/ Services / Managed Help Desk

Your own private support inbox

A help desk set up for your business and nobody else's. It runs on a server in Sydney, carries your branding, and has no charge per person, whether three people answer your customer email or thirty.

Talk to me about a help desk See pricing

No per-seat fees
Hosted in Sydney
Your branding

What is a managed help desk?

It's a shared inbox and ticketing system for your support team, set up for your business alone and looked after by me. Customers keep emailing your support address as they do now. Your team answers from one place, with assignments, internal notes and the full history of every conversation.

Who it's for: teams that answer customer email together and are tired of paying for every extra person on a per-seat help desk.
What it costs: setup from $990, then $149 a month on the Standard plan. No per-seat fees. All prices exclude GST.
Where it runs: on a server in Sydney, behind a sign-in wall, with your logo and colours.
What it's built on: FreeScout, an open-source help desk.

Per-seat pricing adds up

Most hosted help desks charge for every person who logs in. Take on a new staff member and the bill goes up. Want someone from accounts to answer the odd billing question? That's another seat.

So teams share logins, or keep people out of the help desk and forward emails around instead. Both make it harder to see who is handling what.

Then there's the question of where your customer conversations are held. Some per-seat help desks don't offer Australian hosting at all, and some only offer it on their higher plans.

A managed help desk works differently. You get your own install of an established open-source help desk, on a server in Sydney, for a flat monthly fee, with no charge for each team member. I set it up, keep it updated and look after it.

Your help desk shouldn't charge you for every person you hire.

One flat monthly fee. No per-seat charges.

What you get with a managed help desk

Every help desk is set up, branded and looked after by me. Here's what's included.

Your own help desk

Your help desk runs as its own separate install, with its own database and its own isolated account on the server. Your customer conversations aren't mixed in with anyone else's.

No per-seat fees

There's no charge for each person you add. Give your whole support team a login, plus the people in sales or accounts who only answer the odd question.

Hosted in Sydney

Your help desk and its database run on a server in Sydney, close to your team.

Locked down from day one

Before anyone sees the login page, they confirm a one-time code sent to their work email. Requests that try to skip that step and reach the server directly are refused.

Your logo and colours

Your logo, brand colours and company name appear throughout the help desk, and your company name replaces FreeScout's in its system emails, such as invitations and password resets.

Looked after for you

I apply FreeScout updates and security fixes, uptime is monitored, and the database is backed up every night. When something needs attention, you deal with me directly.

Everything a support team needs day to day

FreeScout covers the core of running a shared support inbox without any add-ons. It works with Microsoft 365, Google Workspace and most other IMAP mailboxes.

A shared inbox for your support email address
Assign conversations to people on your team
Internal notes your customers never see
A warning when two people open the same conversation
Merge, forward and move conversations
Automatic replies
Star and follow the conversations you care about
Search across your whole conversation history
See when a customer has opened your reply
Paste screenshots straight into a reply
More than one support address in the same help desk
Log phone calls alongside email
Works in your phone's browser
Screen reader support
Available in 33 languages

Add what your team needs

FreeScout has a large library of add-on modules. Each one is a one-off licence, which I charge at cost, and I install and test every module before it goes live on your help desk.

Faster replies

Saved Replies

Answers to common questions, ready to drop in.
Send Later

Write a reply now and schedule when it goes out.
Send & Close

Reply and close the conversation in one click.
Snooze

Put a conversation aside until you need it.

Staying organised

Tags

Label conversations so they're easy to find later.
Custom Fields

Record extra details, such as an order number.
Custom Folders

Sort conversations into folders that suit your team.
Teams

Group people into teams and assign work to a team.
Kanban

See conversations as cards on a board.

Automation and reporting

Workflows

Automate routine actions and follow up on ageing conversations.
Reports

Real-time reports on conversations, productivity and satisfaction.
Office Hours

Send automatic replies only outside your working hours.
Ticket Number

Add a ticket number to the subject of emails to customers.

Your customers

Customers Management (CRM)

Keep customer records, with your own custom fields.
Satisfaction Ratings

Let customers rate your replies.
End-User Portal

Let customers submit tickets from a portal or contact form.
Knowledge Base

Publish a self-service help centre.
Live Chat

Chat with customers in real time.

Connections

Slack

Get a Slack message when a conversation is created or updated.
WhatsApp

Turn WhatsApp messages into conversations.
API & Webhooks

Connect the help desk to your other systems.
Jira

Link conversations to Jira.
WooCommerce

See a customer's WooCommerce orders beside their conversation.

Built on FreeScout

FreeScout is an open-source help desk and shared inbox, built with Laravel (a widely used PHP framework). It's the software I use for every managed help desk.

Because it's open source, there's no licence fee per person, and your conversations sit in a database that belongs to your help desk rather than inside someone else's platform.

About FreeScout →

Modules that face your customers or connect to outside services (the portal, knowledge base, live chat and the connections above) are available on request. I set them up and test them on your help desk first. Fees for third-party services, such as a WhatsApp provider, are separate.

Security and privacy

A help desk holds a lot of customer detail, so every one I set up is locked down the same way, on both plans.

A sign-in wall in front of your help desk

Your team confirms a one-time code sent to their work email before the help desk login page will load. Only the email addresses and domains you approve get through.

No way around it

Requests that try to reach the server directly, skipping the sign-in wall, are refused.

A server in Sydney

Your help desk and its database run on a server in Sydney.

Nightly database backups

The database is backed up every night, and backups are kept for two weeks.

Updates tested before they go live

FreeScout updates and security fixes are tested on a separate copy first, then applied to your help desk.

No installs from inside the app

Installing or updating software from within the live help desk is switched off. Those changes go through me.

How it works

Setting up a help desk is a short project. The main thing that sets the pace is getting access to your support mailbox.

A quick chat

I find out how your team handles support now, which address customers write to, who needs access, and which add-ons are worth having.

Setup and branding

I set up your help desk on a server in Sydney (your own server on the Dedicated plan), put the sign-in wall in front of it, and apply your logo and colours.

Connect your mailbox

Your email administrator approves the connection to your support mailbox, and I send step-by-step instructions for it. Then I test incoming mail, replies and system emails.

Your team gets started

You get an admin login and a short walkthrough video showing where everything lives and how to add your team.

Ongoing care

I keep the software updated and look after the setup. When something needs changing, you email me, the person who built it.

Simple, predictable pricing

A one-off setup fee, then a flat monthly fee with no charge per person. All prices exclude GST.

Standard

Your help desk on a managed server in Sydney

$149/mo

Setup from $990

Your own FreeScout install and database
Sign-in wall and direct-access block
Your logo, colours and company name
Mailbox connection and testing
Nightly database backups
Updates and security fixes applied
Uptime monitoring
Support directly from me

Suits most support teams. Very busy help desks and large teams are better on Dedicated.

Dedicated

A server of your own, in Sydney

from $349/mo

Setup from $1,490

Everything in Standard
A server used only by your help desk
Server size matched to your team
More room for busy help desks
Suits stricter privacy or security requirements

The monthly fee depends on the server size your team needs. I'll confirm it before we start.

Add-on modules and custom work

Modules are a one-off licence charged at cost, plus the time to install and test them. Custom development is quoted separately.

Get in touch

Not included: the email account your customers write to (for example a Microsoft 365 mailbox licence), a sending service if your mail provider needs one, and fees for any third-party services.

Need it to do something specific?

FreeScout is built on Laravel, the same framework I build custom business software with. I can write custom modules that add to your help desk without changing FreeScout itself, so updates stay clean.

Per-seat help desk vs your own help desk

The big hosted platforms do a lot. Here's where a managed help desk is different.

Compared	Per-seat help desk	Your own help desk
Pricing	Per person, per month	One flat monthly fee
Adding a team member	The bill goes up	No extra charge per person
Where it runs	The vendor's servers, not always in Australia	A server in Sydney
Your conversations	Inside the vendor's platform	In your help desk's own database
Extending it	The vendor's features and app marketplace	Add-on modules, or custom modules built for you
The software	Usually closed source, subscription only	Open source (FreeScout)
Who you deal with	A support queue	Me, directly

What per-seat pricing looks like

Published prices for some of the best-known help desks, next to a managed help desk.

Plan	Per person, per month	Team of 10, per month
Freshdesk Growth	US$19	US$190
Help Scout Standard	US$25	US$250
Zendesk Suite Team	US$55	US$550
Zendesk Suite Professional Zendesk's first plan with Australian data hosting	US$115	US$1,150
Managed Help Desk (Standard)	No charge per person	A$149

Other vendors' prices are their published list prices in US dollars, per person per month when billed yearly, before tax, as shown on each vendor's website in September 2026. Prices change, so check the vendor's site for current pricing. Managed Help Desk prices are in Australian dollars and exclude GST.

Feature by feature

The same plans as the pricing table above, side by side.

Included
Extra ongoing cost
Higher plan or separate product
Not available

Scroll the table sideways to see every plan.

Feature	Managed Help Desk	Help Scout Standard	Freshdesk Growth	Zendesk Suite Team
Pricing and hosting
How you pay	One flat monthly fee	Per user, per month	Per agent, per month	Per agent, per month
Team size	No charge per person	Up to 25 users	Each agent paid for	Each agent paid for
Australian data hosting	Included: Sydney	Not available: Hosted in the US	Included: Chosen at sign-up	Suite Professional and up
Open source, can be self-hosted	Included	Not available: Cloud only	Not available: Cloud only	Not available: Cloud only
Inbox
Shared email inbox	Included	Included	Included	Included
More than one support address	Included: No extra cost	Included: 2 included, extras paid	Included: Unlimited	Included: Unlimited
Internal notes	Included	Included	Included	Included
Warning when two people open the same ticket	Included	Included	Included	Higher plans only
Saved replies	Included: Add-on module (one-off module licence)	Included	Included	Included
Tags	Included: Add-on module (one-off module licence)	Included	Included	Included
Automation and reporting
Workflows and automation rules	Included: Add-on module (one-off module licence)	Included: Basic workflows	Included	Included
Reports	Included: Add-on module (one-off module licence)	Included	Included: Standard reports	Included: Prebuilt dashboards
Customer satisfaction ratings	Included: Add-on module (one-off module licence)	Included	Pro plan and up	Higher plans only
AI features	Free module, you pay your AI provider	AI Answers charged per resolution	500 AI sessions, then paid	Small allowance, then paid
For your customers
Knowledge base	Included: Add-on module, on request (one-off module licence)	Included: 2 sites, extras paid	Included	Included: One help centre
Customer portal	Included: Add-on module, on request (one-off module licence)	Plus plan and up	Included	Higher plans only
Live chat	Included: Add-on module, on request (one-off module licence)	Included	Needs Freshdesk Omni	Included
Phone calls	Not available: Calls can be logged, not made	Through an integration	Separate Freshcaller plan	Numbers and minutes charged
Connections and apps
API and webhooks	Included: Add-on module, on request (one-off module licence)	Included	Included	Included
Slack	Included: Add-on module, on request (one-off module licence)	Included	Included	Included
Native mobile apps	Not available: Works in your phone's browser	Included	Included	Included

Other vendors' features are taken from their own pricing pages and help centres in September 2026, for the plans named. Plans and features change, so check with each vendor before deciding.

* Add-on module: a one-off lifetime licence, charged at cost plus the time to install and test it, with no ongoing fee. Modules marked on request are set up and tested on your help desk first.

Is a managed help desk right for you?

It suits a lot of support teams, but not every one.

A good fit for:

Support teams, from a few people to a few dozen, answering customer email together
Businesses paying for more help desk seats than they'd like
Organisations that want their help desk on a server in Australia
Agencies and service businesses that want a support inbox with their own branding
Businesses using Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace for email

Probably not the right fit if you:

Need a phone system or call-centre software
Rely on native mobile apps rather than the browser
Run a large contact centre
Would rather run the server and updates yourself (FreeScout is free to self-host)

Not sure which way to go? Get in touch and I'll tell you straight.

Frequently asked questions

FreeScout is an open-source help desk and shared inbox. Out of the box it gives your team a shared inbox, assignments, internal notes and conversation history, and add-on modules cover things like saved replies and reporting. It's the software I use for every managed help desk I set up.

Those are hosted services that charge per person, per month, and your conversations live on their platform. A managed help desk is your own install on a server in Sydney for a flat monthly fee, with no charge per person. The big platforms do more, so if you need a built-in phone system or a large contact-centre setup, one of them may suit you better.

The Standard plan costs from $990 to set up, then $149 a month. The Dedicated plan, with a server of your own, starts from $1,490 to set up and $349 a month. Add-on modules are a one-off licence charged at cost, and custom development is quoted separately. All prices exclude GST, and there are no per-seat fees.

There's no charge per person, so give access to everyone who needs it, including people who only answer the odd question. If you have a very large team, I'll confirm the setup suits before we start.

Your help desk and its database run on a server in Sydney. Incoming and outgoing email still goes through your own mail provider, plus a sending service where one is needed.

Yes, in your phone's browser. The help desk works on mobile screens. FreeScout's separate mobile apps aren't supported with this setup.

Moving your existing conversation history across is possible, and it's scoped and quoted separately. Ticket numbers from your old system don't carry over. Starting fresh and keeping the old system for reference for a while is also an option.

FreeScout is an independent open-source project. I'm not affiliated with it. I set it up, customise it and look after it for you.

Ready for your
own help desk?

Tell me how your team handles customer email today, and I'll tell you what your own help desk would look like, from the setup through to the monthly fee.

Talk to me about a help desk