With a plethora of help desk ticketing systems in the market, choosing the ideal system for your business can be overwhelming. In this article, I’ll shed some light on some of the best help desk ticketing systems out there so you can determine which is ideal for your business.

Overview:

1. Freshdesk

Freshdesk is an all-in-one customer service software that can be used by small businesses as well as enterprises. It has a wide range of features and tools to manage customer service.

It is highly customizable and easy to use, which makes it one of the best help desk systems on the market today.

Freshdesk features AI-based tools to help solve problems for your customers quickly and efficiently by automating and streamlining your service processes.

For example, it can auto-assign tickets based on set preferences, and its AI-based bot called Freddy can suggest knowledge base articles. Moreover, you can track performance analytics using its customizable dashboards and reports.

Does Freshdesk have a free plan?

Yes. Freshdesk offers a free plan supporting 10 agents, email and social ticketing, a knowledge base, and a ticket trend report.

How much does Freshdesk cost?

• Growth and Pro plans for $18 and $59/agent/month with automation-enabled marketplace apps, custom views, customer fields, time tracking, and more.
• Enterprise plan for $79/agent/month adds sandbox, approval workflows, email bot, etc.

Learn more about Freshdesk

2. Zendesk for Service

Zendesk is an enterprise-ready help desk ticketing system that offers a variety of features for service organizations. It is one of the oldest and most popular names in the help desk ticketing system industry.

One of its interesting features is the strong cross-channel communication for reaching your customers through their favorite channels such as email, live chat, and social media like Facebook and Twitter.

Zenesk AI-powered chatbots can be personalized and send pre-written responses while the agents are busy solving other tickets. You can configure a knowledge base to allow customers to get help on their issues in a self-service manner.

Its workflows can auto-route tickets per configuration and direct customers to FAQs. You also get in-depth analytics on your service teams through its reports.

Does Zendesk have a free plan?

No. Zendesk does not have a free plan but provides trial use of the entire Zendesk Suite Professional plan.

How much does Zendesk cost?

• Suite Team plan starts at $49/agent/month for unified messaging, automation and workflows, reporting and analytics, apps and integrations, and more.
• Growth plan for $79/agent/month offers advanced automation, custom integrations, and more.
• Professional plan for $99/agent/month offers skill-based routing, customizable dashboards, etc.
• Enterprise plan for $150/agent/month offers a lot more, like customizable workspaces, shared dashboards, etc.

Learn more about Zendesk for Service

3. Atera

Atera’s help desk is tailored for IT departments, making daily tasks efficient and simple. This system allows easy management of support tickets and direct communication with users via live chat. Tickets automatically sync between the client’s portal and Atera’s interface, enabling quick interactions and automated email responses for new and resolved tickets.

Scheduling is streamlined with features to manage technician workflows, pre-schedule tickets, and open them from emails or chats. Automated customer feedback surveys are sent once tickets are resolved.

Atera uses AI to tag tickets with keywords, efficiently directing them to the appropriate IT professional for faster resolution. This smart system saves time and enhances strategic operations.

The software also provides detailed automated reports and analytics, eliminating the need for complex manual entries and highlighting team effectiveness.

Additionally, Atera offers a comprehensive knowledge base for storing and sharing articles, tutorials, and videos, supporting user self-service and easing onboarding processes.

Does Atera have a free plan?

Atera currently does not offer free plans. However, they do offer a 30-day trial with no credit card required when signing up.

How much does Atera cost?

Atera offers two pricing plans tailored to different types of users: one for IT departments and another for Managed Service Providers (MSPs).

For IT Departments:

• Pro Plan: $149 per month
• Growth Plan: $169 per month
• Power Plan: $199 per month

For MSPs:

• Pro Plan: $99 per month
• Growth Plan: $129 per month
• Power Plan: $169 per month

The MSP version includes a billing feature that allows you to invoice your customers based on the time spent on tickets and the products and services you sell. This built-in billing option simplifies the process of charging customers. Contrarily, the IT Department version does not include this billing module on its dashboard.

Learn more about Atera

4. Front

Front centralizes communication channels, including email, social media, SMS, and voice, into a single inbox, enhancing team collaboration and efficiency. It features automated message routing, shared drafts, integrations with third-party tools, workflow automation, and analytics. Ideal for industries requiring high-touch customer service, Front combines automation with a personal touch.

Does Front have a free plan?

Front offers a 7-day trial for new users.

How much does Front cost?

• Starter: $19/seat/month for basic features.
• Growth: $59/seat/month for essential features.
• Scale: $99/seat/month for advanced management and increased automation.
• Premier: $229/seat/month for maximum usage and custom integrations.

Learn more about Front

5. SysAid Helpdesk Software

SysAid is a feature-rich help desk software to manage customer relations for your brand. You can resolve your customers’ issues faster by cross-referencing tickets with the users and their assets. Plus, your employees can solve common IT issues independently through self-service features.

The most interesting part of this tool is automation, i.e., it sorts, prioritizes, and routes tickets automatically to the related desk, so your customer’s issues are solved quicker. It also allows the help desk to remotely access user machines and generate performance reports through the dashboard.

Moreover, it offers hotkeys to capture your screen and send the video to a ticket in the self-service portal, saving loads of time in dealing with other ticket queries.

Does SysAid have a free plan?

Yes. SysAid offers a free trial on all its Help Desk and ITSM plans with no credit card needed.

How much does SysAid cost?

Prices of each plan vary depending on the number of administrators, assets, and modules required. Its Basic and Full Editon ranges from $1200+/yr (500 assets) to $1600+/yr (1000 assets).

Check out our review on SysAid’s Helpdesk.

Learn more about SysAid Helpdesk Software

6. Zoho Desk

Zoho Desk is an all-in-one help desk ticketing system that helps customer service teams to manage customer requests and improve the overall customer experience. It offers many features and tools for support agents and managers to provide exemplary service and gain customer service insights.

Zoho Desk is a perfect fit if your business is already using the Zoho Suite. Nevertheless, it is a multichannel help desk system integrating email, live chat, phone, social media, etc., under a single interface.

Moreover, you can create a self-service portal for your customers with FAQs and tutorials (aka knowledge base). Its dashboards and reports provide insights into service performance.

Does Zoho Desk have a free plan?

Yes. Zoho has a free plan supporting 3 agents, email ticketing, customer management, a knowledge base, macros, and more.

How much does Zoho Desk cost?

• Standard and Professional plans for $20 and $35/agent/month, respectively, offer social channels, public knowledge base, assignment and workflow rules, dashboards, integrations, etc.
• Enterprise plan for $50/agent/month offering Zia (AI-powered), live chat, custom functions, validation and layout rules, etc.

Learn more about Zoho Desk

7. Salesforce Service Cloud

Salesforce is a powerful and one of the most versatile CRM tools. It enables businesses to manage customer experience, optimize the support team’s performance, and receive AI-powered insights under one platform.

It offers a service console with many productivity tools, efficient service process automation, omnichannel routing, faster case management process, asset and order management, call center management, analytics, and a vast knowledge base.

Moreover, there are different add-ons you can add to your service cloud, including different field service operations, digital engagement through AI-powered chatbots, and a self-service feature that allows customers to find answers to some common questions quickly.

Check out our review on Salesforce Service Cloud.

Does Salesforce have a free plan?

Salesforce Service Cloud has no free plans, but it comes with a 30-day trial. To try it for free, you will need to fill up your particulars, including your name, email, phone number, and company name, and you will be provided with 30-day trial access to the Service Cloud console.

How much does Salesforce cost?

Its most popular plan, the Enterprise plan, starts at $150/user/month and comes with customizable CRM for comprehensive service. Other plans include the Essential plan at $25/user/month, the Professional plan at $75/user/month; and the Unlimited plan at $300/user/month.

All paid plans, too, come with a free 30-day trial.

Learn more about Salesforce Service Cloud

8. ProProfs

ProProfs is a help desk ticketing system that allows companies to manage their customer service and support. It is designed to work as a simple and efficient tool for customer service departments to manage customer issues or tickets.

ProProfs is an enterprise product that was designed to provide a user-friendly interface for both the customer and the company.

Additionally, ProProfs supports many automation options for speeding up the process of solving customer tickets. You can configure it to auto-assign tickets in a round-robin fashion and set up pre-written responses for improved response times.

Also, there’s an option to create a public knowledge base to help customers self-service on common issues. Its real-time reports help measure and improve performance.

Does ProProfs have a free plan?

No. ProProfs does not have a free plan, but it provides a free trial for 15 days.

How much does ProProfs cost?

• Essentials plan for $15/user/month, offering effective support with shared inboxes and essential help desk features.
• Premium plan for $20/user/month supports unlimited inboxes and an advanced feature set including ticket routing, child tickets, white labeling, etc.
• Enterprise plan adds more like custom automation and integrations, Single Sign-On (SSO), etc. If you need a live chat, it costs an extra $5 per plan.

Learn more about ProProfs

9. HappyFox

HappyFox is a help desk ticketing system that provides a better way for customer support to manage the flow of incoming tickets. It has a simple and intuitive interface that makes it easy for customers to submit tickets and get the help they need.

HappyFox also provides powerful features such as workflows, ticket routing, integrations with other tools, customizable templates, etc.

It helps you to manage customer inquiries, requests, and problems. It provides an easy way for both customers and employees to report issues or request assistance from other teams.

Create a knowledge base and a community forum to help your customers with the tool. Its AI assistant can help manage workflows, chat with customers, and improve support.

Does HappyFox have a free plan?

No. HappyFox does not offer free plans or a free trial. However, you can request a demo, and the support team will see if one can be created for you.

How much does HappyFox cost?

• Mighty plan costs $39/agent/month, offering omnichannel tickets, knowledge base, Single Sign-On (SSO), etc.
• Fantastic plan costs $59/agent/month for multi-branding, custom ticket queues, etc.
• Enterprise and Enterprise Plus plans for $79 and $99/agent/month offer even more: asset and task management in Enterprise and agent scripting and all-time reporting history in Enterprise Plus.

Learn more about HappyFox

10. Jira Service Management

Jira Service Management helps teams work together, stay on top of issues, and deliver great customer experiences. It is designed to manage the customer service and support needs of organizations of all sizes.

Using this tool, customers can submit tickets through many channels such as email, phone call, chat, web portal, and social media as well.

It helps you categorize and prioritize tickets, create custom workflows for different types of requests, and set up escalation policies for specific types of requests.

Jira Service Management offers dashboards and reports with all the information about the tickets in one place, helping you analyze your service teams’ performance to drive efficient customer support.

Does Jira have a free plan?

Yes. Jira Service Management’s free plan supports 3 agents, unlimited customers, configurable workflows, analytics and reporting, knowledge management, etc.

How much does Jira cost?

• Standard and Premium plans for $20 and $45/agent/month offer cloud support team, service status pages, etc.
• Enterprise plan offers more features like Atlassian Analytics, Atlassian Data Lake, etc.

Learn more about Jira Service Management

Bonus 1. Kayako

Kayako is a help desk ticketing system that can be used to manage customer inquiries and requests. It provides a ticketing system to track customer issues and helps in resolving them.

The good thing about Kayako is that it can be integrated with third-party applications like CRM or project management tools so that the information of the customers is automatically updated in other systems as well.

Kayako helps drive customer satisfaction, provides insights on improving customer service, and has a web-based interface and compatibility with mobile devices. The software is available as an on-premise solution or as a cloud-based solution that can be accessed from anywhere at any time.

Does Kayako have a free plan?

No. Kayodo does not support free plans but does come with a free 14-day trial for their paid plans.

How much does Kayako cost?

Kayako has a simple pricing structure wherein it offers all features in a single plan for $60/agent/month. It does feel a bit costlier compared to other tools on this list, especially if you have a small team.

Learn more about Kayako

Bonus 2. Mojo Helpdesk

Mojo Helpdesk is another cloud-based service that provides an easy and intuitive way to manage customer requests. It supports shared inbox with multiple channels such as chat, email, phone support, and social media, allowing your customers to get help using their convenient method.

Mojo Helpdesk allows lets you monitor tickets in real-time and keep track of what they have done for each customer inquiry. It also integrates with third-party applications such as Slack, Jira, Zendesk, and more.

Does Mojo Helpdesk have a free plan?

No. Mojo Helpdesk does not have a free plan. However, you can try it for free for 21 days.

How much does Mojo Helpdesk cost?

• Team plan costs $14/agent/month, offering ticket tracking, self-service knowledge base, custom forms, unlimited automation, time tracking, custom views, Single Sign-On (SSO), etc.
• Business plan costs $24/agent/month and offers escalation rules, advanced security, phone support, and more.
• Enterprise plan for $34/agent/month offers more features like advanced reporting, extra quotas, sandbox, etc.

Learn more about Mojo Helpdesk

Bonus 3. Vision Helpdesk

Vision Helpdesk can assign employees and agents to handle tickets, set up schedules, and track responses. You can create ticket templates for different types of requests, monitor ticket statistics, and set up schedules for support agents. It also offers an online live chat function for customers.

Vision Helpdesk provides a centralized place for all help desk tickets with simple workflows based on rule-based triggers. It also includes features for speeding up the process, such as auto-sending notifications, gamifying ticket handling, and a shared knowledge base to help boost customer support.

Does Vision Helpdesk have a free plan?

No. Vision Helpdesk does not have a free plan. A 30-day free trial is available.

How much does Vision Helpdesk cost?

Vision Helpdesk offers five plans with a varied set of features.

• Starter Help Desk at $15/agent/month.
• Pro Help Desk and Satellite Help Desk plans respectively cost $25 and $30/agent/month.
• Pro Service Desk and Ent Service Desk plans cost $40 and $60/agent/month, respectively, with extra features. If you are looking for live chat, too, it requires extra licensing.

Learn more about Vision Helpdesk

The post 10 Best Help Desk Ticketing Systems appeared first on Hongkiat.

No-code platforms provide pre-built components and a visual interface for users to assemble and configure these components to create an application. These platforms often include tools for automating business processes, integrating with other software, and managing data.

In this post, we’ll explore the top 10 no-code platforms of 2023, providing details on their key features, pricing plans, and suitability for different user profiles. Both free and paid options will be discussed to help you make an informed decision that fits your business needs and budget.

Best No-code Platforms:

1. Landbot.io

Landbot.io is a powerful no-code chatbot platform that allows businesses to create conversational experiences for their customers. It is designed to be intuitive and fun to use, enabling you to build a wide variety of chatbots and deploy them across different platforms.

Key Features:

• Website Chatbot: Engage your website visitors naturally through conversations, capture attention in real-time, build stronger relationships, and achieve higher conversion rates.
• WhatsApp Automation: Create conversational marketing campaigns, engage existing customers, and provide excellent customer service all inside WhatsApp.
• API & SDK: Use Landbot to deploy chatbots in your own apps and channels with their comprehensive API and SDK.
• Chatbot Platform: Build sophisticated conversational experiences for web and mobile using their visual chatbot builder and templates. No coding required.

Pricing:

Landbot.io offers multiple plans to suit different needs:

• Sandbox (Free): This plan is free forever and is designed for individuals trying to test things out on a chatbot. It includes 100 chats per month and basic features like basic flow operations, variables, limited integrations, and basic powerups.
• Starter ($39/month): This plan is for individuals and small businesses. It includes 500 chats per month, extra chats at $10/500 chats, and extra seat at $10/month. It includes everything in Sandbox plus upgraded flow operations, conditional logic, more custom code, basic integrations, and essential powerups.
• Pro ($99/month): This plan is for midsize businesses, agencies, and growing startups. It includes 2500 chats per month, extra chats at $10/500 chats, and extra seat at $20/month. It includes everything in Starter plus advanced flow operations, lead scoring, more custom branding, essential integrations, advanced powerups, and live chat support.
• Business (Starting at $300/month): This plan is for large businesses looking for a custom plan. It includes priority support, custom chats, and seats. It includes everything in Pro plus priority support, dedicated success manager, team training, custom documentation review, and more.

2. Softr

Softr is a no-code platform that allows you to build software without needing developers. It’s designed to be fast and easy to use, allowing you to turn your Airtable or Google Sheets into modern business tools.

Key Features:

• Client Portals: You can create custom-branded and secure client portals for self-service.
• Internal Tools: Softr allows non-developers to build internal tools to power their business processes and workflows.
• Community Hubs: You can easily create a hub for your community to share resources, special perks, job board, a directory of members, and more.
• Building Blocks: Softr offers prebuilt and functional blocks like lists, charts, forms, tables, and calendars. You can put together your app in a few minutes with drag and drop without developers.
• Data Integration: You can connect to any of your data sources whether it lives in Airtable, Google Sheets, or anywhere else with REST APIs.
• Granular Permissions: You can easily define permissions and access levels to ensure only the right users view and edit the right information from your app.

Pricing:

Softr offers multiple plans to suit different needs:

• Free: This plan is for individuals building passion projects. It includes 5 internal and 100 external app users, essential blocks, 5 workspace collaborators, and 1 custom domain.
• Basic ($49/month): This plan is for entrepreneurs building new products. It includes 10 internal and 1000 external app users, custom CSS/JS, embed Softr apps, and the option to buy extra custom domains.
• Professional ($139/month): This plan is for SMB and agencies building portals and internal tools. It includes 50 internal and 5000 external app users, charts, calendar, inbox, kanban, 10 workspace collaborators, and removes Softr branding.
• Business ($269/month): This plan is for teams building advanced custom apps. It includes 100 internal and 10000 external app users, timeline, org chart, 15 workspace collaborators, downloadable mobile apps (PWA), and more.
• Enterprise: This plan is for larger companies that want extra volume, security, and support. It includes everything in the Business plan plus SSO for app users, security audit, dedicated success manager, team training, and custom invoicing.

3. Backendless

Backendless is a no-code application development platform designed to streamline and accelerate the mobile application development process. It provides a complete visual app builder that makes apps intuitive to develop and easy to manage.

Key Features:

• User Management: Backendless provides user authentication and authorization in one central place. It supports multiple authentication options including social login, session control, and concurrent login rules.
• Realtime Apps: Backendless supports real-time database changes, delivering updates to your app as they happen.
• API Management: Backendless allows you to develop, deploy, and manage highly scalable API services.
• UI Builder: Backendless includes a codeless visual frontend builder with components and blueprints.
• Push Notifications: Backendless supports sending customizable and targeted push notifications.

Pricing:

Backendless offers multiple plans to suit different needs:

• Backendless Cloud (Free to start): This plan is designed for individuals and small businesses. It allows you to start building your app on the free plan where you can experience all the features of the platform. When you’re ready to scale up, you can easily upgrade to one of their affordable paid plans to meet your server resource and database capability needs.
• Backendless Pro (Pricing varies): This plan is designed for medium to large enterprises and established businesses. It allows you to install an instance of the Backendless platform anywhere, such as a developer’s computer, private data center, or public cloud. It has no functional limitations and can easily scale to handle very high transactional volume.
• Managed Backendless (Pricing varies): This plan offers a dedicated cluster running the Backendless platform which is staged exclusively for your app/company. The service is fully managed, monitored 24×7 to ensure its smooth and reliable operation.

4. Webflow

Webflow is a no-code website builder that allows you to build websites with the full power of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript in a visual canvas. It is used by more than 1,700,000 designers and teams to create, collaborate on, and scale beautiful websites.

Key Features:

• Visual App Development: Webflow provides a complete visual app builder that makes apps intuitive to build and easy to manage without writing any code.
• CMS Preview: You can design your website around any type of content your site needs.
• Ecommerce Preview: Webflow allows you to build an online store that sets your brand apart.
• Memberships Preview: You can grow your audience with logins and gated content.
• Interactions Preview: Webflow enables you to craft immersive experiences with interactions and animations.

Pricing:

Webflow offers multiple plans to suit different needs:

• Business Plan ($39/mo billed yearly): This plan is best for a high-traffic marketing site. It includes a custom domain, 10,000 CMS items, 2,500 monthly form submissions, 400 GB bandwidth, and 10 content editors.

5. Nintex

Nintex is a powerful intelligent process automation and workflow software platform that helps businesses transform their operations. It is trusted by over 10,000 brands and offers a range of features to streamline and automate business processes.

Key Features:

• Process Discovery: Identify processes for automation and optimization.
• Process Manager: Document, map, and manage every process in your organization.
• Automation Cloud: Cloudbased apps to connect people, process, and data.
• Intelligent Forms: Digital forms for displaying or capturing data.
• Robotic Process Automation (RPA): Automate manual, repetitive tasks with RPA.
• DocGen for Salesforce: Automate the lifecycle of documents in Salesforce.
• eSign: Approve and sign documents digitally.
• Insights: Gain visibility and insight into your automated processes.

Pricing:

Nintex offers multiple plans to suit different needs:

• Pro Plan (Starting at $25,000 USD/year): This plan is best for getting started with your first automation project. It includes unlimited users, unlimited workflows, 2000 document generations, forms, mobile app, premium connectors, analytics, eSign standard, and 8×5 support.
• Premium Plan (Starting at $50,000 USD/year): This plan is best for department-wide automation solutions. It includes unlimited users, unlimited workflows, 10,000 document generations, forms, mobile app, premium connectors, on-premises data, analytics, eSign enterprise, 24×5 support, and professional services.
• Custom Plan: This plan offers organization-wide automation solutions to tackle sophisticated business challenges. The pricing is personalized and you would need to get a quote. It includes unlimited users, unlimited workflows, customized document generations, forms, mobile app, premium connectors, on-premises data, analytics, eSign enterprise, 24×5 support, and professional services.

6. Kintone

Kintone is a customizable workplace platform that allows you to manage your team’s data, tasks, and communication in one central place. It is trusted by over 25,000 companies worldwide and provides a range of features to streamline and automate business processes.

Key Features:

• Centralize and Organize Your Work: Kintone lets you track and share your tasks and data for effortless collaboration. Whether it’s sales leads, customer quotes, or an employee database, you can use Kintone to track whatever data is critical for your team in one central place.
• Unify Your Data and Conversations: Kintone lets you communicate alongside your data so that you can easily refer back to it later. This means no more hunting through your inbox or chat messages for the information and files you need.
• Simplify and Customize Your Workflows: Kintone lets you organize your processes and tasks into intuitive workflows with automated reminders, approvals, and task handoffs. This means you can spend less time managing your work and more time focusing on what really matters.
• Access Data Anytime, Anywhere: View, edit, and manage your data from any internet-connected device or desktop so your team can collaborate effectively without missing a beat.

Pricing:

Kintone offers a simple and transparent pricing model:

• Standard Plan ($24/user/month): This plan includes all of Kintone’s features. You can use Kintone for just one of your team’s workflows or set up a custom workspace to manage all your team’s data and collaboration. The minimum is 5 users ($120/month), and you can pay per additional user. Both monthly and annual contracts are available.

7. Adalo

Adalo is a no-code platform that allows you to build custom responsive apps for web and mobile devices. It is designed to be intuitive and easy to use, enabling you to create apps without any coding knowledge.

Key Features:

• Custom Responsive Web Apps: With Adalo, you can build your app once and publish it anywhere, to any device, desktop, tablet, or mobile.
• Xano Integration: Adalo and Xano have teamed up to provide an easy way to integrate your Xano database and users collection with your Adalo apps.
• Web Publishing Control: Make changes, publish live, and continue making changes all without disrupting your end users.
• Geolocation: Build powerful location-driven apps with Adalo. Their geolocation features enable apps to access device location, calculate distances, search for addresses, and much more.
• Component Marketplace: Discover free and premium prebuilt components to enhance your app with audio/video players, smart design components, payment tools, prebuilt charts, and much more.

Pricing:

Adalo offers multiple plans to suit different needs:

• Free Plan: This plan is a simple start for everyone. It includes 200 records per app, 1,000 monthly app actions, 1 app editor, and unlimited screens.
• Starter Plan ($45/month): This plan is for founders and entrepreneurs. It includes 1 published app, 10,000 monthly app actions, 1 app editor, custom fonts, custom domain, and the ability to publish to the web.
• Professional Plan ($65/month): This plan is for small to medium businesses. It includes 2 published apps, 30,000 monthly app actions, 5 app editors, custom integrations, design versions, geolocation, and the ability to publish to app stores.
• Team Plan ($200/month): This plan is for freelancers and agencies. It includes 5 published apps, 100,000 monthly app actions, 10 app editors, priority support, and Xano integration.
• Business Plan ($250/month): This plan is for enterprise organizations. It includes 10 published apps, 1 million monthly app actions, unlimited app editors, and special add-on pricing.

8. Appy Pie

Appy Pie is a no-code platform that empowers you to create powerful web and mobile applications and automate workflows without any coding. It is designed to be easy, quick, and affordable, making it a popular choice for many businesses and individuals.

Key Features:

• Drag-and-Drop Functionality: Appy Pie’s no-code platform offers a drag-and-drop interface that allows you to unify and simplify all your data into a single source.
• Seamless Integrations: Appy Pie breaks all barriers and boundaries when it comes to no-code, offering you seamless integrations with other data sources and even applications.
• Workflow Automation Platform: Appy Pie’s no-code workflow automation platform lets you create efficient integrations to build meaningful workflows. You can create as many integrations as you need to create a workflow unique to your business needs.
• Business Process Automation Software: Appy Pie’s business process automation software includes helpdesk, live chat, and chatbot builder. The helpdesk software helps you manage customer requests and tickets, live chat allows you to provide live support to your customers, and using the chatbot builder, you can manage all of your customer queries and improve customer satisfaction.

Pricing:

Appy Pie offers multiple plans to suit different needs:

• Free Plan: This plan allows you to create a basic app for free.
• Basic Plan ($18/month): This plan includes removal of Appy Pie branding, 5000 app downloads, and 200 push notifications.
• Gold Plan ($36/month): This plan includes everything in the Basic plan plus unlimited app downloads and 4000 push notifications.
• Platinum Plan ($60/month): This plan includes everything in the Gold plan plus priority publishing, premium support, and 6000 push notifications.

9. Bubble.io

Bubble is a no-code platform that lets you create interactive, multi-user apps for desktop and mobile web browsers. Its design is both powerful and flexible, making it possible for you to build a site akin to Facebook or Airbnb without any coding knowledge.

Key Features:

• Visual App Development: Bubble provides a visual app builder that lets you create interactive, multi-user apps for desktop and mobile web browsers.
• Design Freedom: Bubble offers total design freedom without any knowledge of HTML or CSS. You can create mobile-friendly layouts and dynamic content for a polished product.
• Robust Infrastructure: Bubble handles deployment and hosting for you. There are no hard limits on the number of users, volume of traffic, or data storage.
• Successful Companies Use Bubble: Bubble is trusted by innovative companies worldwide and has helped them raise millions in venture funding.

Pricing:

Bubble offers multiple plans to suit different needs:

• Free Plan: This plan is great for learning how to use Bubble. It includes development version, API connector, component library, app editor, 1k workload units/month, and hours of server logs.
• Starter Plan ($29/month): This plan is great for launching your app and testing. It includes everything in the Free plan plus live app, custom domain, recurring workflows, basic version control, 2k workload units/month, and days of server logs.
• Growth Plan ($129/month): This plan is great for growing your user base. It includes everything in the Starter plan plus app editors, premium version control, two-factor authentication, custom branches, 10k workload units/month, and days of server logs.
• Team Plan ($529/month): This plan is great for scaling your team and business. It includes everything in the Growth plan plus app editors, sub apps, custom branches, 40k workload units/month, and days of server logs.
• Custom Plan: This plan is great for enterprise-level security and scale. It includes everything in the Team plan plus custom workload units, choice of hosting location, customizable server, enhanced security, dedicated support team, and pay by invoice or ACH.

10. Microsoft Power Apps

Microsoft Power Apps is a no-code platform that allows you to build custom business applications without writing code. It is part of Microsoft’s Power Platform and is designed to be easy to use while providing powerful features.

Key Features:

• Visual App Development: Power Apps provides a visual app builder that lets you create interactive, multi-user apps for desktop and mobile web browsers.
• AI-Assisted Development: Power Apps uses AI to assist in the development process, making it easier to build complex applications.
• Prebuilt Components: Power Apps includes a variety of prebuilt components that you can use to build your applications, reducing the amount of work you need to do.
• Integration with Microsoft Products: Power Apps integrates seamlessly with other Microsoft products, including Office 365, Dynamics 365, and Azure, allowing you to leverage these tools in your applications.
• Data Connectivity: Power Apps can connect to hundreds of data sources using a library of connectors and Microsoft Dataverse, providing a single source of truth for your data.

Pricing:

Microsoft Power Apps offers multiple plans to suit different needs:

• Power Apps per user plan ($40/user/month): This plan allows individual users to run applications for a specific business scenario in a single environment based on the full capabilities of Power Apps.
• Power Apps per app plan ($10/user/app/month): This plan allows individual users to run applications (2 apps and a single portal) for a specific business scenario based on core capabilities of Power Apps.

The post Top 10 No-Code Platforms for Businesses (Updated) appeared first on Hongkiat.

In this article, we’ll explore the top apps that can supercharge your workflow, ensuring smoother collaboration and more efficient project management for your team.

Issue Sync – Sync for Jira Cloud

“Issue Sync” is an app made by Deviniti Sp. z o.o. that helps teams using both Jira Cloud and Monday.com work better together.

Here’s what it does:

• Two-way sync: It keeps Jira and Monday.com updated with each other’s changes, ensuring both platforms have the latest information.
• Mapping: It links items between the two platforms, connecting projects in Jira to boards on Monday.com, and issues in Jira to items on Monday.com.
• Copying issues: You can copy existing issues from Jira to Monday.com.
• Multiple syncs: You can set up multiple syncs to run simultaneously.

This Monday.com app is particularly useful for:

• Companies working with different partners: It keeps everyone on the same page, even if one company uses Jira and the other uses Monday.com.
• Organizations with different teams: It helps teams that use Monday.com stay updated on what’s happening in the main Jira.

Mermaid Charts and Diagrams

Created by weweave UG, this app makes it easy to create diagrams and charts directly on your boards, items, and workdocs.

Here’s what it offers:

• Text to diagram: It turns textual descriptions into various types of diagrams and charts, which can be added to boards, items, or workdocs.
• Variety of diagrams: You can create flow charts, sequence diagrams, class diagrams, state diagrams, entity relationship diagrams, gantt diagrams, pie charts, git graphs, user journeys, mindmaps, timelines, C4 diagrams, quadrant charts, requirement, and Sankey diagrams.
• Validation and preview: The app offers syntax validation, error highlighting, and a live preview of your diagrams.
• Icons and themes: It includes Font Awesome icons and supports Monday.com themes for a cohesive look.
• Templates: Pre-made templates make it easier to define different diagrams.

TeamBoard – Resource Planning

“TeamBoard – Resource Planning” by DevSamurai is an all-in-one solution that optimizes team productivity and resource allocation for project management. This app integrates seamlessly with Monday.com, offering a comprehensive platform for project and functional managers to manage resources effectively.

The app helps visualize team workloads and make informed decisions, ensuring balanced distribution and successful project execution. Its intuitive drag-and-drop functionality makes resource planning accessible to users of all technical levels, simplifying resource allocation and project management.

Here are some of its key features:

• Resource Scheduler: This feature lets you see and allocate your team’s resources, helping both managers and team members understand workloads and make informed decisions.
• Capacity Scheme & Holiday Calendar: You can integrate working capacity schemes and holiday calendars into your planning, allowing for precise scheduling and resource allocation.
• Time Tracking & Timesheets: Track project timelines and manage timesheet approvals efficiently, ensuring accurate monitoring of project hours.
• Dashboard & Reports: The app provides a customizable dashboard and interactive time reports, allowing you to monitor project progress and resource use easily.
• Recurring Tasks: This feature helps create and plan recurring tasks, making project management simpler and saving time.

Copilot: ChatGPT 4

“Copilot: ChatGPT 4 for Monday.com” is an app by Get Report LLC that integrates OpenAI’s GPT-4 into the Monday.com platform.

Here’s what it does:

• Unified billing and privacy: It offers seamless billing and enhanced data privacy.
• Brainstorming: Helps generate ideas for projects and initiatives.
• Team communication: Facilitates group discussions, streamlining communication within teams.
• Summarizing: Summarizes documents, long chats, or even source code.
• Generating documents: Creates documents or requirements based on prompts provided by users.
• Code assistance: Helps debug, understand, and improve code.
• Problem-solving: Provides alternative solutions or approaches to enhance problem-solving capabilities.
• Knowledge sharing: Supports collaboration and knowledge sharing within the organization.
• Writing assistance: Assists in creating and editing written content, such as reports or presentations.
• Guidance: Offers guidance on best practices, industry trends, and relevant research.

The app provides a 14-day trial, allowing you to explore its features and how it enhances your work on Monday.com.

DocuGen

“DocuGen” by DocuGen Inc is a top-rated document generation app that seamlessly integrates with Monday.com, making it easy to create professional documents from your boards. Key features include:

• Wide range of documents: Users can generate various documents, including proposals, invoices, receipts, legal documents, HR documents, and more, directly from their Monday.com boards.
• Custom templates: The app uses your custom document templates, ensuring documents are branded and tailored to your needs.
• Automatic data pull: DocuGen pulls information from Monday.com boards to generate documents efficiently and accurately.
• Simplifies document creation: The app streamlines and simplifies the document creation process, making it accessible and efficient for all users.

DocuGen offers a convenient and comprehensive solution for generating a variety of documents from Monday.com boards, helping to enhance productivity and consistency.

The post Top 5 Monday.com Apps for a Better Workflow appeared first on Hongkiat.

Let’s explore why some business owners are apprehensive about their store becoming a viral sensation.

1. Demand Overwhelms Supply

Most physical stores have a fixed amount of inventory which includes either finished products or raw materials required for production. These are typically planned based on expected weekly and monthly sales, and sudden viral fame can disrupt this delicate balance.

Fullfilling All Orders

If you choose to fulfill all incoming orders during a viral surge, you may find your shelves empty far sooner than anticipated. Reordering stock usually isn’t a quick process, and during the replenishment period, you might have to turn away customers.

This can pontentially damage your shop’s reputation, as potential customers leave disappointed by the lack of availability.

Limiting Purchases to Manage Stock

Another strategy might be to limit the number of purchases each customer can make per day to manage inventory better. This approach ensures that you don’t run out of stock entirely and that a larger number of customers can purchase something.

However, this can still lead to customer frustration for those who find the daily cap too restrictive and might have to return another day to make a purchase, potentially harming your shop’s reputation in the process.

2. Workload Increases with More Orders

Going viral is rarely anticipated, and most shop owners might find themselves completely unprepared for the sudden explosion in popularity. The first hint often comes as a shock – a drastic spike in orders.

If a typical day at your shop involves managing around 80 orders, and your maximum capacity under normal circumstances is estimated at 200 orders, imagine the chaos when this number doubles to 400 or more due to viral attention. This increase means significantly more work for you and your staff. Tasks range from fulfilling orders to managing customer inquiries and everything in between.

With such an influx, the existing workforce may need to put in extra hours. The questions then arise:

Should you hire temporary staff to cope with the demand? Or, do you risk customer satisfaction by potentially delaying orders?

These decisions are stressful and not something most shop owners want to face.

3. Higher Error Rate

In environments where there is a sudden surge in orders, the pace of work naturally accelerates to meet the higher demand. This rapid pace can significantly increase the likelihood of errors, particularly when staff are pushed to their limits by time constraints.

The rush to fulfill an increased volume of orders can lead to mistakes such as the wrong items being packed or orders being mixed up. These errors not only affect customer satisfaction but also increase the cost of returns and reshipping.

Increased order volumes can overwhelm your customer service team, leading to slower response times for customer inquiries. This can frustrate customers and result in complaints, further impacting your business’s reputation.

4. Decreased Employee Morale and Efficiency

The stress of having to work faster, along with the frustration of dealing with more frequent mistakes, can lead to decreased morale among staff. Low morale often manifests as reduced enthusiasm for work, decreased productivity, and a higher rate of employee turnover.

All of these factors can create a cycle of negativity and inefficiency in the workplace.

5. Challenges in Sales and Inventory Planning

Shop owners typically utilize monthly or quarterly sales data to forecast inventory requirements and measure the success of their advertising campaigns. This systematic planning is crucial to ensure sufficient stock levels are maintained based on expected demand, and to evaluate the return on investment (ROI) from advertising efforts.

However, when a shop goes viral unexpectedly, particularly near the end of a month with the trend spilling over into the following month, it can severely distort these metrics.

Shop Owners Who Love Going Viral

Not all businesses fear the prospect of going viral. For owners of certain types of shops, such as those involved in drop shipping or selling digital products, viral popularity can indeed be purely beneficial.

In drop shipping, the shop owner acts merely as a middleman; they don’t keep products in stock. Instead, all orders are automatically redirected to the supplier who handles the inventory, packaging, and shipping. This model eliminates the need for the shop to maintain inventory, thereby removing the risk of stock depletion regardless of order volume. As orders increase due to viral success, the system efficiently scales up since the logistical responsibility lies with the supplier, not the shop owner.

Selling digital products such as eBooks, software, or any downloadable item provides a unique advantage. These products, once created, can be sold infinitely without ever running out of stock. Viral popularity means that more customers are directed to the shop’s digital shelves, which can handle an unlimited number of transactions without any need for restocking or additional overhead costs.

Final Thoughts

Going viral is a double-edged sword for small businesses. On one hand, it can dramatically increase exposure and sales overnight. On the other, it can deplete inventory, overwhelm staff, and disrupt planned strategies, potentially frustrating customers and taxing internal resources.

For businesses engaged in drop shipping or digital products, viral growth carries fewer risks and more benefits, highlighting how different models can impact outcomes.

Ultimately, the key to leveraging viral success lies in preparedness and adaptability. Balancing the challenges with strategic responses and flexible operations can make all the difference in capitalizing on the opportunities that viral moments present. Whether it’s a boon or a challenge, being ready for the surge is crucial. But hey, if your shop goes viral, it’s still a happy problem to have.

The post Why Small Business Owners Hate Going Viral appeared first on Hongkiat.

Could it be because of lackluster offers, or is there some hidden reason influencing shoppers not to fill up their carts with more products?

Many stores miss out on potential earnings by not adequately incentivizing customers who have already shown an interest in their brand. Or perhaps they attempt to do so but leave a lot of money on the table.

It’s essential to implement strategies to increase the average order value (AOV), which is the average value of all your sales transactions.

Factors Contributing to Low AOV

Let’s take the example of the famous Dollar Shave Club, which skyrocketed to success by promoting one-dollar razor blades.

Undoubtedly, they had great marketing from the very beginning on all fronts, such as creating winning video ads, which are still showcased as a shining example.

However, their business wouldn’t have survived by selling one-dollar blades alone, not even at scale. The average order value (AOV) would have been way too low to make it a profitable venture. Their major profits come from other products, as they offer a range of men’s care products from electric trimmers and razors to shower gels and deodorants.

You should similarly think about your store. Shoppers may come in for one enticing offer, possibly priced lower, but end up loving your brand and purchasing more than they originally planned.

To increase average order value, there are a few key things to consider:

• Pricing Strategies – Although they depend on the market and your ideal customer persona for whom the product is made, you still have control over many factors such as minimum order requirements, bundling, discounts, tiered pricing, cross-selling, and discount strategies. Be careful with discounts. If people see discounted offers too frequently, they may never purchase products at the normal price.
• Product Assortment – Shoppers appreciate having a variety of options. Only if the website is difficult to navigate and customers feel overwhelmed by the abundance of products, could it pose a hurdle. To increase average order value (AOV), the product assortment must be well organized, especially with complementary products available for cross-selling.
• Customer Behavior – You need to understand deeply how your customers buy. How do they come to your website? Is it from social media or Google? The behavior of visitors on your website can be easily monitored. By analyzing their user’s journey, you’ll be able to pinpoint hurdles and what stops them from buying more.
• Industry Dynamics – Purchasing patterns and AOV depend on the industry you’re in, so it’s beneficial to understand AOV standards to gauge where you stand among the competition.

Strategies for Increasing Low Average Order Value

Here are successful strategies to implement to increase low AOV.

1. Product Bundling

To ensure success, package products that complement each other or make sense together, and offer them at a discounted price.

For instance, you can pair shower gel with body lotion and deodorant, as these items are commonly used together.

Additionally, consider creating themed bundles for special occasions like Christmas or Valentine’s Day, or invent your own themes like Jimmy Lion, a renowned sock brand, has done with gift packs such as the Dog Day Pack, Cat Night Pack, and Frida Kahlo Pack.

Another effective tactic is to combine a bestseller with items that aren’t selling as well, thus facilitating the sale of accumulated stock. In addition to discounts, consider adding an exclusive item that’s otherwise unavailable to make the bundle more appealing.

Furthermore, you can combine variations of the same product, like the socks mentioned above. This strategy works particularly well in industries like cosmetics or food, where scents and tastes are easy to combine.

However, ensure that your bundles present clear benefits to the customer without causing confusion or hurting the brand image.

2. Upselling and Cross-Selling

These two terms refer to techniques we employ when shoppers browse your website or during the checkout process.

Upselling involves convincing the customer to purchase a more expensive item or a higher-tier option than what they originally intended.

There are various methods for upselling. In practical terms, we also call it upselling when we offer shoppers a bundle instead of an individual product. Often, an upsell involves a package deal. With stackable products like razor blades, toothpaste, or supplements, offering more of the same at a discount is an effective strategy.

For example, the bone broth brand Broya upsells by offering different quantities on the product page. In addition to providing options for 5, 8, 16, or 24 pouches in a variety pack, they show how many servings you get with each option. This increases the perceived value for customers.

Now, let’s consider an example of cross-selling, a technique aimed at selling complementary products.

Loftie, a brand specializing in items that enhance the sleeping experience, employs a cross-selling technique. When you add their alarm clock to your cart, they also offer you a sleep mask.

Credit: ByLoftie

Since a sleep mask is significantly cheaper compared to an alarm clock, it appears inexpensive. This perception stems from comparing one item to another, leading to a psychological effect where we perceive the mask as cheaper than if we were considering it on its own.

The key to success lies in personalization. Offer something relevant, such as items frequently bought together. Otherwise, recommend your best sellers, especially if you have not yet collected extensive purchase history data.

3. Free Shipping Thresholds and Incentives

Shipping fees are the most common reason why shoppers abandon their carts. At least 48% of cart abandonments happen because extra costs like shipping and fees are too high. No other reason for cart abandonment reaches such a high rate.

Determining a free shipping threshold requires careful planning and analysis of profit margins. There are several approaches to consider.

Some stores decide to include shipping costs in the product price by raising it. However, if your average order value (AOV) tends to be low, the free shipping threshold should be set at least around 30% higher. The objective is to incrementally raise the bar for free shipping but not to scare away customers at the same time.

Show shoppers both a visual and numerical representation of how much more they need to spend to reach the minimum order amount for free shipping. This method has proven highly effective in motivating them to make additional purchases.

Finally, combining free shipping with incentives such as signing up for a loyalty program or membership can further raise the appeal. We’ll delve into these strategies in more detail below.

4. Customer Loyalty Programs and Memberships

Acquiring a new customer typically costs five times more than retaining an existing one. Repeat customers are your most valuable asset. Let’s examine this through the lens of the Pareto principle.

The Pareto principle, or the 80/20 rule, suggests that 80% of outcomes result from 20% of causes. Applied to e-commerce, this implies that a significant portion of revenue or profits comes from a small fraction of customers.

In other words, if you have this core 20% of customers who are enthusiastic about your products and keep coming back, it forms a strong foundation for business growth without major retention challenges.

The first step is to create loyalty or membership subscriptions. Apart from offering discounts, some brands take it a step further. Take, for example, Pot Gang, a UK brand specializing in gardening gear.

It’s not just their watering cans that have excited people about the brand.

They offer a unique membership subscription where members receive a monthly box with seeds, pots, and everything a beginner needs to start growing veggies and herbs.

Each month, subscribers receive different seeds with pots to grow seasonal plants. It’s not solely about selling gear, but rather about creating a ‘gang’ of gardeners and guiding them step by step on their gardening journey.

Loyalty programs and memberships not only increase customer lifetime value but also average order value. For instance, a customer who subscribes to toothpaste is more likely to purchase a toothbrush and dental floss as well.

Conclusion

We’ve outlined four reliable strategies for boosting the average order value in e-commerce stores. Numerous factors influence a shopper’s journey. By systematically approaching and understanding purchasing signals and patterns, you can significantly enhance revenue per transaction and grow your business.

If people have already visited your website, they’re interested in and need what you offer. This presents the ideal opportunity to capture their attention, encourage them to purchase additional products, and guide them through a seamless checkout process.

The post 4 Strategies to Increase Low Average Order Value (AOV) in E-commerce appeared first on Hongkiat.

If you’ve found a product on Amazon, there’s a good chance it’s also available on Taobao – provided you know the right keywords to search for it.

In this post, I’d like to share some insights into Taobao, from a buyer’s perspective.

Endless Array of Products

Right off the bat, once you’ve signed up and logged into Taobao, you’re presented with a plethora of products on the homepage.

It showcases a wide variety of items you can purchase, along with suggestions that the site thinks you might like based on your previous searches and shopping habits.

As someone who has been an avid online shopper for years, frequenting platforms like eBay, Amazon, Etsy, and Red Ribbon, I can attest that the volume and variety of goods available on Taobao are quite unparalleled.

Things are Cheap!

It’s well-known that many products we use are manufactured in China, so it’s not surprising that items found on Amazon can often be found on Taobao at significantly lower prices.

For instance, a quick search for an iPhone screen protector on Amazon reveals prices ranging from $5 for the cheapest option to $18 for the most expensive, with an average cost of about $11.

On Taobao, however, prices for a similar item start as low as 9.90 yuan (approximately USD 1.37) to 69 yuan (around USD 9.5), with an average price of about 40 yuan (USD 5).

However, price isn’t the only factor to consider when making a purchase. Product quality, shipping fees, and delivery times are also important considerations.

My point isn’t to convince you that Taobao is always the cheaper option, but rather to highlight its potential for offering similar, if not identical, products at more attractive prices.

It’s worth checking Taobao when looking to get the best bang for your buck.

But there’s an exception

However, it’s important to note that not everything on Taobao is cheaper compared to Amazon and other e-commerce platforms. The price often depends on the item’s source and shipping location.

For example, the Cricut Explorer 3 machine, which is probably not manufactured in China, costs around 3500 yuan on Taobao, equivalent to about $480 USD.

This is significantly higher than Amazon’s price of around $249, not including shipping.

Detailed Logistics Information

One critical aspect of online shopping is tracking your order: knowing when it’s dispatched and when it will arrive at your doorstep.

While most established e-commerce stores provide this information, Taobao takes logistics tracking to another level of detail.

The following screenshot gives you the of the kind of comprehensive logistic information provided for every product ordered from Taobao. They are in Chinese, but I’ll explain.

But first, let’s first understand the delivery options Taobao offers, as they may vary by country and region.

Essentially, there are two shipping modes: by sea and by air. Additionally, you have two methods for how your items are shipped: directly or collectively.

If you purchase just one item, you can opt to have it shipped directly to you, either by sea or by air.

However, if you’ve ordered multiple items from different sellers on Taobao, you can choose the collective shipping option, again, either by air or by sea.

In collective shipping, each seller sends your product to a dedicated warehouse. Once all your items have arrived at the warehouse (which can take about 3-7 days), Taobao can then package them together and ship them to you or your designated address.

No matter which shipping mode you choose, Taobao provides comprehensive updates about your order’s journey. These updates include:

• The status of the product on the seller’s side (acceptance, processing, and dispatching)
• The status of the product in transit (location and intermittent stops en route to the warehouse)
• The status of the product in the warehouse (arrival, processing, and packaging for shipment)
• The status of the product during shipping (departure from the port, arrival at the destination port, and arrival at the destination warehouse)
• The status of last-mile delivery to your address

Deals at Lower Prices

If you’re a savvy online shopper, you’re probably familiar with various strategies to purchase items at reduced prices.

For example, on Amazon, waiting for sales events like Black Friday or Cyber Monday can lead to significant savings. Similarly, hunting for coupons or discount codes on other sites can also lower the cost of your purchases.

Similarly, Taobao offers numerous ways to shop smarter and save money. To start, you might come across shop vouchers. Additionally, Taobao has a system of coins that can directly be converted into discount cash.

There are several ways to earn these coins, including:

• Reviewing a purchased product
• Claiming coins after making a purchase
• Participating in in-house Taobao games

Beyond that, some shops on Taobao also offer discounts to returning customers, encouraging shoppers to come back for more deals.

Final Thoughts

Taobao is like a huge online shopping place, almost like Amazon but in China, with tons of different things you can buy for really good prices.

You can find almost anything you want there, often cheaper than other places. But it’s not always the cheapest for everything, especially items not made in China. Taobao also makes it easy to keep track of your orders with detailed shipping info, and there are lots of ways to save money like with shop vouchers or coins you can earn.

Whether you’re used to shopping online or new to it, Taobao is worth checking out for deals and a wide selection of products.

The post The Taobao Shopping Experience: An Insider’s Guide appeared first on Hongkiat.

Whether you’re a small business owner trying to manage customer interactions, a marketer aiming to generate leads, or simply someone interested in the digital communication landscape, this is for you. We aim to provide a comprehensive overview that will help you make informed decisions about using CRM tools with Facebook Messenger. Let’s get started.

Overview:

	PipeDrive: Links Facebook Messenger conversations to PipeDrive contacts, deals, and leads is easy. See details ↓ Starts at $14/user/mth. Try for free
	Salesforce: Unify customer profiles for deeper connections, enhancing efficiency and conversion rates. See details ↓ Visit site for pricing. Try for free
	Kommo: Great when it comes to lead generation.. See details ↓ Starts at $15/user/mth. Try for free
	ChatSilo: Create Messenger funnels in minutes. See details ↓ Starts at $29/mth. Try for free
	HubSpot CRM: Ability to create a chatbot for the Facebook Business page.. See details ↓ Visit site for pricing. Has free plan. Try for free

1. PipeDrive

PipeDrive is a CRM tool that is specifically designed with a sales focus. It offers an integration with Facebook Messenger, which is a platform where many people spend a significant amount of their time. This integration provides a direct and conversational way for individuals to take action, making it a highly effective tool for businesses.

One of the key features of PipeDrive’s integration with Facebook Messenger is the ability to unify all conversations. This means that all your interactions on Facebook Messenger can be brought together in PipeDrive, making them both accessible and shareable. This feature allows for a seamless flow of communication and ensures that no important messages are missed.

Another significant feature is the ease with which Facebook Messenger conversations can be linked with PipeDrive contacts, deals, and leads. This feature is designed to boost productivity and manage communications with your leads and clients on Facebook Messenger more effectively. It simplifies the process of keeping track of various conversations and ensures that all relevant information is readily available.

PipeDrive also allows you to select the app extension visibility for your connection with Facebook Messenger. You can choose between private visibility settings, where only the user who installed the app can see and reply to Facebook Messenger conversations in the Messaging Inbox and link them to contacts, leads, or deals in PipeDrive, and shared visibility settings, where any user in the company account can do the same. This flexibility allows you to customize the integration to best suit your business needs.

Learn more about: Pipedrive Integration with Facebook Messenger.

PipeDrive’s Price:

As for the pricing, PipeDrive offers various pricing plans. You are encouraged to visit their pricing page for more detailed information. They also offer a free 14-day trial with no credit card required.

Visit PipeDrive

2. Salesforce

As one of the world’s largest CRM platform, Salesforce has made a significant stride in integrating Facebook Messenger into its system. This integration aims to provide businesses with unified customer profiles, fostering better in-depth connections and creating a customer-centric environment.

The integration of Salesforce and Facebook Messenger offers businesses a unified view of their customer profiles. This feature allows for better in-depth connections, providing a comprehensive understanding of each customer’s journey. It creates a customer-centric environment where consumers can freely navigate their shopping journey, whether on social media or any other platforms they decide to switch to halfway through.

One of the key benefits of this integration is its ability to shorten sales cycles. By leveraging instant messaging, businesses can close deals faster, thereby increasing efficiency. Furthermore, the integration can boost conversions, particularly from customers who prefer to use Facebook Messenger for their interactions.

Salesforce CRM goes a step further by using tools like Facebook lead ads, click-to-messenger ads, and comment auto-replies to strengthen the customer database. This feature not only enhances the quality of the customer database but also streamlines the cross-channel customer experience.

Related: How to integrate Facebook lead ads data with Salesforce

In terms of work efficiency, the integration boosts productivity with a two-way sync of Salesforce contacts, leads, and opportunities. This feature ensures that all customer data is up-to-date and easily accessible. Moreover, with the Salesforce lead stage positioned right next to the chatbox, the integration significantly upgrades the quality of customer service.

To integrate Salesforce with Facebook Messenger, certain requirements need to be met. These include having a Salesforce account with API access, a Facebook account, a Facebook Business Page, and admin access to the Facebook page. This ensures a seamless and effective integration process.

Learn how to: Set Up Facebook Messenger in Salesforce Service Cloud.

Salesforce’s Price:

Salesforce offers various pricing plans for different business needs. However, the specific pricing details are not directly listed on their website. You are encouraged to contact their sales team or visit their pricing page for more detailed information.

They also offer a free trial with no software to install and no credit card required.

Visit Salesforce

3. Kommo

Kommo, previously known as amoCRM, has carved a niche for itself as a conversational sales tool specifically tailored for small businesses. It holds the distinction of being the world’s first Sales CRM based on Messenger, offering a suite of custom-tailored messenger features and automations. These features are designed to enhance your communication with customers, making Kommo a powerful tool in your CRM arsenal.

One of the standout features of Kommo is its lead generation capability. Whenever a new person sends you a message on Facebook, they are automatically added to your pipeline as an incoming lead. All you need to do is approve, and their lead profile is created instantly. This seamless process ensures you never miss out on potential customers.

Kommo also boasts a built-in chat feature within the lead profile. This means you can continue your Facebook conversation without ever having to leave Kommo. Every interaction is logged and visible in the profile’s feed, providing you with a comprehensive communication history at a glance.

Another innovative feature is the Salesbot. With Kommo, you can create the perfect Salesbot companion and integrate it with Facebook Messenger. The Salesbot takes over the conversation, saving your team valuable time and enhancing communication efficiency. It can even be equipped with AI responses that understand the intention behind questions and provide appropriate responses, including invoicing.

The integration of Facebook Messenger is built-in and designed by the Kommo team, ensuring a smooth and efficient process. Setting it up is as simple as navigating to the digital pipeline in the incoming leads column, scrolling down to the chats block, and clicking the connect button. With Kommo, integrating your CRM with Facebook Messenger is a breeze.

Learn more about: Kommo’s integration with Facebook Messenger.

Kommo’s Price:

Kommo offers three pricing plans:

• Base: For small businesses that want to boost sales quickly. It includes a unified inbox, unlimited sales pipelines, task management, and more. It costs $15 USD per user/month.
• Advanced: For growing companies that want to automate their work. It includes everything in the Base plan plus no-code Salesbot, pipeline automation. It costs $25 USD per user/month.
• Enterprise: For larger businesses that keep up with a lot of leads. It includes everything in the Advanced plan plus an increased client database, advanced client profiles. It costs $45 USD per user/month.

You can try Kommo free for 14 days with no credit card required. For more detailed information, you can visit their pricing page.

Visit Kommo

4. ChatSilo

ChatSilo is a compact CRM tool designed specifically for Facebook Messenger. Its primary goal is to assist you in nurturing leads, managing projects, keeping track of crucial conversations, building strong relationships, following up with potential clients, and ultimately, achieving your sales objectives.

One of the key features of ChatSilo is its tagging (a.k.a labelling) system. This system, combined with canned responses, message templates, notes, reminders, and Google calendar integration, helps you organize and follow up with potential Facebook Messenger leads without getting lost in the sea of chats. It’s a comprehensive feature that streamlines your communication and ensures you never miss an opportunity.

Another powerful feature of ChatSilo is its bulk-messaging capability. By using the Chrome extension, you can send mass messages to all tagged contacts or friends on Facebook Messenger. You have the flexibility to set a limit on the number of messages to send at a particular time or the interval between messages. Plus, you can randomize the message content to maintain a natural and personalized feel.

The reminder system in ChatSilo is another feature that stands out. It uses both a browser reminder system and Google Calendar event notifications to keep you updated on when to follow up with your prospects. This ensures you never miss a crucial follow-up and helps maintain a consistent engagement with your leads.

Finally, ChatSilo provides the ability to export tagged contacts. With just a click of a button, you can export your tagged contacts into a Google Sheet. The sheet will contain the contacts’ first and last names, their profile URL, and the tag. This feature makes it easy to manage and analyze your contact data, providing valuable insights for your business.

ChatSilo’s Price:

ChatSilo offers a simple pricing plan at $29 per month. This includes unlimited custom tags, unlimited tag colors, unlimited notes, support for Facebook Marketplace and Facebook Page, unlimited follow-up reminders, unlimited message templates, Google Calendar integration, lifetime automatic updates, access to ChatSilo web app, and more.

They also offer a 7-day free trial. For more detailed information, you can visit their pricing page.

Visit ChatSilo

5. HubSpot CRM

HubSpot CRM stands as a comprehensive tool in the realm of customer relationship management. Its unique offering is the integration with Facebook Messenger, which empowers businesses to cultivate a Messenger experience directly on their Facebook Business page. This feature enables businesses to manage these interactions seamlessly from their Conversations inbox, creating a unified platform for customer engagement.

The features of HubSpot CRM are designed to optimize customer interactions and streamline communication processes. One standout feature is the Shared Inbox. This function allows businesses to manage interactions from their Conversations inbox, just as they would with live chat or email. This consolidation of communication channels enhances efficiency and ensures a consistent approach to customer engagement.

Another key feature of HubSpot CRM is Conversation Intelligence. This allows everyone, from Marketing to Sales and Service teams, to have a full context of conversations. By providing a comprehensive view of customer interactions, businesses can deliver more personalized and effective communication, enhancing customer relationships.

HubSpot CRM also offers the ability to create a chatbot for your Facebook Business Page. These automated response systems provide instant assistance to customers, improving response times and customer satisfaction.

Related: How to Create a HubSpot Chatbot

Lastly, the Integration feature connects the popular messaging app to HubSpot, offering businesses unified customer profiles for better in-depth connections. This integration enhances customer understanding, enabling businesses to deliver more personalized and effective communication.

Read more on: HubSpot-Facebook Messenger integration.

HubSpot’s Price:

HubSpot offers the following:

• Starter CRM Suite that includes Marketing Hub Starter (with 1000 marketing contacts),
• Sales Hub Starter (with 2 paid users),
• CMS Hub Starter, and
• Operations Hub Starter.

The pricing starts at $50 per month, but there’s a special offer for new customers at $30 per month if you commit annually. For more detailed information, you can visit their pricing page.

Visit HubSpot CRM

The post 5 Best CRM Tools with Facebook Messenger Integration appeared first on Hongkiat.

In this post, I want to introduce five tools that mesh well with any CMS, whether you’re using WordPress, Drupal, Magento, or Shopify. These tools – Froala, Filestack, Cloudflare, Typeform, and Intercom – offer unique benefits that can refine and elevate your site’s functionality.

Each tool serves a distinct purpose, from improving site aesthetics and handling media files more efficiently to enhancing security, gathering feedback, and facilitating better communication with your audience. Integrating these tools with your CMS can create a smoother, more secure, and engaging online environment for your visitors.

Without further ado, let’s take a look at how these tools can complement your CMS.

Overview:

Froala

Froala, which we’ve previously also mentioned in our Best WYSIWYG HTML Editor post, is a WYSIWYG editor that seamlessly integrates with CMSs, making the process of writing and editing content straightforward and intuitive. It’s designed for instant use, appealing to both web developers and content creators with its simple, clean interface.

Froala offers a wide range of editing capabilities, such as text formatting, adding images and videos, and designing custom layouts. This array of options enables creators to produce content that’s not only informative but also visually captivating, enhancing visitor engagement and retention.

For developers, Froala provides extensive API access and numerous plugins, allowing for precise adjustments and expansions based on specific project requirements.

Incorporating Froala into your CMS does more than just enrich the content editing experience. It simplifies the development process, offering compatibility across various programming languages and ensuring smooth integration into any CMS framework.

Price

Froala offers a one-time payment option for a perpetual license, with the price depending on the number of developers and projects. Alternatively, there’s a subscription option that comes with continuous support and updates.

Froala also has a free trial, so users can try out its features and see how well it integrates and customizes before buying.

Learn more about Froala

Filestack

Next, we have Filestack, a powerful file handling service designed to streamline and enhance the workflow for both content management system (CMS) users and developers.

Filestack effortlessly integrate into various web and mobile applications, providing a seamless file upload experience. It offers a wide array of features including, but not limited to, image optimization, file conversion, and content delivery network (CDN) services, ensuring that your media is not only easily accessible but also presented in the best possible quality and format across all devices.

For developers, Filestack’s File API offers extensive flexibility and customization options, allowing for easy integration into existing projects with minimal coding required.

For CMS users, Filestack simplifies media management through automated workflows and an intuitive interface, making it easier than ever to manage, transform, and share content globally.

For more details, you can visit Filestack’s features page.

Price

Filestack’s pricing is structured around a usage-based model. It provides a free trial for 21 days, including 75 GB of Bandwidth, 20,000 Uploads, 50,000 Transformations, and 50 GB of Filestack Storage.

Filestack also offers several paid plans:

• Start: $69 per month, offering 75 GB of Bandwidth, 20,000 Uploads, 50,000 Transformations, and 50 GB of Filestack Storage.
• Grow: $199 per month, providing 200 GB of Bandwidth, 50,000 Uploads, 150,000 Transformations, and 150 GB of Filestack Storage.
• Scale: $379 per month, featuring 400 GB of Bandwidth, 125,000 Uploads, 300,000 Transformations, and 350 GB of Filestack Storage.

Learn more about Filestack

Cloudflare

If you haven’t heard of Cloudflare yet, you certainly should. Cloudflare enhances your website’s speed and security against online threats. Think of it as both a guardian and an accelerator for your website.

Cloudflare offers a variety of services to protect and accelerate websites; at its core, it functions as a content delivery network (CDN), distributing your site’s content across its global network to ensure faster access for users everywhere.

Cloudflare also provides protection against a broad spectrum of threats, including DDoS attacks, malicious bot activities, and data breaches. It efficiently filters out harmful traffic, ensuring your site remains secure and accessible to legitimate users.

In addition, Cloudflare offers tools for SSL encryption, web optimization, and analytics, affording site owners valuable insights into traffic patterns and security threats.

Price

Cloudflare offers a free plan designed to improve website performance and security, which includes access to its global CDN and basic DDoS protection.

For more advanced features, such as enhanced security options, more detailed analytics, and 24/7 support, Cloudflare provides a range of paid plans (Pro, Business, and Enterprise) starting at $20/month.

The pricing for these plans varies based on the desired level of service and features. To learn more about what’s included in the free plan and their paid plans, check out their plans and pricing page.

Learn more about Cloudflare

Typeform

Online forms are crucial, no matter the type of website you operate. If your CMS collects information from users, Typeform is the solution you need.

Renowned for its user-friendly interface and customizable design, Typeform turns traditional forms into engaging conversations. This tool transforms the form-filling process from a mundane task into an interactive dialogue, increasing the likelihood that users will complete and submit their information.

Typeform offers a wide range of form types, such as surveys, quizzes, registration forms, and feedback forms. One of its standout features is the ability to create forms that feel personal and conversational, which can significantly improve response rates.

Typeform integrates seamlessly with many CMS platforms, facilitating easy data collection and analysis. Its advanced features, including logic jumps that tailor questions based on previous answers and various integration options that automate workflows, make Typeform a powerful tool for effectively gathering and managing user data.

In the context of online forms for your website, also check out our post on Free Online Form Builders.

Price

Typeform provides a basic free plan for creating forms and surveys. For more advanced features, there are tiered paid plans:

• Basic: $25/month – Includes 100 responses/month, 1 user, unlimited typeforms and questions.
• Plus: $50/month – Includes all Basic features, 1,000 responses/month, 3 users, no Typeform branding, and a custom subdomain.
• Business: $83/month – Includes all Plus features, 10,000 responses/month, 5 users, conversion tracking, and priority support.

Learn more about Typeform

Intercom

Last but not least, we have Intercom. Intercom is a communication platform designed to enhance how businesses interact with their customers directly from their website or within their app, making it an invaluable tool for CMS-driven sites.

Intercom offers real-time chat support, targeted emails and in-app messages, as well as a help desk and a knowledge base. These features collaborate to provide a seamless communication channel between the site and its users.

It is particularly useful for e-commerce platforms, service-based businesses, or any site aiming to improve customer engagement and satisfaction. With Intercom’s targeted messaging and powerful analytics, website owners can understand user behavior, enabling them to tailor their content, offers, and support to meet the specific needs of their audience.

Price

Intercom does not offer a free plan but provides a 14-day free trial period for its various plans.

Following the trial, users can select from several subscription options, including:

• Essential – $39 per user/month
• Advanced – $99 per user/month
• Expert – $139 per user/month

Click here to learn more about all its plans and features.

Learn more about Intercom

Conclusion

To wrap things up, think of your website as a finely-tuned instrument. Incorporating tools like Froala, Filestack, Cloudflare, Typeform, and Intercom is akin to adding the right accessories that not only enhance its performance but also its appeal.

These aren’t just add-ons; they’re essential components that enrich the user experience, streamline content creation, safeguard your site, and foster better connections with your audience. Imagine creating more visually engaging content, effortlessly managing files, speeding up your site, engaging in meaningful conversations, and gathering valuable feedback – all with a few smart integrations.

No matter if you’re running a bustling e-commerce site, a detailed blog, or any other online venture, these tools are your allies in navigating the digital world’s challenges.

So, go ahead, give your CMS that extra edge, and watch as your site transforms into a more dynamic, secure, and engaging space for everyone who visits.

The post 5 Synergizing Tools For Your Content Management System appeared first on Hongkiat.

As it is important to have the right tools, so choosing one can be a daunting task. In this write-up, I will introduce you to 10 of the best project management tools for businesses that can help you manage your projects more easily and efficiently.

Read Also:  9 Tools Every Project Manager Should Know

Overview:

1. Monday.com

Monday.com is an online project management tool that helps teams to track their projects and stay on top of deadlines. It provides a centralized place for teams to plan projects, collaborate, share files, and communicate efficiently.

It also provides an AI-powered chatbot that can automate tasks like setting up meetings, scheduling tasks, and updating task statuses.

Monday.com offers multiple views like kanban boards, Gantt charts, etc. like other tools on this list.

Its customizable forms and project approval automations improve productivity. Its templates help you speed up creating repeatable project resources and structures. Moreover, its dashboards help monitor performance and make project decisions effectively.

Monday.com’s Price: (Offers free plan)

monday.com has a more complex pricing structure than most other tools here. Its Free plan offers bare minimum for 2 members.

The Basic Plan for $9 /seat/month offers unlimited projects and a dashboard.

Both Standard and Pro Plan go for $12 and $20 /seat/month, respectively, offer more features, and the Enterprise plan offers more power for enterprises.

Manage Projects with Monday.com

2. Wrike

Wrike is yet another project management software that makes it easy for teams to collaborate and get work done. It has all the features of a typical project management tool, but what sets it apart is that it can integrate with other applications and services.

This allows you to create custom workflows and automate tasks, saving teams time and improving efficiency.

Wrike provides a 360-overview of all the projects in a list, kanban board, Gantt chart, or time log per your preference, as well as detailed reports about your team’s time spent, deadlines, and critical path analysis, which helps you make strategic decisions about allocating resources.

On top of that, Wrike also offers automated workflows and customisable forms to speed up repetitive work.

Wrike’s Price: (Offers free plan)

Wrike offers a free plan offering common features along with Work Schedules.

Other plans include Professional plan that goes for $9.80 /user/month, Business plan costing $24.80 /user/month with most features like custom fields and workflows, Automation Engine, project approvals, time tracking, and more.

Its Enterprise plan meets extra demands like Single Sign-On (SSO) and Two-Factor Authentication (2FA).

Manage Projects with Wrike

3. ClickUp

ClickUp is an all-in-one project management tool that provides a collaborative workspace for team members with modular add-ons called ClickApps. Its comprehensive set of features includes task management, file sharing, time tracking, and invoicing.

Though I find ClickUp to be more complex than some other tools like Trello, it does, however, offer some advanced features that any project manager or team would need.

The user interface is clean and easy to navigate with the capability to add extra features through its apps like Email, Milestones, LineUp, Task View, etc.

ClickUp’s Price: (Offers free plan)

ClickUp offers a free plan that meets most requirements of individuals and small teams looking for a simple project management tool.

Its Unlimited plan cost $9 /member/month, offers a lot more charts, integrations, and storage.

The Business and Business Plus goes for $19 and $29 /member/month, respectively, offer more features targeted towards enterprises like advanced automation, Single Sign-On (SSO), etc.

Manage Projects with ClickUp

4. Smartsheet

Smartsheet is a spreadsheet-like project management tool that helps teams track, plan, and collaborate on projects. So, if you like Excel, you will feel right at home with Smartsheet.

The platform offers features for team collaboration, project management, project scheduling, resource allocation, and task management. You can also create templates for repeatable tasks to save time.

Smartsheet offers useful features like workflow automation, task visualization, and more in calendar and Gantt chart views. You can also create and share templates, assign tasks, update status, and upload files. Its integrations for popular business and team apps work wonders, helping you to boost productivity while following the agile project management approach.

Smartsheet’s Price: (No free plan)

Smartsheet does not have a free plan.

Its Pro plan costs $9 /user/month and offers unlimited dashboards and reports, calendar and Gantt charts, automation rules, and more.

Business plan costing $19 /user/month offers more automation, proofing, custom branding, etc.

Enterprise plan offers more like Smartsheet Advance, Single Sign-On (SSO), domain sharing, Work Insights, etc.

Manage Projects with Smartsheet

5. Zoho Projects

Zoho Projects — one of the offerings from Zoho — is a project management tool designed to help teams collaborate, organize, and manage projects efficiently. It offers features such as task management, resource management, time tracking, project reporting, and file sharing.

Zoho Projects offers a variety of views like Gantt charts, kanban boards, etc. It features various collaboration tools, including real-time chat, Google Docs-like document editing, and video conferencing.

It also supports project budgeting, which along with its integration with Zoho Books and Zoho CRM helps you complete projects successfully within budget and on deadline.

Zoho Projects’ Price: (Offers free plan)

Zoho Projects Free plan allows 2 projects and 3 users with basic features — two features hardly available in other tools’ free plans.

Premium plan costs $5 /user/month offers unlimited projects, custom views, and automation options.

Enterprise plan costs $10 /user/month offers custom fields, custom roles, SSO, and more enterprise-ready features.

Manage Projects with Zoho Projects

6. Trello

Trello is a leading project management and collaboration tool that helps teams organize their work, set priorities, and stay on track. It offers an intuitive interface with a kanban board layout that lets you drag and drop cards to update task status quickly.

Users can also add checklists, attachments, labels, and comments to cards to add detailed information about the tasks.

One of my favorite features is custom fields, which enable adding extra data to cards. If you add automation with custom fields, it supercharges your task boards.

Though Trello started as a kanban board last decade, now it offers more views like dashboard, timeline, calendar, etc. However, it lacks advanced project management features like email integration, milestones, etc., unlike ClickUp.

Trello’s Price: (Offers free plan)

Trello has a simpler and more affordable pricing structure than ClickUp. It provides a free plan with the bare minimum to get started.

The Standard and Premium plans cost $6 and $12.50 /user/month, respectively, add extra options like unlimited boards, custom fields, unlimited storage, and more, and its Enterprise plan costs $17.50 /user/month if billed annually.

Manage Projects with Trello

7. Asana

Asana is another popular project management tool that allows users to set up projects, assign tasks, and keep track of their progress.

The app is designed to be easy to use and helps people keep track of tasks and deadlines. Users can also set due dates and attach files, and it features approval rules and workflows.

Asana provides a simple kanban board and a to-do list as well as templates for common projects such as marketing campaigns or software development projects. It has a clean interface and also features various integrations and custom fields and forms for automation.

Asana’s Price: (Offers free plan)

Asana offers a free plan that should suffice the project management needs of small businesses.

The Premium and Business plans cost $13.49 and $30.49 /user/month, respectively, with additional features like workflow builder, unlimited reporting, admin console, and more.

You can also get a customized Enterprise plan with support for SSO.

Manage Projects with Asana

8. Teamwork

Teamwork is a kanban-based project management suite offering advanced reporting features — all within the same kanban board-like intuitive interface as Trello. Its Workload feature helps manage resources and identify risks at the outset of projects to get better prepared for completing projects.

Teamwork offers kanban boards like many agile-based project management tools and features like dependencies and milestones and a portfolio view to visualize the complete project.

It also supports integrations with popular third-party tools for tracking time, invoicing, and more. Interestingly, it also supports custom branding, custom domain, and more.

Teamwork’s Price: (Offers free plan)

The Free plan works for 5 users, comes with basic features.

Deliver and Grow plans costing $12.50 and $22.50 /user/month, respectively, offer invoicing, team chat, extended kanban boards, table view, and more.

Its Scale plan offers more though I could not find SSO or other enterprise features.

Manage Projects with Teamwork

9. MeisterTask

MeisterTask is a project management tool that allows organizations to assign and manage tasks and track their progress. Its features include an activity dashboard, custom fields, backlog management, and file sharing between team members. It is as visually appealing as popular tools like Trello though its revision management interface can be improved.

MeisterTask includes kanban boards, gantt charts, timelines, dashboards, and more for agile teams. You can add attachments and checklists to tasks, set dependencies and relationships, and more using its easy-to-use interface.

It also supports automation and recurring tasks like many other tools on this list, along with detailed reports and statistics, which help improve productivity.

MeisterTask’s Price: (Offers free plan)

Surprisingly, MeisterTask has one of the cheapest plans on this list.

Its Basic plan is free for up to 3 projects and limited integrations.

Pro and Business plans goes for $8.25 and $12.49 /user/month when paid annually offer unlimited projects and integrations.

Enterprise plan offers Single Sign-On (SSO), account manager, etc.

Manage Projects with MeisterTask

10. GoodDay

GoodDay is a project management tool for small businesses. It’s a web-based tool that helps you to easily distribute tasks, set deadlines, and keep track of progress. It offers features for kanban and scrum methodologies like goals and workloads for an easy project management.

GoodDay provides a collaborative and intuitive interface that makes it easy to manage projects. Some of its best features include time tracking, invoicing, expense tracking, and integrations with hundreds of productivity tools like Excel, Jira, Slack, and Trello, like most tools on this list.

GoodDay’s Price: (Offers free plan)

GoodDay has a free plan with all the basic features.

Professional plan starts at $6 /user/month offers advanced analytics, advanced integrations, Gantt and timeline views, and more. Enterprise plan comes with more features like unlimited members and storage, Single Sign-On (SSO), etc.

Manage Projects with GoodDay

That’s all about the best project management tools for small businesses. Though these all are the top tools in this space, the best one for you will depend on your requirements.

For example, I use ClickUp for managing my freelance projects and Asana for managing blog posts. Which one did you pick?

The post 10 Best Project Management Tools for Businesses appeared first on Hongkiat.

Effective lead nurturing hinges on your newsletter’s ability to engage – measured by open rates and click-through rates. With increasing competition and email inboxes becoming ever more crowded, standing out and boosting engagement rates is becoming increasingly challenging.

Interested in learning how to enhance your email newsletter’s engagement rates? Here are a few practical tips that can help.

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1. Tailored Product Recommendations

Fiverr.com, the largest marketplace for small services, weekly emails its active users with gig suggestions that might catch their interest, based on their marketplace activities.

This approach of selecting gigs tailored to each user’s on-site behavior delivers a personalized experience to each recipient.

Consider how you can segment your customers and prospects by their behavior and interests to incorporate more personalized elements into your campaigns.

If you’re starting to explore product sales through email marketing, here are a few pointers to guide you.

Selecting the Right E-commerce Platform

The choice of an e-commerce platform is crucial. For help comparing options and selecting the one that best fits your business needs, review various e-commerce app reviews or consult a recommendation service like WebAppMeister.

Segment Your Audience

Using tools like Drip or Adobe Marketo, you can categorize your leads into specific segments based on their interactions with your site, such as website visits, form submissions, past purchases, and email activity, to send highly personalized emails to each segment.

A Marketing Sherpa study found that email personalization based on segmentation can boost email-driven revenue by 50%.

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2. Boosting Customer Retention

Understanding that most online shoppers are looking to satisfy an immediate need without necessarily seeking a long-term relationship with your brand is crucial. Thus, finding ways to re-engage those one-time customers to keep them coming back is essential.

Take Flippa, the leading marketplace for buying and selling websites and domain names, as a prime example of successful customer retention. They re-engage customers by offering a free listing for sites not sold during their initial listing period.

3. Crafting a Sense of Urgency

When selling products online, convincing potential buyers to make a purchase is a significant hurdle. Employing a sense of urgency, or the scarcity principle, can effectively motivate customers.

Litmus leverages this tactic in their email campaigns by informing subscribers of the limited number of tickets available for an event, thus encouraging prompt purchases to avoid missing out.

4. Transforming Negative Experiences into Positive Impressions

Encountering negative customer actions, like cancellation of a premium subscription, unsubscribing from your email list, or requests for refunds, can be disheartening. Yet, these moments present an opportunity to leave a lasting positive impression on your brand through thoughtful email communication.

HubSpot excels in this with their unsubscribe email, crafting a message so memorable that it leaves a positive impression even as subscribers part ways.

Sidekick adopts a similar approach by sending an email to inactive users explaining that they’ve been unsubscribed but in a friendly, “no hard feelings” manner, offering a simple option to stay subscribed if they choose.

5. Boosting Average Order Value

Increasing traffic and conversion rates is a common strategy for enhancing online business revenue. However, for e-commerce stores, an equally effective method lies in boosting the average order value.

A strategic example is Fiverr, which incentivizes customers by offering a $5 discount to those who spend $15 or more. This approach not only rewards higher spending but also increases the overall revenue per transaction.

Conclusion

Personalization is one of the best ways to enhance the engagement rate of your email newsletters. You’ll need to measure the engagement rates for individual email newsletter campaigns and make sure you test and refine the campaigns on a regular basis.

Out of the 5 methods, which one is your favorite email newsletter example? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section.

Further Reading

• How to create & send email newsletter for free
• 9 tricks to design the perfect HTML newsletter
• Beautiful email mewsletter designs for your inspiration
• 9 tools to & and preview your newsletter

The post 5 Tips to Increase Newsletter Engagement Rate appeared first on Hongkiat.

An effective online shop is not just about listing products; it’s about creating an experience that attracts and retains customers.

This blog post will guide you through essential features your first online shop should include, ensuring a solid foundation for your digital storefront.

1. User-Friendly Design

A user-friendly design is paramount for any online shop aiming to provide an enjoyable and efficient shopping experience.

Taking cues from industry leaders, such as Amazon and Etsy, the key lies in simplicity, intuitiveness, and responsiveness. Your website should have a clean, uncluttered layout that prioritizes ease of navigation.

For instance, categorize products clearly and use a straightforward menu structure that allows customers to quickly find what they’re looking for.

Mobile optimization is another critical aspect. With over half of web traffic coming from mobile devices, your online shop needs to perform flawlessly on smartphones and tablets. This means fast loading times, easy-to-click buttons, and text that is readable without zooming. Websites like Etsy excel in this area by providing a seamless mobile experience that mirrors the functionality of their desktop site.

Implementing these user-friendly design principles not only elevates the customer experience but also encourages longer site visits and repeat business, ultimately contributing to the success of your online shop.

Additionally, when it comes to the user-friendliness elements mentioned here, most of them can be easily handled or addressed if you leverage ecommerce platforms like WooCommerce and Shopify, or online marketplaces like Etsy. All you need to do is customize and configure your settings appropriately.

2. Comprehensive Product Descriptions

Creating comprehensive product descriptions is more than just listing the features of an item; it’s about telling a story that resonates with your potential customers and persuades them to make a purchase.

A great example to draw inspiration from is Apple. When they introduce a new iPhone, they don’t just talk about the specifications. They describe how the features, such as the camera’s advanced technology, can capture your moments in stunning detail, making it seem like an indispensable tool for cherishing memories.

To emulate this, start by ensuring that each product on your site has a detailed description that goes beyond the basics. Highlight how the product solves a problem or improves the buyer’s life.

For instance, if you’re selling a smartwatch, don’t just mention the battery life and water resistance. Explain how it tracks their fitness progress, gently nudges them towards healthier habits, and even lets them stay connected without being tethered to their phone.

Include high-quality images that complement your descriptions.

For clothing items, include photos of models in different sizes wearing the product to give customers a realistic idea of fit.

For gadgets, videos demonstrating the product in action can be incredibly persuasive.

Also, optimize your product descriptions for search engines by including relevant keywords naturally within the text.

However, ensure that readability and persuasion remain your primary focus. By creating a narrative around your product, you invite your customers into a story where they’re the protagonist, making the purchase not just transactional, but an emotional investment.

3. Secure Payment Options

Ensuring your online shop offers secure payment options is paramount for gaining and maintaining customer trust.

Take, for example, industry leaders like Amazon and Shopify, which have set high standards for secure online transactions. These platforms provide customers with a variety of payment methods, including credit and debit cards, PayPal, and newer options like Apple Pay and Google Wallet, catering to the diverse preferences of their users.

Beyond offering multiple payment options, the security of these transactions is bolstered by employing advanced encryption technologies, such as SSL (Secure Socket Layer) certificates, which create a secure link between a website and a visitor’s browser. This encryption ensures that all data passed between the two remains private and integral.

To implement similar security measures, start by choosing reputable payment gateways known for their strong security protocols. Displaying logos of the payment options you offer can reassure customers, but equally important is making it clear that their transactions are encrypted and secure.

This can be achieved by displaying security badges and certifications, such as the PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard) compliance badge, which indicates adherence to a set of standards for securing credit card data.

By prioritizing and transparently communicating the security measures in place, you can build a foundation of trust with your customers, encouraging repeat business and positive word of mouth.

4. Customer Support Channels

Effective customer support is pivotal in fostering trust and loyalty among your online shop’s clientele.

By examining the approach of companies like Warby Parker, known for their exceptional customer service, we can distill valuable lessons. Warby Parker offers multiple customer support channels, including phone, email, live chat, and social media, ensuring accessibility for all types of customers. This multi-channel approach guarantees that regardless of the customer’s preference, they have a convenient way to reach out for help.

For your online shop, implementing a similar strategy means setting up a live chat feature for instant assistance, which can significantly enhance the shopping experience. Tools like Zendesk or LiveChat can be integrated easily into most e-commerce platforms. Additionally, creating a dedicated support email and having a responsive social media presence where customers can send messages can cover all bases.

Moreover, an FAQ section can be a game-changer. By addressing the most common queries regarding product information, shipping, returns, and payment options, you can alleviate customer concerns without the need for direct contact. This not only streamlines the shopping experience but also reduces the workload on your support team, allowing them to focus on more complex inquiries.

Incorporating these customer support channels effectively communicates to your customers that their satisfaction and convenience are your top priorities, which is crucial for building a loyal customer base.

5. Clear Shipping and Return Policies

Clear shipping and return policies are not just operational details; they are integral components of customer service and satisfaction. A well-articulated shipping and return policy sets clear expectations, which can significantly reduce customer hesitation and improve the overall buying experience.

For example, consider the approach taken by Zara. They clearly outline their shipping costs, delivery timelines, and return procedures, making the information easily accessible from their homepage. Zara offers free returns in-store or by mail, a policy that reassures customers, encouraging them to make a purchase by reducing the perceived risk.

To replicate this level of clarity in your online shop, start by detailing all shipping options available, including standard, express, and international shipping, along with their respective costs and estimated delivery times.

Be transparent about any shipping restrictions or areas you cannot deliver to.

For returns, specify the conditions under which items can be returned or exchanged, the timeframe for returns (e.g., 30 days from purchase), and the process for initiating a return. Include any restocking fees or conditions that might affect the amount refunded.

6. Marketing Tools Integration

Integrating marketing tools into your online shop is not just about selling products; it’s about building relationships and creating a brand that customers feel connected to.

Take, for instance, the success story of Airbnb. Through targeted email marketing campaigns, Airbnb sends personalized recommendations based on previous searches and bookings, engaging customers by reminding them of unfinished plans or inspiring future travels.

Similarly, your online shop can benefit from segmenting your email list based on customer behavior and preferences, sending tailored messages that resonate on a personal level.

Social media platforms offer another avenue for engagement and brand building.

Look at how Nike uses Instagram to showcase their products through inspirational content, athlete endorsements, and user-generated content. This approach not only markets their products but also builds a community around their brand. For your shop, leveraging social media to share behind-the-scenes content, customer testimonials, and product launches can foster a sense of community and encourage direct interaction with your brand.

SEO is also crucial for making your online shop more visible in search engine results. By optimizing your website’s content with relevant keywords, meta descriptions, and quality backlinks, you can improve your site’s ranking, making it easier for potential customers to find you.

Conclusion

Building your first online shop is a journey filled with opportunities to connect with customers and grow your brand.

By taking inspiration from successful examples and focusing on the key elements of user-friendly design, comprehensive product descriptions, secure payment options, effective customer support, clear shipping and return policies, and integrated marketing tools, you can set your shop up for success.

Remember, each element is a step towards creating a shopping experience that delights and retains customers, laying the foundation for a thriving online business.

The post 6 Essential Tips for Your First Online Shop appeared first on Hongkiat.

Choosing the right email marketing solution can be daunting, whether for a fresh startup or a thriving e-commerce business. Save time sifting through options with our guide, and find the tool that captures your interest. What factors should guide your decision?

Overview:

What to Look for in a Newsletter Tool?

Choosing the right newsletter tool can be overwhelming with so many options available. The secret is to select one that fits your business needs, budget, and desired functionalities to enhance your email marketing efforts efficiently. Here’s what to keep in mind while exploring the best newsletter solutions:

• User-friendly interface: A straightforward and easy-to-use interface is crucial, especially for small teams or beginners lacking technical expertise, to reduce the learning curve.
• Email newsletter templates: Access to customizable templates makes creating emails a breeze. These templates allow for easy branding and the inclusion of elements like videos, social media links, images, and more, producing engaging emails. Check out our list of sites to download free newsletter templates.
• Responsive design: Effective email newsletter design tools ensures your emails look great on all devices, with options to preview templates on various screens.
• Contact management: Managing your email list – a vital asset in email marketing – requires a tool with comprehensive contact management and segmentation capabilities, enabling content customization for each recipient’s preferences.
• Personalization options: Segmentation and personalization are key. Utilizing dynamic content blocks can help you deliver targeted promotions and news, addressing your audience’s interests and needs.
• Automation features: Automating repetitive tasks saves time. Look for a tool with an intuitive automation builder, pre-made and customizable workflows, and various triggers to streamline email scheduling and creation.
• Scalability: Startups and small businesses need tools that can grow with them, offering flexible and clear pricing to avoid overspending in the early stages.
• Reporting capabilities: To enhance your newsletter’s impact, you need detailed reports on key metrics to guide your optimization strategies for future campaigns.
• Compliance and security: Adhering to data protection laws like GDPR or CAN-SPAM Act is essential. Choose a newsletter tool that prioritizes security and compliance to protect user data.

Now, with the knowledge of what makes an email newsletter tool effective, let’s explore the top software choices in the market.

1. Moosend

Moosend is a relatively new player in the email marketing game. This robust newsletter tool has gained popularity among marketers due to its user-friendly interface and powerful features.

It stands out for its intuitive drag-and-drop editor, which allows you to craft beautiful emails, even with no prior experience. Setting up automation workflows becomes a seamless experience through its automation builder and built-in recipes.

These tools, along with the platform’s advanced segmentation, help you personalize your email communication and target each recipient with the right message at the right time. According to users, the platform could improve in terms of native integrations.

Where Moosend excels:

• A diverse range of fully customizable newsletter templates and responsive design options ensure your emails look perfect, no matter the user’s device.
• Top-notch automation allows you to build automated emails or email series from scratch in no time, based on a variety of triggers and user interactions. You can even personalize your product recommendations through its AI-powered system.
• Email list segmentation with the ability to add custom fields to your contacts and advanced personalization. For instance, there is the possibility of tailoring your email content based on the weather in your recipient’s location.
• Automated lead generation options through its straightforward landing page builder and signup form creator, and ready-made templates to grow your email list in a few clicks.
• Real-time reporting and advanced analytics for user engagement, open and click-through rates, unsubscribes, and more give you actionable insights into your email performance.

Pricing

Moosend starts at $9 per month and offers a 30-day free trial, which lets you check out most of its critical features and unlimited emails. Moosend also comes with a competitive pay-as-you-go option named Credits. Credits are designed for occasional senders to pay only when they dispatch emails, with no limitations in terms of features and services.

Visit Moosend

2. Mailchimp

Mailchimp started as an email marketing service but has evolved into a comprehensive marketing automation tool. I

t includes features beyond email marketing, such as social media marketing and website creation. The solution offers a wide variety of newsletter templates, automated recipes, and audience management tools that facilitate customizing your emails for different recipient groups.

Some users mention that although Mailchimp’s built-in email templates are attractive, they had trouble tweaking the design to meet their specific needs. The same goes for its list management, which appears to be somewhat challenging.

Where Mailchimp excels:

• Integrates seamlessly with more than 300 third-party applications, allowing users to connect different parts of their marketing workflow, such as sales tracking and CRM, all under one roof.
• Mailchimp gives you the opportunity to use retargeting ad campaigns on Instagram, Facebook, or Google to engage existing customers and reach new ones.
• The platform is intuitive and easy to use, offering drag-and-drop functionalities and helping even novice marketers with tasks like crafting automated sequences from scratch.
• Its MakePlans feature simplifies appointment booking and event registration since customers are added automatically. They even receive email or SMS confirmation and can instantly add the booking to their calendars.

Pricing

Mailchimp’s free plan makes it a top choice for small businesses or companies looking to save money. It is important to note, though, that it imposes limitations on the number of email sends and the number of subscribers in your list. Its pricing tiers start at $13 per month, and you can test each plan with a 30-day free trial.

Visit Mailchimp

3. Brevo

Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) is considered an all-in-one marketing platform that focuses on email marketing but also includes other marketing channels. Businesses leverage this newsletter tool to reach their target audience through SMS marketing, live chat, and Facebook ads.

The service boasts one of the most user-friendly email editors, designed to accommodate individuals with little to no experience in digital marketing.

However, some users report slow support response times from Brevo, especially during weekends and holidays.

Where Brevo excels:

• Brevo offers a generous free plan that allows you to send up to 300 emails to unlimited contacts and access its WhatsApp and SMS capabilities.
• The tool’s built-in CRM enables you to access valuable customer insights and manage your customer database more effectively.
• Campaign creation and management is a breeze for marketers and business owners who prefer to have everything available in their own language, as Brevo supports other languages, including Spanish, French, German, and more.
• You can create drip campaigns using a number of ready-made templates and easily track your leads’ stages within your sales funnel.

Pricing

Brevo’s Starter plan begins at $25 per month with up to 20,000 emails and no daily sending limit. Its free plan gives you access to some of its core features, including transactional emails. However, it’s important to note that free plan users do not have the option to remove the tool’s logo.

Visit Brevo

4. Klaviyo

Klaviyo is probably the most popular newsletter tool among retailers, as it’s a powerful asset for e-commerce businesses. Klaviyo offers a full range of email marketing and automation features and extends its capabilities to other channels, including SMS, push notifications, and ads.

However, some users report a steep learning curve, noting the need to spend significant time going through tutorials and articles to fully grasp its capabilities.

Where Klaviyo excels:

• With Klaviyo, creating engaging omnichannel campaigns is straightforward, enabling real-time synchronization of all customer data for more effective segmentation and personalization.
• It offers seamless integrations with more than 300 apps, particularly e-commerce tools, with Shopify users especially praising Klaviyo for its comprehensive marketing options.
• Klaviyo’s analytics and reporting features are considered top-notch, providing users with valuable insights into campaign performance through customizable and shareable dashboards.
• The platform offers a variety of pre-made and customizable form templates for your lead capture efforts, ranging from multi-step forms to fly-outs, or you have the option to create your own from scratch.

Pricing

Klaviyo’s pricing model begins at $20 per month for up to 500 contacts and includes capabilities like mobile push notifications. While considered a less affordable option for small businesses and startups, Klaviyo also offers a free plan that accommodates 250 contacts and 500 emails, catering to companies that are just getting started.

Visit Klaviyo

5. Constant Contact

Constant Contact was one of the first email newsletter tools on the market, making its debut in 1995.

Today, it is known for combining straightforward email marketing features with social media capabilities. Its real-time reporting features help you track key performance indicators using metrics ranging from past clicks to social media shares.

The platform seems to fall behind in that email creation can feel complicated for inexperienced marketers, and there have been complaints about its customer support as well.

Where Constant Contact excels:

• Constant Contact covers everything related to event management, from the landing page and invitations to detailed reporting.
• The tool’s recently launched CRM helps you with lead scoring, enabling you to synchronize your marketing and sales automation all in one place.
• Its Mobile Marketing app allows you not only to create emails and social media posts but also to cross-post on email and social media simultaneously.
• Constant Contact comes with a wide list of integrations that help you grow your business and improve your targeting through Google or Facebook Ads. You can also create personalized subscription forms and embed them on web pages.

Pricing

Constant Contact doesn’t offer a free version, but it provides a 60-day trial option to test some of its functionalities. Pricing starts at $12 per month with the Lite plan, which it’s important to note, does not include the platform’s automation and segmentation features. The service’s charges depend on the number of contacts and the email sending limit.

Visit Constant Contact

Final Words

Newsletter tools abound in the market, with new ones emerging every day. Each company has its own goals and needs, but we hope our guide will facilitate the selection process. When looking for the best newsletter software, consider factors such as robust automation, a user-friendly interface, and detailed reporting.

However, it’s also crucial to start with the free versions or trials of the tools listed to determine for yourself if they are a good fit for your brand. Remember, the right solution will provide you with all the necessary tools to grow your business, boost customer engagement, and forge lasting relationships with your audience.

The post Top Five Newsletter Tools to Use in 2024 appeared first on Hongkiat.

Explore our easy-to-understand comparison of Slack and Monday.com to find the perfect solution for boosting your team’s productivity and communication.

But first, let’s take a look into what both tools do.

What’s Monday.com?

Monday.com, on the other hand, is a project management tool that excels in task management, project tracking, and collaboration. It offers customizable workflows, a visually intuitive interface, and comprehensive features that cater to managing complex projects.

Monday.com is designed to keep teams aligned, track progress, and drive projects to completion effectively.

Visit Monday.com

And What’s Slack?

Slack revolutionized team communication since its inception, offering a robust platform for instant messaging, file sharing, and integration with numerous third-party applications.

Designed with a focus on reducing email clutter, Slack facilitates real-time messaging across teams and groups, making it an ideal solution for dynamic and fast-moving teams.

Visit Slack

User Interface and Experience

Slack

The user interface of Slack is centered around chat rooms (channels) and direct messages, promoting ease of communication within and across teams. Its interface is intuitive, allowing users to easily navigate between conversations, shared files, and integrated tools.

Monday.com

Monday.com provides a more visual experience with its color-coded boards and customizable dashboards, which offer a quick overview of project statuses, task assignments, and deadlines. Its interface is designed to manage tasks and projects efficiently, making it easy for users to collaborate and update their work progress.

Communication Features

Slack

Slack is fundamentally designed as a communication hub, where its features shine brightest. The platform allows for the creation of various channels that can be dedicated to specific projects, topics, or team discussions, making it easy for users to navigate and participate in relevant conversations.

These channels can be either public for anyone in the team to join or private for selected members, ensuring flexibility in handling sensitive information. Beyond text-based messaging, Slack supports voice and video calls directly within the app, including screen sharing capabilities, which are essential for remote teams or when detailed discussions are necessary.

Furthermore, Slack’s powerful search functionality makes finding past conversations, files, and decisions straightforward, enhancing the overall efficiency of team communication.

Monday.com

In contrast, Monday.com integrates communication features as part of its broader project and task management framework. Each task or project board within Monday.com allows for commenting, where team members can discuss details, share updates, and ask questions directly related to specific tasks.

This contextual communication ensures that all discussions are directly tied to work items, minimizing the risk of important details getting lost or overlooked.

While Monday.com may not offer the same depth of instant messaging or real-time conversation features as Slack, it provides a structured environment where communication is closely linked with project milestones and deliverables, facilitating focused and productive team interactions.

Task and Project Management

Slack

Slack, primarily a communication platform, enhances task management through integrations with third-party applications. It allows teams to stay connected and communicate in real-time about ongoing tasks and projects, albeit indirectly managing them through other integrated tools like Asana, Trello, or Jira.

This setup enables users to receive notifications and updates within Slack, facilitating a centralized communication hub that complements task management.

Monday.com

On the other hand, Monday.com is engineered as a comprehensive project management tool, purpose-built to streamline the planning, tracking, and execution of projects. It offers a highly visual and customizable interface where tasks can be organized into boards, making it easy for teams to visualize project flow, assign responsibilities, set deadlines, and track progress.

Monday.com’s strength lies in its ability to directly manage tasks and projects within the platform, offering detailed insight into each project phase, resource allocation, and deadline adherence.

It incorporates advanced features such as automation, time tracking, and reporting, providing teams with the tools needed to manage projects efficiently from inception to completion, all within a single ecosystem.

Integration Capabilities

Slack

Slack shines as a communication hub, offering an expansive array of integrations with over 2,000 third-party applications ranging from productivity and project management tools to customer support and developer tools.

This wide selection enables teams to streamline their workflows, by bringing notifications and actions from other services directly into Slack, thereby minimizing the need to switch between apps and keeping all pertinent information in one place.

Monday.com

Monday.com’s integration capabilities are tailored to boost its project management prowess. It supports seamless connections with popular tools such as Google Drive, Dropbox, Microsoft Teams, and many more, allowing for an efficient flow of information and resources across platforms.

These integrations facilitate automated workflows, where actions in one app can trigger updates in Monday.com, ensuring that project tracking is up-to-date and reflective of real-time changes.

This interconnected ecosystem empowers teams to customize their project management environment fully, enhancing productivity and ensuring that all team members have access to the tools they need within a unified interface.

Their Pricing and Subscription Options

Slack

Slack provides a range of plans, from a free tier with basic features to various paid options suitable for different team sizes and needs. Pricing is user-based, offering flexibility for growing teams.

The paid plans include:

• Pro Plan: $7.25/month
• Business+ Plan: $12.50/month

For a detailed overview of Slack’s pricing, check out this page.

Visit Slack

Monday.com

Similarly, Monday.com offers multiple pricing tiers, ranging from a free plan to enterprise solutions, designed to meet diverse team requirements. Its cost structure depends on user count and feature access, with a free trial for newcomers.

The available paid plans are:

• Basic: $9 per user/month
• Standard: $12 per user/month
• Pro: $19 per user/month

Both platforms aim to accommodate various team dynamics and operational scales, providing flexibility and scalability for users.

Visit Monday.com

Slack or Monday.com?

The choice between Slack and Monday.com largely hinges on your team’s core requirements. For teams prioritizing instant messaging and seamless integration with various tools, Slack stands out as the go-to option.

Conversely, Monday.com excels in offering an extensive suite for project management, including detailed task tracking and strategic planning capabilities, making it ideal for those focusing on project oversight.

Final Thoughts

Both Slack and Monday.com bring to the table robust features that significantly boost team productivity and foster collaboration. Choosing the right platform should align with your team’s specific needs, operational workflow, and project nature.

By weighing the advantages and potential drawbacks of each, you can identify the solution that most effectively propels your team towards its objectives.

The post Monday.com vs. Slack for Team Collaboration appeared first on Hongkiat.

This post is going to walk you through what Monday.com can do, what makes it special, and who uses it, to help you figure out if it’s the right pick for what your team needs to tackle.

Whether you’re just starting out or you’re part of a huge global company, seeing how Monday.com fits different kinds of project management tasks is crucial for boosting how much you get done and how well everyone works together.

Let’s look into what Monday.com offers and see if it matches what you’re looking for in a project management tool, and how it stacks up against other options out there.

What is Monday.com?

Let’s take a moment to explore what Monday.com is all about, especially if you’re not familiar with it yet. Think of it as not just a tool for managing projects but as a whole platform designed to pull your team closer together to plan, brainstorm, collaborate, and get things done more smoothly.

At its heart, Monday.com is user-friendly, making it easy for everyone to get on board, whether you’re a tech expert or not so much into project management tools. It’s built to work with all the popular ways of managing projects, so it feels comfortable for a wide range of users.

What really makes monday.com shine is its flexibility in showing your projects. Whether you like organizing your work with kanban boards, seeing the big picture with Gantt charts, or mapping out timelines, there’s something for everyone. Plus, it takes the hassle out of repetitive tasks with automation, lets you connect with loads of other apps and services, and even lets you tweak things here and there to suit exactly what your team or project needs.

Try Monday.com for Free

Who Can Benefit from Using Monday.com?

Monday.com works for all sorts of teams, big or small, and across different industries. Whether you’re part of a small tech startup, a big company, a creative agency, or even a non-profit, this platform can be tailored to fit your specific needs. It’s great for organizing complicated projects, planning marketing efforts, or keeping track of software development, thanks to its flexible features.

Small businesses find it easy to use and love that they can add more tools as they grow. Bigger organizations rely on its powerful features to manage complex tasks and coordinate large teams all over the world. Schools and non-profits enjoy working together on it because it’s affordable and designed to encourage teamwork.

The best part is, Monday.com isn’t just for one type of job or industry. Whether you work in construction, media, healthcare, or retail, you can customize its boards, use its ready-made templates, and set up automatic tasks to help your team get more done and communicate better.

Key Problems Monday.com Solves

When it comes to managing projects, teams everywhere run into a bunch of problems, like having a hard time talking to each other or missing deadlines. Monday.com helps fix these issues by making it easier for everyone to work together and keep projects moving smoothly. It tackles the big problem of information getting stuck in one place.

With Monday.com, the whole team can see project updates, files, and messages all in one spot, which stops the mix-up that happens when you’re using lots of different ways to communicate.

Task Management and Progress Tracking

Another thing people often struggle with is keeping track of what needs to be done and making sure tasks are handled right. Monday.com has these cool boards you can change however you need, so you can see exactly what’s going on with your project and what everyone should be doing.

This is super helpful whether you’re working on something small or you’re in charge of lots of different areas. It makes sure everyone knows their tasks and deadlines without feeling like it’s too much.

Streamlining with Automation

Monday.com makes a lot of the boring, repeat stuff happen on its own. It can send out reminders, update statuses, and assign tasks without you having to do it every time. This means less chance of messing up and more time to work on the big-picture stuff.

So, basically, Monday.com makes managing projects a whole lot easier and helps teams do their best work without getting bogged down. Learn more about automations with Monday.com.

Monday.com vs. Other Project Management Tools

When picking a tool to manage your projects, it’s smart to look at all your choices. People often compare Monday.com with others like Trello, Asana, and Slack because each one has its own special features. Let’s break it down in a simple way to help you figure out what’s best for you.

Trello

Trello is all about using kanban boards to keep track of tasks, but Monday.com gives you more options. You can view your projects in different ways, like kanban, Gantt charts, or calendars. This means it’s great for all kinds of projects, whether they’re big, small, or somewhere in between, not just for simple to-do lists.

Asana

Monday.com is often liked for being easy to jump into and start using right away, compared to Asana. While Asana is a powerhouse for organizing projects in detail and is great for team work, Monday.com is seen as easier to learn and has a fun interface that keeps everyone involved and moving forward.

Slack

Slack is mainly for chatting with your team, not managing projects from start to finish. But, it’s super useful for talking in real time and is often used with other project management tools. Monday.com works well with Slack, so you can chat easily and keep your projects organized in one place. This combo means you get the best of chatting with Slack and project tracking with Monday.com.

One of the cool things about Monday.com is how it makes your life easier by automating a lot of the repetitive tasks. This means less time spent on manual updates and chasing people for follow-ups. While other tools like Asana and Trello also have automation features, Monday.com does it in a way that’s really easy to get the hang of, allowing you to tailor it to exactly how your team works.

When it comes to how much it costs, Monday.com is pretty competitive. They don’t have a free version like Trello and Asana, but their basic plan is packed with features that are perfect for small to medium-sized teams, offering a lot of bang for your buck.

Deciding which tool to use really comes down to what your team needs, how much you’re willing to spend, and how simple or complex you want the tool to be. Each option has its own strengths, but if you’re on the hunt for a do-it-all project management tool that’s easy to use, Monday.com is definitely worth considering.

Getting Started with Monday.com

Getting started with Monday.com is like embarking on a new adventure where organization and efficiency are your travel companions. It’s designed to be user-friendly, so you don’t need to be a tech wizard to navigate its colorful and intuitive interface. Here’s a simple guide to help you set sail smoothly.

Step 1: Sign Up and Explore

First things first, head over to the Monday.com website and sign up for an account. You can start with a free trial to get a taste of what’s on offer. No credit card details are required upfront, which is nice because it lets you explore without any strings attached. Just enter your email, and you’re in.

Step 2: Setting Up Your Workspace

Once logged in, Monday.com will guide you through a brief setup process. You’ll be asked a few questions about what you plan to manage – whether it’s tasks, projects, or your team. These questions aren’t just for fun; they help tailor the experience to your needs.

Step 3: Create Your First Board

Think of a board as your project’s home base. It’s where all your tasks will live. Creating one is straightforward: just click on the “Add” button and give your board a name that reflects the project or workflow you’re managing. You can choose from a variety of templates or start from scratch.

Step 4: Add Tasks and Assign Team Members

Now, the fun part begins. Add tasks to your board, describe them, set deadlines, and assign them to your team members. Each task can be customized with status labels, priority levels, and more. If you’re flying solo on a project, this step helps you keep track of your own responsibilities.

Step 5: Collaborate and Track Progress

With tasks assigned and deadlines set, you and your team can start working. Monday.com offers various views (like Kanban, calendar, and timeline) to see how your project is progressing. Plus, the communication features allow for easy collaboration right within the platform.

And that’s it! You’re now ready to make Monday.com work for you. It’s all about experimenting and finding what setup best suits your workflow. Don’t be afraid to tweak and adjust as you go along – the goal is to make your life easier, after all.

Conclusion

Monday.com is much more than a simple tool – it’s a complete platform that makes managing projects and working together easier. It’s great for all kinds of teams and projects because it’s flexible and can help improve how productive and organized you are. Although it’s full of features for managing projects in detail, what really makes it stand out is how well it can adjust to different kinds of work settings.

Whether Monday.com is the right choice for you depends on what your team needs and how you work together. It has a lot to offer, but the best way to see if it’s a good fit is to try it out for yourself.

Try Monday.com for Free

The post Is Monday.com Right for Your Team? appeared first on Hongkiat.

A case of an industry that has been drastically changed is ecommerce. The growth of ecommerce businesses has been whopping. To put it across in simple terms, its rise has been huge in the years gone by. It has produced unprecedented results for businesses and consumers alike. But what makes it so lucrative and competitive? The answer to this leaves a lot of food for thought for business thinkers and strategists.

Considering the explosive rise of e-commerce, businesses are looking for ways to thrive. Adopting correct strategies and choosing actionable approaches is a way out. This can help businesses swim over some distressing and tough industry times. Let us get into it.

1. Differentiation

Differentiated businesses are valued for their unique selling propositions. If businesses can create their unique identity for features or services they become recognizable.

Ecommerce businesses, thus, must strive to stand out from their competitors. They can do so by offering unique value propositions. Several businesses have the character of differentiation in them, but they somehow fail to bring them upfront.

2. Customer Fanaticism

There can’t be better and more successful businesses than the ones that are fanatically customer-centric. Businesses that can provide delightful customer experiences are always in the driving seat.This can only be done by caressing them and placing a strong emphasis on understanding their evolving needs & preferences, and the existing pain points.

3. Innovation

If there is one thing that is true about successful and futuristic businesses, it is the fact that they have been great innovators. In fact they emphasise the philosophy of “disruption through innovation.”

Ecommerce businesses, thus, must focus on ‘the new & creative element that competitive organisations have’. They should frequently innovate and work on evolving their offerings to stay ahead of the competition.

4. Pricing Strategy

One of the most complex decisions for businesses is how they price their offerings. The most differentiated and well-established businesses can underperform, if their pricing strategies go astray. Pricing is a critical element for ecommerce businesses that have price sensitive buyers to serve.

In this regard, businesses can work on developing a pricing strategy that aligns with their value proposition. They can differentiate themselves through skimming pricing, penetration pricing or capture market share through competitive pricing.

5. Marketing and Branding

Your brand is less about what you market and more about ‘how you do it’. In this light, businesses must strive to develop effective marketing campaigns that communicate their unique value— one which strongly resonates with their target audience. Flexibility in marketing programs makes a lot of room to accommodate brands, as they get bigger by the day.

Actionable tip: To enable this, they should learn ways to use various marketing channels, to increase reach and customer engagement. Some of them include digital advertising, social media, content marketing, and influencer collaborations.

6. Customer Service Excellence

If you ought to succeed, your business needs to be exemplary in extending its services to the customers. I say so because building a reputation for outstanding customer service is both challenging and essential. Businesses need to know their consumers like the back of their hand to provide enriching customer services. But this might need deep research.

Having done that, they must strive to provide prompt and helpful support, actively seek feedback, and resolve issues promptly. It helps prevent customer disenchantment. Positive customer experiences can differentiate their brand and lead to customer loyalty and advocacy.

7. Continuous Improvement

‘Even if you are on the right track, you will get run over if you just sit over there.’ This implies businesses must strive to improve without any reservations. This statement is binding for ecommerce retail businesses all the more, as the industry is characterised by red ocean players.

Establishing a culture of continuous improvement within your organisation can prompt organisational members to co-create, outinnovate and outcompete the most challenging businesses.

8. Talent Acquisition and Development

Mckinsey in one of its articles states that superior talent is up to eight times more productive. So, one area which businesses can focus on is hiring the right individuals. They may be ones who are motivated to regularly perform better, have out of the box thinking and intrapreneurial capabilities. Besides this, they ought to have the energy and rhythm that should ideally go into their designated roles. Attracting and retaining top talent can contribute to an organisation’s growth and competitiveness in unprecedented ways.

Additionally, this also prepares businesses for certain unforeseen circumstances— problems and challenges which talented members can tackle single-handedly.

9. Data-Driven Decision Making

Data driven decision making is the future which is perhaps now. Every mouse click, keyboard button press, swipe or tap can be leveraged to shape business decisions. Since everything is about data these days it is elicited that businesses are a storehouse of information and information is powerful.

Businesses need to familiarise themselves with ways through which such data can be interpreted and utilised for ameliorated decision making.

Conclusion

Present times are indeed challenging. They are at times daunting as well. Modern-age businesses, wishful of flourishing and sustaining themselves over the length of time, ought to practise strategies and tactics with care and prudence. This means striking the right balance between technology and strategic decision making.

Utilising the advancing technology, penetrating internet services and high smartphone adoption rate can work in an organisation’s favour only if they learn to deal with it. Simply stating, there is no way out of technological bounds for businesses. They just need to learn how technology can be coupled with the right sets of strategies, tactics and approaches that can show them a way out of the dark abyss that businesses devoid of that perfect blend of ‘technology and strategy’ hopelessly fall into.

The post 9 Smart Strategies For Modern-age Ecommerce Businesses to Catapult Growth appeared first on Hongkiat.