With the development of digital technologies, online retail and e-commerce industry has witnessed unprecedented fierce competition. Customers can swipe through hundreds of stores online easily, so customer service experience has become an invisible key factor for a brand to stand out. The majority of customers (64%) rate the quality of customer support they get as more essential than the cost of the product or service itself. Therefore, it’s significant for merchants to have the appropriate tools to provide an exceptional experience for customers.
Many merchants used to count on Gorgias, a renowned customer contact platform primarily designed for e-commerce businesses. It is capable of organizing customer communication through a shared inbox, automating a variety of everyday tasks and efficiently handling tickets.
However, as companies grow and their demands change, they may discover that Gorgias falls short in various aspects. Many e-commerce businesses have looked into alternative solutions as a result of the major issues, which include escalating prices, inadequate reporting capabilities, and a lack of after sales support.
Gorgias Key Features: Strengths and Weaknesses
Gorgias is a customer contact solution provider focusing on e-commerce merchants. It helps online stores establish a central communication hub for their customers and representatives. Merchants can handle client contacts from a single interface by integrating live chat, social media, and email, regardless of how customers choose to get in touch with you. This is a positive development for businesses that aim to improve their consumer experiences; however, it can be challenging to figure out the most suitable contact center solution for a specific business. Let us discuss several key features of the Gorgias Customer Contact solution.
1. Omnichannel Support
Gorgias allows you to receive support via email, live chat, social media (Facebook, Instagram), WhatsApp, voicemail, and text messaging.
This implies that companies may assist clients on whichever platform they like. It helps shorten the time it takes to switch between systems and ensures that client expectations are met immediately.
Pros.
- All customer interactions i.e. email, social media, and live chat can be handled on single platform.
- Omnichannel analytics helps track ticket volume and CSAT per channel.
- Rules and macros across various channels for better efficiency. Rules help determine system behavior and processes, while macros are pre-written and automated responses that agents use to communicate.
- User can switch communication platform e.g. from chat to email without losing customer service history.
Cons.
- Managing various channels require initial setup and user training.
- Cost of omnichannel is relatively high as compared to single–channel solutions.
- Managing various channels at a time can increase workload on agents if not fully optimized.
- Some platform need additional APIs or plugins for full functionality.
- If not properly optimized, tickets can get duplicated across other channels.
2. Gorgias Automate
The AI Agent in Gorgias Automate is capable of autonomously resolving support requests by learning policies, brand voice, and accessing customer data to perform actions. With Gorgias automate, customers can track orders, initiate returns, and get their queries answered through chatbots. It can also detect unhappy customers to prioritize their support tickets.
Companies can train AI Agent regarding their policies and procedures, evaluate its responses, and provide feedback to ensure that it is consistently improving.
Pros.
- Auto-response to common queries, such as order status and returns, based on keywords and customer tags.
- Assigns tickets to the appropriate team or support agent based on their capabilities.
- Pulls Shopify data to respond to tracking requests.
- Chatbots handle simple customer queries outside business hours.
Cons.
- Works well with Shopify, but lacks automation for larger e-commerce and non-e-commerce businesses.
- Need extra integrations for deep data pulls (e.g., ERP, CRM).
- Advanced automation may require higher-tier plans.
3. Gorgias Helpdesk
Gorgias eliminates the necessity to periodically switch between the fulfilment software, store backend, and helpdesk. Merchant can now update orders and promptly resolve complaints in a single location.
It enables agent to prioritize conversations, filter spam, auto-tag tickets, and address basic FAQs with the assistance of AI. It gives information about the customer, like past orders, reviews, and payments. A merchant can also get deep insights into the customer and the product, keep an eye on trends, and use data to grow business.
Pros.
- Order lookups, discounts, and refunds within form helpdesk.
- Support handles for various social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Live chat, and email.
- Show buying history and past interactions for better context.
Cons.
- Fewer non-ecommerce app integrations as compared to other competitors.
- Require third party tools for phone support.
- UI not as interactive as various user find it harder to navigate.
- Workflows not flexible for an enterprise grade solution.
4. Gorgias Convert
Gorgias convert is an add-on tool that helps e-commerce brands improve the customer experience by making it easy to run ads on the website itself to boost conversion rates. Gorgias convert and the ability to establish free Light Campaigns are already available to chat users. By subscribing, you have access to intelligent triggers and the opportunity to build various campaigns.
Convert makes it simple to use smart segmentation from your Shopify data to enhance campaigns without any coding. With the use of variables and triggers, it provides multiple criteria to customize campaigns for various environments.
Pros.
- Proactively informing customers about products.
- Offer one-on-one support.
- Highlight deals and provide targeted incentives to customers.
Cons.
- Basic split testing features as compared to dedicated tools.
- Good for Shopify, but weaker for complex funnels and non-e-commerce businesses.
- Limited design customization capabilities.
- Supports simple A/B tests, not more complex tests.
Gorgias: Why It May Not Be the Best Choice
Gorgias is designed for e-commerce and offers substantial functionality that could significantly impact an online retailer. However, evaluations of the platform on sites like Trustpilot, G2, and Shopify indicate that consumers encounter difficulties when using it.
1. Over-Focused on E-Commerce, Lacking Versatility
Despite its strengths, Gorgias’s limited scope restricts its effectiveness. According to Paul Ferrill, who gave it a 3.0/5.0 rating, “Its core feature set is robust, and it has a comprehensive collection of compatible applications. However, if you’re looking for anything outside of e-commerce, you should steer clear of Gorgias and consider larger alternatives instead.” Typically, SaaS companies address more complex needs and cater to a wider range of businesses beyond e-commerce. This complexity is especially noticeable in industries like manufacturing, aviation, and healthcare, where users often seek alternatives to Gorgias.
Gorgias wants to focus on one task and do it well. If you are a small to midsized e-tailer that utilizes BigCommerce, Magento, or Shopify, Gorgias can certainly accommodate your help desk requirements. It features a decent selection of compatible applications and a good core feature set. However, if you are seeking solutions that are not limited to e-commerce, it is advisable to forgo Gorgias and investigate more comprehensive options, such as Sobot, the Editors’ Choice for small businesses.
2. High Cost with Limited Features
Gorgias provides flexible billing that is subject to ticket volume, which is appreciated by certain users but not generally favoured.
This is especially difficult for SaaS businesses that manage a high volume of monthly requests. The monthly charge rises with each new ticket raised, which might lead to high expenses. As a result, the planning process becomes increasingly unpredictable.
The price structure of the majority of the products we reviewed is per agent per month. However, Gorgias merely considers the volume of tickets you handle each month before determining its pricing. There is a free tier available for system evaluation; however, it requires an operational e-commerce store to function. It’s always risky to try something new in a real-world setting, so be careful.
Begin with the Basic tier in the monthly plan, which is priced at $60 per month and allows for a maximum of 300 monthly entries. At this level, you will pay $140 per month for an additional 20% automation with 60 automated tickets. All Gorgias tiers include live chat, Shopify and social media integration, unlimited users, macros, and rules.
The Pro plan costs $360 per month for a maximum of 2,000 tickets. The ticket limit increases by $810 for each additional 400 automated tickets and 20% automation. At the Pro level, you can access extra features such as a guided training process, integration with Magento, user rights, feedback polls, and chat campaigns.
BASIC: $60/month (or $50/month when billed annually) for unlimited users and 300 tickets/month included.
PRO: $360/month (or $300/month when billed annually) for unlimited users and 2000 tickets/month included.
ADVANCED: $900/month (or $750/month when billed annually) for unlimited users and 5000 tickets/month included.
3. Lack of Advanced AI & Chatbot Capabilities
Gorgias’ automation runs on LLM. Its AI agent in beta stage and may need more time to be completely AI enabled.
Gorgias’s AI Agent utilizes merchants’ distinctive data, such as orders, ticket information, product catalogues, and store content, in conjunction with LLMs to generate response. The built-in chatbot is helpful for basic requests but lacks deep learning skills for more complex conversations. Unlike other AI-first systems, Gorgias does not provide dynamic, generative AI answers.
4. Technical Complexities and Lack of Certain Features
Gorgias is great for agents because of its email-like interface for ticket response and control. On the other hand, it may not be as appropriate for managers. In order for managers and owners to get the most out of Gorgias, they must go beyond a learning curve.
According to one user, “Gorgias is deficient in features and urgency for businesses that require more immediate assistance.”
Gorgias provides a restricted set of capabilities when compared with its competitors.
Users are presented with three primary products in the product tour section: Gorgias Helpdesk, Gorgias Automate, and Gorgias Convert. Even though each product has a number of sub-products, their availability is restricted.
For example, it does not have the ability to create or modify SLAs (Service Level Agreements), necessitating the use of third-party applications. Additionally, its knowledge base or Help Desk is relatively primitive.
Users are compelled to pursue alternatives to Gorgias due to the absence of essential features.
Sobot as a Superior Alternative to Gorgias
Improving the quality of your customer service and giving your company a competitive edge may be achieved by investing in software that is customized to your unique needs.
Sobot offers a broad variety of features tailored to meet the various requirements of businesses.
More than 10,000 companies are empowered by Sobot’s adaptable platform, which makes it a worldwide leader in customer support solutions. Omnichannel assistance, chatbots driven by AI, and ticketing systems are just a few of the many services offered by Sobot, which aim to optimize operations and enhance customer experience.
Why Sobot Outshines Gorgias?
AI Agents
AI Agents will improve your customer service by providing instant answers to frequently asked questions. These intelligent bots are capable of directing users through self-service alternatives in addition to addressing frequently asked questions and resolving simple issues. For example, your customers will continue to be able to receive assistance from Sobot’s AI Agent even when your business is closed. This feature not only improves response timings but also reduces the workload of your customer support professionals.
Real-time Analytics
Analytics tools provide an in-depth understanding of the impact of your staff in customer support management platforms. Metrics such as average response time, resolution time, and inquiry volume can be used to identify areas for improvement. Sobot’s interfaces are personalised, allowing you to monitor these key performance indicators (KPIs) in real time and ensuring that your team complies with service level agreements (SLAs). Monitoring productivity facilitates resource management and ensures that service quality remains high.
Omnichannel Integration
Customers anticipate that you will respond to them through their preferred platforms, such as email, live messaging, and social media. The process of efficiently administering enquiries for your team is simplified by omnichannel support, which ensures that all of these communications are consolidated in a single platform. Customer support management software allows for the seamless monitoring of conversations across several channels, preserving their context.
Sobot is particularly impressive in terms of omnichannel support, as it enables the consolidation of communications from all platforms into a single, user-friendly interface. This feature allows your team to keep a professional approach and respond quickly across all mediums. The secret to building trust and encouraging customer loyalty is effective relationship management.
Integration and Scalability
The integration of customer support management software with your existing business tools must be seamless in order for optimal efficiency. With integrated project management, marketing, and customer relationship management (CRM) systems, your team will always have access to the data they need.
Sobot’s extensive integration features enable it to seamlessly integrate with leading customer relationship management systems and other critical business tools. Its integration with various e-commerce platforms like Amazon and Lazada helps businesses better manage customer service and enhance customer experience. The use of compatible data input eliminates the need for manual entry and reduces the likelihood of errors.
Automation
Automation has completely changed the customer service field. Automating repetitive tasks, such as assigning tickets, delivering acknowledgement emails, or altering ticket statuses, can help you save a significant amount of time and effort. This allows your staff to focus on more intricate client needs. Sobot’s automation tools, for example, streamline workflows by implementing predetermined policies for ticket routing and escalation. This enhances the efficiency of the support process by decreasing the potential for human errors and manual labor.
Customization and Flexibility: Serves multiple industries, not just e-commerce
Sobot automation features enable your team to allocate more time to the development of client relationships and less time to manual tasks. Additionally, its omnichannel support enables you to monitor consumer interactions across all channels without causing your staff to become overburdened.
Retail and e-commerce sectors: Customers can consult with the enterprises and receive responses promptly through a variety of channels, such as email, social media, and audio. Agents can assist with order tracking, modifications, and cancellations. They can also provide information about cost, features and guide on return policies. What’s more, this workstation has the capacity to integrate with software systems such as the Salesforce CRM system and the Shopify order system.
Financial Services: Assist clients in submitting requests for assistance through a variety of channels, including phone calls and chats. Agents offer customers intuitive and contextual assistance by examining all customer data in our unified workbench. Financial center can assist with loan applications, approvals, and repayment queries. Agents can assist with online banking setup, manage chargebacks, billing errors, and transaction disputes.
Education: By having a thorough understanding of student’s profiles and interactions, agents can effectively reply to queries. Agents can assist with inquiries, applications, and enrollment. Students and parents can help with course registration, plans, and academic policies and can address queries about progress, fees and institution policies.
Enterprise Services: Administrators ensure the support staff is configured to meet the needs of most businesses that enquiries via phone call. Large enterprises require customer service management software that can manage intricate processes and substantial volumes of requests. Sobot is up to the task because of its advanced features and adaptable solutions. With the help of the platform’s analytics features, which provide important information on team performance and customer behaviour, you can improve company operations.
Sobot makes sure your customers always get the same experience by consolidating interactions across all channels. At a larger scale, this expertise is essential for maintaining brand reputation and consumer loyalty. When large businesses use Sobot, they can streamline their support procedures and provide their customers the best assistance possible.
Sobot is the optimal choice for e-commerce enterprises of all sizes that require a comprehensive tool that can accommodate all of their requirements within a single platform.
Sobot vs Gorgias: Key Takeaways
Smooth Integrations
Whether it’s a small or large enterprise, each can benefit from Sobot due to its seamless integrations. Sobot’s integration with platforms like Lazada and Amazon makes it a unique choice, while on the other hand, Gorgias is specialized in integration with e-commerce site building platforms such as Shopify and woo commerce.
AI Adoption
Using AI, Sobot quickly resolves difficult customer service challenges, particularly in the e-commerce and gaming industries. On the other hand, Gorgias is developed for e-commerce especially Shopify and Woo commerce combining AI Automation and human-agent workflows.
Intuitive Analytics
The analytics features offered by Sobot, such as workflow analytics and satisfaction tracking, are quite easy to use. Gorgias offers more in-depth insights at the business level, which could be challenging for users without expertise.
Industry Focused
Sobot provides solutions that are highly customized for specific industries, such as retail, entertainment, education, and e-commerce. Nevertheless, Gorgias’ primary focus is on providing services to large e-commerce enterprises, with a particular emphasis on WooCommerce and Shopify.
Pricing and Accessibility
Sobot is more appropriate for small and medium-sized organizations due to its cost and innovative features. In contrast, Gorgias is more expensive and is better suited for larger enterprises with complex requirements.
Conclusion: Which One Should You Choose?
Integrating the right customer support management software can transform the way in which you engage with potential consumers and expand your business. Automation, omnichannel support, and reporting systems should be at the top of your list of priorities if you want to provide great customer experiences and keep things running smoothly. These instruments not only improve efficiency but also cultivate more robust consumer relationships.
For e-commerce businesses of all sizes that necessitate a comprehensive tool that can handle all of their requirements within a single platform, Sobot is the optimal choice. Its chatbots offer a diverse array of services that are essential for the success of any business, such as LiveChat Assistance with personalized conversations, artificial intelligence, and social media integration. It offers a complimentary trial to find out whether it is appropriate for your needs.
You can observe your sales increase at an exponential rate and expedite your marketing tasks with Sobot. It is the most suitable option for individuals who are interested in integrating with the communication platforms that their teams are already using. The omnichannel capabilities, cost-effectiveness, AI approach, and support platforms for both services and marketing render it the optimal solution for teams in need of a comprehensive, straightforward solution that eliminates the necessity of switching between applications.
FAQs
What are the core advantages of Sobot’s contact center solution?
Sobot is a leading provider for contact center solution, also called customer service software or customer support platform. We provide various products to help businesses in the following aspects:
1. Connect customers from all channels, including e-commerce platforms like Amazon and Walmart, social media like Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Line, and WeChat, official websites based on Shopify/WordPress/Wix, as well as apps, emails, SMS, and more other channels.
2. Efficiently receive customers in any channel and at anytime.
3. Customer data storage or integration for proactive outreach
4. Overall management, including process monitoring, quality inspection and data statistics. Sobot provides over 300 statistical reports with thousands of indicators, which may be the most comprehensive in the industry.
In summary, Sobot provides integrated, omnichannel and intelligent customer service with quicker response and lower price.
Does Sobot serve large and medium-sized businesses or startups?
Sobot’s contact center solution is suitable for both large businesses and startups.
For large and medium-sized businesses, Sobot provides all-in-one, intelligent and flexible solution, and specialized KA sales and service team will provide service during the full cycle.
And for startups and small businesses, Sobot provides secure and cost-effective solution as well as timely service. You can enjoy Sobot’s products very quickly.
Can Sobot’s contact center platform integrate with any other system?
Sobot’s contact center platform can be integrated with various popular systems like Amazon, Walmart, Shopify and Salesforce.
Sobot also provides APIs for flexible and easy integration, and helps businesses with system development based on their needs.
