Customer Support as a Service: Top Providers for 2025
What Exactly is Customer Support as a Service - SaaS or CSaaS?
Customer Support as a Service (CSaaS), also known as Support as a Service (SaaS—not to be confused with Software as a Service), refers to outsourcing customer support operations to a third-party provider.
This service provider specializes in managing customer inquiries, technical issues, onboarding, and more. These providers act as an extension of your company, typically offering multichannel support via email, chat, phone, and social media.
Five main reasons for acquiring customer support as a service.
- 24/7 Support: CSaaS providers offer round-the-clock coverage when in-house teams can’t.
- Multilingual Support: Global teams ensure smooth communication across languages.
- AI Integration: Deploy chatbots and voice assistants for instant, automated responses.
- Peak Season Coverage: Handle traffic spikes without delays or extra hiring.
- Scalable Teams: Easily scale support up or down based on demand.
Tools and Platforms for Customer Support as a Service (CSaaS)
There are several key questions to consider when implementing Support as a Service:
- Will you need to purchase software subscriptions, or does the CSaaS provider handle that?
- How will they integrate with your existing support systems?
- Can you fully outsource support, or will you still need an in-house team?
- Do you need a separate partner for AI-powered tools? And most importantly—what will it cost?
To help you answer these, we’ve compiled a list of top Support as a Service providers.
1. PartnerHero + Crescendo.ai
Two CSaaS powerhouses, Crescendo.ai and PartnerHero, have joined forces in a recent acquisition.
Crescendo.ai is known for its advanced AI-driven tools—chatbots, voice assistants, and automated email support—while PartnerHero is a customer support outsourcing company, bringing a global team of 3,000+ support agents, CX specialists, compliance experts, and QA professionals.
This strategic merger has created one of the most comprehensive CSaaS platforms, delivering end-to-end support with 24/7 global coverage in 50+ languages via email, chat, phone—powered by both cutting-edge AI tools and expert human support.
Pricing: Per resolution pricing, which includes everything, from AI tools to support reps, implementation, QA, skill-based routing, compliance, software licensing, knowledgebase management, reports, insights, and everything else. No add-ons, no hidden costs.
Best for: Businesses looking for a fully managed CSaaS provider to handle all aspects of customer support, offering a complete hands-off outsourcing experience.
2. Gorgias
Gorgias is not a typical outsourcing solution. It provides support as a service by using conversational AI to automate your support tickets up to 50%. This CSaaS platform is tailored specifically for e-commerce brands.
Gorgias empowers in-house or hybrid teams with tools that automate up to 50% of common support tasks. It integrates seamlessly with Shopify, BigCommerce, and Magento. It also pulls customer data directly into the helpdesk for fast, personalized responses across email, chat, SMS, Facebook, and Instagram.
Pricing: It costs $169/mo, which includes 300 helpdesk tickets (150 manual and 150 automated with AI). It also has less expensive plans if you require less automation.
Best for: E-commerce brands looking to automate customer support up to 50%, without hiring large teams—ideal for stores on Shopify or similar platforms.
3. Helplama
Helplama is a rising CSaaS provider offering flexible, on-demand customer support services tailored for startups and growing businesses.
Unlike traditional BPOs, Helplama focuses on simplicity and speed, providing trained, U.S.-based or offshore agents that can be onboarded in just a few days. They handle everything from live chat and email to phone support, without locking clients into long-term contracts. Helplama also offers tools for hiring, QA, and performance monitoring, making it easy to scale your support operations with minimal overhead.
Pricing: Flexible pay-as-you-go pricing. You pay only for the hours or workload needed—no setup fees, no long-term commitments, and full visibility into agent performance.
Best for: Startups and e-commerce brands that want fast, affordable support outsourcing with minimal risk and full control over quality.
4. SupportNinja
SupportNinja is a well-established CSaaS provider that helps fast-growing tech companies and startups scale their customer support without sacrificing quality.
SupportNinja offers a fully managed support solution, combining trained agents with back-office support, content moderation, and technical assistance. With a strong presence in the U.S. and the Philippines, they deliver 24/7 multichannel support across email, chat, and voice. Their services are tailored to each client’s needs, including onboarding, custom training, QA, and performance management, making them a reliable partner for high-growth companies.
Pricing: Custom pricing based on scope, team size, and complexity. Includes agent costs, training, reporting, and quality control. No upfront setup fees for long-term contracts.
Best for: Businesses that need scalable, high-quality outsourced support with flexibility. Please note that you still need to pay for the other tools, software licenses, onboarding and implementation, and other support-related requirements.
5. Freshdesk
Freshdesk by Freshworks functions as a Customer Support as a Service (CSaaS) platform by combining powerful helpdesk software with automation and AI-driven tools.
Freshdesk also integrates with AI-powered bots (Freddy AI) for instant responses and intelligent ticket routing.
While it doesn’t offer outsourced agents directly, it supports third-party BPO integrations, making it a flexible choice for companies looking to scale support. With its automation, SLA management, and analytics, Freshdesk acts as a robust foundation for delivering end-to-end customer support services.
Pricing:
Best for: Businesses that already have an in-house support team and require tools to help them manage support tickets across multiple channels—email, chat, phone, and social media—through a unified interface.
Questions to Ask to Choose a Right Support as a Service Provider
About the Service Offering
- What support channels do you cover? (Email, chat, voice, social media?)
- Do you offer 24/7 support and multilingual capabilities?
- Can you handle technical, billing, and Tier 2+ support?
- Do you provide both human agents and AI support tools?
- Is your support team shared or dedicated to my brand?
Onboarding & Integration
- How long does onboarding take? Does the onboarding cost extra fees?
- Do you integrate with our existing tools (e.g., Zendesk, Intercom, Shopify)?
- Who handles training, documentation, and knowledge base setup?
- Can you replicate our tone, brand voice, and workflows accurately?
Performance & Quality Control
- How do you ensure quality—do you have internal QA teams?
- What KPIs do you track and report? (CSAT, FRT, AHT, etc.)
- Will I have visibility into agent performance and ticket quality?
- How often do you provide reports or insights?
AI & Automation
- Do you offer AI chatbots or voice assistants as part of the service?
- How do you blend human and AI support for seamless handoffs?
- Is AI included in the pricing, or charged separately?
Pricing & Flexibility
- What’s your pricing model? (Per resolution, per agent, per hour?)
- Are there any setup fees, add-ons, or long-term contracts?
- How flexible is the contract—can I scale up or down as needed?
Security & Compliance
- Are you compliant with data regulations like GDPR or HIPAA?
- How do you handle sensitive customer data and access control?
Also, to gain valuable legal insights into selecting outsourcing partners, don't miss our article "Questions to Ask Your AI Customer Support Outsourcing Vendor," written by our legal counsel, Rachel Tobin.
Pros and Cons of Hiring a Customer Support as a Service Partner
Pros
1. Instant Scalability
A CSaaS partner allows you to scale your support operations on demand—whether you're dealing with a sudden surge in traffic or expanding to new markets. There’s no need to recruit, train, or onboard new agents internally. You get access to a flexible workforce that grows with your business.
2. 24/7 Multilingual Support
Most CSaaS providers operate across global time zones, offering round-the-clock customer service. They also have multilingual agents, making it easy to support customers in 50+ languages. This ensures a seamless experience for your international audience at any hour.
3. Access to Specialized Expertise
You get a ready-made team of experienced agents, CX strategists, QA specialists, and compliance experts. These professionals are trained to use industry tools and follow best practices. It’s like hiring an entire support department without the hassle of building one.
4. Lower Operational Costs
Outsourcing support significantly reduces costs tied to recruitment, salaries, infrastructure, and software. CSaaS providers often offer bundled pricing that covers everything—agents, tools, QA, and more. You also avoid hidden costs like training and attrition-related expenses.
5. Integrated AI & Automation
Many CSaaS partners come with built-in AI tools like chatbots, voice assistants, and auto-ticket routing. These tools help resolve queries faster and reduce workload on human agents. It enhances efficiency while maintaining high-quality, consistent support at scale.
Cons
1. Loss of Direct Customer Insight
When a third party handles your customer interactions, you may lose firsthand access to valuable feedback, pain points, and sentiment trends—insights that could influence product development and business strategy.
- How to deal with it: Get a customer support as a service (CSaaS) provider like Crescendo.ai that offers detailed customer insights using automated CSAT scores, sentimental analysis, and conversation transcript analysis. It also offers AI-powered recommendations to understand major issues customers are facing and how to deal with them.
2. Limited Brand Control
Even with training, outsourced agents may not fully capture your brand voice, tone, or values. Inconsistent communication can hurt customer trust and dilute brand identity.
3. Quality Risks
Not all CSaaS providers maintain high standards for hiring, training, or quality assurance. Without proper oversight, support quality may drop, leading to poor customer experiences.
- How to deal with it: Hire a CSaaS provider like Crescendo+ PartnerHero that has a large team of well-trained QA and CX experts on a global scale.
4. Security & Compliance Concerns
Outsourcing support means sharing access to customer data. If the provider lacks strong data protection practices or compliance certifications, you risk breaches and regulatory violations. At Crescendo + PartnerHero we take 100% responsibility for HIPPA and SOC2 compliance related to customer support.
5. Dependency on External Teams
Relying heavily on an external provider can create long-term dependency. Any change in their quality, pricing, or availability can directly impact your operations.
We're building the world's best customer experience platform.
Keep Reading
Sign up for our newsletter.
