FIN BY INTERCOM | THE BEST AI TOOL EVER?
Find accurate and immediate customer support with Fin by Intercom AI chatbot. Reduce resolution times, seamlessly pass complex questions to humans, and clarify queries.
Our Review Rating System
We employ a 5-star rating system for all the AI tools we review to give you a comprehensive idea of the overall utility of each tool.
- Five stars: Editor’s choice
- Four stars: An excellent choice
- Three stars: Meets some of our standards
- Two stars: Doesn’t meet our standards
- One star: Not recommended
Our team of experts has awarded this AI tool an overall rating of five stars, designating it as our Editor's choice. Intercom's comprehensive suite of features, user-friendly interface, and powerful automation capabilities make it an exceptional choice for businesses seeking a unified customer support solution.
It excels in providing both real-time engagement and self-serve support, empowering support teams to deliver exceptional customer experiences. With seamless integrations and multi-channel communication options, Intercom truly meets and exceeds our standards for an all-in-one customer relationship platform.
Overview of Intercom
Our team delved into Intercom, a comprehensive customer relationship platform trusted by many companies. While it's recognized for its live chat capabilities, Intercom offers a suite of tools aimed at fostering robust relationships, streamlining support operations, and driving sales.
The Messenger
One of Intercom's standout features is the Messenger, a fully customizable interface designed to align with your brand's identity. We put this to the test, integrating it seamlessly into our website's landing page. The results were astounding, as the Messenger enabled us to engage with visitors in-context, providing instant support and driving meaningful actions. Its intuitive design significantly enhanced the overall user experience.
Next-Gen Inbox
Intercom's Next-Gen Inbox proved to be a game-changer in support management. We found it to be the fastest, most effective tool for handling support at scale. Our team was able to efficiently resolve customer issues, thanks to its user-friendly interface and powerful automation capabilities. The ability to collaborate cross-functionally within the platform ensured that no query was left unresolved.
Tickets
Beyond live chat, Intercom introduced a ticketing system that proved invaluable for handling complex customer requests asynchronously. We tested this feature by simulating various customer scenarios and tracking the ticket resolution process. The results were impressive; it facilitated seamless collaboration among our team members, leading to quicker resolutions and improved customer satisfaction.
Fin - The AI-Powered Bot
Fin, Intercom's AI bot for customer support, showcased remarkable capabilities in our testing. By leveraging our own knowledge base, Fin accurately and promptly addressed our simulated customer inquiries. Its ability to provide instant, accurate responses demonstrated its potential to prevent completely preventable service disruptions.
AI Assist Features
Intercom's integration with OpenAI's GPT in its Inbox and Articles features proved to be incredibly helpful. We observed a significant improvement in the quality and speed of our responses. The AI assist features empowered our support team members to provide better support, enhancing the overall customer experience.
Articles
We tested Intercom's Articles feature by creating a mock-up knowledge base using our website's data, and we were impressed by the comprehensive set of articles it returned. The ability to share articles automatically in the Messenger and in conversations will ensure that your customers have access to relevant information at their fingertips, reducing the number of support tickets and empowering users to find solutions independently.
Outbound Messages
Intercom's capability to send targeted email, mobile push, and in-app messages will play a crucial role in your customer engagement strategy. Through strategic outbound messages, you can successfully encourage customers to take specific actions, ultimately driving conversion and loyalty.
News
The News feature allowed us to share contextual and relevant announcements directly through the Messenger and from our dedicated News Center. This ensured that our site visitors were kept informed about important updates, leading to improved transparency and trust.
Surveys
Capturing visitor feedback through Surveys proved invaluable in shaping our customer experience. Storing responses as user attributes allowed us to tailor workflows and customize the Messenger experience. The insights gained from surveys enabled us to make data-driven improvements, enhancing overall visitor satisfaction.
2-Way SMS
Intercom's 2-Way SMS feature opens up a new channel for engagement. It enabled you to communicate with customers in real-time, regardless of their location.
Product Tours
The Product Tours feature offered an excellent marketing opportunity for us. By providing step-by-step tours of our website, we were able to promote our company with ease. The simplicity of creating tours, by simply clicking on parts of our website and adding instructions, made this feature a standout in our user onboarding process.
Checklists and Tooltips
Both Checklists and Tooltips proved to be powerful tools for driving engagement within our product. They encouraged customers to take specific actions and provided contextual guidance without disrupting their experience. These features played a pivotal role in enhancing user adoption and product satisfaction.
Pros and Cons of Intercom
Intercom offers a range of features designed to streamline support operations and drive customer engagement. Our team has extensively evaluated its strengths and weaknesses, providing a balanced perspective on its merits and areas for improvement.
Pros
Comprehensive Customer Support Solutions: Intercom stands out for offering a complete suite of tools, from live chat to AI-powered bots and product tours. This all-in-one approach ensures that support teams have everything they need in one platform, eliminating the need for multiple software solutions.
Ease of Use: One of the standout features of Intercom is its user-friendly interface. Our team found it remarkably easy to navigate through the platform, even with its extensive array of features. This user-friendliness significantly reduces the learning curve typically associated with complex software.
Multi-Channel Communication: Intercom excels in enabling communication across various channels, including the Intercom website, mobile app, and integration with Slack. This not only facilitates seamless interaction with customers but also allows team members to collaborate effectively in providing support.
Powerful Automation: The inclusion of AI-powered features, particularly Fin the bot, was a game-changer in reducing support volume and resolution times. Our testing revealed that Fin accurately and promptly addressed customer inquiries, leading to a noticeable improvement in efficiency.
Integration Capabilities: Intercom's extensive list of integrations with popular tools and apps, including Google Analytics, Salesforce, and Mailchimp, enhances its functionality. This enables businesses to incorporate Intercom seamlessly into their existing workflows.
Product Tours and Onboarding: The ability to create interactive product tours directly within the platform proved to be an invaluable marketing tool, showcasing new features and functionalities of a product step-by-step.
Rich Knowledge Base: Intercom's Articles feature allows for the creation of a robust knowledge base. This empowers customers to find solutions independently, reducing the number of support tickets. Additionally, articles can be easily shared in conversations, providing immediate assistance.
Cons
Pricing Structure: While Intercom offers a range of plans, including a 14-day trial, it's important to note that the platform is on the higher end in terms of pricing. The Start plan, which covers basic live chat, starts at $39 per month. For businesses seeking more advanced features, higher-tier plans can exceed $499 per month. This might pose a challenge for smaller businesses or those on a tight budget.
Lack of a Free Plan: Unlike some of its competitors, Intercom does not offer a free plan. While the 14-day trial provides a brief testing period, the absence of a permanent free option may deter businesses seeking a cost-effective solution.
Learning Curve for Customization: While Intercom's user interface is generally intuitive, customization options may require a bit of a learning curve. Tailoring the platform to specific business needs, including building custom bots and actions, may require additional time and effort.
Alternatives to Intercom
While Intercom offers a robust customer relationship platform, it's essential to explore alternative options to determine which best suits your business needs. Here are four noteworthy alternatives:
LiveChat
A dynamic live chat application, LiveChat is designed to capture leads and boost sales. It allows on-site visitors to ask questions and receive immediate answers. Our team found LiveChat to be a powerful tool for real-time customer engagement. Its intuitive interface and seamless integration with websites make it an excellent choice for businesses looking for effective live chat support.
Zendesk
Zendesk provides a modern and comprehensive help desk experience for both HR and IT support. It streamlines workflows and automates processes, resulting in more efficient support operations. Our testing showed that Zendesk is particularly effective in simplifying internal and external support. Its robust ticketing system and automation capabilities significantly improve response times and customer satisfaction.
Freshdesk
A cloud-based helpdesk system, Freshdesk offers powerful solutions for customer service. Our team found Freshdesk to be highly effective in unifying conversations from various channels, including email, phone, web, chat, and social media. This allows for seamless issue resolution across multiple touchpoints. Freshdesk is a valuable tool for businesses seeking a versatile support platform with convenient self-service options.
Zoho Desk
As Zoho's flagship web-based help desk software, Zoho Desk is aimed at delivering exceptional customer experiences. Our testing revealed that Zoho Desk excels in providing seamless omnichannel support, improving agent productivity, and leveraging powerful AI capabilities. It offers deep integration with daily-use apps, allowing for a holistic approach to support management. Zoho Desk is an excellent choice for businesses seeking a customizable, AI-driven help desk solution.
Final Thoughts on Intercom
In conclusion, Intercom is a powerful customer relationship platform with a rich array of features designed to elevate customer support and engagement. Its user-friendly interface and seamless integrations ensure a smooth experience for support teams across various channels.
While Intercom's pricing structure may be a consideration, the platform's comprehensive offering justifies its investment for businesses seeking a unified support solution. The ability to communicate across multiple channels, coupled with AI-powered features like Fin, sets Intercom apart in the realm of customer support software. For those looking to enhance their support management and customer engagement, Intercom is undoubtedly a commendable choice.
How We Tested Intercom
We used these four key criteria to form the basis of our Intercom review:
1. Speed and Responsiveness: Our team rigorously assessed Intercom's speed in handling customer inquiries, measuring response times and evaluating its ability to provide real-time support.
2. Ease of Use: We delved into Intercom's user interface, examining its intuitiveness and accessibility. We evaluated how quickly team members could adapt to the platform, ensuring a seamless transition.
3. Feature Functionality: Our testing focused on each feature's performance, ensuring they operated as intended. We scrutinized capabilities such as live chat, AI-powered bots, and product tours, assessing their effectiveness in enhancing customer support.
4. Integration Testing: We thoroughly examined how Intercom integrates with other tools and apps, evaluating the efficiency and compatibility of these integrations within our existing workflows. This criterion gauged the platform's ability to seamlessly fit into our support ecosystem.
Intercom FAQ
Below are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about Intercom.