Help desk, CRM and omnichannel inbox in one system
An all-in-one customer operations platform for small teams
A customer writes on Instagram, her husband calls, and the booking comes by email. Three channels, three people on your team – and nobody can see who is in charge. Omnichannel customer service means: everything in one inbox, one history per customer. Here is what that means for a team of three to ten people, and what it costs.
The-Y CRM is help desk + CRM + omnichannel in one system: WhatsApp, email, Messenger, Instagram, web chat and calls in one inbox, with a built-in phone system. You pay for WhatsApp, SMS and call minutes directly to your providers, with no markup. Free costs €0 for up to 3 users. Cloud Pro costs €20 a month per company, all users and brands included (Alpha & Beta price; €40 from the Live release).
What omnichannel means for a small team
- One inbox: every message and every call becomes a ticket with a number, a person in charge and a status – whatever the channel.
- One history per customer: the contact page shows a 360° history across all channels. Phone numbers are stored in international format, so the CRM recognises the customer when they write on WhatsApp. Duplicate contacts can be merged.
- Channels work together: if nobody picks up the phone, the caller can press 1 and instantly gets a WhatsApp message from your number. The conversation lands in your inbox. How it works
- Switch channel from a ticket: “Other channel” opens a new conversation with the same customer on WhatsApp, SMS or email – only on channels the customer allows.
- One set of opening hours: enter them once, they apply to all channels, with an automatic reply per channel.
- Consent per channel: for email, SMS, WhatsApp and calls you see what the customer wants to receive, with the date and source of the consent.
The channels: how to connect them, who bills what
| Channel | How you connect it | Who bills what |
|---|---|---|
| “Connect WhatsApp”, then choose your number in Meta’s window; you can keep the WhatsApp Business app (guide) | Meta directly: the first 1,000 free-form replies per number each month are free, then Austria €0.0142, Germany €0.0456 per reply; templates from the first message | |
| Microsoft 365 and Outlook.com with one click, Gmail with an app password, everything else via IMAP/SMTP (guide) | no extra cost | |
| Web chat | a one-line script on your website; guides for WordPress, Wix, Jimdo, Shopify and Squarespace (live chat guide) | free on every plan |
| Messenger & Instagram | through your connected Facebook Page; comments on Facebook and Instagram too | The-Y charges nothing |
| SMS | through your own SMS provider (guide) | your provider, e.g. SMStools: Austria from €0.025 per SMS |
| Phone | a number with a SIP line from sipgate, Zadarma or Twilio; the phone system is built in (guide) | your provider, e.g. Zadarma: Austrian number from €2/month, landline €0.012/min |
The-Y adds nothing to any of these prices. Meta’s prices apply from 1 Oct 2026; SMS and phone examples as listed on our costs page (retrieved 9 Oct 2026), with a calculator for every country.
Example: 5 people – two tools or one
| For 5 people | Zammad + Aircall | The-Y CRM Cloud Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Help desk with WhatsApp | Zammad Plus: 5 × €25 = €125 | included |
| Phone system | Aircall Essentials: 5 × €30 = €150 | included |
| Per month | €275 | €20 incl. VAT |
Billed annually, as shown on zammad.com and on Aircall’s German pricing page, accessed 6 Nov 2026. Zammad’s prices exclude VAT; Aircall’s page gives no VAT note. Aircall needs at least 3 licences and includes one number and, in Germany, 1,000 outbound domestic minutes per user per month. With The-Y you pay your number and minutes to your phone provider. Meta’s WhatsApp fees come on top in both cases. Detailed comparisons: Zammad alternative · Aircall alternative.
When a specialist is the better choice
A specialist fits better if …
- you run a contact center with many seats – The-Y CRM handles up to 10 calls at the same time on Cloud Pro, 2 on Free,
- you need channels like Telegram or TikTok – The-Y CRM doesn’t have them,
- you need the routing and reporting of a large contact center suite,
- you need software with a long track record – The-Y CRM is Alpha (Known issues).
The-Y CRM fits if …
- customers write, call and email – often the same people,
- you want contacts, deals, appointments and invoices in the same system,
- you want one price per company instead of paying per agent.
How to start
- Create a free account on crm.the-y.at.
- Start with the channel most requests come through – usually email or WhatsApp.
- Invite your team (Free: up to 3 users) and decide who gets new conversations.
- Add more channels once the first one runs.
Only WhatsApp for your team? See the WhatsApp team inbox. Only email? See shared inbox.
Frequently asked questions
What is omnichannel customer service?
All channels your customers use – WhatsApp, email, Instagram, Messenger, web chat, phone – land in one inbox. Each customer has one history across all channels, no matter who on your team replied last.
What is the difference between multichannel and omnichannel?
Multichannel means you can be reached on several channels, but each one runs on its own. Omnichannel means the channels come together, and each customer has one history. Someone who asks on WhatsApp doesn’t have to explain yesterday’s email again.
Which channels does The-Y CRM have?
WhatsApp, email, Facebook Messenger, Instagram, web chat and phone in one inbox, plus comments on Facebook and Instagram. SMS runs through your own SMS provider. Telegram and TikTok are not available.
Who pays for WhatsApp, SMS and call minutes?
You pay each provider directly: Meta’s fees to Meta, SMS to your SMS provider, number and minutes to your phone provider. The-Y adds no markup. Email, web chat, Messenger and Instagram cost nothing extra with The-Y. All costs are on the costs page.
When does omnichannel pay off?
As soon as more than one person replies and customers come through more than one channel. Then everyone sees what was already said, and nobody replies twice. For one person on one channel, the channel’s own app is usually enough.
Where is my data stored?
If The-Y hosts it (Free and Cloud Pro): on servers in Austria (Vienna data centre). If you host it yourself: on your own server. You can take your data to your own server at any time – it is the same software.
See all channels in one inbox.
In the demo you click through WhatsApp, email, web chat and calls with sample data – no sign-up, everything is deleted after 24 hours.
Prefer to do it together? We set it up with you by video call – in your browser, nothing to install. Mon–Fri 10–12 and 14–17 (Vienna time).
All guides on this topic
Help desk software · Shared inbox · Live chat for your website · Virtual phone system for small business · Missed calls on WhatsApp · WhatsApp Business with multiple users · Self-hosted help desk · European CRM · The-Y CRM overview · What The-Y CRM really costs
Sources
- Channels and setup: Documentation; prices of Meta, SMStools, Zadarma and The-Y: costs page
- Zammad: zammad.com/en/pricing; Aircall: aircall.io/de/preismodell (country Germany, euros), both accessed 6 Nov 2026
Zammad, Aircall, WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger, Telegram and TikTok are trademarks of their respective owners. Information to the best of our knowledge; please report errors to office@the-y.at and we’ll correct them right away.