Have you ever felt overwhelmed by customer inquiries flooding your inbox? Managing a steady stream of tickets can be daunting, but it’s a breeze with the right approach and tools.

HubSpot's Help Desk is a powerful tool that streamlines your customer service operations, enabling you to efficiently manage inquiries, track issues, and deliver prompt resolutions. 

However, simply having the right tool is not enough; it's essential to understand and implement best practices to truly master the art of handling help desk tickets.

This blog post will share game-changing tips to help you master HubSpot's Help Desk. We'll cover everything from organizing your inbox like a pro to leveraging automation that will save you tons of time and effort.

12 Best Practices to Master HubSpot Help Desk

Our previous guide explored the basics of setting up Tickets and Tasks in HubSpot, including automated ticket creation and customized pipelines. With those essentials in place, you're ready to unlock the platform's true potential and elevate your customer service operations.

1. Leverage Automated Ticket Creation

Juggling customer inquiries from multiple channels can be a real headache. That's why automating ticket creation is an absolute game-changer. 

With a few clicks, you can set up HubSpot to automatically create tickets for every email, chat, or social media message. 

Automated ticket creation also ensures consistency across the board. No more missing crucial customer details or issue information – HubSpot captures it all, leaving you with a complete picture every single time.

How to Automate Ticket Creation

Step 1: Connect a HubSpot Form

• Go to your HubSpot account and create a new form or edit an existing one. Ensure the form includes ticket properties (name, email, and issue description).
• Add this form to your knowledge base, website, landing pages, or external web pages.
• A new ticket will automatically be created in your conversations inbox when someone submits the form.

Step 2: Enable Email Ticket Creation

• Go to Settings (the gear icon in the main navigation bar) in your HubSpot account
• Navigate to Inbox > Inboxes. Find the team email account for which you want to enable ticket creation.
• Turn on the setting to "Create tickets from new incoming emails sent to this team email account."
• Any new emails sent to this account will automatically create a new ticket.

Step 3: Set Up Facebook Messenger Bot (Optional)

• If you use a connected Facebook Messenger account, create a new bot chatflow.
• In the chatflow builder, add the "Submit ticket" action.
• Configure the action to create a new ticket when someone interacts with the bot.

Step 4: Verify Connected Channels

• Go to Settings > Inbox > Inboxes.
• In the "Connected Channels" section, you'll see any channels connected to ticket pipelines.
• Click on the pipeline name to edit its settings or add new channels.

2. Customize Ticket Pipelines

Every business is unique, and your customer service workflow should reflect that. That's why HubSpot allows you to tailor ticket pipelines to match your specific processes, whether support, sales, or something entirely different.

You can define clear stages within these pipelines. Suddenly, it’s easy to visualize the progress of each ticket through its lifecycle, from the moment it lands in your inbox to the grand finale of a satisfied customer. It keeps everyone on the same page and ensures no ticket falls through the cracks.

How to Set Up and Customize Ticket Pipelines

Step 1: Create a New Pipeline

• Go to Settings (gear icon) > Objects > Tickets. Click on the "Pipelines" tab.
• Select "Create pipeline" from the dropdown. Enter a name for your new pipeline and click "Create."

Step 2: Add or Edit Ticket Statuses

• With your new pipeline open, you'll see the default statuses (New, Waiting on Contact, etc.).
• To add a new status, click "+ Add status" and enter a name. Then, select whether it's an open or closed status.
• To edit a status name, click on the existing name and type a new one. To reorder statuses, click and drag them to the desired position. To delete a status, hover over it and click "Delete" (you'll need to move any existing tickets first).
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Step 3: Customize Status Properties (Optional)

• Hover over the "Update status properties" column for status and click "Edit properties." 
• When moving a ticket to that status, check the boxes for any properties you want to require/display.
• Use the "Required" column to make a property required for that status. Drag properties around to reorder them. Then, click "Next."
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Step 4: Configure Team Access (Professional/Enterprise only)

• Go to Settings > Users & Teams.
• Select users for whom you want to edit permissions. Click "Edit permissions" > "CRM" tab.
• For the "Tickets" row, set View to "Team only" and uncheck "Unassigned." Click "Save."

3. Implement Smart Ticket Routing

Imagine a customer reached out with a question about your product's latest update. Their ticket lands in your inbox, but instead of you manually figuring out who's best equipped to handle it, HubSpot's smart routing system kicks into action.

You can route tickets to the most skilled agents based on their expertise. This skill-based routing ensures customer inquiries are matched with the best-suited agent to resolve the issue efficiently. 

You can create rules to route tickets to teams or individual agents based on specific skills, such as languages or specializations.

How to Route Tickets to Agents

• Step 1: Create and Manage Skills
• Go to Settings > Routing > Manage Skills. Review existing skills or create new ones (e.g., languages, specializations).
• Click "Create Skill" to add a new skill, and provide a name and category.

Step 2: Assign Skills to Agents

• Go to Settings > Users & Teams. Select an agent and click "Edit User."
• In the "Skills" tab, assign relevant skills (languages, custom skills) to the agent. Set their main language and secondary languages.
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Step 3: Create a Routing Ruleset

• Go to Settings > Routing. Click "Create Ruleset" and provide a name.
• Select the email or form channel (if in beta) for routing.

Step 4: Configure Routing Rules

• Enter a rule name. Add conditions based on ticket properties (e.g., language, product, etc.).
• Select the teams and/or skills to route matching tickets to.
• Save the rule and optionally create additional rules.

Step 5: Review and Activate Ruleset

• Review the configured rules in the ruleset.
• Once satisfied, activate the ruleset for the selected channel.

4. Utilize Knowledge Base Integration

Nobody wants to wait hours for responses from service agents for simple queries. That's where HubSpot's knowledge base integration comes into play, providing a game-changing self-service support experience for your team and customers.

You can integrate your existing knowledge base with your help desk tickets with just a few clicks. 

When a customer contacts you with an inquiry, your agents will have instant access to a treasure trove of relevant articles and resources at their fingertips. Your agents can also share self-help articles directly within their ticket responses. 

5. Prioritize with Automation

Some inquiries simply can't wait. That's why HubSpot's automated prioritization feature is an absolute must-have for any business that values efficiency and top-notch customer experiences.

With just a few simple rules, you can configure the system to automatically prioritize tickets based on urgency, impact, or customer segmentation. 

For example, you could set up a rule to flag all tickets from your VIP customers as high-priority, ensuring they receive immediate attention and lightning-fast resolution times.

By ensuring that high-priority issues are always at the top of the queue, you're providing an exceptional experience for your most valuable customers and contributing to faster resolution times across the board. 

6. Foster Internal Collaboration

Teamwork is crucial for customer service success. HubSpot's collaboration features help foster a seamless, united front when tackling tricky inquiries.

First, you can comment on activities within records. This allows your service agents to jot down thoughts, questions, or updates within each ticket. They can @mention other teammates and communicate directly on the ticket.

No more scrambling to piece together information from disparate emails or chat logs – everything you need is conveniently in one place.

Agents can share these insights with their teammates, quickly looping in a subject matter expert for their two cents or collaborating on a complex issue requiring multiple heads.

7. Integrate CRM for Holistic Insights

Integrating HubSpot's Help Desk with your HubSpot CRM can help you track your customers’ preferences and history.

Unifying your customer data across both platforms gives you a comprehensive, 360-degree view of every interaction, from sales conversations to support inquiries. This lets you provide personalized support tailored to your customer's needs and preferences.

For example, a long-time customer may contact you with an issue. With the CRM integration, your agent can instantly access their purchase history, past support interactions, and relevant notes or preferences. 

Armed with this context, they can deliver a support experience that feels warm, familiar, and tailored specifically to that individual customer.

8. Monitor Performance with Analytics

Knowledge is power, and when it comes to optimizing your customer service operations, HubSpot's analytics capabilities are an absolute goldmine. 

By regularly monitoring key performance metrics, you'll gain invaluable insights into what's working well and where there's room for improvement.

From response times and resolution rates to customer satisfaction scores, HubSpot's analytics tools comprehensively overview your team's performance.

Then, you can use these insights to drive continuous improvement. 

Let's say you notice that response times for a particular issue type are lagging. With this knowledge, you can take targeted action, such as providing additional training, reallocating resources, or implementing process improvements.

9. Proactive Customer Communication

You need transparency to build your customer’s trust in your brand. HubSpot's automated response and update features help keep your customers in the loop and ensure transparency and trust.

Picture a customer reaching out with an inquiry. Within moments, they receive an automated acknowledgment letting them know you’ve received and are working on their request. 

No more radio silence and endless waiting — just a reassuring message that sets the tone for a positive experience.

With HubSpot's automated updates, you can keep customers informed every step of the way, from ticket assignment and progress updates to final resolution.

10. Continuous Training for Agents

Your service agents are the frontline warriors with the tools to deliver exceptional experiences. Implement continuous training and skill development to maximize the potential of HubSpot's Help Desk capabilities.

By providing ongoing training opportunities, you'll empower your agents with the skills they need to navigate the platform like pros and foster a culture of continuous learning and improvement.

From in-depth workshops and hands-on sessions to easily accessible knowledge bases and online resources, the possibilities for agent development are endless. 

And let's not forget the power of peer-to-peer learning. Fostering an environment where agents can share their experiences, tips, and tricks can elevate the team's performance.

11. Regularly Review and Refine

In customer service, standing still is the quickest path to falling behind. You should regularly review and refine your ticketing processes to stay ahead of the curve and deliver exceptional experiences.

Establish a rock-solid feedback loop involving your service agents and customers. After all, who better to provide insights into what's working (and what's not) than the people who live and breathe these processes daily?

Imagine having a direct line to the front lines where agents can share their experiences, pain points, and suggestions for improvement. Combine that with customer feedback, and you have a goldmine of information to guide your refinement efforts.

But simply collecting feedback isn't enough — it's what you do with it that counts. Review this invaluable data regularly and use it to identify opportunities to streamline, automate, or enhance your ticketing practices. 

12. Foster a Customer-Centric Culture

Customer service is about putting your customers first. It's about anticipating their needs, exceeding their expectations, and fostering loyalty that turns one-time buyers into raving fans.

Fostering a customer-centric culture within your organization is crucial for truly mastering HubSpot's Help Desk capabilities. Encourage your service agents to adopt a mindset that places the customer at the center of every interaction, every decision, and every process.

Leverage the power of automation to turn this customer-centric philosophy into tangible action. Use HubSpot's tools to anticipate customer needs, provide personalized support, and deliver experiences that make customers feel truly valued and understood.

Unlock Exceptional Customer Experiences with HubSpot Help Desk

Mastering HubSpot's Help Desk is a journey that pays dividends in exceptional customer experiences, increased efficiency, and a competitive edge in today's customer-centric landscape. 

Implementing these best practices — from leveraging automation and knowledge base integration to fostering collaboration and continuous improvement — will equip your team with the tools and mindset to transform your customer service operations.

Delivering outstanding support isn't just about resolving issues; it's about building trust, fostering loyalty, and creating raving fans who will champion your brand.

Achieve HubSpot's Full Potential with Origin 63

The path to customer service excellence is within reach, but why go it alone? By partnering with Origin 63, an elite HubSpot Implementation Partner, you'll gain a trusted guide to navigate the intricacies of HubSpot's Help Desk and unlock its full potential for your business.

Origin 63's team of HubSpot experts will be by your side at every step, from initial implementation and customization to ongoing training and support. Their expertise ensures that your Help Desk is tailored to your unique processes.

Reach out to Origin 63 and take the first step towards unlocking a world of possibilities with HubSpot.