📚 Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. What is Help Scout?
3. Features of Help Scout
- Shared Inbox
- Custom Folders
- Email Statuses
- Assigning Emails
- Closed Folder
- Search Function
- Collision Detection
- Previous Conversations
- Customer Properties
- Saved Replies
- Doc
- Manual Workflows
- Automatic Workflows
- Mailbox Settings
- Beacon
- Messages
4. Benefits of Help Scout
- Increased Efficiency
- Improved Communication
- Reduced Email Volume
- Better Customer Service
5. Pros and Cons of Help Scout
6. Highlights
7. FAQ
1. Introduction
In today's fast-paced world, communication is key. This is especially true for educational institutions that need to communicate with students, staff, and alumni on a regular basis. Help Scout is an all-in-one tool that can help educational institutions communicate with their stakeholders more efficiently and effectively. In this article, we will explore the features of Help Scout, its benefits, and its pros and cons.
2. What is Help Scout?
Help Scout is a communications tool that offers a shared email inbox to assist teams in communicating with students, staff, or alumni all in the same place. It also allows institutions to offer live chat as well as other help tools like an FAQ site. Help Scout is designed to make it easy for multiple team members to answer emails sent into an address simultaneously.
3. Features of Help Scout
Shared Inbox
The main feature of Help Scout is its shared email inbox. This allows multiple team members to work out of the same inbox simultaneously.
Custom Folders
Help Scout comes with default folders, but custom folders can also be created to organize certain types of emails.
Email Statuses
Help Scout has four statuses for emails: active, pending, assigned, and closed. Active is the default status whenever a new email comes in. Pending is typically used for when an email is on hold. Assigned emails show up in the assigned folder for each team member. Closed emails are resolved and not expected to be worked on anymore.
Assigning Emails
Specific emails can be assigned to individual team members. Assignments are visible and captured in the reporting section.
Closed Folder
The closed folder shows any email that is closed out.
Search Function
Help Scout has a search function that allows users to search for specific emails.
Collision Detection
Help Scout has a collision detection feature that helps keep everyone on the team from stepping on each other's toes.
Previous Conversations
The previous conversations feature allows users to look at other times that either themselves or their teammates have communicated with a person.
Customer Properties
Help Scout has a customer properties feature that allows users to save custom information about anyone inside their Help Scout account.
Saved Replies
Saved replies are templates for common responses to frequently asked questions.
Doc
Doc is Help Scout's knowledge-based tool that allows users to easily build out an FAQ site.
Manual Workflows
Manual workflows help users group a bunch of actions together to run on their command.
Automatic Workflows
Automatic workflows are more complex but will save teams a lot of time in their day-to-day work.
Mailbox Settings
Mailbox settings are distinct, so users can run several different mailboxes in one Help Scout account.
Beacon
Beacon is an embeddable widget that can be put on a website. It has four main functions: contact form, live chat, help articles, and messages.
Messages
Messages is a part of Beacon that allows users to proactively message website visitors.
4. Benefits of Help Scout
Increased Efficiency
Help Scout can help increase efficiency by allowing multiple team members to work out of the same inbox simultaneously.
Improved Communication
Help Scout can improve communication by providing a shared inbox and other communication tools.
Reduced Email Volume
Help Scout can reduce email volume by allowing users to create an FAQ site and use other self-service options.
Better Customer Service
Help Scout can improve customer service by providing a shared inbox and other communication tools.
5. Pros and Cons of Help Scout
Pros
- Shared inbox
- Custom folders
- Search function
- Collision detection
- Previous conversations
- Customer properties
- Saved replies
- Doc
- Manual workflows
- Automatic workflows
- Beacon
- Messages
Cons
- Can be overwhelming for new users
- Some features may require technical knowledge
6. Highlights
- Help Scout is an all-in-one tool that can help educational institutions communicate with their stakeholders more efficiently and effectively.
- Help Scout offers a shared email inbox, live chat, and other communication tools.
- Help Scout can reduce email volume by allowing users to create an FAQ site and use other self-service options.
- Help Scout can improve customer service by providing a shared inbox and other communication tools.
7. FAQ
Q: What is Help Scout?
A: Help Scout is a communications tool that offers a shared email inbox to assist teams in communicating with students, staff, or alumni all in the same place.
Q: What are the features of Help Scout?
A: Help Scout has many features, including a shared inbox, custom folders, email statuses, assigning emails, closed folder, search function, collision detection, previous conversations, customer properties, saved replies, doc, manual workflows, automatic workflows, beacon, and messages.
Q: What are the benefits of Help Scout?
A: Help Scout can increase efficiency, improve communication, reduce email volume, and improve customer service.
Q: What are the pros and cons of Help Scout?
A: The pros of Help Scout include a shared inbox, custom folders, search function, collision detection, previous conversations, customer properties, saved replies, doc, manual workflows, automatic workflows, beacon, and messages. The cons of Help Scout include being overwhelming for new users and some features requiring technical knowledge.
Q: How can Help Scout help educational institutions?
A: Help Scout can help educational institutions communicate with their stakeholders more efficiently and effectively by providing a shared inbox, live chat, and other communication tools. It can also reduce email volume by allowing users to create an FAQ site and use other self-service options.
