Gladly - Detailed Review
Business Tools
Gladly - Detailed Review Contents
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Gladly - Product Overview
Gladly Overview
Gladly is an AI-powered customer service software that stands out for its people-centric approach, rather than the traditional ticket-based system. Here’s a brief overview of its primary function, target audience, and key features:Primary Function
Gladly is designed to manage customer interactions across various channels, including voice, email, SMS, live chat, and social media. It focuses on creating a single, lifelong customer conversation, integrating all interactions into one continuous record centered around the customer, rather than individual tickets or cases.Target Audience
Gladly primarily serves business-to-consumer (B2C) companies, particularly those in the retail and consumer goods sectors. Its client base includes well-known brands such as Nordstrom, Warby Parker, Crate & Barrel, Ralph Lauren, and Ulta Beauty.Key Features
Omnichannel Support
Gladly natively supports multiple communication channels like voice, email, SMS, chat, and social messaging, eliminating the need for separate integrations.Customer-Centric Approach
The platform organizes customer interactions into a single, lifelong conversation, allowing agents to recognize customers individually and build deep connections.AI and Automation
Gladly offers two main products: Gladly Hero, which supports human customer service agents with AI capabilities like conversation summarization and reply suggestions, and Gladly Sidekick, an AI and automation platform for consumer self-service.People Match and Skills
The platform intelligently routes customers to agents based on their current situation, lifetime value, and wait times, and assigns skills to agents to enhance the resolution of customer issues.Proactive Engagement
Features include proactive chat, voice, SMS, and email to provide timely updates and messages to customers without manual intervention.Self-Service Tools
Gladly includes a knowledge base, help center, and FAQs accessible through the Glad App, enabling customers to find answers and self-serve.Liveboards and Reporting
The platform offers live updates on contact center performance and trending topics, along with customizable reporting through Insight Builder. By integrating these features, Gladly helps businesses provide a more personalized and efficient customer service experience, fostering loyalty and improving customer satisfaction. Gladly - User Interface and Experience
User Interface Overview
The user interface of Gladly, an AI-driven customer service platform, is crafted to be intuitive, user-friendly, and highly integrated, ensuring a seamless experience for both customers and agents.
Integrated Channels
Gladly consolidates multiple communication channels into a single platform. This includes voice, IVR, text/SMS, chat, and social media platforms like Facebook Messenger and Instagram Messaging. This integration allows agents to switch between these channels effortlessly, providing a cohesive and efficient customer interaction experience.
Customer-Centric Design
The platform centers every interaction around the customer, rather than individual tickets. This approach ensures that agents have access to comprehensive customer histories, enabling them to resolve issues more effectively and create personalized interactions. The UI is designed to display all customer order and interaction information in one place, making it easier for agents to provide informed and meaningful support.
Ease of Use
Gladly is praised for its ease of use. Agents find the platform incredibly easy to operate, which translates into favorable customer interactions. The interface is organized and streamlined, allowing agents to quickly access the information they need to handle customer inquiries efficiently. The implementation process is also thorough, ensuring a smooth transition for teams adopting the platform.
AI-Driven Features
The platform leverages AI to streamline routine inquiries, allowing agents to focus on high-value interactions such as cross-selling and upselling. AI-generated content is configured to align with specific brand guidelines, ensuring accuracy and relevance. This integration of AI enhances the overall quality of customer service and maintains brand integrity.
Glad App
The Gladly App is an embeddable UI element that can be integrated into a company’s website. It allows customers to search for answers or initiate chats with agents directly. The app provides quick reply options and enables customers to view FAQs, promoting self-service and efficient routing to the right agents.
User Experience
The overall user experience is highly positive. Customers appreciate the seamless and efficient interactions across various channels, while agents benefit from the comprehensive customer profiles and the ability to manage multiple channels from a single interface. Reviews highlight that Gladly has significantly improved response times and efficiency, transforming customer service into a more engaging and effective process.
Conclusion
In summary, Gladly’s user interface is characterized by its integration of multiple communication channels, customer-centric design, ease of use, and effective use of AI to enhance customer interactions. These features combine to provide a superior user experience for both customers and agents.
Gladly - Key Features and Functionality
Gladly Overview
Gladly, an AI-powered, people-centered Customer Service Platform, offers a range of features and functionalities that enhance customer service experiences. Here are the main features and how they work:All-in-One Communication Channels
Gladly integrates multiple communication channels natively, eliminating the need for separate vendors. This includes:Voice
Built-in voice support with no third-party integration required.IVR
A fully customizable Interactive Voice Response system.Text/SMS
Support for customer interactions via text and SMS.Chat
Live chat on your website, allowing customers to search public FAQs through the Glad App.Social
Support on popular social platforms like Facebook Messenger and Instagram Messaging.AI and Automation
Gladly incorporates AI through its Gladly Sidekick, which is an AI and automation platform. This AI works side-by-side with agents to:Automate Responses
Handle a significant portion of support inquiries automatically, freeing agents for more complex issues.Assist Agents
Act as a co-pilot to agents, reducing response times by drafting accurate answers and providing instant support.Smart Traffic Management
Gladly allows for the automatic routing of conversations between AI and live agents based on specific needs. This includes:Automated Routing
Route conversations to either AI or live agents depending on the nature of the inquiry and the availability of agents.Load Management
Ease the agent load during peak times, such as holiday rushes, or enable AI support during off hours.Contextual Support
Gladly ensures that all interactions are unified into a single, lifelong conversation, providing:Seamless Experiences
Customers have personalized experiences across all channels, driving faster resolutions and deeper connections.Contextual Callback
Even through voicemail, Gladly offers the opportunity to resolve customer issues before calling them back.Agent Tools and Efficiency
Several features are designed to enhance agent productivity and effectiveness:Agent Status
Agents can track their workday by selecting a status that reflects their current tasks.Skills
Agents are assigned skills to ensure customers are routed to the most knowledgeable agent for their issue.Quick Reply
Customers are given specific options via buttons in the Glad App to route them to the right agent or enable self-service.Knowledge Base and FAQs
Gladly’s Answers feature empowers agents and customers by providing high-quality, consistent help information across all channels. This includes:FAQs
Customers can search public FAQs through the Glad App.Knowledge Base
The platform can power FAQs on the Help Center and Glad App, ensuring consistent information.Dedicated Hero and VIP Support
For high-touch, VIP customers, Gladly offers:Dedicated Hero
Assigning these customers their own agent or team of agents for personalized, white-glove service.Integration Capabilities
Gladly has a long list of integration partners, including integrations with AI tools like Gleen AI and Guru:Gleen AI
Integrates to resolve up to 70% of tickets automatically, handle support inquiries across multiple channels, and provide real-time support with zero-hallucination AI.Guru
Allows agents to search Gladly’s data for AI-generated answers, build a cohesive knowledge base, and access instant answers within their workflow.Reporting and Analytics
Gladly’s Insight Builder enables users to build custom reports to answer business questions, and the platform intelligently routes customers based on their current situations, lifetime value, and wait times using People Match. These features collectively ensure that Gladly provides a comprehensive, AI-driven customer service platform that enhances efficiency, accuracy, and customer satisfaction. Gladly - Performance and Accuracy
Performance and Accuracy Evaluation of Gladly
Gladly, in the business tools AI-driven product category, has several limitations and areas for improvement that become apparent when evaluating its performance and accuracy.Limited Multichannel Support
Gladly faces challenges in managing communication across all channels seamlessly. This lack of centralized control can lead to fragmented customer interactions, where inquiries might be misplaced or mishandled. This fragmentation can result in inconsistent and ineffective customer service experiences, potentially leading to customer dissatisfaction.Knowledge Management Capabilities
Gladly lacks robust knowledge management features, such as a comprehensive knowledge base, advanced search functionalities, and various knowledge formats. This shortfall makes it difficult for agents to access relevant information quickly, which can prolong resolution times and sometimes lead to inaccurate responses. Effective knowledge management is crucial for maintaining high agent productivity and providing better customer service.Automation and Self-Service
While Gladly has some basic automation features like automated ticket routing, it lacks sophisticated automation capabilities such as complex workflows or advanced AI-based responses. This limitation increases manual labor and slows down response times. Additionally, the lack of solid self-service options forces users to rely more heavily on support staff, which can increase the workload and potentially delay resolutions.Analytics and Reporting
Gladly’s analytics and reporting tools are limited, making it challenging to gain a thorough understanding of customer interactions and support effectiveness. Without detailed analytics, monitoring key metrics like response times, initial contact resolution rates, and customer satisfaction ratings becomes difficult. This lack of in-depth reporting capabilities can lead to inefficiencies and lower customer satisfaction.Integration Facilities
Gladly’s integration options are not as extensive or customizable as those of its competitors. With fewer than 50 pre-built integrations, businesses may face inefficiencies, data silos, and disjointed processes, ultimately impacting productivity. This limited integration capability can be a significant barrier for scaling businesses.AI-Powered Agent Assist Tools
Gladly lacks essential AI-powered agent assist tools such as ticket summaries, article generators, voice transcripts, and sentiment analysis. These tools are crucial for boosting agent productivity and efficiency. Without them, agents have to handle more manual tasks, which can slow down support and hurt overall efficiency.Collaboration and External Stakeholder Involvement
Gladly’s collaboration features are limited to licensed users only, which can hinder external stakeholder involvement. This restriction can lead to fragmented teamwork and longer resolution times, potentially frustrating customers with longer wait times.Performance and Reliability
Users have reported several performance issues with Gladly, including bugs that inhibit the software’s performance. Common problems include calls dropping without warning, chats not loading, and incoming calls not appearing on the agent’s screen. These issues can significantly impact the speed and reliability of customer service operations.Conclusion
In summary, while Gladly offers some useful features for customer service, it has several significant limitations that can affect its performance and accuracy. Addressing these areas, particularly in multichannel support, knowledge management, automation, analytics, and integration capabilities, would be essential for improving its overall effectiveness. Gladly - Pricing and Plans
Plans and Pricing
Hero Plan
- Price: $180 per user per month, billed annually.
- Minimum Requirement: 10 users.
- Features:
- Multi-channel communication (email, chat, telephony, SMS, social messaging)
- Unified customer view with one conversation history across all channels
- People Match® to match customers with the right agents
- Centralized knowledge base
- Real-time and historical reporting
- Seamless integration with existing apps
- Gladly Sidekick (AI-powered chatbot)
- Usage-based charges for assisted conversations ($0.60 per conversation, with a minimum volume commitment).
Super Hero Plan
- Price: $210 per user per month, billed annually.
- Minimum Requirement: 45 users.
- Features:
- All features included in the Hero Plan
- Custom reporting
- Premium support
- 99.9% uptime
- 5 distinct inboxes
- 2 Docs knowledge bases with restricted access
- 25 free light users
- Advanced permissions and tracking with custom fields
- Group users into teams
- AI summarize and AI assist
- Custom reports with unlimited history
- Integrations with Salesforce, Jira, and HubSpot.
Additional Plans and Options
Task User Plan
- Price: $38 per user per month.
- Features: Assign internal tasks, follow-up reminders, proactive scheduling, and task alerts. Task users can see the complete customer conversation history but are not customer-facing agents. This plan requires a subscription to the Support Hero plan.
Free User Plan
- Price: Free.
- Features: Viewing access to all customer information, liveboard access to monitor day-to-day contact center activity, and access to real-time metrics and detailed historical reports. This plan also requires a subscription to the Support Hero plan.
Free Trial and Free Plan
Gladly does not offer a free trial or a free plan. However, you can request a free demo to explore the features of the platform. Gladly - Integration and Compatibility
Integrations
Gladly boasts a comprehensive integration ecosystem that allows it to connect with various external systems. Here are some key integration points:App Marketplace
Gladly has an open marketplace with numerous apps built by third parties. These apps cover a broad spectrum of functionalities, including eCommerce order platforms, workforce management tools, AI/automation, quality management, customer satisfaction tools, loyalty systems, and product reviews. This marketplace enables seamless integration with these apps to centralize customer data and actions.OOTB (Out Of The Box) Integrations
Gladly offers pre-built integrations that require minimal setup and maintenance. These integrations are configured through the Gladly UI and include partners like Shopify, Netomi, and Stella. These OOTB integrations link partner apps to Gladly using a Lookup Adaptor, making it easy to display relevant customer data in a profile through Transaction Cards.Custom Integrations
For more customized needs, Gladly supports integrations using APIs and webhooks. The implementation team can assist in setting up these custom integrations to suit specific business requirements.Compatibility Across Platforms and Devices
Gladly is designed to be compatible with a variety of platforms and devices to ensure smooth operation:Operating Systems
Gladly is compatible with Windows 7 and later versions, as well as Mac OSX. For VM environments, it is necessary to configure Browser Redirection to enable Voice delivery over webRTC.Browser Compatibility
Gladly is exclusively compatible with Google Chrome, and users must ensure they have the latest version installed. Running Gladly on multiple browser tabs is not recommended as it can lead to undesired behaviors.Hardware Requirements
For optimal performance, Gladly recommends specific hardware specifications, including an Intel Core i3 processor, 4 GB of RAM, and a 64-bit system. For agents using Gladly Voice, hands-free headphones with a microphone are recommended. The platform operates best with screen resolutions of 1280px or wider, with suggested screen sizes ranging from 13.3 inches to larger for the best UI experience.Channels and Data Integration
Gladly simplifies managing multiple communication channels by integrating them into one platform. This includes chat, self-service options, and a unified knowledge system that works across all channels. The platform also ensures that customer data is centralized, providing a full customer view that integrates with other business systems. In summary, Gladly’s integration capabilities are extensive, allowing businesses to connect various systems and tools seamlessly. Its compatibility with specific operating systems, browsers, and hardware ensures that the platform operates efficiently across different environments. Gladly - Customer Support and Resources
Gladly Support Overview
Gladly, an AI-driven customer service platform, offers several comprehensive customer support options and additional resources to ensure users can effectively utilize and troubleshoot the software.Contacting Gladly Support
To contact Gladly Support, administrators and team managers can follow these steps:- Log into your Gladly account to access the Support form.
- Complete the Support form with detailed descriptions of the issue to facilitate quick resolution.
- Select the correct Application Component Affected and Business Impact priority level to ensure the request is routed to the appropriate team.
Support Operating Hours
Gladly Support is available from Monday to Friday, 6 AM to 6 PM Pacific Time. While you can submit requests at any time, the response times vary based on the priority level:- Critical Business Impact: 1 hour for Premium users.
- Major Business Impact: 4 hours for Premium users.
- Partial Business Impact: Next business day for Premium users.
- Minimal Business Impact: 3 business days for Premium users.
Additional Resources
FAQs and Documentation
Gladly provides a range of FAQs and documentation resources to help users resolve common issues. These include guides on how to prevent Gladly emails from going to spam, troubleshooting the Support form not loading, and other technical issues.Help Center
The Help Center offers detailed information and guides on various aspects of the software, including setup, usage, and troubleshooting. This resource is invaluable for users looking to resolve issues independently or gain a deeper understanding of the platform’s features.Training and Onboarding
While the interface and workflow of Gladly may differ significantly from traditional ticket-based systems, the platform is designed to be user-friendly. However, teams transitioning from other systems may require additional training time to adjust to the people-centered approach of Gladly.Features and Integrations
Gladly integrates with various third-party applications such as Shopify, Medallia Agent Connect, Klaviyo, and more, which can be beneficial for users seeking to enhance their customer service operations. The software also offers features like omnichannel support, CRM integration, and AI-powered responses to streamline customer interactions.User Feedback and Reviews
Gladly’s customer reviews highlight its strengths in providing a people-centered approach, efficient service, and innovative features. However, some users note that it may lack deeper reporting and analytics features compared to traditional ticket-based systems. This feedback can be helpful for potential users in assessing whether Gladly aligns with their specific needs. By leveraging these support options and resources, users can maximize the benefits of Gladly’s customer service platform and address any issues that may arise efficiently. Gladly - Pros and Cons
Advantages of Gladly
Gladly, a people-centered customer service platform, offers several significant advantages that make it a standout in the business tools and AI-driven product category.People-Centric Approach
Gladly organizes customer interactions around the individual, rather than by ticket or case number. This approach allows agents to view a customer’s entire history across all channels in a single thread, enabling more personalized and continuous support.Efficient Service
The platform streamlines customer service by integrating all communication channels, such as email, SMS, chat, and social media, into one unified view. This integration helps agents respond efficiently and reduces the need for customers to repeat themselves.Team Collaboration and Productivity
Gladly enhances team collaboration by providing a comprehensive view of customer interactions, which helps agents work more effectively together. The platform also includes features like a centralized knowledge base and real-time reporting, which boost productivity.AI-Powered Solutions
Gladly incorporates AI through its Sidekick feature, which is a customer-centric AI chatbot. This chatbot can handle complex interactions, trigger events, and solve issues at AI speed, freeing up live agents to focus on more complex and personalized tasks.Integrations and Compatibility
The platform integrates with many popular apps, including Salesforce, Jira, and HubSpot, providing additional functionality and ensuring seamless communication across different systems.Cost-Effective
Gladly’s pricing model, which includes all channels without limiting the number of customers or interactions, can be more cost-effective compared to traditional ticket-based systems that often charge based on the number of tickets.Disadvantages of Gladly
While Gladly offers numerous benefits, there are also some notable drawbacks to consider.Limited Reporting and Analytics
One of the main drawbacks is that Gladly lacks some of the deeper reporting and analytics features available in more traditional ticket-based systems. This can be limiting for teams that heavily rely on detailed performance metrics.Training Time
The unique people-centered design of Gladly may require more training time for teams transitioning from ticket-based systems, as the interface and workflow differ significantly.Technical Issues
Some users have reported glitches and technical issues, such as tickets being routed back to the wrong agent after being declined. These issues can disrupt the workflow and require adjustments in how tickets are assigned.No Free Trial or Mobile Apps
Gladly does not offer a free trial or mobile apps, which can be a disadvantage for smaller organizations or those who prefer to test the product before committing to a purchase.Steep Pricing
While Gladly can be cost-effective in the long run, its pricing plans, starting at $180 per user per month, can be steep for smaller organizations. In summary, Gladly is an excellent choice for businesses that prioritize building strong customer relationships and providing personalized support. However, it may not be the best fit for organizations that require extensive reporting and analytics or have limited budgets. Gladly - Comparison with Competitors
Unique Features of Gladly
- Customer-Centric Approach: Gladly is distinct in its focus on the customer rather than tickets. It consolidates all customer interactions into a continuous, lifelong conversation, enhancing personalization and agent empowerment.
- AI-Powered Responses: Gladly uses AI to provide engaging, conversational responses to routine queries, freeing up live agents for more complex tasks. Its AI chatbot, Sidekick, can handle complex interactions and trigger a sequence of steps without needing live agent intervention.
- Omnichannel Support: Gladly offers seamless engagement across multiple channels, including live chat, email, and social media, ensuring a unified view of customer interactions.
- Integrations: Gladly integrates with a wide range of third-party applications such as Shopify, Medallia Agent Connect, Klaviyo, and more, providing additional functionality and streamlining operations.
Alternatives and Comparisons
Zendesk
- Features: Zendesk is a robust option with features like multichannel support, self-service options, advanced analytics, and third-party integrations. It is more suited for large enterprises due to its extensive feature set and higher pricing.
- Pricing: Starts at $19 per agent/month for the Support plan and $49 per agent/month for the Suite plan. Zendesk can feel bulky and complex, and its evolution is slow due to its size.
- Comparison: While Zendesk offers more features, it may not be as user-friendly or affordable for small to medium-sized businesses compared to Gladly.
Freshdesk
- Features: Freshdesk is known for its simpler and more straightforward interface, offering tools for better collaboration with field service teams and auto-assignment of requests based on agent skills. It is part of the Freshworks suite, which includes marketing and sales features.
- Pricing: Freshdesk pricing is competitive, but it doesn’t offer an all-in-one integration solution like Gladly.
- Comparison: Freshdesk is a strong alternative for those needing large enterprise features but may lack the seamless integration and customer-centric focus of Gladly.
Reamaze
- Features: Reamaze is specifically designed for businesses with online stores, integrating well with ecommerce solutions like Shopify and WooCommerce. It offers multi-channel support, live chat, and a customer community portal.
- Comparison: Reamaze is ideal for ecommerce businesses but may not offer the same level of AI-powered responses or comprehensive customer history as Gladly.
Enchant
- Features: Enchant is designed for ease of use and offers a range of features to manage customer service. It has an intuitive interface, workflow customizations, and built-in automation and collaboration tools. Enchant is more flexible and affordable compared to Gladly.
- Comparison: Enchant is a good alternative for teams looking for a more affordable and user-friendly solution, but it may not have the same level of AI integration or enterprise-grade features as Gladly.
Other Considerations
- Pricing: Gladly’s pricing starts at around $180-$210 per month, with no free trial or plan available. This can be a barrier for smaller organizations.
- User Experience: Gladly’s interface is modern and intuitive, focusing on providing a comprehensive view of customer interactions. However, it lacks mobile apps, which could be a drawback for some users.
Gladly - Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions about Gladly
How Do I Block or Stop Customers from Contacting Us?
If you need to block or stop customers from contacting you, such as in cases of abusive customers or spam, Gladly provides several methods to achieve this. You can manage this through specific settings that allow you to block certain customers. For more detailed steps, you can refer to the FAQ section on the Gladly website, which outlines the process for blocking or stopping customer contacts.Why Am I Getting an “Unstable Internet Connection Error” Message?
This error can occur due to several reasons, including issues with your internet connection, browser compatibility, or other technical problems. Gladly recommends checking your internet connection and ensuring you are using a compatible browser, such as Chrome, as Gladly is not compatible with other web browsers. For more specific troubleshooting steps, you can check the FAQ section on the Gladly website.How Do I Add a User and Assign an Admin Role or Remove a User?
To add a user, assign an admin role, or remove a user, you need to access the user settings page within Gladly. Here, you can manage user roles, deactivate users, assign users to inboxes, and perform other user management tasks. Detailed instructions are available in the user settings section of the Gladly documentation.Why Did I Receive a Chat While I Was on a Phone Call?
You should not receive chats or other messaging requests while you are on a phone call. However, if this happens, it might be due to a misconfiguration or an overlap in your availability settings. Gladly’s system is designed to prevent this, but if it occurs, you can check the FAQ section for troubleshooting steps or adjust your availability settings accordingly.How Do I Adjust the Time-Out Setting to Be Longer When Reviewing Interactions?
To adjust the time-out setting for reviewing interactions, you need to manage your Agent Idle Timing and Active Status settings. This allows you to set a longer time-out period so you can review interactions without being marked as inactive. You can find the steps to adjust these settings in the Gladly documentation.Is Gladly Compatible with Grammarly?
Gladly does not officially support Grammarly. While you might still be able to use Grammarly in some capacity, it is not a supported integration, and you should check the compatibility and any potential issues that might arise from using it with Gladly.How Do I Delete a Customer Profile, Attachment, or Conversation Item?
To delete customer data, such as profiles, attachments, or conversation items, you need to follow the data retention and deletion settings within Gladly. This ensures you comply with privacy and data regulations. Detailed instructions on how to configure these settings are available in the Gladly documentation.How Can I View Daily Contact Center Performance Trends in Gladly?
You can view daily contact center performance trends using the Daily Trends Dashboard in Gladly. This dashboard provides a quick glance at your contact center’s performance, allowing you to monitor key metrics and trends. For more information, you can refer to the section on the Daily Trends Dashboard in the Gladly documentation.What Are Gladly’s Core Routing Concepts?
Gladly’s core routing concepts involve intelligent routing mechanisms such as People Match and Skills, which help route customers to the most appropriate agents based on their current situation, lifetime value, wait times, and more. You can learn more about these concepts and how they work in the Gladly documentation section on routing concepts.How Do I Set Up SMS So That Carriers Don’t Block Me?
To set up SMS in a way that prevents carriers from blocking your messages, you need to comply with SMS industry guidelines. Gladly provides guidance on SMS compliance requirements, which include understanding and adhering to specific rules and best practices to ensure your messages are delivered successfully. These questions and answers should help you get started with using Gladly effectively and address some of the common issues or queries users may have.