We tested every major AI support platform. From $0.99 per resolution to $70,000 contracts. Here's what actually works in 2026.
What is B2B Customer Service?
B2B customer service (Business-to-Business customer service) is the support, guidance, and relationship management a company provides to other businesses, not individual consumers. It covers everything from onboarding and technical support to account management, renewals, and long-term success planning.
Unlike B2C support, B2B customer service is high-touch, long-term, and strategic.
B2B Customer Service Meaning (In Simple Terms)
B2B customer service means helping another company succeed using what you sold them.
That help might include:
- Technical troubleshooting
- Dedicated account managers
- Training and onboarding
- Custom solutions
- Ongoing performance reviews
- Fast escalation for critical issues
If B2C support is a help desk, B2B support is closer to a partnership.
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How many support tickets do you receive per month?
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Including salary, benefits, overhead
Percentage of tickets AI can handle
Compare All Major Platforms
| Platform | Starting Price | AI Pricing | RAG Support | Agentic AI | Hallucination Control | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Zendesk
Enterprise Leader
|
$55/agent/mo | +$50/agent + $1.50/res | ✓ Advanced | ✓ Yes | ✓ Strong | Large-scale operations |
|
Intercom
AI Pioneer
|
$29/seat/mo | $0.99/resolution | ✓ Excellent | ✓ Yes | ✓ 96% Accuracy | SaaS & Digital |
|
Salesforce Service Cloud
|
Custom | Agentforce included | ✓ Yes | ✓ Advanced | ~ Good | CRM-integrated support |
|
Freshdesk
Value Leader
|
$15/agent/mo | $29/agent + sessions | ✓ Yes | ~ Basic | ~ Moderate | Growing SMBs |
|
Ada
|
$30k+/year | Volume-based | ✓ Yes | ✓ Excellent | ✓ Strong | High-volume automation |
|
Gorgias
E-commerce
|
Ticket tiers | $0.90-$1/resolution | ~ Basic | ✓ Yes | ~ Moderate | Shopify merchants |
|
Tidio
|
Free / $39/mo | Included in plans | ~ Basic | ~ Limited | ✗ Basic | Small businesses |
|
HubSpot Service Hub
|
$90/seat/mo | Breeze AI included | ✓ Yes | ~ Growing | ~ Good | Unified CRM users |
Zendesk
The Scalable Enterprise Standard
Zendesk remains the benchmark for enterprise support operations. Its unified Agent Workspace aggregates all channels - email, chat, voice, social - into one interface. The Advanced AI add-on transforms it from a ticketing system into an autonomous resolution engine, though at a significant cost.
See Zendesk's AI in Action
AI Agent verifying order status, checking shipping API, and preparing resolution...
Pricing Complexity Decoded
Suite Team
- ✓ Email, chat, voice channels
- ✓ Basic automation
- ✗ No advanced AI
Suite Professional
- ✓ All Team features
- ✓ SLA management
- ✓ Custom roles & permissions
Advanced AI Add-on
- ✓ Intelligent triage
- ✓ Agent Copilot
- ✓ Generative procedures
Resolution Pricing
- ⚠ Charged per successful resolution
- ⚠ Can spike during outages
- ✓ Unmatched scalability - handles millions of tickets without breaking a sweat
- ✓ True omnichannel with unified context across all touchpoints
- ✓ 1,000+ integrations via marketplace for any tech stack
- ✓ Enterprise-grade security and compliance (HIPAA, GDPR)
- ✓ Advanced AI with strong RAG implementation
- ✗ Very expensive - full AI features can cost $165+/agent/month
- ✗ Complex setup requires significant configuration time
- ✗ Per-resolution pricing adds unpredictable costs
- ✗ Overkill for small teams - designed for scale
Intelligent Triage
AI routes tickets based on sentiment and intent
Agent Workspace
Unified view of all customer interactions
Generative Procedures
AI executes complex workflows autonomously
Advanced Analytics
Real-time insights and forecasting
Intercom
The AI-First Conversational Platform
Intercom has successfully pivoted from chat widget to comprehensive AI platform. Its Fin AI agent sets the standard for conversational AI with industry-leading accuracy and actionability. The per-resolution pricing model aligns costs with value but introduces budget volatility.
Experience Fin's Intelligence
Sources: Export Guide (Article #234), Account Management (Doc #567)
- ✓ Fin AI has 96% resolution accuracy with strong RAG architecture
- ✓ Highly actionable - executes API calls and complex workflows
- ✓ Beautiful, modern interface loved by agents and customers
- ✓ In-app messenger provides contextual support
- ✗ $0.99 per resolution can lead to budget surprises
- ✗ Requires base seats ($29-132) plus AI costs
- ✗ Resolution definition disputes can occur
- ✗ Less suited for traditional ticket-based workflows
Freshdesk
The Value-Driven Alternative
Freshdesk positions itself as the user-friendly, affordable alternative to Zendesk. It delivers enterprise features like SLA management and skill-based routing at mid-market prices. Freddy AI offers modular pricing that's more predictable than per-resolution models.
- ✓ Excellent value - enterprise features at SMB prices
- ✓ Session-based AI pricing more predictable than per-resolution
- ✓ Quick setup with minimal configuration needed
- ✓ Strong free tier for up to 10 agents
- ✗ AI capabilities less sophisticated than leaders
- ✗ Session consumption can be opaque
- ✗ Limited advanced automation compared to enterprise tools
Gorgias
Built for E-commerce Excellence
Gorgias dominates the e-commerce support space with unmatched Shopify integration. Agents can modify orders, process refunds, and update shipping without leaving the platform. The "double billing" model requires careful cost management during peak seasons.
- ✓ Unmatched e-commerce integration - modify orders directly
- ✓ Revenue dashboard shows support's impact on sales
- ✓ Purpose-built for high-velocity retail support
- ✗ Double billing - automated tickets count against plan AND cost extra
- ✗ Can become very expensive during sales/holidays
- ✗ Limited use outside e-commerce vertical
Tidio
SMB-Friendly AI Support
Tidio has captured the SMB market with transparent, predictable pricing and a plug-and-play AI agent. Lyro can be trained on your website in minutes. While less sophisticated than enterprise tools, it delivers solid automation at a fraction of the cost.
- ✓ Transparent pricing - no hidden costs or surprises
- ✓ 5-minute setup with website scraping
- ✓ Free tier with 50 AI conversations
- ✓ Perfect for small businesses getting started
- ✗ Limited advanced AI capabilities
- ✗ Basic RAG implementation
- ✗ Lacks enterprise features like HIPAA compliance
AI Resolution vs. Deflection Simulator
See the real impact of different AI strategies on your support metrics
Find Your Perfect Support Platform
Answer 3 questions to get a personalized recommendation
What type of business are you?
E-commerce
Online retail, Shopify, DTC brands
SaaS/Tech
Software, apps, digital services
Enterprise
Large company, complex needs
SMB/General
Small to medium business
What's your support volume?
< 1,000/month
Just getting started
1,000-10,000
Growing steadily
10,000+
High volume operation
What's most important to you?
Cost Control
Predictable, affordable pricing
AI Power
Maximum automation
Ease of Use
Quick setup, simple operation
Ready to Transform Your Support Operations?
The shift from deflection to resolution is here. Whether you need enterprise scale or SMB simplicity, there's an AI platform ready to revolutionize your customer experience. Use our tools above to find your perfect match.
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