Helpshift raises $23 mn from investors

Helpshift is a SaaS-based platform that works as a support desk for mobile app

Helpshift, a Pune-based firm that has raised $23 million (Rs 150 crore) in Series-B funding.

The investments came from new investors Microsoft Ventures, Salesforce Ventures, and existing firms Intel Capital, Nexus Venture Partners, True Ventures and Visionnaire Ventures.

Helpshift has built a software kit that goes inside mobile apps of customers such as Microsoft, Zynga, Virgin Media and Western Union. It sorts customer queries through built-in answers and escalates complaints based on priority to higher levels. The company, which processes the data on the cloud, provides a dashboard to customer agents handling these queries in real time.

It works on a pay-as-you-use model for global customers. Founded in 2012, it has so far raised $36.2 million.

“Consumers are tired of waiting for support agents to get back to them and companies are tired of staffing expensive support teams to answer common, or even predictable, problems in the first place. People want immediate help, wherever they are, especially when using mobile applications,” said Abinash Tripathy, chief executive and co-founder of Helpshift.

Customer support on the Microsoft Outlook and Salesforce app is provided by Helpshift. It plans to set up a development centre in Bengaluru.

The company said the software was installed in apps of 1.3 billion devices, making it among the few companies in India that work on such a scale.

“Helpshift has been a great partner for Microsoft and our investment today represents our confidence in their messaging-based approach to customer service,” said Nagraj Kashyap, corporate vice-president, Microsoft Ventures.

“Businesses everywhere are moving away from e-mail and embracing intuitive in-app support as the future.  It plans to set up a development centre in Bengaluru.

The company claimed that the software was installed in apps of 1.3 billion devices, which would make it among the few companies in India that work on such a scale.

“Helpshift has been a great partner for Microsoft and our investment today represents our confidence in their messaging-based approach to customer service,” said Nagraj Kashyap, corporate vice-president, Microsoft Ventures.

“Businesses everywhere are moving away from e-mail and embracing intuitive in-app support as the future.