Every minute your team spends on the phone is money that could have been spent better.
You have built a great team, but they are mostly just answering "Where is my order?" calls.
It feels like you have to choose between huge payroll costs or frustrated customers.
But there is a fix.
This guide will go over how to stop managing repetative phone calls manually.
In this guide you will find the best eCommerce helpdesk phone integrations for 2026.
First, we compare the top tools for your helpdesk.
Then, we show you how to use AI to handle 70% of your calls without hiring a single new person.
Editor’s note: Want to hear some sample AI support calls made for your Shopify store?
- Just paste your store URL
- Get sample calls in under 20 seconds (no email required)
- Listen to demo AI calls for my store
What is an ecommerce helpdesk phone integration?
Simply put, an ecommerce helpdesk phone integration connects your phone system to your customer service software (think Gorgias, Zendesk, or Help Scout). In its simplest form, when a customer calls, a ticket pops up in your helpdesk automatically.
This lets your support agents see the caller's info and past conversations right next to their emails and chats.
The main idea is to get a single, complete picture of every customer interaction, so agents aren't jumping between different tools. While older integrations were all about organizing calls for your team, the newer, AI-powered ones try to resolve calls on their own.
Understanding traditional phone integration
For a long time, the go-to method was pairing a solid helpdesk with a separate phone service provider. This setup is all about giving your human agents better tools to handle call queues and log everything neatly.
How a traditional integration works
Platforms like Zendesk, Help Scout, and Zoho Desk don't come with their own phone systems. They connect with third-party voice services through APIs like Zendesk's Talk Partner Edition.
When a customer calls, the integration creates a ticket, logs the call details, and maybe even includes a recording.
This keeps everything tidy, but a human agent still has to answer every single call. The system helps manage the work, but it doesn't reduce the number of calls agents need to take.
Popular platforms and their focus
Here’s a quick look at some common helpdesks and how they handle phone calls.
Zendesk
Zendesk is an enterprise-level helpdesk that pulls in support tickets from all kinds of channels. It uses some AI to route tickets and suggest replies but needs an integration to handle phone calls. Zendesk has also added AI agents for voice to manage interactions, but it's a broad platform that needs some configuration to get right.
- Suite Team: $55 per agent/month (billed annually)
- Suite Professional: $115 per agent/month (billed annually)
- Suite Enterprise: $169 per agent/month (billed annually)
Considerations: Zendesk is a comprehensive platform, which may mean a more involved setup process. Its cost grows with every agent you add, which is a factor to consider as your business expands.
Help Scout
Help Scout is known for its simple shared inbox that helps teams work together. It lets you manage emails, live chat, and phone calls in one spot, but you'll need an external app for the phone part.
- Standard: $25 per user/month
- Plus: $45 per user/month (billed annually)
- Pro: $75 per user/month (billed annually)
Considerations: Help Scout is built for human support teams. Its integrations will log your calls, but it doesn't have a feature to answer common questions like "Where is my order?" for you. You still need to have agents ready to pick up the phone.
Zoho Desk
Zoho Desk handles tickets from multiple channels and fits nicely into the larger Zoho CRM world. It can connect with many telephony systems to create one workspace, but its main job is to organize questions for your team to answer later.
The Enterprise plan does include an Answer Bot and Zia assistant.
- Standard: $14 per user/month (billed annually)
- Professional: $23 per user/month (billed annually)
- Enterprise: $40 per user/month (billed annually)
Considerations: The main function of this integration is to centralize information for human agents to resolve phone calls. It organizes data well, but it doesn't have a built-in way to automatically answer spoken ecommerce questions.
The rise of AI-driven phone integration
A new batch of tools is changing things up by using AI to do more than just log calls.
These platforms try to understand what a customer wants and solve the issue right away, acting as a real first line of defense. The focus shifts from organizing calls to deflecting them, freeing up your team for trickier problems.
How an AI integration differs
Instead of just creating a ticket, an AI-driven integration actually listens to the customer, figures out what they need, and takes action.
For common ecommerce questions about order status, returns, or products, these AI agents can pull store data to give answers on the spot. To clarify, this visual breaks down the key differences:
The goal is to handle most of the repetitive calls without anyone on your team needing to step in. This means customers get help faster, and your team can focus on issues that really need a human.
Leading platforms with AI integrations
Here are a few platforms using AI to rethink phone support.
Gorgias
Gorgias is a helpdesk made for ecommerce and is known for its deep Shopify integration. Its AI Agent can have brand-aligned conversations and resolve many support inquiries, but it has always been strongest on text channels like chat and email.
- Basic: $60/month (includes 300 tickets)
- Pro: $360/month (includes 2,000 tickets)
- Advanced: $900/month (includes 5,000 tickets)
Considerations: Gorgias has strong AI for text, and its voice features are more about organizing conversations for agents than resolving them independently. For high phone volume, a dedicated voice-first AI tool might be another option for handling spoken questions.
Dialpad
Dialpad is an AI-powered platform for customer engagement that's more than just a helpdesk. It offers real-time call transcriptions, sentiment analysis, and AI coaching for agents. Its AI Agents can run workflows like booking appointments or processing refunds.
- Standard: Starts at $15 per user/month
- Pro: Starts at $25 per user/month
- Enterprise: Custom pricing
Considerations: Dialpad is a general contact center tool and not built specifically for ecommerce. It doesn't have deep, ready-to-go integrations with platforms like Shopify that are needed to answer order-specific questions automatically. It's more of a tool to help your human agents, not replace repetitive tasks.
Ringly.io
Ringly.io takes a different path with its AI phone agent, Seth. It's not a typical helpdesk but a specialized AI that connects directly with your Shopify store to take inbound calls 24/7.
Seth can answer questions, check on orders, handle returns, and only passes calls to a human when it's necessary, resolving around 73% of calls on its own.
- Grow: $349/month (includes 1,000 minutes)
- Scale: $1,099+/month (includes 3,000+ minutes)
Focus: Ringly.io is made only for ecommerce phone support. Its deep Shopify integration lets Seth give accurate, real-time info, and you can get it set up in just three minutes. This focus on automatic resolution can be a helpful tool for growing your support without growing your team.
How to choose the right integration
Picking the right solution comes down to your main goal. Are you trying to organize your current team better, or do you want to automate support to work more efficiently? Here are a few things to think about.
The importance of deep platform integration
To be useful, your phone support tool needs direct access to your store's data. A generic integration may have difficulty answering "Where is my order?" with up-to-the-minute tracking info.
Evaluating automation and resolution rates
For an AI integration, an important number is its ability to solve problems without needing a person. A system that just transcribes calls or routes tickets still leaves the work for your team. A real automation platform should have a proven resolution rate for common questions.
Considering ease of setup
Your team is busy, and you may not have time for a complicated setup project. Traditional helpdesk integrations can sometimes require a lot of configuration. Modern, AI-first tools can be quicker to get going. Ringly.io, for example, can be set up in about three minutes without any code.
The value of multilingual support
If you sell to customers around the world, you may need a solution that can speak their language. Offering 24/7 support is helpful, but it's even better when it's multilingual. This is where AI can be useful, as platforms like Ringly.io can support over 40 languages automatically.
Comparing top choices for integrations
To see some of these platforms in action and get a better feel for their features, check out this video review. It covers several leading ecommerce helpdesk solutions and can help you visualize how they might fit into your workflow.
This video reviews 7 of the best help desk software options available for ecommerce businesses, highlighting key features and integrations.
A new era for phone support
Choosing an ecommerce helpdesk phone integration isn't just about organizing tickets anymore.
The growth of AI has created a clear split between tools that help your team manage calls and tools that handle the calls for you.
Traditional helpdesks like Zendesk and Help Scout are great for keeping all your communications in one place for your human agents, but they don't change the core problem of having too many calls.
AI-powered platforms like Gorgias and Dialpad add some intelligence, but they often aren't built for the specific needs of voice support in ecommerce.
For stores that want to truly automate phone support and offer 24/7 service, a dedicated AI voice agent is the way to go.
With its deep Shopify integration and high resolution rate, Ringly.io is built to handle the repetitive calls that can take up your team's time, letting you scale your business smoothly.
Ready to see how AI can change your phone support? Start your free trial with Ringly.io today.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the main difference between a traditional and an AI-powered ecommerce helpdesk phone integration?
A traditional integration helps organize calls for your human agents by creating tickets. An AI-powered one, like Ringly.io, aims to resolve common customer questions automatically, acting as the first line of support.
How difficult is it to set up an ecommerce helpdesk phone integration?
It varies. Traditional systems can take days or weeks to configure. However, modern AI solutions are often much faster. For example, Ringly.io's ecommerce helpdesk phone integration can be set up in about three minutes because of its direct connection with platforms like Shopify.
Can an ecommerce helpdesk phone integration support customers who don't speak English?
Yes, many AI-driven platforms can. This is a huge advantage over relying solely on a human team. An advanced ecommerce helpdesk phone integration like Ringly.io can automatically support customers in over 40 languages.
What's the most important feature to look for in a phone integration for a Shopify store?
A deep, native integration with Shopify is key. This allows the system to access real-time order information, tracking details, and return policies to give customers accurate answers instantly, which is a core feature of a specialized ecommerce helpdesk phone integration.
Will my business still need human agents if we use an AI integration?
Yes, but their role will change. An AI agent can handle the majority of repetitive calls (like "Where is my order?"). This frees up your human agents to focus on more complex, high-value customer issues that require a personal touch.
How is the pricing structured for phone integrations?
Pricing models differ. Traditional helpdesks usually charge per agent, which can get expensive as your team grows. AI solutions are often priced differently. Ringly.io, for instance, uses a minute-based model, which scales with your call volume, not your headcount.
