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ArcticDesk v1.1.0 (stable) released, more feedback welcome
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ArcticDesk v1.1.0 (stable) released, more feedback welcome

AD_JayAD_Jay Member
edited November 2012 in General

v1.1.0 Stable Release

We are very pleased to announce the stable release of ArcticDesk v1.1.0. The update, which drops the beta tag from the software, includes more than 20 bug fixes, enhancements and new features based on the feedback received from the last version.

The full changelog can be found at the following page:
http://www.arcticdesk.com/docs/index.php/Release_Notes#Changelog

More Feedback Welcome

Our initial release was posted on this forums some four months ago and the feedback we received was very useful, so I'd be happy to hear more.

About ArcticDesk
http://www.arcticdesk.com

ArcticDesk is a new support help desk application that is powerful and yet lightweight. It allows you to support customers over several channels (including social media) with better organisation. Below are some of the key features included:

  • Single inbox for all channels of support
  • Twitter integration
  • Knowledgebase for self-service support
  • Announcements, downloads, server status
  • Fully featured REST API
  • Smarty template system for both customer facing and operator area
  • Language files for both customer facing and operator area
  • E-mail piping, e-mail download and remote e-mail piping support
  • Custom fields for both tickets and users
  • Access control lists for operators
  • Rating and comment systems
  • And much, much more...

We also offer a WHMCS integration script as well as an import script to migrate your data over.

Take our feature tour to find out more about ArcticDesk.
http://www.arcticdesk.com/tour.php

Comments

  • not LEB price :P

  • @AD_Jay said: We also offer a WHMCS integration script as well as an import script to migrate your data over.

    Does this come free with the 'standard' monthly fee?

  • That renewal price is pretty expensive...

  • AD_JayAD_Jay Member
    edited November 2012

    @tommy said: not LEB price :P
    @AsadHaider said: That renewal price is pretty expensive...

    I can understand if it may appear expensive, though it is cheaper than most alternatives.

    @Damian said: Does this come free with the 'standard' monthly fee?

    Yes, it's a free download for all users.

  • WHMCS - Full billing/support/automation panel.
    Arctic Desk - Support with multiple mediums (Social etc)

    Both for the same price. Im sure you can see why some may think this is over-priced. But don't under-value your software for the sake of a few complaints.

    When compared to Kayako etc, its a pretty good deal.

  • @jhadley said: Which alternatives?

    I'm not going to name them myself, but most don't even offer a monthly fee for a downloaded version.

    Our pricing points have been chosen so we can build a sustainable company with a great product in the long term, given the cost of development is not free.

    @GetKVM_Ash said: Both for the same price. Im sure you can see why some may think this is over-priced. But don't under-value your software for the sake of a few complaints.

    >

    When compared to Kayako etc, its a pretty good deal.

    Thanks. We've aimed our product at companies who care a bit more about support and find WHMCS to not be powerful enough.

  • The features are not great enough, I would still go with Kayako.

  • @GIANT_CRAB said: The features are not great enough, I would still go with Kayako.

    I tried it once and thought it was a real overkill for selling VPS services alone.

  • @AD_Jay said: We've aimed our product at companies who care a bit more about support and find WHMCS to not be powerful enough.

    I've been trying to get an external support system onboard, but keep getting outvoted. Can you give me some specific points to bring up with the team on moving to this system versus keeping WHMCS's support system?

  • @GetKVM_Ash said: I tried it once and thought it was a real overkill for selling VPS services alone.

    Its still better than this overpriced support system.

  • I don't think Kayako pricing is anywhere near these guys, it's far larger.

    That said, they have a free option for Open Source projects, maybe it'll come in handy for me someday, haha!

    Keep up the great work Jay, although I can't afford it, it looks great so far :)

  • @Wintereise said: I don't think Kayako pricing is anywhere near these guys, it's far larger.

    Do you have any idea of how much hardwork is put into Kayako?
    This support system is overpriced with so less useful feature.

    Its price is close to WHMCS and is it better than WHMCS?
    No.

  • AD_JayAD_Jay Member
    edited November 2012

    @Damian said: I've been trying to get an external support system onboard, but keep getting outvoted. Can you give me some specific points to bring up with the team on moving to this system versus keeping WHMCS's support system?

    We actually use the WHMCS support system at our other company LicensePal, so I have quite good experience with it. (And we're quite keen to move to our own software soon!)

    I think first and foremost, the experience is a lot more dynamic, most things just require a single click, so you'll be saving some time if you have a large support volume. Other operators can see when you're viewing and replying to a ticket, and you can save a draft if you have to come back to the ticket later. You can accept support requests from Twitter, with Facebook support coming soon. Your company may require internal escalation, so you can have private sub departments and assign different operators to different levels. You can also open internal tickets, if a staff member has to raise an issue for a whole department to look at.

    Security is another issue. In WHMCS, you may be asking for passwords and other sensitive information, and it is stored unencrypted in your database. ArcticDesk lets you create encrypted custom fields, and they can be purged when the ticket is closed so you're not holding information you no longer need.

    A couple of other points:

    • Operators aren't locked out of tickets assigned to other members of staff
    • Users bumping a ticket won't put them on top/bottom of the list, they stay in the same position

    I'll be the first to admit that the software isn't perfect as we're still at an early version, but we have been making some great strides forward in the past months.

  • GIANT_CRABGIANT_CRAB Member
    edited November 2012

    @AD_Jay said: I'll be the first to admit that the software isn't perfect as we're still at an early version, but we have been making some great strides forward in the past months.

    Give us like a 50% discount as an "Early bird" discount or something?

    Blesta does that until version 3.

  • jarjar Patron Provider, Top Host, Veteran

    If you're happy with the return then it's priced right. Nice software. If I ever feel like moving my support out of WHMCS this is probably the first I'll consider.

  • @Wintereise said: That said, they have a free option for Open Source projects, maybe it'll come in handy for me someday, haha!

    We've made use of a number of open source scripts in our software, so it's only fair to offer something back to the community!

    @GIANT_CRAB said: Give us like a 50% discount as an "Early bird" discount or something?

    We had a beta program previously, and we've offered all those users (many of whom were from LET) a good discount for trying out our software before it was deemed stable.

    @jarland said: If you're happy with the return then it's priced right. Nice software. If I ever feel like moving my support out of WHMCS this is probably the first I'll consider.

    Thank you!

  • ShyuanShyuan Member

    Sorry to dig this old thread, but I came across this thread while googling about AD. I couldn't stand seeing some people complaining the price or the quality of AD and even being so sarcastic to a well developed software even at beta stage. Thus, I signed up to reply (not wanting a fight but I think I should stand for AD). The below are just my personal opinions.

    One of the benefits to go with a relatively new or smaller company is that the developers will listen to the customers. This is the essential part I like. Don't really have to compare with big companies because it's really incomparable. Try begging the big companies to add certain features for you, I bet you will have to wait for ages. Furthermore, with the latest v1.2.x version of AD, you get responsive frontend and backend. How many big companies do a responsive backend at this stage? If they do, they need much more time due to the big software they have, unless I am totally wrong.

    I remember once I emailed WHMCS asking whether I should buy from LicensePal or WHMCS itself. You couldn't imagine how desperately they wanted me to buy from them by telling me how well their support is. Yeah, I was tricked and I bought from WHMCS itself rather than LP. The support there was never good as mentioned, I can only feel they ditch you once they got your money and that's it.

    I then went for alternative, ClientExec, which seems to me a smaller company as compared to WHMCS. A humble company with friendly support even though my CE license was obtained from LP.

    Big companies want only your money, they don't value customers, but your money.

    Just like why I would go for Bugify, a relatively small bug tracker software as compared to JIRA. Not that I couldn't afford paying, but I really couldn't see the efforts the big companies invested in clients/customers, I only see how much they craving for your money.

    In my opinion, lightweight software doesn't mean it's not powerful. Simple software does not necessarily means it must be sold cheaply. It's the hard work that is worthy.

    Even if, initially, AD does look like WHMCS (I believe it's no longer looking like WHMCS as I follow AD's development since it was in beta stage), it doesn't mean they are exactly the same thing. WHMCS is billing software where it integrates a simple support desk in it for the sake of billing. Just a simple question can determine how "good" quality the integrated support desk is. i.e. why are there so many companies using 3rd party helpdesk software despite having an integrated one? If the support desk in it is really that good, why wouldn't they stick with it?

    You can't compare the price and quality between the two software because they aren't in quite the same stream. If you ever need just a support desk, would you go for WHMCS just because of the price is much worthy for a bigger software which you don't even use most of the functions (i.e. billing etc) in it?

    I admit I am a fan of AD, but it's the passion and hard work that I see from the developers which makes me support the software so much.

    Even if I am not a user of AD, I will still say the same after seeing some of the comments in LET ArcticDesk's threads. Of course, I think feedback and criticism are welcomed, but simply pouring non constructive comments aren't helping but shows how simple minded you are. Perhaps, some of you should really watch your words because what I see is more of defamation rather than constructive criticism.

    My reply is pointing to a few of the replies in a few AD related threads. If this offends you, I apologise. But IMO sometimes manners and etiquette should be more priotised. Thank you. :)

  • AD_JayAD_Jay Member

    Wow, thanks Shyuan! I was not expecting to see this thread again, almost a year on. A lot has changed since then, the software is more feature-rich and stable, the UI is much better, and we've been speeding up the development cycle. This has been in part to the useful feedback received on these forums, so thanks to those who made any comment on it before. Hopefully it continues to improve as we go forward.

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