Short answer — pick tools by the task you want to automate. Below are the best-in-class options grouped by common customer‑service automation needs, with short reasons and real-world pointers so you can choose a stack quickly.

Ticketing / omnichannel helpdesk (core platform)

• Zendesk — mature, highly extensible ticketing + omnichannel inbox, AI add‑ons and analytics for routing/SLA automation. (techradar.com)
• Freshdesk (Freshworks) — easy setup, strong built‑in automation and Freddy AI copilot/self‑service for ticket triage, suggested replies and article generation. (freshworks.com)
• HubSpot Service Hub — integrated CRM + ticketing + simple automation/workflows; good if you want unified sales/service data. (hubspot.com)

Conversational AI / chatbots (frontline self‑service)

• Ada — enterprise-focused, omnichannel generative‑AI agents designed to resolve a high % of queries automatically and connect to backend systems. (ada.cx)
• Intercom (Resolution Bot / Custom Bots) — flexible no‑code bots that can call APIs/custom actions to resolve order status, account lookups, etc. Good for in‑app/web conversational flows. (intercom.com)
• Drift / LivePerson / Tidio — good alternatives for B2B sales + support chat needs or SMBs (Drift for sales motion, Tidio for low‑cost SMB chat with AI). (techradar.com)

Integration & workflow automation (connectors + cross‑system workflows)

• Zapier — best for quick, no‑code integrations across thousands of SaaS apps. Ideal for small teams automating simple ticket→CRM→slack flows. (softailed.com)
• Make (Integromat) — more powerful/ granular API control and branching for complex multi‑step workflows. (automations.academy)
• Workato / Tray.io — enterprise-grade integration with advanced governance and speed at scale (good for complex stacks).

RPA & back‑office automation (legacy systems, high‑volume repetitive work)

• UiPath — strong for email triage, account lookups, and automations that need to interact with legacy apps or scale across contact centers. (uipath.com)
• Automation Anywhere — agentic/autonomous bots and generative AI-powered service ops for heavy back‑office automation. Useful when you need 24/7 AI agents that act on systems. (automationanywhere.com)

Agent assist & generative/LLM features (improve agent speed and quality)

• Salesforce Einstein GPT / Service Cloud — deep CRM integration, auto‑draft responses, case summaries and low‑code service flows (best if you already use Salesforce). (salesforce.com)
• Built‑in copilot features in Freshdesk/Freddy, Zendesk AI and HubSpot Service Hub — provide suggested replies, auto‑triage and knowledge suggestions. (crmsupport.freshworks.com)

Knowledgebase & search (deflection + self‑service)

• Zendesk Guide, HubSpot knowledge base, or standalone search/AI search vendors (e.g., Coveo) — centralize FAQs and power bots/answer suggestions for higher deflection. (techradar.com)

Suggested starter stacks (fast practical picks)

• Small business / early stage (low budget, fast setup):
  • HubSpot Free CRM + HubSpot Help Desk (tickets) + Zapier for 1–2 integrations. Good zero‑cost entry and CRM linkage. (hubspot.com)
• Mid‑market (multi‑channel, want AI chat):
  • Freshdesk (ticketing + Freddy AI) + Ada or Intercom for site/app chatbots + Make for deeper API workflows. (freshworks.com)
• Enterprise (scale, legacy systems, compliance):
  • Zendesk or Salesforce Service Cloud (core), UiPath/Automation Anywhere for RPA, Workato or Tray.io for integrations, Ada/Intercom for high‑volume conversational automation. (techradar.com)

How to pick the right tool (quick checklist)

• Automation goal: deflection (chatbot/KB) vs. agent productivity (agent assist) vs. back‑office throughput (RPA). Choose the category above first.
• Volume & channels: high chat volume → Ada/Intercom; lots of legacy screen‑scraping tasks → UiPath/Automation Anywhere. (ada.cx)
• Integrations & data: pick a platform that natively connects to your CRM, order system, telephony and analytics tools (or has reliable middleware like Workato/Zapier). (softailed.com)
• Security & compliance: enterprise environments (HIPAA, PCI, GDPR) may require specific hosting, logging and governance — prefer enterprise editions and ask vendors for compliance docs.
• Measurability: ensure the tool reports deflection rate, time‑to‑resolution, CSAT impact and bot handoff rates so you can prove ROI. (globenewswire.com)

Implementation tips (to get real value fast)

• Start with high‑ROI, low‑complexity flows (password resets, order status, returns) and measure deflection before expanding. (prnewswire.com)
• Put a human fallback and clear escalation path — automated resolution plus fast human handoff keeps CSAT high. (intercom.com)
• Train bots on your knowledge base and real transcripts; monitor and iterate weekly for the first 60 days. (businesswire.com)

If you want, I can:

• recommend a short shortlist (2–3 vendors) tailored to your company size, channel mix and tech stack, or
• produce a 30–60‑day pilot plan (which tasks to automate first, KPIs and expected ROI).

Which would you prefer (shortlist or pilot plan)?