integrative Approach
Front stands out for its emphasis on seamless integration across multiple channels, including WhatsApp, email, Instagram, and Slack. It appeals to businesses looking for SOC2-compliant security, voice recognition in customer interactions, and a strong ticketing system. Front supports video calls, consolidates customer conversations, and offers scheduling and survey tools. With its conversational AI capabilities, Front is suitable for industries beyond e-commerce, just like Intercom.
The software, however, has its drawbacks, such as a less straightforward fit for small businesses and a lack of built-in CRM functionalities, which could be crucial for companies focusing on increasing sales alongside automating CX.
Trade-offs and Final Thoughts
The choice between Intercom and Front involves weighing their respective strengths against your business’s unique requirements. Intercom, with its broad channel support and built-in CRM functionalities, is ideal for businesses prioritizing automated CX across various customer touchpoints. Front, on the other hand, might be better suited for those looking for specific channel integrations, voice recognition, and scalability, especially for larger businesses.
Understanding the nuance in these offerings is key to deploying a customer support solution that aligns with your business objectives. Thus, assessing how a software solution fits into your specific business context remains paramount.
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