7 Best Ways to Use an Equipment Request Bot for Internal IT Support

Intercom is a widely used customer messaging platform that extends beyond simple chat to include help center, product tours, and automated responses. Internally, it can handle equipment requests by routing them to the appropriate help desk or generating ticket workflows. Its in‑app messaging feature ensures that IT staff can engage with users without leaving the application, while the built‑in knowledge base allows users to search for common hardware or software queries. Intercom’s automation rules and bot templates streamline repetitive tasks, and its integration with Jira and ServiceNow enables seamless ticket creation and tracking. The platform offers a robust analytics dashboard that tracks conversation metrics, helping IT managers identify bottlenecks and improve response times. Intercom’s conversational commerce capabilities, though primarily aimed at external sales, can be repurposed for internal procurement processes by creating custom bot flows that capture device specifications and generate purchase requests. Intercom’s pricing starts at $39/month for the Starter plan and scales up based on agent count and features. The tool is best suited for medium‑to‑large organizations that require a unified messaging hub for both customer and internal support.

Drift specializes in conversational marketing and sales chatbots, but its platform can be repurposed for internal IT support by creating customized bot flows that capture equipment request details and auto‑generate tickets. Drift’s AI chat engine can handle natural language queries, providing instant answers to common hardware questions or troubleshooting steps. The platform’s integration with Salesforce, HubSpot, and other CRMs allows for deep contextual awareness, enabling the bot to reference user profiles and prior interactions. Drift offers a robust set of analytics, including conversation heatmaps and performance metrics, which help IT teams optimize bot responses. Its ability to trigger emails or Slack notifications ensures that high‑priority requests are promptly escalated to the relevant IT staff. Pricing for Drift typically starts at $500/month for the Starter plan and increases with additional features and users. The platform is ideal for organizations that already use Drift for external sales and want to leverage the same conversational engine for internal support.

Zendesk Chat (formerly Zopim) is part of the Zendesk suite and provides live chat, chatbots, and ticketing in a single platform. For internal IT support, Zendesk Chat can be embedded on the company intranet, allowing employees to request equipment or report issues directly from their desktops. The platform’s chatbots can answer frequently asked questions, such as laptop specifications or software installation steps, and automatically create tickets in Zendesk Support. Zendesk Chat offers real‑time analytics, such as chat volume and response times, which help IT managers monitor performance. Its integration with Zendesk Guide enables bots to pull knowledge base articles and offer them in conversation. Additionally, the platform supports webhooks and custom triggers, making it possible to initiate purchase orders or inventory checks. Pricing for Zendesk Chat starts at $15/month per agent for the Live Chat plan, with higher tiers adding advanced features. The tool is suitable for organizations already using Zendesk for help desk and looking to add conversational chat.

Tidio combines live chat, chatbots, and email marketing into a single platform that is easy to integrate on any website. For internal IT support, Tidio’s chatbot builder can handle equipment request workflows, automatically capturing device type, serial number, and required accessories. The bot can then send a confirmation email and create a ticket in the company’s ticketing system via webhooks. Tidio offers a visual bot editor, real‑time chat analytics, and the ability to switch between chatbot and live agent mode. It also supports multiple channels, including Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp, which can be useful for remote employees who prefer messaging apps. The platform’s pricing includes a free tier and paid plans starting at $18/month. Tidio’s key strength is its simplicity and affordability, making it a good fit for small to medium‑sized IT teams.

ManyChat is a marketing automation platform focused on building chatbots for Facebook Messenger, SMS, and Instagram Direct. Internally, many organizations use ManyChat to create quick help bots that guide employees through equipment request steps or provide self‑service knowledge. The platform’s drag‑and‑drop flow builder supports conditional logic and can trigger email or Slack notifications when a request is submitted. ManyChat offers a library of pre‑built templates and deep integration with Zapier, allowing the bot to push data into custom CRM or ticketing systems. Its pricing model starts with a free tier and paid plans from $10/month, making it accessible for small teams. While ManyChat is primarily geared toward external marketing, its flexible flow builder and integration ecosystem make it a viable option for internal support scenarios.

Chatbot.com offers a visual chatbot builder that supports AI‑powered conversations across websites, mobile apps, and messaging platforms. For internal IT support, the platform can create chat flows that capture equipment request information, generate tickets, and provide instant answers to FAQs. Its AI function allows the bot to understand natural language queries and suggest relevant knowledge base articles. The platform includes integrations with popular ticketing systems like Freshdesk, Zendesk, and ServiceNow via webhooks, and offers a built‑in analytics dashboard to monitor response times and user satisfaction. Chatbot.com’s pricing starts at $199/month for the Starter plan, with higher tiers adding more agents and advanced features. Chatbot.com is suitable for businesses that require a dedicated chatbot platform with AI capabilities and a strong integration ecosystem.