Get Your Free Simplified MECLABS Institute Data Pattern Analysis Tool to Discover Opportunities to Increase Conversion

To increase conversion for your company, you must pinpoint your marketing and sales funnel leaks so you know what to repair.

Do you know precisely where customers are dropping out of your funnel? Where you should focus marketing efforts most efficiently to attract customers to conversion? The best next steps to make the biggest gains fast?

The MECLABS Institute Data Pattern Analysis tool provides a structured way to uncover the answers through intense examination of your customer’s data — their digital body language.

The goal is to thoroughly understand customer thought processes at each point in the marketing funnel where they have to make a decision to continue moving through it. By understanding what prospects are thinking at each stage of the buying process, you will be able to better match their motivation and move them through the sales funnel faster.

The Data Pattern Analysis tool includes the following:

• Summary profit analysis
• Demographics
• New versus returning visitors
• Device type
• Page depth
• The origin of your traffic (Source medium)
• Top pages
• Top landing pages
• Previous and next page
• Funnel analysis
• Supporting resources

It also includes a summary so you can have all critical data points, questions that need answering, and research questions in an easy-to-view and easy-to-present dashboard. The tool can work with any metrics platform but has been set up to be easily used with (and includes basic directions for) Google Analytics, due to that platform’s popularity.

Episode 2 of The Marketer as Philosopher: Become a Force for the Good provides an in-depth example, showing how to use the Data Pattern Analysis tool.

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Are you having trouble increasing leads or sales? This Data Pattern Analysis is one of the tools we use in Quick Win Intensives. You can get expert help to boost your conversion rate in these intensives.

The journalism produced by the MarketingExperiments editorial team is powered by the research developed by its parent organization, MECLABS Institute.

For over 20 years, MECLABS has been the world’s largest independent research program focused on understanding why customers say “yes.” The Institute’s scientific approach, discoveries and patented heuristics have enabled marketers to achieve their goals.

There are three ways you can leverage MECLABS research:

1. Access the 20+ years of research and discoveries published by our institute, available for free (and ungated) at meclabs.com/research
2. Advance your career with online education and in-person training. On-demand courses allow busy professionals to study and master the material as their schedule allows. MECLABS instructors have conducted team-based training on corporate campuses and company headquarters across the nation. Learn more at meclabs.com/education
3. Boost your Conversion Rate with a MECLABS Quick Win Intensive. Get MECLABS scientists to help you find the fastest way to drive a major revenue increase. Learn more at MECLABS.com/QuickWinIntensive

  MECLABS Institute Data Pattern Analysis by MECLABS Institute is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. Based on a work at https://www.marketingsherpa.com/freestuff/meclabs-data-pattern-analysis-tool. Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at https://meclabs.com/about/contact.

The post Get Your Free Simplified MECLABS Institute Data Pattern Analysis Tool to Discover Opportunities to Increase Conversion appeared first on MarketingExperiments.

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Best Office Chairs

If you’re spending 40+ hours per week seated at a desk, having a great office chair is crucial for both comfort and functionality. The right office chair can even boost your productivity.

On the flip side, the wrong office chair can cause pain in your neck, back, hips, legs, and more. Your chair could even make you susceptible to long-term health complications.

With remote work becoming the new normal, so many people are trying to upgrade their home offices. Getting a new office chair is the first step.

Whether you’re buying office chairs in-bulk for your conference room or just need a single chair for your home office, this guide contains the top nine office chairs on the market today.

The Top 9 Best Office Chairs

• Steelcase Gesture
• Herman Miller Mirra 2
• Humanscale Liberty Task
• Autonomous ErgoChair 2
• BTExpert Mid Back Task
• Global Arturo
• Via Oslo
• Branch Task Chair
• Vari Active Seat

Each review below contains the features, benefits, pricing, and use cases for the office chairs on our list. Use this information to find the best office chair for you.

#1 – Steelcase Gesture — Best Overall Office Chair

Visit Steelcase

• Starts at $1,698
• 12 colors
• Supports different postures
• Fully customizable
• Shop Now

The Steelcase Gesture is the best office chair available on the market today. For home offices and at-work use alike, it has everything you could possibly need or want in a chair.

Steelcase conducted a posture study on 2,000 people while designing this chair. This ensures that it can accommodate a wide range of seating needs and preferences while delivering comfort and support.

It comes in 12 different colors to match any space or work environment. The chair comes in a wide range of pre-configured options—wrapped back, headrest, stool, shell back, stool with shell back, and stool with wrapped back.

If you don’t like one of those pre-configured chairs, you’ll have the freedom and flexibility to customize your own.

Optional features include:

• Polished aluminum base
• Glides
• Adjustable lumbar
• Coat hanger
• Fixed arm
• Armless

The Steelcase Gesture starts at $1,698, which is a little steep for some people. But if you’re spending 40+ hours a week sitting in a chair, the price is justifiable.

#2 – Herman Miller Mirra 2 — Best For Home Offices

Visit Herman Miller

• Starts at $745
• 12 year warranty
• Free shipping
• 30 day free returns
• Shop Now

The Herman Miller Mirra 2 makes an excellent addition to any home office. It has the perfect balance between comfort and sleek design.

Choose one of five modern colors—alpine, graphite, cappuccino, dark turquoise, or slate grey. You’ll also have the option to select a butterfly suspension back or a triflex polymer back.

Herman Miller gives you the option to customize your chair based on preferences for comfort and functionality, including:

• Adjustable lumbar support
• Standard tilt
• Tilt limiter
• Tilt limiter and seat angle
• Adjustable arms
• Fixed arms
• Fixed seat depth
• Front adjustable seat depth
• Carpet vs. hard floor casters

The chair is made at a 100% green-energy facility in Michigan. It comes with a 12-year warranty, free shipping, and 30-day free returns.

The Herman Miller Mirra 2 starts at $745.

#3 – Humanscale Liberty Task — Best Mesh Back Office Chair

Visit Humanscale

• Starts at $1,069
• Weight-sensitive recline
• Form-sensing mesh
• Lumbar support
• Shop Now

Humanscale has a wide range of different office chairs for you to choose from. But their Liberty Task chair is a top choice for anyone who prefers a mesh back.

The chair is designed to encourage movement while accommodating users of different sizes and weights. It features a weight-sensitive recline, so there’s no need to make any manual adjustments.

The ability to accommodate any user makes the Liberty Task chair a popular choice for conference rooms and shared office spaces.

It provides excellent comfort and lumbar support while still offering a minimalist aesthetic and modern design.

You can customize your own Liberty Task chair or choose from a wide range of pre-configured models. Features available for customization include

• Armrests
• Frame color
• Back mesh
• Mesh color
• Seat textile
• Seat type
• Cylinder height
• Fireproofing
• Base upgrades

The one potential drawback is the shipping time. Custom models typically don’t ship for 2-4 weeks, which isn’t ideal if you need an office chair ASAP.

The Humanscale Liberty Task chair starts at $1,069.

#4 – Autonomous ErgoChair 2 — Best Ergonomic Office Chair

Visit Autonomous

• Starts at $349
• Free shipping
• 2 year warranty
• Fully adjustable components
• 30 Day Free Trial

As the name implies, the Autonomous ErgoChair 2 is built with ergonomic design. This chair is perfect for anyone who prioritizes maximum efficiency related to comfort.

It’s great for preventing back pain, improving posture, and providing extra lumbar support.

The Autonomous ErgoChair 2 carries a BIMFA (Business and Institutional Furniture Manufacturer’s Association) certification for its safety, performance, and ergonomics.

Essentially every feature of the chair can be adjusted for comfort:

• Headrest height
• Headrest tilt
• Back tilt
• Back tilt tension
• Seat tilt
• Lumbar support tension
• Handrail height
• Handrail direction
• Chair height

For such a comfortable and functional chair, the Autonomous ErgoChair 2 is surprisingly affordable. It can be yours for just $349.

The chair comes with a two-year warranty and free shipping. Try it free for 30 days.

#5 – BTExpert Mid Back Task Chair — Best Armless Office Chair

Visit BTExpert

• $105
• Compact Design
• 360 degree swivel
• Rolling caster wheels
• Shop Now

If you’re not sitting at a desk all day and just need a small chair for writing quick notes or sending out the occasional email, you don’t need to spend a fortune on an office chair.

The Mid Back Task Chair from BTExpert is perfect for small desks or even low built-in counter spaces where you open the mail, write checks, or don’t spend a ton of time sitting.

The compact design makes it easy to tuck beneath a desk or table when it’s not being used, without taking up a ton of space in the room.

It’s simple, modern, and elegant, while still proving sturdy support and functionality.

You’ll benefit from features like a 360-degree swivel, fast assembly, non-scratch leg tip, five-point stainless steel finish, and rolling caster wheels.

Unlike other office chairs on the market, you can’t really customize the Mid Back Task Chair. What you see is what you get. But it’s one of the best cheap office chairs on the market. Buy it now for the low price of just $105.

#6 – Global Arturo — Best Leather Office Chair

Visit Global

• Starts at $1,007
• Premium leather
• Memory foam
• Customizable
• Shop Now

The Global Arturo is a premium leather chair that comes with plush cushions and detailed stitching.

It’s available in three different models—high back, extended high back, and low back.

The chair is perfect for anyone who wants an office chair that blends comfort with luxury. It comes standard with upholstered arms for added comfort and a padded headrest to provide extra head and neck support.

All three models can be fully customized. You can choose your preferences for features like:

• Base finish
• Cylinder
• Gaster glides
• Frame
• Backing
• Memory foam
• Commercial vs. performance textiles

The Global Arturo office chair starts at $1,007.

#7 – Via Oslo — Best Custom Office Chair

Visit Via Oslo

• Starts at $1,283
• Low and high back models
• 400 lbs. capacity
• Fully customizable
• Build Your Own

For those of you who want a unique office chair, the Via Oslo is fully customizable. In fact, there aren’t any pre-configured models for you to choose from.

The only way to get this chair is by building your own.

Start by choosing from a high-back or mid-back chair. Then personalize virtually every aspect of the chair, including:

• Arms
• Base
• Casters
• Upholstery
• Upholstery layout
• Colors
• Textiles

The Via Oslo delivers a timeless design. You’ll also benefit from saddle stitch lines, tilt adjustment, depth adjustment, and more. It has an impressive 400-pound maximum weight capacity, so you know that the chair is sturdy and strong.

All models are backed by a 12-year warranty. The low-back model starts at $1,283, and the high-back model starts at $2,448.

#8 – Branch Task Chair — Best Budget Office Chair

Visit Branch

• $199
• Free shipping
• Easy to assemble
• 5 adjustable options
• Shop Now

Some office chairs can be pretty pricey. So if you don’t want to spend $500+ or upwards of $1,000 on a chair, you can still get an excellent quality product from Branch.

The Branch Task Chair is the best office chair under $200. It’s proof that you can get a budget office chair without sacrificing comfort and functionality.

This is a great option for anyone who wants a sleek design with premium ergonomics at an affordable price point. You’ll benefit from features like adjustable lumbar support, breathable mesh, and five points of adjustment:

• Tilt adjust
• Tilt tension adjust
• Height adjust
• Armrest adjust
• Lumbar adjust

Aesthetically, the Branch Task Chair blends in well with any home office design. It’s easy to assemble and ships for free in 1-3 days.

Buy it now for $199.

#9 – Vari Active Seat — Best Office Chair For Standing Desks

Visit Vari

• $250
• No assembly required
• Free shipping
• 30 day money back guarantee
• Shop Now

Standing desks have been growing in popularity. But even with an adjustable-height desk, you probably won’t spend the whole day standing.

So if you want to sit from time to time while working at your standing desk, the Vari Active Seat is perfect for you.

The Vari active seat comes fully assembled right out of the box so you can start using right away.

It features a wide cushioned seat and a bent plywood base to deliver maximum comfort and sustainable durability. You’ll benefit from a dynamic range of motion with the chair’s articulating pedestal—it’s designed for movement.

The Vari Active Seat lifts up to 32.75 inches, making it easy to use at your standing desk.

It’s comfortable but still lets you work with great posture. Vari also has a wide range of standing desks, so you can get more than just an office chair with your order.

The Vari Active Chair costs $250. It’s backed by a 30-day guarantee and ships for free.

How to Find the Best Office Chairs For You

How hard can it be to pick an office chair? Surprisingly enough, not all chairs are the same.

This is the methodology that we used to narrow down our top picks in this guide. Keep these factors in mind as you’re evaluating prospective options.

Comfort

First and foremost, your chair needs to be comfortable. Some of you might be sitting in this chair for 40-60+ hours per week.

The best way to evaluate comfort without actually sitting in the chair itself is by checking out customer reviews. Some companies will even offer a money-back guarantee or trial period.

Assembly

If you’re buying an office chair online, it typically won’t come fully assembled. This means you’ll have to put it together on your own.

In most cases, this shouldn’t be too complicated. Depending on the chair, this could take anywhere from five to ten minutes at most. Consider looking at the instructions before you buy to see if it’s something you feel like tackling on your own.

Warranty

The best office chairs come with extended coverage. What if something happens to the chair and it breaks next month? What about next year?

If you’re paying hundreds or even $1,000+ on a product, you want to make sure that the manufacturer stands behind its quality.

Adjustability

Make sure you can adjust the chair. This will accommodate different desk heights and users, which is crucial if the chair is being shared by multiple people.

The best chairs allow you to adjust the seat height, seat angle, and seat depth. In some cases, you’ll also be able to adjust the armrests, back height, back angle, and more.

Lumbar Support

It’s possible for chairs to be comfortable, but terrible for your back. The best office chairs provide excellent lumbar support, which will help prevent back pain and long-term damage to your spine.

Aesthetics

I’m typically more of a “function over form” type of person. But depending on the circumstances, some office chairs might not fit the environment.

You don’t want your office chair to be an eye-sore in the room. The best chairs allow you to customize the colors and other features to match your office. However, this may not be important to everyone.

Conclusion

What’s the best office chair on the market today? We recommend the Steelcase Gesture. But there are plenty of other excellent options to choose from depending on your needs.

If you’re on a tight budget, check out the Branch Task Chair or the BTExpert Mid Back Task Chair. For those of you with a standing desk, the Vari Active Seat will be the best option for you.

Want a premium leather office chair? Get the Global Arturo. Anyone that prioritizes ergonomics will love the Autonomous ErgoChair 2. The Herman Miller Mirra 2 is our favorite home office chair. The Via Oslo is fully customizable.

Make sure you refer to our buying guide methodology as you’re shopping around. No matter what type of chair your office needs, you can find it on our list.

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Best Customer Service Software

Want to jump straight to the answer? The best customer service software is Zoho Desk, Hubspot, and LiveAgent. 

Customer service software makes sure your customers are happy and satisfied with your business.

After all, your customers make or break your success.

Happy customers keep coming back and spending more money, while unsatisfied customers will cause significant damage to your reputation.

That’s why customer service must be a priority for every business.

Fortunately, the right customer service software can make this possible. Customer service solutions help ensure fast response times, positive interactions, and happy customers.

The 8 Best Customer Service Software of 2020

It’s tough to find a good customer service software. There’s many options available on the market. But some of these tools are significantly better than others.

After researching and testing dozens of customer service solutions, I’ve narrowed down the top eight for you to consider.

• Zoho Desk — Best customer service software for ticketing.
• HubSpot — Best free customer service software and product bundles.
• LiveAgent — Best customer service software for live chat support.
• Freshdesk — Best customer service software if you’re switching from another platform.
• Zendesk — Best customer service software with support suite options available.
• Salesforce Service Cloud — Best customer service software for field service agents.
• Groove — Best customer service software for small teams and growth startups.
• Help Scout — Best customer service software for nonprofits.

As we continue you through this guide, I’ll give you an in-depth review of each one below. You’ll learn about the top features, benefits, use cases, pricing, and more.

Best Customer Service Software Reviews

Zoho Desk (Best for ticketing)

Visit Zoho Desk

• Free forever plan
• Upgrade starting at $12/mo
• Email ticketing & help center
• Mobile app access
• Try for Free

Zoho is one of the most popular names in the world of business software and CRM. They offer tools for sales, marketing, email, collaboration, finance, accounting, human resources, and business intelligence.

But one of the best solutions that they offer is Zoho Desk—IT and help desk software.

Zoho Desk has solutions for customer service agents, managers, and customers. But above all, it’s arguably the best customer service software for managing and closing tickets.

Let’s take a closer look at the plans and price points for Zoho Desk:

Free — $0

• Up to three agents
• Email ticketing
• Help center
• Private knowledge base
• Predefined SLAs
• Mobile app
• Multilingual help desk

Standard — $12 per month per agent

• Social and community channels
• Product-based ticket management
• Public knowledge base
• Escalations
• Workflow and assignment rules
• Supervise rules
• Customer happiness ratings

Professional — $20 per month per agent

• Multi-department ticketing
• Team management
• Telephony
• Automated time tracking
• Ticket templates
• Ticket sharing
• Mobile SDK

Enterprise — $35 per month per agent

• Live chat
• AI
• Customize help center
• Advanced process management
• Scheduled reports
• Validation rules
• Role-based data sharing

No matter how big, small, or complex your business is, Zoho Desk has a plan for you.

HubSpot (Best free customer service software)

Visit HubSpot

• 100% free forever plan
• Advanced features start at $40/mo
• Wide range of solutions
• Free software for customer service
• Try for Free

HubSpot is one of the most well-recognized CRMs in the industry. They have a wide range of software and solution suites for managing relationships with customers.

These offerings are segmented into three main categories—sales, marketing, and service.

The HubSpot Service Hub is what we’ll be focusing on here today. It’s an exceptional solution for managing customer issues through service tickets.

I like HubSpot because they offer free CRM solutions, including free software for customer service. Free features include ticketing, live chat, chatbots, team email, and a conversations inbox. You’ll also benefit from free email templates, closed ticket reports, and time-to-close reports.

HubSpot is proof that you don’t need to spend a ton of money on improving your customer service with software. This won’t cost you a thing.

For those of you who want access to advanced features and benefits, here’s an overview o the paid plans:

Starter — $40 per month

• Includes two paid users
• Canned snippets
• Meeting scheduling
• Agent productivity reports
• Calling

Professional — $320 per month

• Includes five paid users
• Ticket status, routing, automation, and pipelines
• Knowledge base
• 1:1 video creation
• Custom reporting
• Surveys for NPS, experience, and support

Enterprise — $1,200 per month

• Includes ten paid users
• Playbooks and goals
• Hierarchical teams
• User roles
• Single sign-on
• Integrates with Slack

All rates are based on an annual contract. You can get the HubSpot Service Hub month-to-month for 20% more.

HubSpot also offers exceptional product bundles for all CRM categories in a single solution. So if you want to get software for service, sales, and marketing from a single provider, HubSpot is the best option for you. Bundles start at $112.50 per month.

LiveAgent (Best for live chat support)

Visit LiveAgent

• 100% free forever plan
• Upgrades starting at $15/mo
• All-in-one solution
• Simple and flexible tools
• Try for Free

LiveAgent is a customer service solution that helps you manage all customer requests from multiple channels in a single platform.

No matter where your customers are, you can merge all communication and support to one place. LiveAgent saves you time, simplifies the process, and allows you to increase the profitability of your support team.

LiveAgent has tools for:

• Email ticketing
• Live chat
• Voice and video calls
• Social media integration

Here’s a closer look at the plans and prices for customer service software form LiveAgent:

Free — $0 forever

• 7 day ticket history
• 1 email address for ticketing
• 1 live chat button
• 1 phone number for call center support

Ticket — $15 per month per agent

• Unlimited ticket history
• Unlimited email ticketing
• Load data from your CRM
• Multi-brand support

Ticket + Chat — $29 per month per agent

• Unlimited live chat
• Real-time visitor monitor
• Chat invitations
• Chat satisfaction surveys

All-inclusive — $39 per month per agent

• Unlimited call center support
• Video calling
• Gamification
• Unlimited call storage

For all of the paid plans, LiveAgent has add-on pricing for features like social media integration, time tracking, audit logs, and more.

Overall, it’s a simple and flexible tool for managing live customers with ticketing and live chat.

Freshdesk (Best for switching platforms)

Visit Freshdesk

• Free 21-day trial
• Plans start at $15/mo
• Extensive list of features
• Trusted by 150,000+ businesses
• Try for Free

Freshdesk is another one of the most popular help desk solutions on the market today. Above all, it’s simple. That’s why it’s trusted by 150,000+ businesses, including American Express, HP, and Panasonic.

With Freshdesk, you’ll have access to an extensive list of features across a wide range of customer support categories:

• Ticketing
• Collaboration
• Field Service
• Automation
• Customer self-service
• Reporting
• Multi-channel support

It’s an excellent solution to streamline all of your customer connections in a single location. Freshdesk makes team collaboration and automation a breeze.

If you’re currently using another help desk solution and you’re unhappy with it, Freshdesk makes it easy for you to switch to its software.

Here’s an overview of the plans and pricing. All rates are based on an annual plan. The prices are a bit higher if you go month-to-month.

Sprout — Free

• Unlimited agents
• Email ticketing
• Team collaboration
• Knowledge base
• Ticket trend reports
• Social ticketing

Blossom — $15 per month per agent

• Automations
• Collision detection
• Marketplace apps
• Helpdesk
• SLA management
• Business hours

Garden — $29 per month per agent

• Time tracking
• CSAT survey
• Session replay
• Performance report
• Knowledge base with multi-lingual support

Estate — $49 per month per agent

• Automated ticket assignment
• Custom agent roles
• Custom portal
• Enterprise reporting
• Multiple time zones and SLAs

Forest — $109 per month per agent

• Ticket assignment based on skills
• Create a testing environment without affecting agents or customers
• IP Whitelisting
• HIPAA compliant
• Extendable API rate limit

Freshdesk has omnichannel add-ons and features for field service management for an additional fee. Try it free with a 21-day trial.

Zendesk (Best with support suite options)

Visit Zendesk

• Free trial available
• Starts at $89/mo
• Flexible customized solutions
• Used by 150,000+ businesses
• Try for Free

Zendesk is one of the best overall customer service software solutions on the market today. It’s used by 150,000+ businesses, including big brands like Uber, Venmo, Shopify, and Slack.

The Zendesk support suite has everything you need to manage customer service communication across multiple channels. You can provide customer support via email, live chat, voice, Facebook, Twitter, WeChat, WhatsApp, and more.

The software makes it possible to connect all of your data sources to a single location. So when a customer contacts you for support, the right information will automatically be on display.

Zendesk is flexible, so it can support the needs of any business. You can get a customized solution that fits with your existing support environment.

Here’s a quick overview of the plans, features, and pricing for the Zendesk support suite:

Professional Support Suite — $89 per agent per month

• Omnichannel support
• Social messaging add-on
• Self-service knowledge base
• Dashboards and reporting for all channels
• Talk partner edition
• Multiple ticket forms

Enterprise Support Suite — $149 per agent per month

• Roles and permissions with skilled base routing
• Multi-brand support
• Chat widget and web SDK
• Content cues to identify knowledge gaps
• 24/7 live chat and phone support

The full-service support suite from Zendesk has it all. But not every business needs something this comprehensive. If you’re looking for something a little bit more basic, Zendesk offers more affordable options for smaller businesses.

• Essential — $5 per month per agent
• Team — $19 per month per agent
• Professional — $49 per month per agent
• Enterprise — $99 per month per agent
• Elite — $199 per month per agent

You can try any Zendesk software or support suite with a free trial. If you’re looking for a customized solution, contact the Zendesk sales team.

Salesforce Service Cloud (Best for field service agents)

Visit Salesforce

• Starts at $25/month
• Resolve cases quicker
• Streamline your on-site support
• Trusted by 150,000+ companies
• Get Started Now

Salesforce is an industry leader in sales CRM software. But they also offer tools and solutions for customer service. It’s trusted by 150,000+ companies across the world.

The Salesforce Service Cloud makes it easy for any business to build customer relationships while saving time and improving customer satisfaction. Brands like Yeti and Adidas are just a couple of well-known names that use this software.

Your customer service representatives will be able to resolve cases quicker with the insights and tools offered by Salesforce. The platform has a shared view of every customer interaction.

Set up self-service portals so your customers can access account information, view tutorials, and view knowledge base articles.

The Salesforce Service Cloud has capabilities to streamline your on-site support. Field service works, dispatchers, and on-site technicians can use these tools to resolve problems during the first visit.

Salesforce uses AI to predict recommendations and provide support with an intuitive chatbot service.

Let’s take a look at the plans and pricing for Salesforce Service Cloud:

Essentials — $25 per user per month

• Case management
• Service console apps
• Knowledge tools
• Telephony integration (CTI)

Professional — $75 per user per month

• All Essentials features
• Service contracts

Enterprise — $150 per user per month

• All Professional features
• Web services API

Unlimited — $300 per user per month

• All Enterprise features
• 24/7 support and configuration

All plans come with tools for collaboration, productivity, personalization, real-time insights, cross-sell and upsell tools, app integration, and solutions to automate processes.

Salesforce offers add-ons for things like field service workers, digital engagement, and location-based intelligence.

Groove (Best for small teams and growth startups)

Visit Groove

• Plans start at $9/month
• Team collaboration tools
• Customizable knowledge base
• Exceptional automation tools
• Get Started Now

Groove isn’t as popular and well-known as some of the other options on our list. But it’s still used by more than 10,000 businesses across 140+ countries.

If your company has outgrown email for customer support and you’re getting inquiries on multiple channels, Groove will be a top choice for you to consider.

This solution stands out from the crowd with its team collaboration tools. You can add internal private notes to discussions, quickly mention teammates to bring them in the loop, and assign specific tasks to members of the team.

Groove has exceptional automations to streamline your customer support. Set rules, tagging, canned replies, and custom folders with your preferences to eliminate busywork.

Another standout feature from Groove is the ability to customize your knowledge base. This is crucial for businesses that want to offer customer self-service tools.

The knowledge base themes are fully customizable, beautifully designed, and mobile responsive. Plans and pricing for Groove customer support software are as follows:

Starter — $9 per month per user

• One mailbox
• Knowledge base
• Live chat
• Web widget
• Assignments and mentions

Plus — $19 per month per user

• 5 mailboxes
• Full history of reports
• Rules
• API access
• 40+ integrations

Pro — $29 per month per user

• 25 mailboxes
• Teams
• WhatsApp and SMS
• Integrations with Salesforce, HubSpot, and Jira

Company — Custom pricing

• Unlimited mailboxes
• Priority support
• Dedicated customer support manager
• SSO/SAML
• Enterprise-level security

I’d recommend Groove for small teams and startups. In fact, they have a special startup rate for businesses with less than ten employees. Eligible businesses can get a 93% discount off of the Pro plan.

Help Scout (Best for nonprofits)

Visit Help Scout

• Plans start at $20/month
• Certified B corporation
• High-quality software
• Used by 10,000+ businesses
• Try for Free

Help Scout is another lesser-known solution on our list. But with that said, it’s still a high-quality software for customer service. It’s used by 10,000+ businesses worldwide.

Help Scout is unique because it’s a Certified B corporation. They strive to make a positive impact on the environment and communities. So they go the extra mile to support organizations that share the same values.

If you have a nonprofit that supports human rights, environmental sustainability, or underrepresentation in tech, Help Scout will provide a significant discount on your customer service software.

Some of you might even be eligible for discounts of up to 100%. That’s right—free.

Even if you don’t fall into one of those categories, Help Scout is still a top solution for customer service. Here’s a closer look at the plans and prices:

Standard — $20 per month per user

• Three mail boxes
• Beacon with live chat
• Messages for up to 10,000 customers
• Reports
• Automated workflows
• 50+ integrations

Plus — $35 per month per user

• 10 mailboxes
• Custom fields and teams
• Salesforce, HubSpot, and Jira apps
• HIPAA compliance
• SSO/SAML authentication

Company — Custom pricing

• Unlimited mailboxes and docs sites
• Flexible users
• Concierge onboarding
• Dedicated account manager
• Enterprise-grade security

The rates above are based on an annual contract. Month-to-month plans are available for an additional fee. You can try Help Scout for free with a 15-day trial.

How to Choose the Best Customer Service Software For Your Business

What’s the best customer service software for your business? There are certain features and considerations to keep in mind as you’re evaluating different options.

This is the methodology that we use and recommend here at Quick Sprout.

Number of Agents

How big is your customer service team? Companies with five service reps won’t need the same software as a business with 50 agents.

Larger teams need features for things like collaboration and role-based ticketing, but that won’t be necessary for a smaller business.

Customer Communication Method

How are customers currently reaching out to your service team? How do you want them to do so moving forward?

There’s a software for everything. Whether it’s email, live chat, chatbots, or support tickets, you can find a solution to meet your needs. There are even tools for social media integration so all of your messages, including DMs and comments, can be managed from a single dashboard.

Feature Bundles

Every customer service software on our list does an exceptional job of marketing its top features. But with that said, you should only focus on the features you need the most.

For example, are you looking for customer service software specifically for live chat? LiveAgent will be a top choice for you. If you want a solution for your field service agents, use Salesforce Service Cloud. There are even tools for customer service, sales, and marketing CRM built into single product bundles.

My suggestion is this. Identify the features you definitely need. Then look for the right plan that has all of those features.

Price

The price for customer service software varies on a wide range of factors. Lots of solutions charge you based on the number of customer service agents on your team.

Available features in your package will also have a significant impact on what you pay.

Customer service is definitely not something you should skimp on. It’s ok to spend money. But with that said, not all of you need to go overboard. Small businesses, startups, and nonprofits with smaller teams can use free customer service software without compromising quality.

Conclusion

Every business must prioritize customer service. These are the top eight customer service software solutions on the market today:

• Zoho Desk — Best customer service software for ticketing.
• HubSpot — Best free customer service software and product bundles.
• LiveAgent — Best customer service software for live chat support.
• Freshdesk — Best customer service software if you’re switching from another platform.
• Zendesk — Best customer service software with support suite options available.
• Salesforce Service Cloud — Best customer service software for field service agents.
• Groove — Best customer service software for small teams and growth startups.
• Help Scout — Best customer service software for nonprofits.

Use this guide to help you find the best solution for your business. I made sure to include something for everyone on my list.

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The Best EMR Systems

Want to jump straight to the answer? The best electronic medical record system is AdvancedMD. Read on to find out why. 

No matter the size of your practice, you need a good electronic medical record (EMR) system.

Having digital, searchable, and constantly accessible information about each patient in the practice helps medical professionals make the best healthcare decisions for their patients in the shortest amount of time possible.

Protecting this sensitive data is important too, and the best EMR systems keeps data safe, while making it easily accessible to the people who need it. Proper documentation leads to a more efficient billing system and reduced time spent on paperwork as well.

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Here is our collection of the best EMR systems currently on the market, as we aim to help you find the right system for the needs of your particular practice.

The 10 Best Electronic Medical Record Systems

The 10 best EMR systems are:

• AdvancedMD
• Athena Health
• CareCloud
• Greenway Health Intergy
• Kareo
• NextGen Healthcare
• Sevocity
• TheraNest
• Virence Health Centricity
• WebPT

Keep reading to find our in-depth reviews of each one.

1. AdvancedMD

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• For any size practice
• Detailed scheduling interface
• Prescription tracking
• Many customizable features
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Regardless of whether you need basic or advanced features in your EMR, AdvancedMD has you covered.

It is versatile enough to fit the needs of many different practices.

The primary dashboard available through AdvancedMD does require some work to learn to use well, but once you figure this system out, you’ll be able to do some impressive things to help your practice operate more efficiently.

Pros

• Detailed scheduling interface
• Versatile EMR for multiple sizes of practices
• Plenty of customizable features
• Excellent prescription tracking capability

Cons

• Requires some time to learn to use it efficiently
• Price is a little higher than some others

2. Athena Health

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• Web-based EMR
• Easy to learn and use
• Best for small practices
• Wide range of features
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Small and average sized practices often need an easy-to-use EMR system, as they may not have the time or personnel required to do a deep drill down into a complex piece of software. The AthenaHealth EMR fits this need. It’s fully web-based, so it will work for the practice where personnel use a variety of types of input devices.

Pros

• Extremely easy to learn to use
• Scheduling features are easy to sort and customize
• Web-based EMR is compatible with many kinds of devices
• Good customer service

Cons

• Not made for large sized practices
• Because it’s web-based, you’ll need strict access security measures in place

3. CareCloud

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• Easy to use
• Up-to-date interface
• Track your patient flow
• Very competitive pricing
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The CareCloud EMR interface gives you the ability to clearly determine how the patient flows through your practice, helping you spot potential bottlenecks. It is a web-based service, so you can use it with any input devices. This system does a good job keeping up with changes in healthcare laws and rules, providing adaptability within the interface.

Pros

• Up-to-date interface is easy to use
• Strong at tracking patient flow
• Very competitive pricing
• Regularly tweaked to match new healthcare regulations

Cons

• May be too simplistic for larger practices
• Small practices must subscribe to Concierge service

4. Greenway Health Intergy

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• Reasonably priced
• Highly flexible
• Outstanding customer service
• Multiple training options
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Some medical practices tackle a large number of different types of cases and patients, and they may need a highly customizable EMR to fit their needs. The Intergy EMR from Greenway Health is the answer, as its system is highly flexible. It may take you awhile to figure out all of the different aspects of Intergy, but it’s definitely worth the time spent.

Pros

• Highly flexible EMR system
• Nice collection of shortcuts to streamline work
• Outstanding customer service and training options
• Reasonable pricing tiers

Cons

• Interface could use an update
• Will take some time to learn all of the custom options

5. Kareo

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• Made for smaller practices
• Good support & training
• Reasonably priced plans
• Very easy to use
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For those practices that need ease of use above all else, the Kareo EMR is a smart choice. This system’s interface is a little older than some others, but it still will work nicely for small and average sized practices. Those working at your practice will be able to pick up the basics of the EMR quickly, allowing for you to be up and running with very little time spent.

Pros

• Made especially for smaller sized practices
• Very easy to use
• Pricing is reasonable
• Good support for implementation and training

Cons

• Interface seems a little dated
• Not really made for large or complex practices

6. NextGen Healthcare

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• Easy to start using quickly
• Multiple customization options
• Excellent staff training
• Excellent customer service
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For average and smaller sized practices, NextGen has the kind of customer support that these practices often need. A practice of this size may not have the tech staff required to run training and other services, but the NextGen customer service and training capabilities are extremely strong. Should your practice need to customize a certain aspect of the EMR, this is relatively easy with the NextGen EMR.

Pros

• Excellent customer service and training
• System is easy to start using quickly
• Offers multiple customization options
• Has some very low priced tiers

Cons

• Not powerful enough for large practices
• Takes a bit of time to learn the system’s nuances

7. Sevocity

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• Best for smaller practices
• Extremely easy to use
• Basic customization features
• 24/7 customer service
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The Sevocity EMR has quite a few good features for small and mid-sized practices, but it likely will not be powerful enough to meet the needs of larger practices. The interface in this EMR is extremely easy to use, and you can perform basic customization features. The customer service people are available 24 hours a day.

Pros

• Very good customer service features
• Offered at a desirable price point
• Features are easy to use
• Especially good for smaller practices

Cons

• May not have enough customization for large practices
• Some training features are lacking

8. TheraNest

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• 100% web-based
• Mobile app option
• Client access portal
• Minimal learning curve
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For practices that need to be able to access the EMR interface using multiple types of devices, TheraNest is a smart choice. You can use a traditional computing system to run TheraNest, or you can access it with smartphone apps. It even has a client portal to allow clients to schedule their own appointments or to submit forms.

Pros

• Includes a mobile app option
• All information is web-based
• Includes a client access portal
• Learning curve is less than some other EMRs

Cons

• Some pricing tiers seem a bit high
• Security measures needed for fully web-based system will be off-putting for some practices

9. Virence Health Centricity

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• Easy to use & navigate
• Multiple tracking features
• Well-designed mobile app
• Good all-around EMR
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For small to medium sized practices, Centricity from Virence Health is an ideal option. It has multiple features that give smaller practices the ability to track data in a similar manner to what a larger practice traditionally has been able to do. Centricity has a mobile app, so personnel at a medical practice can use it in the manner that makes the most sense to them.

Pros

• Good all-around EMR
• Software is easy to navigate
• Works especially well for small and average sized practices
• Includes a well-designed mobile app

Cons

• Its customization features may not be good enough for large practices
• Pricing is a little high

10. WebPT

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• Made for outpatient practices
• Easy to use interface
• Access through mobile devices
• Extremely reasonably priced
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For practices that specialize in outpatient services, including occupational, speech, and physical therapy, WebPT has a platform that’s ready to use. This is a web-based solution, so personnel at the practice can access it using a multitude of devices. It has a strong customer service reputation, offering access to support at any time.

Pros

• Extremely reasonably priced
• Made specifically for outpatient practices
• Includes access through mobile devices, if needed
• Interface makes it easy to spot the information you need

Cons

• Some aspects of the software are restrictive in how you must enter data
• Not going to work as well for inpatient types of practices

How to Choose The Best EMR System For You

Finding the best electronic medical records system for your particular practice becomes easier when you focus on the specific needs of your practice. Figure out which areas of your practice need the most help, and focus on an EMR system that excels in those areas.

Here are 10 of the areas we weighed when creating our list of the best EMR systems.

1. Automatic Reminders

A big part of managing a patient’s care is maintaining a regular schedule of appointments. With certain EMR systems, you can set up an automatic reminder system that alerts the patient about upcoming appointments or about reminders to set an appointment. The EMR system could send a text message, make an automated call, or send an email to the patient, depending on the patient’s preference.

Automatic reminders will save time for the staff at the practice, freeing them up for other tasks. These reminders also reduce the number of appointments that patients forget about and miss, which makes your practice more efficient.

2. Scanning Documents

By selecting an EMR system that allows for document scanning, you will be able to match whatever needs your billing system requires for supporting documentation for claims.

Rather than submitting these documents via fax, printout, or email, you can simply digitize them and add them to the patient’s EMR. Should the billing service need these documents for an insurance claim, they will be readily available, eliminating wasted time and the potential for lost documents.

3. Sending Prescriptions

Within the majority of EMR systems, you will have the option of submitting patient prescription drug orders electronically to the pharmacy, using an e-prescription system.

Sending prescriptions electronically is safe and efficient, ensuring that the order for controlled substances travels only to the patient’s pharmacy of choice, eliminating the chance of the patient losing a handwritten prescription.

With an e-prescription, you also eliminate the chance of an error at the pharmacy because of unreadable handwriting on the part of a doctor.

4. Specialty Practices

If your practice has a specific area in which it operates, you may need to track atypical data about patients.

You may need an EMR system that gives you the ability to customize data fields and to adjust how the system stores the data. A vendor may need to help you customize the system after installation, so if you have special needs for tracking data, always ask the vendor about how it handles this type of situation.

In other cases, the vendor may have a specialty specific EMR system or add-on service that will perfectly meet your needs. Tracking this type of information can be a significant hindrance to your practice when you must do it by hand, so having an EMR system that can match your specific needs is incredibly important.

5. Systems Integration

If your EMR system has the ability to integrate with multiple systems already in use at your practice, this streamlines record keeping.

This feature is especially important for meshing the EMR system with the billing system you have in place, for example. Whether your practice sends its billing information to an outside service or does billing in-house, having integration between the EMR system and the billing system saves quite a bit of time and reduces coding errors.

Should your practice have an affiliation with a larger network, such as a hospital, integrating your EMR with the hospital’s system simplifies the patient care process. The EMR vendor can help you figure out how its system may be able to integrate with other systems you already have in place.

6. Task Reminders

Every medical practice has hundreds, if not thousands, of mundane tasks to perform on a daily basis. Whether you’re awaiting results from tests sent to an off-site lab or you need reminders to check with other colleagues about a patient’s status, certain EMR systems make this process far easier than others.

With timestamp deadlines attached to the various reminders, a doctor can be certain to have all of the required tasks finished regarding a certain patient’s case before it’s time for the patient’s appointment. With the tasks finished ahead of time, the doctor will not waste time searching for information or making calls while the patient sits idle in the exam room.

7. Template Creation

Say your practice sees a certain type of disease or condition on a regular basis in the community. With the right EMR system, the medical team could create a template that contains information about treating the particular condition, ensuring that all of the doctors and nurses follow the same steps.

This saves time in treating this common condition, while also reducing the possibility of mistakes.

8. Tracking Patient Flow

Something that you may not think about when comparing EMR systems is the way they can track patients flowing through your office.

For example, you don’t want patients occupying exam rooms waiting for a certain doctor, when that doctor cannot see the patient for at least 45 minutes, leaving other patients stuck in the waiting room, rather than being in an exam room, receiving treatment from other doctors.

Your EMR system may be able show exactly where bottlenecks are occurring in the patient flow in your office, helping you become more efficient. However, this is not a feature that all EMRs will provide in an easy-to-understand manner.

9. Tracking Prescriptions

When you have patients who take multiple prescription drugs, keeping on top of potential side effects and drug interactions is a time consuming process. Before the advent of EMR systems, the patient may have given a hand-printed list of drugs to the doctor for inclusion in the patient file. The list may or may not have been accurate or up to date.

By selecting an EMR system that allows prescription drug tracking within the patient’s records, spotting drug interactions will be easier and will occur in a timely manner. Doctors also can see any drugs the patient has tried in the past that did not work or that created unwanted side effects, avoiding trying those drugs again in the future.

Additionally, should a patient show an allergy to a certain class of drug, this information is readily available to the doctor in the digitized patient record. No longer will the doctor need to rely on a patient’s memory regarding drug allergies, which may lead to errors.

10. Vendor Responsiveness

Picking the right vendor is an extremely important part of choosing the EMR system as well. Even if the EMR system is great, it will be nothing but a headache for your practice if the vendor support is not up to par.

Some practices need more responsiveness from the vendor than others. Some practices want to be able to access help or to ask questions of the vendor any day of the week and any time of the day. Others may be able to live with a vendor that’s only accessible during normal working hours.

If your practice does not have a person or department that handles IT, you may be able to hire a vendor that can deliver these features for you.

Summary: Finding the Best EMR Systems

Although you will find some vendors attempting to use the terms EMR and EHR (electronic health records) interchangeably, they technically have a few differences that you should understand.

• EMR systems: With an EMR system, a single practice will digitize the patient’s chart. This includes all of the information about the patient’s medical history from doctors at the practice only.
• EHR systems: With an EHR system, you’ll have the digitized patient chart found in EMR, but you’ll find records from all doctors who have treated the patient. Multiple practices may share the patient’s EHR with each other.

The EMR system simplifies the ability of a single practice to care for the patient, helping the practice send out reminders to the patient for upcoming tests or health screenings. Finding just the right EMR system will produce significant benefits for patients and for those working in your practice, making the process of caring for patients more streamlined and more successful in the long run.

Compare Quotes From The Best Electronic Medical Record Systems

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