Help Scout

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{{Infobox company

| name = Help Scout PBC

| logo = Help_Scout_Company_Logo.png

| type = Private

| industry = Software, SaaS

| founded = {{Start date and age| 2011|04|17}}

| founders = Nick Francis, Jared McDaniel, Denny Swindle

| hq_location_city = Boston, Massachusetts

| products = Help Scout Help Desk, Docs, Beacon

| services = Help desk software, email management, support automation

| num_employees = 100

| website = [https://www.helpscout.com/ www.helpscout.com]

}}

Help Scout, legally Help Scout PBC, is a global remote company headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts,[https://techcrunch.com/2011/10/08/help-scout-draws-funding-to-bring-affordable-email-collaboration-and-support-to-startups/ Help Scout Draws Funding To Bring Affordable Email Collaboration And Support To Startups.] TechCrunch. 2011-10-08. specializing in help desk software. The company provides an email-based customer support platform, a knowledge base tool, and an embeddable search/contact widget for customer service professionals. Help Scout's primary product is a web-based SaaS (software as a service) help desk that complies with HIPAA regulations.{{Cite web|url=http://docs.helpscout.com/article/330-hipaa|title=Help Scout and HIPAA - Help Scout Support|last=Scout|first=Help|website=docs.helpscout.com|access-date=2017-02-23}}{{Cite news|url=https://qz.com/715291/farm-to-keyboard-why-software-is-the-next-craft-industry/|title=Farm to keyboard: why software is the next "craft" industry|newspaper=Quartz|access-date=2017-02-22|language=en-US}}

Founded in 2011, the company serves over 10,000 customers across more than 140 countries, including notable clients like Buffer,{{Cite news|url=https://buffer.com/respond/blog/7-tools-buffer-use-for-respond-customer-support-and-customer-development-twitter|title=Respond by Buffer {{!}} The 7 tools we use for support and customer development|newspaper=Respond By Buffer|access-date=2017-02-22|language=en}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.fastcompany.com/3023367/8-essential-online-tools-for-getting-more-work-done|title=8 Essential Online Tools For Getting More Work Done|date=2013-12-13|newspaper=Fast Company|access-date=2017-02-23|language=en-US}} Basecamp, Trello,{{Cite news|url=http://blog.trello.com/trello-helpscout-integration|title=How The Help Scout Integration For Trello Is Transforming Support Teams|last=Cervino|first=Brian|access-date=2017-02-22|language=en}} Reddit, and AngelList. Help Scout transitioned to a fully remote company in 2020, with over 100 employees living in more than 80 cities worldwide.{{Cite news|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/karenhigginbottom/2016/05/13/how-agile-working-has-impacted-our-workspace/#179fee807a2c|title=How Agile Working Has Impacted Our Workspace|last=Higginbottom|first=Karen|newspaper=Forbes|access-date=2017-02-22}}{{Cite news|url=http://www.inc.com/aaron-ohearn/the-right-way-to-build-a-remote-culture.html|title=The Right Way to Build a Remote Culture|date=2017-03-18|newspaper=Inc.com|access-date=2017-02-22|language=en}}{{Cite news|url=http://pajamas.io/becca-van-nederynen-help-scout/|title=Becca Van Nederynen - Help Scout - Remote Work Interview|date=2015-08-24|newspaper=Pajamas|access-date=2017-02-22|language=en}}{{Cite web|url=https://zapier.com/learn/remote-work/remote-employee-evaluation/|title=How Successful Remote Teams Evaluate Employees: A look inside Automattic, GitHub and Help Scout - The Ultimate Guide to Remote Work - Zapier|last=Zapier|website=zapier.com|access-date=2017-02-22}}

History

Help Scout was created in 2011 as a pivot from Brightwurks, a web design and consultancy firm previously founded by Nick Francis,{{Cite web|url=https://fromfoundertoceo.com/145-nick-francis/|title=145 — Nick Francis|website=From Founder to CEO|date=13 September 2016 |language=en-US|access-date=2017-02-23}} Jared McDaniel, and Denny Swindle. The company was publicly launched during their participation in Techstars Boston, a startup accelerator program.{{Cite web|url=https://thenextweb.com/insider/2011/07/22/frugality-and-determination-make-help-scout-a-startup-to-watch/#.tnw_a78i0xho|title=Frugality and determination make Help Scout a startup to watch|last=McCarty|first=Brad|website=thenextweb.com|date=22 July 2011 |language=en-us|access-date=2017-02-22}}

Features and technology

= Help Desk=

Help Scout's support software operates like a shared email inbox. The platform enables large teams to provide customer support via email using their tool.{{Cite web|url=https://lewiscroft.com/blog/stuff-we-like-help-scout/|title=Stuff We Like: Help Scout – Lewis Croft|website=lewiscroft.com|language=en-US|access-date=2017-03-15}} It integrates with live chat, phone systems, CRMs, and email marketing tools.{{Cite news|url=http://www.betaboston.com/news/2015/08/28/user-testing-that-mixes-cocktails-and-coding/|title='Drunk user testing' mixes cocktails and coding|access-date=2017-02-22|language=en-US}}

=Docs=

In addition to the help desk platform, Help Scout offers Docs, a self-service knowledge base as a feature in 2013.{{Cite web|url=https://www.helpscout.com/knowledge-base/|title=Knowledge Base Software {{!}} Help Scout|last=Scout|first=Help|website=Help Scout|language=en|access-date=2017-02-22}} Exporting documents requires API access and programming knowledge; there is no export to ZIP file containing HTML source code/CSS/assets, or PDF offerings at this time.{{Cite web |title=Data Export Options - Help Scout Support |url=https://docs.helpscout.com/article/466-data-export-options |access-date=2024-03-07 |website=docs.helpscout.com}}

=Beacon=

Help Scout's embeddable widget, Beacon, provides users on a website with quick access to Docs and/or serves as a contact form.{{Cite web|url=https://www.helpscout.com/embed-tools/|title=Beacon {{!}} Help Scout|last=Scout|first=Help|website=www.helpscout.com|language=en|access-date=2017-02-22}}

=Mobile=

Help Scout launched its iOS app{{Cite web|url=https://apps.apple.com/us/app/help-scout/id966327660|title=Help Scout on the App Store|website=App Store|language=en|access-date=2017-02-22}} in January 2016 and its Android app{{Cite web|url=https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.helpscout.android&hl=en|title=Help Scout - Android Apps on Google Play|website=play.google.com|language=en|access-date=2017-02-22}} in February 2017.

Open source contribution

One of the developers at Help Scout created an open-source CSS framework used to style their marketing website. Named Seed, this framework is written using Sass and follows the BEM and ITCSS naming architecture. It employs modern JavaScript-like methodologies for scoping, modularization, and dependency management. More information and Getting Started documentation can be found at seedcss.com.[https://developer.helpscout.com/seed/]

Work culture

Help Scout operates as a fully remote company,{{Cite news|url=https://worldwide101.com/blog/6-companies-who-rocked-remote-workflow-in-2016/|title=6 Companies Who Rocked Remote Workflow in 2016|date=2017-01-31|newspaper=Move Your Business Forward {{!}} Worldwide101 Blog|access-date=2017-02-23|language=en-US}} utilizing video communication for company-wide updates.{{Cite news|url=https://www.business.com/articles/tired-of-endless-meetings-video-might-be-the-answer/|title=Tired of Endless Meetings? Video Might be The Answer|newspaper=business.com|access-date=2017-02-22}} The company's sales team operates under a non-commission structure with fixed salaries.{{Cite web|url=http://bostinno.streetwise.co/2017/01/20/commission-vs-non-commissioned-sales-ideologie/|title=Commission Vs. No Commission: Sales Pros Take Sides|website=BostInno|access-date=2017-02-23}}

Branding

Help Scout's original logo was a literal Help Scout (akin to a Boy Scout) before changing to a medal, then a laurel wreath, and the present-day three diagonal lines which denote the initials HS (Help Scout).{{Cite news|url=https://www.helpscout.com/blog/brand-evolution/|title=The Evolution of the Help Scout Brand|last=Scout|first=Help|newspaper=Help Scout Blog|access-date=2017-02-22|language=en}}

Awards, recognition, and philanthropy

In December 2011, Help Scout participated in a fundraising initiative for Acumen, a charity fighting poverty, donating over $100,000 from the sale of a poster featuring Steve Jobs' quote “Here’s to the crazy ones.”{{Cite web|url=https://thenextweb.com/shareables/2011/12/06/heres-to-the-crazy-ones-gets-its-own-beautiful-letterpress-poster-to-benefit-charity/#.tnw_cswfytEe|title="Here's to the crazy ones" gets its own beautiful, letterpress poster to benefit charity|last=McCarty|first=Brad|website=thenextweb.com|date=6 December 2011 |language=en-us|access-date=2017-02-22}}{{Cite web |title=The Road to Growth - Help Scout |url=http://www.mbbp.com/cases/helpscout |access-date=2017-02-22 |website=www.mbbp.com |language=en}}

In November 2015, Help Scout was named by AppStorm as one of six customer service software offerings to delight customers on Mac.{{Cite web|url=http://mac.appstorm.net/roundups/slick-customer-service-software-for-mac-to-delight-your-clients/|title=Slick Customer Service Software For Mac To Delight Your Clients « Mac.AppStorm|website=mac.appstorm.net|access-date=2017-02-22}} That year, it was also recognized as a “marketing tool to know” by Business2Community{{Cite news|url=http://www.business2community.com/brandviews/campaign-monitor/100-awesome-marketing-tools-know-01386522#DiEA7pScYpkgKsLK.97|title=100 Awesome Marketing Tools You Should Know|newspaper=Business 2 Community|access-date=2017-02-22}} and a “game-changing software solution” for startups by Business.com.{{Cite news|url=http://www.business.com/technology/game-changing-software-solutions-to-power-your-startup/|title=11 Game-Changing Software for Startups - business.com|newspaper=business.com|access-date=2017-02-22}} In 2016, BostInno’s listed Help Scout among the “16 Boston Startups To Watch in 2016”.{{Cite web|url=http://bostinno.streetwise.co/2015/12/08/top-boston-tech-startups-16-to-watch-in-2016/|title=16 Boston Startups to Watch in 2016|website=BostInno|access-date=2017-02-22}}

Help Scout's work culture and job descriptions have also been acknowledged, winning the “Best Job Description” award from The Workies Awards by Workable in 2015.{{Cite web|url=http://smallbiztrends.com/2016/01/teaser-emails.html|title=Managing the Double-Edged Sword of Teaser Emails|website=smallbiztrends.com|date=19 January 2016 |language=en-US|access-date=2017-02-22}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.searchenginejournal.com/origin-stories-powerful-blogs-help-scout-went-zero-250k-visitors-per-month/130576/|title=How Help Scout Went from 0 to 250K Visitors a Month {{!}} SEJ|date=2015-05-13|newspaper=Search Engine Journal|access-date=2017-02-22|language=en-US}}{{Cite news|url=https://blog.workable.com/workies-winners-recruitment-strategies-2015/|title=2015 Workies Award Winners: The Best Recruitment Strategies|date=2015-12-11|work=Inside Workable - news, company announcements, new features from Workable|access-date=2017-03-15|language=en-US}}