Top 10 alternatives to Trengo as a customer messaging platform for small business owners

In this article we discuss the top 10 alternatives to Trengo as a customer messaging platform. We explain what a customer messaging platform is, why it matters to you as a small business owner and what alternatives to Trengo there are.

What is a customer messaging platform?

First, let’s start with what a customer messaging platform is. Tools like Trengo are called a customer messaging platform because it helps you manage customer interactions in an efficient manner. Basically, it’s an inbox where customer inquiries are managed. Often such an inbox allows to connect with multiple channels like live chat on a website, email and social messaging channels like Instagram DM, WhatsApp, Telegram or Facebook Messenger.

Easy automation with a chatbot can be applied to save time and increase customer satisfaction rates.

Whu customer messaging platforms like Trengo help you grow your business

A customer messaging platform like Trengo matters to you as a small business owner because such a tool helps you to service your customers in an efficient manner. It brings different communication channels into one place so you can easily reply to customer inquiries.

Such a customer messaging platform helps you to build true omnichannel experiences. It doesn’t matter whether a customer reaches out to your business via email, live chat or through a social messaging app like Facebook Messenger. You can be where your customers are.

Customer messaging platforms like Trengo also saves you time.  Often these types of solutions provide chatbots and Conversational AI for your first line support. Basically, this means that a chatbots answers first, but when a chatbot can’t help the conversation is handed over to a human being. Easy questions like “Where is my package?” or “Are you open on Sunday?” can be automated.

Customer messaging platforms also often integrate with other systems to make handling customer inquiries easier. Things like Shopify or WooCommerce for eCommerce or Salesforce or HubSpot for CRM. This allows a customer messaging platform like Trengo to pull information like an order status or push information about a conversation with a customer.

A customer messaging platform like Trengo also helps you as a small business owner to build up customer profiles. It helps you to get to know your customers better so you can create and manage long lasting, profitable relationships with them.

Finally, more advanced customer messaging platforms can also be used to reach out to customers pro-actively, e.g., to drive more sales or sign ups. Imagine that somebody on your website is struggling to sign up. The live chat can then pop-up and actively ask whether support is needed. Or for example when somebody is looking at a product in your ecommerce store but not buying. Such a proactive approach helps to drive conversion and to drive sales.

Customer messaging platforms compared and ranked

Let’s move into the comparison. We compare and rank different customer messaging platform providers like Trengo, Intercom, LivePerson, Kustomer, Manychat, Gorgias, Tidio, Olark, Drift, Messagebird and Table Duck.

We compare and rank customer messaging platform providers based on features, price, whether the offer a free plan or not and market segment.  Let’s list them.

Trengo

Collaborate with your team. Automate conversations. Create amazing customer experiences.

  • Features: Team collaboration, live chat, shared inbox
  • Price: Starting from $ 15 per month
  • Free plan available: No
  • Market segment: Small to mid-sized businesses

Messagebird

A communications platform, where talking with a business is as easy and natural as talking to a human being.

  • Features: Live chat, shared inbox, flow builder
  • Price: Starting from $ 45 per month
  • Free plan available: Yes
  • Market segment: Small to mid-sized businesses

LivePerson

LivePerson offers a complete solution to create, manage & optimize Conversational AI. Message with consumers on the most popular digital channels

  • Features: Conversation Builder, Intent Manager, Analytics
  • Price: Unknown
  • Free plan available: Unknown
  • Market segment: Enterprise businesses

Drift

Brings your go-to-market teams together to deliver personalized customer experiences in real time.

  • Features: Live chat, chatbots, Conversational Marketing
  • Price: Unknown
  • Free plan available: Unknown
  • Market segment: Mid-sized to enterprise businesses

Kustomer

Kustomer is an omnichannel CX platform with everything you need to engage seamlessly with customers in a single timeline

  • Features: Customer service, self-service, CRM
  • Price: Unknown
  • Free plan available: Unknown
  • Market segment: Mid-sized to enterprise businesses

Manychat

ManyChat is a Facebook Messenger chatbot that automates getting and keeping customers happy.

  • Features: Chatbot, social messaging
  • Price: Starting from $ 15 per month
  • Free plan available: Yes
  • Market segment: Small to mid-sized businesses

Gorgias

The all-in-one helpdesk + live chat, designed for ecommerce stores

  • Features: Shared inbox, self-service
  • Price: Starting from $ 60 per month
  • Free plan available: no
  • Market segment: Mid-sized businesses

Intercom

Intercom is complete customer communications platform with bots, apps, product tours, email, messages, and a help center.

  • Features: Live chat, chatbots, shared inbox, product tours
  • Price: Unknown
  • Free plan available: Unknown
  • Market segment: Mid-sized to enterprise businesses

Tidio

Tidio combines live chat and chatbot tools to help you provide superb customer service and generate more sales.

  • Features: Live chat, chatbots, shared inbox
  • Price: Starting from $ 39 per month
  • Free plan available: Yes
  • Market segment: Small to mid-sized businesses

Olark

One app to manage all your customer service channels: live chat, email, social media,

  • Features: Live chat, chatbots, shared inbox
  • Price: Starting from $ 29 per month
  • Free plan available: No
  • Market segment: Small to mid-sized businesses

Table Duck

Table Duck is an omnichannel communication platform to manage and automate all your customer conversations in one place.

  • Features: Live chat, shared inbox, chatbots
  • Price: Starting from $ 19 per month
  • Free plan available: Yes
  • Market segment: Small to mid-sized businesses

Conclusions

Finding the best customer messaging platform that fits best with your company relies on many factors. First, get your requirements clear. Some businesses have more advanced requirements than other business. When you have your requirements clear, go and sign up for free trials at multiple customer messaging platform providers. With these free trials you can test and see what solution fits best.

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