Best Call Center Software, Phone Systems, and Equipment of 2024

Updated Jul 27, 2023.
Best Call Center Software, Phone Systems, and Equipment

Is your business getting high volume calls that you cannot handle?

Investing in a good call center software program for your business will help you manage both inbound and outbound calls; thereby, boosting the customer service experience.

Call center software programs have features that will reduce customer wait time by allowing them to solve basic queries themselves to give agents more time to focus on more complex queries.

The software you choose largely depends on the needs of your call center.

Knowing the type of call center you want to run, either inbound or outbound call center, will give you an insight into the call center equipment to use for each.

With so many options out there, choosing the best call center software for your business can be a bit difficult. This article will present the best call center software programs to help you make the right decision for your business.

Best Call Center Software and Phone Systems

1. Talkdesk

A Call Center Software with Its Own Call Center Hub

Talkdesk is a Call Center Software with Its Own Call Center Hub

Talkdesk is a cloud-based call center software that enables businesses to adapt to the changing needs of customers. It provides users with a call center hub where calls are redirected and managed without paying additional fees for getting an actual call center.

You can block inbound calls and maintain a blacklist to stop spammers in their tracks. This call center software integrates with leading business applications ranging from CRM integrations, sales software, and customer database. It is ideal for small and medium-sized enterprises.

With Talkdesk, you receive a notification when a customer calls, and you can take calls even when you are outside the Talkdesk interface. Agents can communicate with customers through email, text, chat, and social media.

Its intuitive integration of skills-based, ACD, and IVR call routing technologies helps your customers’ calls to get directed to the agent who is most capable of addressing their specific needs. Relevant callers’ data can be accessed in real-time through the Talkdesk live dashboard so that issues are quickly resolved, reducing callers’ waiting time to ensure customer satisfaction.

Navigation and set-up are easy due to Talkdesk’s intuitive user interface. You can customize the software to meet customers’ specific needs.

This call center software has 100 percent uptime; therefore, users complete tasks quickly without waiting for the software to respond to an action they took.

Talkdesk automatically integrates new callers’ information into the system and then automatically sends emails that include call details and voice mail data to agents to ensure that no customer’s query is left unattended.

Pricing

Talkdesk’s pricing varies depending on the size of your organization. The Profesional Plan is ideal for small businesses, and the price ranges from $19 to $24 per month.

Pricing for the Professional Plus Plan, which is ideal for medium-sized companies, ranges from $50 to $110 per month and $350 to $1000 per month for the Enterprise Plan ideal for large companies.

Talkdesk Pricing Plan

If you need specific features for specific business requirements, customization requires an extra cost. Factors that affect customization price include user interface changes, configurable dashboards, workflows, and forms to collect additional data.

The software has an academy that also costs a fee for training.

2. Bitrix24

A Free CRM Software for Call Centers

Bitrix24 is a Free CRM Software for Call Centers

Bitrix24 is a collaboration and communication platform where team members can collaborate, monitor each other’s progress, and allocate tasks to various team members using the activity stream. Your team will become more efficient because you can set a time limit on high-priority tasks. It is ideal for both small and medium-sized businesses.

This software offers tools that help you manage contacts, messages, projects, tasks, and emails. It stores contacts’ data after every call, SMS, or email. The sales team can also monitor how their sales funnel looks.

Various departments use Bitrix24, but sales and marketing departments most commonly use it to manage clients and leads. It has multiple language options and is supported by a wide variety of devices.

Bitrix24 has collaboration tools such as a social intranet, instant messaging, video conferencing, and data sharing that help teammates collaborate for effective communication to execute tasks together.

Using Bitrix24’s website builder, you can create your company’s website that allows you to add lead forms without prior coding experience. It also has automation tools for notifications, emails, and scheduling calls.

It offers 24/7 accessibility and various communication methods.

Pricing

There are six pricing tiers available for Bitrix24. Pricing is charged per account rather than per user. The Free Plan for starter business tools allows unlimited users per account and gives 5GB of online storage. It also offers a 30-day free trial best for onboarding and getting started.

The Special pricing plans start at $24 per month for the Start+ Plan to help you grow your business. You get 10GB of online storage. The CRM+ Plan that offers you rock-solid CRM costs $69 per month and offers you 50 GB of online storage. The Project+ Plan is ideal if you need rock-solid project management and also costs $69 per month. You also get 50GB of online storage.

Bitrix24’s Business plans include two packages. For advanced business tools, users opt for the Standard Plan, which costs $99 per month and offers 100GB of online storage. The Professional Plan, which offers unlimited business tools, starts at $199 per month and offers 1,024GB of online storage.

Bitrix24 Pricing Plan

3. Five9

A Cloud Call Center Software that allows Agents to Provide Great Customer Satisfaction from Anywhere.

Five9 is a Cloud Call Center Software that allows Agents to Provide Great Customer Satisfaction from Anywhere

Five9 is a cloud call center software with inbound and outbound functionalities. It has omnichannel capability, as you have access to multiple channels such as phones, email, social networks, or chats to quickly connect you with your customers.

The software's predictive technology helps move outbound agents to inbound queues automatically and outbound processing calls if there are no inbound calls in the queue. This helps to boost productivity, key performance indicators (KPIs), and customer satisfaction.

All Five9’s components work in synergy as a single and comprehensive system to eliminate the technology gap between outbound dialers and inbound automatic call distributors (ACDs) to ensure active blending.

Its integration with other business tools and leading CRM platforms allow it to carry out operations within a single interface. This enables agents to access customers’ information and address them on a personalized level.

With its intuitive drag-and-drop interface and advanced features, you can build sophisticated Interactive Voice Response (IVR) applications that allow users to make conference calls. It also allows you to route calls to the right agent with the least interference. Its dialing modes are customizable and use an advanced dialer algorithm to predict agents’ availability.

Five9 is user-friendly, and you can access it anytime from anywhere, so long you have an internet connection.

Pricing

Five9 offers customized quotes with pricing plans to suit your business needs. Pricing is based on seats and features. For companies looking to scale up their call center operations, the Monthly On-Demand Plan is ideal.

The Per-Minute Fees Plan offers IVR Speech-to-Text recognition, and the Annual Contracts Plan is cheaper than the monthly plan.

Pricing starts at $100 per seat for Inbound, Outbound, and Blended calling software.

Five9 Pricing Plan

4. Freshdesk

A Call Center Software with Ticketing System for Team Collaboration and Agent Productivity

Freshdesk is a Call Center Software with Ticketing System for Team Collaboration and Agent Productivity

Freshdesk is a virtual call center software ideal for small businesses and large organizations to deliver exceptional customer service. It improves your customer service management to help you know your customers better.

Agents can convert customers’ emails, messages coming in via the web, phone, chat, and social networks into tickets to help them resolve issues effortlessly and proactively. The ticketing system is built for team collaboration and agent productivity.

It is supported by a wide range of languages and global locations and has a modern and user-friendly interface. Mobile applications for Freshdesk are available on iOS and Android devices.

Freddy AI, Freshdesk’s add-on product, uses machine learning technology to help customers and agents by building bots and connecting customers to relevant, personalized support solutions to answer their questions. It can also follow-up with customers or route them to agents.

With its Service Level Agreement (SLA) management feature, you can set deadlines across different inquiries and customer segments to ensure customers’ timely support.

Freshdesk integrates with various business apps such as CRM, mailers, and productivity software to keep you on top of you and your team on top of customers’ concerns.

Pricing

Pricing is per support agent per month, and there are five pricing plans available. Free-trial is available with no credit card required. The free plan is called Sprout, and it offers unlimited free agents. This plan is ideal if you are getting started.

The Blossom Plan costs $15 per support agent per month if billed annually and $19 if billed monthly. With this plan, you get standard support. To become highly efficient, you should go for the Garden Plan, which costs $35 per support agent per month if billed monthly, and $29 if billed annually.

The Estate Plan costs $49 per support agent per month if billed annually and $65 if billed monthly and includes all the Garden Plan features, plus additional features. The plan ideal for enterprises is the Forest Plan which costs $99 per agent per month billed annually and $125 billed monthly.

Freshdesk Pricing Plan

Add-On features available in Freshdesk include Freddy AI service, which costs $500 for 5,000 Freddy sessions per month,Freddy ultimate, which also costs $500 per 5,000 Freddy sessions, and field service management, which costs $29 per agent per month.

5. RingCentral

A Cloud-Based Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) Unified Communication System

RingCentral  is a Cloud Based Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) Unified Communication System

RingCentral is a cloud-based phone system that does not require any technical expertise to navigate. It is designed to make business communications easy to set up. With its omnichannel capabilities that support all digital channels such as SMS, email, and webchat, you can provide your customers excellent customer support.

This platform offers calling, collaboration, mobile features, and tools. Service is hardly down, as it provides 99.99% uptime.

It offers an open application programming interface (API) that allows your team to build integrations and custom features. It enables integration with popular business apps. These apps allow you to change settings and receive notifications.

With RingCentral’s virtual meeting functionality, you can enjoy quality facetime with team members through one-click, video, and web calls to ensure that operations run smoothly. Video communication is available on desktop and Android, and iOS devices. You can train employees virtually, regardless of their timezone, with this platform’s webinar tools.

It is ideal for small businesses, and you have access to a wide range of local and international phone numbers.

Pricing

RingCentral offers four pricing plans. Each of the plans offers a different set of features. It has a free trial with no credit card required.

You get valuable features at a low rate with RingCentral. Monthly and annual plans are available, and you get a 33% discount on the yearly plans.

The Essentials Plan available for up to 10 users costs $19.99 per user per month. 24/7 customer support is sure with the Standard Plan, and it costs $24.99 per user per month.

The most popular plan is the Premium Plan, and it costs $34.99 per user per month. The Ultimate Plan, which includes everything in the Premium plan and additional features, costs $49.99 per user per month.

RingCentral Pricing Plan

6. CloudTalk

A Virtual Phone System for Remote Sales and Customer Service Teams

CloudTalk is a Virtual Phone System for Remote Sales and Customer Service Teams

CloudTalk is a virtual call center software used for outbound calls in sales and inbound calls in customer service. It is ideal for small and medium-sized businesses.

Its integration with business tools such as CRMs, ecommerce, and chat software makes it easy for any business to communicate with their customers and potential customers to boost customer satisfaction and agent’s productivity. Its open API also allows the platform to integrate with external applications.

The system’s mobile application called the CloudTalk Phone is available on iOS and Android devices. Its web application is available on Windows, Mac, and Linux.

With its advanced features, including VoIP, caller queuing, and caller records, you can handle the complex processing of inbound calls.

It has call routing features based on skills, call destination, availability, and customer preference to ensure that your customers’ calls are routed to the right agent. You can do this by running an efficient queue with automated call distribution. Its voicemail features allow businesses to create personalized messages.

You have access to an unlimited number of inbound and outbound calls with higher paid plans. It is available in a variety of languages.

With outbound call center features such as click to call, transfer, and predictive caller, businesses can boost their staff’s productivity.

Pricing

There are four pricing tiers available for CloudTalk. It has a free trial with no credit card required. Prices start as low as $20 per user per month for the Starter Plan if billed annually. The Essential Plan costs $25 per user per month and has all the Starter Plan features plus additional features.

The Expert Plan costs $40 per user per month if billed annually. For the Custom Plan, contact a vendor for a tailor-made offer.

CloudTalk Pricing Plan

7. Nextiva

The Leading Cloud-based Phone System known for Outstanding Customer Service

Nextiva is the Leading Cloud-based Phone System known for Outstanding Customer Service

Nextiva is a cloud call center software for Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) that is ideal for small to medium-sized businesses. Its advanced call management features help you prioritize calls. You can route, hold, or block incoming calls. You can route inbound calls to the right agent based on custom criteria.

It will prevent calls from blocked IDs or unknown numbers from reaching your business. VoIP allows for text messaging as some customers prefer texting to calling.

With its video conferencing software, you can connect with team members and customers and take online meetings to the next level by screen sharing and sending messages during calls. You can track leads and deals together with your team due to the transparency of Nextiva.

It is an all-in-one communication platform that includes voice, email marketing, surveys, automation, customer relationship management, and much more.

You can attend to your customers even when on the go using the Nextiva mobile application. The mobile application is available for iOS and Android.

Customer service is 24/7. Nextiva allows you to build strong relationships with your customers with machines and AI.

It offers enhanced privacy with TLS and SRTP encryption.

One of its best features is its Caller AI feature that integrates with Nextiva’s CRM platform to provide users with a customer profile that pops up each time they make a call.

Pricing

Nextiva offers a free trial to help beginners start. It has four pricing plans. The Essential Plan is easy to set up, and its pricing starts from $18.95 per user per month.

The Professional Plan is ideal for smaller teams. Pricing starts from $22.95 per user per month. For small and medium teams, the Enterprise Plan is the best choice. Its pricing starts at $32.95 per user per month.

Pricing starts at $57.95 for the Ultimate Plan. It has all the Enterprise features plus additional features.

Nextiva Pricing Plan

When you place calls in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico, you don’t get per-minute charges or limits.

8. Mitel

A Call Center Software with Three Functions (MiCloud Connect, MiCloud teamwork, and MiCloud Connect CX)

Mitel is a Call Center Software with Three Functions (MiCloud Connect, MiCloud teamwork, and MiCloud Connect CX)

Mitel is a unified communication system that provides companies with end-to-end communication, collaboration, and contact center services. The software’s three functions are MiCloud Connect, Mitel teamwork, and MiCloud Connect CX, which does not require any special equipment to be installed.

The MiCloud Connect combines communication and collaboration tools. Mitel teamwork ensures productivity and collaboration, and the MiCloud Connect CX allows customers to contact companies via phone, SMS, email, and social media.

Mitel has an intuitive interface and is easy to set up. It is ideal for small to medium-sized businesses.

With its automatic call distribution feature, customers’ calls can be directed to the right agent to take care of their concerns. Callers can decide which department they want their calls to be directed to.

Mitel can interact with mobile devices so that you can work from anywhere. It has a mobile application that is available on iOS and Android. It also accommodates built-in voicemail capabilities.

MiVoice Office and MiVoice Business are two Mitel phone systems available.

Pricing

Mitel has three pricing tiers and each of which has an unlimited calling and instant messaging. The Essential Plan starts at $20.99 per user per month and has video conferencing for up to 8 participants.

The Premier Plan starts at $26.59 per user per month, and it includes audio conferencing for up to 25 participants.

Pricing for the Elite Plan starts at $38.49 per user per month. It includes everything in the Essential Plan plus audio conferencing for up to 100 participants.

Mitel Pricing Plan

Many of its plans do not require installation or set up fees.

9. VoIP Logic

A Platform-as-a-Service Provider (PaaS) of Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) Technology

VoIP Logic is a Platform as a Service Provider (PaaS) of Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) Technology

VoIP Logic is a Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) provider of managed Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) systems and solutions to carriers and solutions. It can control your communications service offerings from start to finish. With VoIP Logic, you can focus on supporting your revenue-generating services, which gives you the control to update these services to stay up to date with customers’ demands and the needs of the market.

Its find me, follow me feature allows you to automatically route incoming calls to different numbers without the caller dialing other numbers.

Integrating a softphone with your computer makes it possible for you to handle calls from any geographical location with no long-distance charges. You can also harmonize your communications, making it easy to contact multiple contact numbers.

With VoIP phones, agents can telecommute and feel like they are at the office with the same functionality.

VoIP services offer a conferencing bridge that allows you to set up a conference and dial multiple callers at the same time without any hassle.

You can scan and fax documents, and they will be received as email attachments.

It has call recording features that allow you to record incoming and outgoing calls from any extension on your network for transparency.

With Interactive Voice Response (IVR) features, you can route calls to the correct department where the right agent can handle customers’ queries.

VoIP will attach voicemail recordings and send them directly to agents’ emails for accessibility on any device.

It is ideal for different sizes of businesses.

Pricing

It offers three paid plans. The Starter Plan has features that can help you track and monitor companies. Price is $29 per user per month if billed annually and allows a single user.

The Pro Plan allows 1-10 users and costs $49 per user per month if billed annually. You can contact sales personnel for a custom price for the Enterprise Plan. It allows 10+ users.

VoIP Logic Pricing Plan

10. Aircall

A Versatile Phone System Designed for Sales and Support Teams

Aircall is a Versatile Phone System Designed for Sales and Support Teams

Aircall is a cloud-based phone system that helps sales and support teams communicate effectively.

With its call cascading feature, it distributes calls across teams, and users can change the cascading order with just one click. You can create inbound and outbound call centers easily using one system.

It is available on desktop and mobile applications. Therefore, you can handle calls on the go. Aircall is also available as a Chrome extension. With its intuitive interface, team members can easily navigate the application.

With its Live Feed feature, you can monitor your team’s availability and activity. On the Aircall Dashboard, through Calls Overview and Statistics, you can see if you’re providing your customers the best service.

You can integrate Aircall with your workflow in just one simple click to keep all your conversations connected. It is available in various languages and ideal for small to medium-sized businesses to make their phone operations more professional.

This system allows businesses to make use of local phone numbers in over 30 countries.

Its click-to-dial feature helps ramp up productivity by allowing you and your team to dial faster and work more efficiently.

Using the call whispering feature, managers can coach agents during a sales or support call without the customer hearing them. This can help to increase sales metrics.

Pricing

It does not have a free plan but has a free trial available. The cost of Aircall starts at $30 per user per month if billed annually for the Essential Plan. With this plan, you get unlimited inbound calls.

The Professional Plan starts at $50 per user per month if billed annually. You get unlimited concurrent calls.

Aircall Pricing Plan

11. Dixa

A Customer Service Software Designed to Help Companies Establish A Closer Bond with Customers

Dixa is a Customer Service Software Designed to Help Companies Establish A Closer Bond with Customers

Dixa is a cloud-based customer support software that unifies customer engagement across email, SMS, phone, and chat into one platform. It provides multiple outlets to interact with customers.

It provides a free mobile app and a fully-featured VoIP phone system. It is also available on the web and accessible wherever you have an internet connection due to its cloud-based nature. The system is ideal for businesses of all sizes, and it does not require any additional software installation.

Dixa is omnichannel; therefore, all support channels across various channels such as email, chat, and phone are unified on a single interface. Users can connect easily with real-time conversations and track and aid customers’ queries.

You can place calls into queues and automatically route them to the right agent at the right time with its advanced call routing feature.

It has an intuitive interface that is easy to set-up and allows users to concentrate fully on their customers without the distraction of navigating complex software and switching between systems.

Its scalability means you can add agents and channels within the interface as your business grows.

Pricing

Dixa’s flexible pricing plan allows you to pay for only what you need and scale without any additional cost.

It has three pricing plans billed per user annually. Small businesses looking to unify their support system should go for the Professional Plan, which costs $99 per user per month.

For medium-sized businesses, or those looking to scale, the Premium Plan, which costs $139 per user per month, is ideal.

The Platinum Plan, which costs $179 per user per month, is ideal for teams wanting service-level agreement and compliance.

Dixa Pricing Plan

All plans require a minimum of 8 agents to begin.

12. Zendesk

The Most Popular Call Center Software Used by Businesses of all Sizes

Zendesk is the Most Popular Call Center Software Used by Businesses of all Sizes

Zendesk is an all-in-one customer service software suitable for various businesses ranging from small businesses to large organizations. It has an intuitive interface, making it easy and quick to set up.

It integrates with a wide range of popular business apps to help you customize your support ticket system to create efficient customer engagement to boost sales and productivity. It also offers support in different languages.

There are six Zendesk products available. The Zendesk support provides customers with support by email, chats, social media, and voice. The platform that offers live chat to engage leads on your site to drive sales conversation is the Zendesk Chat.

You can measure and boost the entire customer service with the Zendesk Explore. The Zendesk Guide supports customers to tap into your institutional knowledge. With the Zendesk Talk, customers get more personal phone support.

Zendesk Connect helps you to manage communications across various channels. Agents can also work on multiple tickets for better customer experiences.

It is a multi-channel software; therefore, customers can connect with users through any channel they want, such as email, SMS, social media, and phone.

Custom ticket fields make it easy for agents to gather information from customers about support issues to decide the type of support to provide them.

You can automate simple tasks with its automation feature to free up your time and enable you to solve problems faster. You can also create triggers from scratch or modify default ones.

Pricing

Zendesk offers a 30-day free trial with no credit card requirements on all its plans. It offers five pricing plans, each with different features. Each of the plans is scalable; therefore, you can modify it to suit you.

The Essentials Plan, designed for small businesses, costs $5 per user per month if billed annually. For small to medium-sized enterprises to organize sales processes and keep track of deals, the Team Plan is ideal, and it costs $19 per user per month if billed annually.

The Professional Plan will help you boost efficiency with automation and integrations. It costs $49 per user per month if billed annually. It is suitable for medium and developing businesses.

To manage complex sales processes and large teams, the Enterprise Plan has all the features you need to scale through. It costs $99 per user per month if billed annually. The Elite Plan is for teams who want to optimize Zendesk functionalities. It costs $199 per user per month if billed annually. With this plan, Zendesk guarantees 99.99% up-time for your support center.

Zendesk Pricing Plan

13. Allworx

A Cloud-based Call Center Software with its Own VPN to Ensure Security of Company Files

Allworx is a Cloud based Call Center Software with its Own VPN to Ensure Security of Company Files

Allworx is an all-in-one VoIP phone system that delivers traditional and advanced features of a business phone system. It extends its functionalities to iOS and Android devices to provide seamless service even when on the go.

You can personalize messages with its queue management features. It allows you to manage inbound calls in 10 queues with 16 calls per queue by distributing them into linear priority, round-robin, longest idle, and ring all styles. To manage the system, you do not need expert technical knowledge. It is ideal for startups, small and medium-sized businesses, agencies, and enterprises.

With its call routing features, you can route calls to another agent if the wait time is becoming too long or there are too many calls in the queue at a given time.

You can access voicemail messages right from your inbox as WAV file attachments. SMS text alerts containing username associated with the voicemail inbox, length of the recorded message, date and time the message was recorded will be sent to you when you receive voicemail messages.

Using Allwox’s VPN, you can access the company’s file and intranet from anywhere with no loss in security.

With a few clicks using Allworx’s calendaring software, you can schedule meetings and set reminders for appointments or projects automatically.

Pricing

Allworx bases pricing per user. It does not offer a free version and free trial. You can contact a vendor for a quote-based plan.

14. HubSpot Help Desk Software

A Call Center Software with the Ticketing System Feature

HubSpot Help Desk Software is a Call Center Software with the Ticketing System Feature

HubSpot Help Desk Software integrates with help desk tools to keep track of customers’ requests and help your team stay organized to provide exceptional customer support. Tracking a customer’s issue on one dashboard accessible by all your team members is done with HubSpot’s tickets tool.

You can add automation and routing features to tickets for efficiency. This allows your team to spend less time on manual data entry but spend more time solving customers’ issues. Tickets include helpful information about customers to help you deliver beneficial, personalized support to customers quickly.

With HubSpot’s help desk tools, customers’ needs can be prioritized so that you and your team can attend to the most pressing issues.

Integration of HubSpot’s Service Hub with CRM and CMS helps you deliver an outstanding customer experience to your customers. It is available in a wide range of languages, and support is extended through phone, live chat, and documentation.

Using the ticket system will also let you know your customers’ preferences, likes, and dislikes which could come in handy when your business scales up and demands become so many.

You can create surveys to get insights from audiences with its feedback tool. This will help you understand your customers better.

It is ideal for small to large businesses.

Pricing

HubSpot service hub offers a free plan with no credit card required. A free trial is also available, with free tools to get you started. You can upgrade to a paid plan after your free trial to access advanced features and tools. The free version is ideal for customer service professionals.

It offers three paid plans. For developing customer service teams, the Starter Plan is ideal. Its pricing starts at $45 per month if billed annually and begins at two paid users. The Professional Plan starts at $800 per month if billed annually. It is ideal for advanced customer service teams and begins at five paid users.

The Enterprise’s Plan pricing starts at $1200 per month if billed annually and begins at ten paid users. It is ideal for more sophisticated customer support teams.

HubSpot Help Desk Software Pricing Plan

15. 8×8

A Cloud- Based Phone System that Combines Video, Voice, and Text Communication All in One Package

8x8 is a Cloud Based Phone System that Combines Video, Voice, and Text Communication All in One Package

8×8 is a cloud communication software that aims to deliver business solutions with robust unified communications. It is available on desktop and mobile devices so that you can access your information from anywhere. Its intuitive interface makes it easy to set up.

This phone system is a Unified Communications-as-a-System (UCaaS) product because it combines video conferencing, messaging functionalities, audio phone calls, and audio conferencing.

With its voicemail transcription feature, you can transcribe a user’s voicemail to a readable text sent to the user’s email. You can also analyze customer interactions and listen to the most important ones using its speech analytics capabilities to deliver high-quality customer support to customers and accelerate your business.

8×8 uses VoIP to reduce calls cost for customers. It is ideal for small and enterprise-level businesses and is available in multiple languages.

It uses Transport Layer Security(TLS) and Secure Real-Time Transport Protocol (SRTTP) to encrypt communications fully.

Pricing

You get a 25% discount if you purchase 8×8’s annual plan. It offers one of the cheapest plans for phone systems. It provides a 30-day free trial for those who want to try it out.

8×8 offers three paid plans. For small businesses, the 8×8 Express Plan is ideal. It costs $12 per user per month, and you can get started in minutes.

The X2 Plan costs $24 per user per month. With the X4 Plan, you get unlimited voice calling to 47 countries. It costs $44 per user per month.

8x8 Pricing Plan

16. Avaya Contact Center

A Contact Center Solution that Delivers Great Customer Support Across Various Channels.

Avaya is a Contact Center Solution that Delivers Great Customer Support Across Various Channels

Avaya’s Contact Centeras-a-Service (CCaaS) solution allows businesses to deliver excellent customer service to their customers across various channels.

Avaya has solved the lack of communication capabilities for small to medium-sized businesses with its IP Office Contact Center.

It combines data and voice using a converged network. You can expand your IP network as your business grows without hassle.

This platform is designed for small businesses and large corporations and offers them reliable communication. It provides VoIP at an expert stage, thereby increasing the efficiency of call center systems.

You can automate direct inbound traffic with Interactive Voice Response (IVR) and route calls to the right agent using scripting. You can communicate with customers through the channel they prefer to make the experience personal and better. Channels available on Avaya include social media, SMS, email, chat, and phone call.

Using IP technology, you can add mobile phones to your network.

Avaya’s telephone system supports various operating systems; you can integrate it into your business. With its Computer Telephony integration (CTI), users can access information on their company’s database during a phone call.

It has a user-friendly interface and an intuitive visual call flow design and vector management.

Avaya’s call monitoring feature allows you to monitor the call being handled by another agent. You need to abide by the local rules and regulations surrounding this feature, or else you could be penalized. The feature is not there by default.

Call centers can rate their performance with Avaya’s real-time and historical dashboards and reporting tools.

Pricing

Avaya offers three pricing plans. The Essential Plan is ideal for a primary user, and it costs $19.95 per user per month. It provides essential features that you need to communicate with your customers effectively.

The Business Plan is ideal for users who need video, conferencing, and mobile applications. It costs $24.95 per user per month. You get all the Essential plan features plus additional features.

Users who need enhanced application integration should go for the Power Plan, which costs $34.95 per user per month.

Avaya Contact Center Pricing Plan

17. CallShaper

A Cloud-based Call Center Software with a Dynamic Scripting Interface

CallShaper is a Cloud based Call Center Software with a Dynamic Scripting Interface

CallShaper is a cloud-based dialer designed to help businesses reduce cost and increase Return On Investment (ROI).

You can transfer calls to another agent with its drag-and-drop Interactive Voice Response (IVR) editor based on availability and time. It also allows callers to be greeted with automated responses. Callers can also choose which department they want their calls to be routed to.

Businesses use its API to integrate with various Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems.

With real-time reporting, you can measure your call center performance to know what you need to improve on and what you’re doing right.

It has a customizable dynamic scripting interface that allows you to create a route for agents to follow to provide key selling points on every call to convert leads. Scripts are usually online, so you do not need to download them.

With its call monitoring feature, managers can listen in on calls handled by agents for training purposes and customer satisfaction.

Pricing

Contact a CallShaper sales personnel for a custom quote.

18. Integra

An Omnichannel Contact Center Solution

Integra is an Omnichannel Contact Center Solution

Integra is a simple, all-in-one solution for the communication requirements of a call center. It renders personalized service by allowing customers to choose their preferred communication channels such as social media, webchats, phone, email, and SMS. Small, medium-sized, and large businesses use Integra.

You can communicate with customers effectively with its automatic call distribution feature that allows you to place calls in a queue and route them to the right agent based on the criteria you set. It supports a wide range of languages.

The recording dialer feature allows users to record inbound and outbound calls. You can monitor calls handled by agents without interruption or intervention to ensure that they provide customers with the best customer experience.

If the agent seems to have trouble answering a customer’s question, you can give them a little training without the customer knowing. You can also come in as a third party without asking the customer to repeat their question. It also offers click-to-call and voice broadcast features.

Pricing

Integra pricing plans are billed per user. It offers four pricing tiers. The Classic Plan costs $50 per user per month and offers only telephony features. The most popular plan is the Omni Plan, and it costs $60 per user per month. It includes all the Classic Plan features plus multichannel features.

The Play Plan also costs $60 per user per month but offers features different than the Omni Plan features. It provides telephony and gamification features.

The Full Plan costs $70 per user per month. It has a complete suite of Integra and all the features of the other plans.

19. Asterisk

A Free Call Center System for Building Communication Applications

Asterisk is a Free Call Center System for Building Communication Applications

Asterisk is a free and open-source call center software with virtually all the features you need to create a working call center. Its Automatic Call Distributor (ACD) feature pairs with an automated attendant system and helps callers route themselves into the appropriate queue to get to the right agent.

Interactive Voice Response (IVR) integrates with ACD to get callers’ information such as account numbers or package tracking numbers and use the data to obtain specific caller information to deliver exceptional customer service. This can help IVR handle callers’ issues without human intervention.

You can communicate with companies using various channels and devices such as email, phone calls, SMS, chats, and social media. Its call parking feature allows you to put calls on hold to be transferred to another extension.

Asterisk supports blind and attended transfers. You can pass callers along without checking in with the transfer receipt with the blind transfers. The attended transfer ensures that the transfer receipt is present and prepared before completing the transfer.

It works with traditional telephony protocols and supports various advanced VoIP protocols.

Pricing

Asterisk offers a free plan.

What is Call Center Software?

Call Center Software is a system with multiple communication channels such as phone, email, webchat, SMS, and social media used as part of customer support to help agents solve customer issues to deliver exceptional customer satisfaction.

Companies that receive tons of calls daily should use call center software for customer retention. Call center software allows various communication channels, with phone calls being the most preferred by customers.

Agents can also use it for outbound calls to pitch their products or services to prospective customers.

With virtual call center software, you can work from any location. Companies who have agents working from business offices will spend more money and time. The only thing a virtual call center agent needs is virtual call center software and an internet connection.

When a call comes in, the system scans through the database to identify the customer. If the caller is not in the database, the system automatically adds the new caller’s data for future reference. If it’s an existing customer’s call, the agents check the details and get the customer’s issue history before handling the call.

The call is then properly queued based on a few criteria according to the customer’s reply to the automated response. As the call is pushed further, agents who are mapped to that queue get access to pick the call. Agents can get senior colleagues for guidance on the call if needed. The status can then be marked as open, closed, or resolved, depending on the customer’s final response.

Inbound Call Center

An inbound call center consists of a team whose primary responsibility is handling a company’s incoming calls. Customers call inbound call centers to place orders, make a complaint, or ask a question. The call center must take the calls quickly and attend to customers’ requests.

Outbound Call Center

An outbound call center often makes calls to prospective customers to pitch their products and services to them. They either make outbound calls exclusively or combine them with inbound calls. Outbound calling is an effective way to convert leads.

Types of Call Center Software

There are four most common types of call center software.

1. On-Premise Call Center Software

On-Premise call center software solution allows you to maintain integrated data and systems as hardware, software, and associated infrastructure are installed at your office. You can employ an IT staff responsible for configuration, upgrade, and upkeep of the software.

2. Hosted Call Center Software

This call center software is hosted off-site and accessed through a remote server. Manufacturers or third-party vendors manage the hosted software anytime within the company. Hosted call center software is cheaper than on-premise call center software.

3. Cloud-Based Call Center Software

Cloud-based call center software is accessed through an app with an internet connection, as it is hosted online. Data is stored in the cloud and cashed so that users can access it offline. Users must update the app with every update notification.

It provides better privacy, uptime, and security when compared to on-premise and hosted tools. No setup cost is required, and it is launched in minutes. It requires zero maintenance as you do not require any hardware.

4. Browser-Based Call Center Software

This call center software solution is similar to cloud-based call center software. The only difference is that it is accessed through the internet rather than an app. It is easy to set up and use.

What are the Benefits of Using Call Center Software?

Investing in effective call center software can help improve your business’s customer service and boost efficiency. If your company is constantly getting loads of calls daily, call center software comes to your rescue.

It is designed to help agents optimize workflow. You can monitor, track, manage, and route incoming and outgoing calls to the appropriate agent based on specific criteria.

Here are the benefits of call center software for your business.

1. Greater Productivity and Efficiency

Call center software can help agents create incoming cases, track them and escalate them if necessary. Using the software, agents can handle inbound and outbound calls efficiently.

With routing tools, calls are automatically routed to the right agent, giving them the ability to respond quickly and efficiently.

The outbound call center features can help you keep track of outbound calls to ensure that all expenditures are essential. It also enables you to create a database, including recording incidents beneficial to the company for good practice.

One of the most significant benefits of using call center software is that it drives sales instantly. With this software, agents can efficiently handle pre-sales queries of existing clients.

High performance call center

2. Improved Customer Service Management

Customer service agents are the faces of businesses. Customers expect that agents already have their data, so they expect rapid and professional responses.

The call center software prioritizing feature allows agents to prioritize customers’ calls and attend to the most urgent needs. You can place customers in a queue based on the urgency of their call. The software also ensures that calls do not get lost in the queue.

If an agent cannot handle a call for some reason, they can share customer data among other agents; thus, reducing the customer's wait time.

Call center software offers an enhanced reporting feature that gives managers the data they need to make strategic decisions. Reports available to help the management team are up-sell rates, revenue per call, case times, call volume, and case categories.

Customer Service Management and Targeted Communications

3. Decreased costs

Running a call center requires a lot of money spent on hardware, maintenance, installation, and others. With virtual call center software, you do not need to make those unnecessary expenses because all the data you need is kept in the cloud, secure, and easy to access.

Getting each of your agents an office can be pretty expensive. A virtual call center software allows you to hire remote agents who will manage your business from any location. It is easy to set up and use.

Virtual call center software Decreased costs

4. Data Security

Data security is one significant concern for businesses. You could lose customers and the company’s information if you do not have a reliable security system.

It comes with enhanced security features that make the company’s data safe within the cloud backup. You do not have to worry about the cost of hiring a professional to maintain the system.

With call center software, agents have access to every customer’s data, ranging from personal data to service history. This enables agents to interact with customers more comprehensively.

Mobile agent security
Source: Comstice

5. Multi-channel Support

Call center software delivers support through various channels such as email, SMS, webchat phone call, and social media, allowing customers to have a wide range of options to pick the channel they most prefer. This will enable you to offer excellent customer service.

Call center software Multi channel Support

What Features Should You Look For In Call Center Software?

The overall productivity of a call center depends on the features that the call center software has. These are the core features a functioning call center software should have.

1. Automatic Call Distribution (ACD)

Automatic Call Distribution

ACD, also known as call routing system helps manage traffic and distribute calls programmatically to the right agent in the shortest time possible. When customers state their issues, ACD groups and map them to the best department to solve their issues. This system ensures that callers don’t end up waiting for too long in the queue, improving their experience.

It distributes calls based on several criteria, such as sending a caller to an idle agent or sending calls about billing to the finance department. The most common types of incoming call distribution are Direct, Round-robin, Least occupied, Simultaneous, and Skill-based routing.

Direct Routing

Calls are routed to a specific group of agents based on their competence. If the incoming call rings to the first person in the group and their line is busy, the call is routed to the next person.

direct routing

Round-robin Routing

Agents are placed in a particular order, and calls are routed in a cycle, distributed to the next person in line. Once the last person takes a call, the next call goes to the first person, and so on.

Round robin Routing

Least Occupied Routing

With the least active routing, calls are also routed to the agent that has been idle so that every agent gets a fair share of call distribution.

Least Occupied Routing

Simultaneous Call Routing

Whenever a call gets to available agents, any agent who picks up first will handle the call.

Simultaneous Call Routing

Skill-based Routing

With skill-based routing, you route calls based on the skill set of agents. Skill-based routing maps a caller’s query to the agent with the best skill to solve that particular problem. With this, it is guaranteed that the agent will quickly resolve customer issues to optimize customer service.

Skill based Routing

Advanced ACD uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) for call routing. Most people are under the impression that ACD is the same as Interactive Voice Response (IVR), but it is not true. The difference between them is that ACD route calls based on your selection while IVR route calls based on caller selection.

ACD features that boost call center efficiency are call queuing, call monitoring, call barging and forward to voicemail.

Call Queueing

Call queueing allows callers to be placed on hold and put in a queue before an agent attends to them. While the caller is in the queue, they are played pre-recorded music or messages to shorten the subjective wait time. This feature ensures that agents attend to all callers.

Call Monitoring

With the call monitoring feature, a third party can listen in on new agents’ calls to guide and train them. This third party is usually a supervisor and can correct the agent even while on the call without the caller knowing.

They can monitor live calls from anywhere as long as they have an internet connection and a phone.

Call Barging

Sometimes callers would prefer that their calls be escalated to a manager. The call barging feature allows managers to drop in on live calls and speak with both the caller and the agent to reduce call transfer and increase customer satisfaction.

Forward to Voicemail

Voicemail allows users to leave a voice message for a company at a given time when they are not available to handle a call. Agents can also leave personalized messages for callers to know who they’ll be communicating with precisely.

Some call center software has voicemail transcription capabilities that transcribe voice messages and automatically send them to an agent to handle.

2. Interactive Voice Response (IVR)

This feature uses voice-recognition software to route callers to the specific departments they want their calls to go to. It allows customers to communicate directly with computers.

With Computer Telephony Integration, IVR can route calls to a human agent who can view the caller’s data. The primary use of IVR is to automate inbound calls and route them to the appropriate agent.

Using IVR should be easy for customers. It allows them to navigate various options by making one or two clicks on their phone; thereby, allowing agents to focus on other things to optimize workflow.

Interactive Voice Response feature

You can create customized pre-recorded voice messages with IVR to give callers a more personalized experience even without speaking with an agent.

IVR prioritizes some calls such that when a high-value customer calls, IVR will route the call to the most qualified agent to handle their query. If the agent is busy, the caller will be directed to the front of the queue. Some IVR systems have the option where a caller can call the agent back rather than waiting in the queue. Simply put, IVR acts as a virtual receptionist.

3. Call Recording

The call recording feature allows inbound and outbound calls to a call center to be recorded. Calls are recorded for later review and help to managers or supervisors to analyze the performance of agents to improve operations and enhance the level of service delivered.

You can store recordings in the cloud, where staff can access them anytime with the proper credentials. This feature records all incoming and outgoing calls.

Call recording feature

.

4. Computer Telephony Integration (CTI)

CTI, also called softphone, connects your phone or computer to a virtual phone system. It provides a reliable voice-over-internet protocol service that helps connect it to a traditional phone system. It is easy to set up with just a few clicks.

Computer Telephony Integration
Source: SCG

With CTI, you do not need phones and don’t have to worry about call quality or volume. There are advanced phone controls on the computer, allowing agents to make and receive calls with simple clicks of a mouse. It also integrates with call routing technologies such as automatic call distribution (ACD) and interactive voice response (IVR) to route calls to the appropriate easily.

It has the automated screen pop feature that allows agents to view the caller’s information before handling the call. This will help the agent provide the caller with a personalized experience.

CTI integrates with CRM applications to ensure that call records are automatically added to a customer’s CRM record.

It improves customer experience as well as agent efficiency and productivity.

5. Omnichannel Support

A good call center software should be compatible with various channels such as email, SMS, webchat, phone call, and social media. This feature allows customers to get support when they want it and through their most preferred channel for communication, whether with a live agent or self-service option.

Customer Omnichannel Support
Source: Fonolo

For some businesses, some channels would be more suitable than others for communication with customers. This feature boosts customer satisfaction.

With the omnichannel feature, agents can get a caller’s service history to know how to respond. When CRM tools integrate with customer service systems, it can help route customers’ calls to the most suitable agent to answer their queries.

Customers can move from one channel to another without hassle. Omnichannel features help agents to solve queries faster and more efficiently.

6. Ability to Integrate With Other Business Tools

Integration of call center software with Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and other business tools can speed up call-time, up-sell, and resolve issues positively.

Crm call center integration
Source: Indiamart

The CRM tools allow agents to access customers’ information, thus providing better customer support and streamline workflow. It also extends the value of your CRM data. This integration can help you route calls to the appropriate agents better. Call center software can integrate with your CRM in minutes with just a few clicks.

CRM tools can provide solutions that will help agents view and monitor their performance in real-time. This feedback gets them motivated to work harder and perform better than their colleagues. Managers can see a detailed performance report on every agent.

7. Call Analytics

Call center analytics are tools that a company can use to track its operation and performance. You can use analytics to study customer behavior, locate knowledge gaps, and fix frustrations through training sessions with agents.

Call center analytics
Source: Bigdata

Various approaches to analytics that can help companies boost customer experience are:

Speech Analytics

Companies can use speech-recognition software to monitor calls in real-time and analyze customers’ requirements and insights. It helps companies to identify customers’ issues to get the desired call outcome.

Text Analytics

Text analytics has the SMS tracking feature that allows agents to monitor and keep track of messages sent and received from leads. It also enables managers to create automated scripts for agents to optimize workflows.

It is similar to speech analytics, but it involves texts.

Predictive Analytics

With predictive analytics, you can review past performance in call volume, customer satisfaction, and handle time and apply past solutions to upcoming queries. It helps reduce average call handling time.

Desktop Analytics

Desktop analytics helps managers to monitor how agents are using applications on their desktops. Managers can evaluate, correct errors, and know the best focus for training sessions.

Cross Channel Analytics

This analytics helps call centers to know what channel their customers are using at a particular time so that they can channel their effort towards it. Having this information will help agents provide more personalized information.

Self- service Analytics

Self-service analytics helps you access customers’ information in self-service channels to identify methods to refine self-service applications to make customer experience exceptional.

8. Comprehensive Ticketing System

The ticketing system organizes all communications from various channels in one place. It allows calls to be handled based on priority, and the ACD uses CRM data to route calls to the most suitable agent. You can create a ticket for each interaction with a customer.

Comprehensive Ticketing System
Source: Happyfox

Ticketing systems allow agents to work efficiently. You can use a ticketing system to automate simple customers’ questions which can eliminate the need for them to speak with a live agent. Agents and customers can refer to the tickets to process any query at any point in the customer’s journey.

It improves customer experience, delivering consistent support across various channels.

9. Call Parking

Call parking is a phone system feature that allows you to put a call on hold so that anyone can pick it up from a different phone. If you are on another call, you can park a call for another agent to pick up. Call parking helps callers increase call resolution.

10. Predictive Dialer

A predictive dialer automates the process of dialing a phone number. It will automatically dial multiple from your list at the same time when agents are available so that callers will be connected immediately to agents to answer their queries. It dials another number as soon as the previous one ends.

Predictive dialer software
Source: Vert-age

The dialer saves call records in the database after every call. The software confirms if there is any available agent before dialing a customer’s number. You can use the predictive dialer software for lead management by enabling CRM. This software increases productivity.

Nowadays, even the best call center software is not enough to improve call centers. Businesses have to keep their heads above water by adapting to emerging technology in a way that meets their business goals to prevent becoming elusive.

Here are the top trends in the call center software that will help businesses restrategize to deliver the exceptional customer support that callers expect.

1. Artificial Intelligence (AI) Integrated into Daily Tasks

Many businesses are making Artificial Intelligence an integral part of their business because it increases productivity. It is used in call centers as it improves all aspects of business operations.

Nowadays, businesses carry out most of their transactions online, and AI makes it possible for customers to transact without interacting directly with the company. The only time customers interact with companies now is when there is an issue, and there is a need to call customer service.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Integrated into Daily Tasks

Studies have shown that buyers are willing to pay more and even come back next time for excellent customer service. Customer service is the crux of every business and should be exceptional.

With AI-based technologies, businesses can route calls to the most suitable agent without keeping the caller waiting. It makes automation processes possible.

Integrating AI into call centers provides customers with the consistency they desire and enhances agents’ efficiency. AI enables a caller’s information to get to agents in a flash. This helps agents solve customer’s issues quickly and more efficiently.

AI gives businesses great insights into predicting customers’ future behaviors to enhance customer experience by mapping callers to the right agent in an automated way. It takes care of all automated processes; thereby, helping agents concentrate on other tasks.

2. Omnichannel Call Center Communications

No matter the channel of communication, customers always want to experience exceptional customer service. Customers love the opportunity to choose the communication channel they most prefer. The communication channels available and used by businesses are phone calls, SMS, email, Web Chat, and social media.

Omnichannel Call Center Communications

Omnichannel communication centralizes all communications with a customer across various devices and channels. It is a way to personalize customer experience so that existing customers do not have to repeat concerns.

Various businesses are incorporating this strategy into their businesses.

3. Cloud Communication for Call Centers

Many contact centers are moving away from hardware and embracing cloud-based systems because it is vital to any business operation’s efficiency and productivity. Since the pandemic, the use of cloud-based contact centers has increased. Call centers have restructured their operations to accommodate the work-from-home settings.

Key Benefits from cloud based call centers

Cloud-based call centers are more affordable. Businesses do not have to worry about admin costs or maintenance fees. Agents can work from anywhere in the world. They do not always have to be on their computer; that is why it is essential to have a mobile app and VoIP that allows agents to handle customer communications on their phones.

Agents can use a predictive dialer to detect blocks like voicemail and help them drop unnecessary calls to save time.

Cloud-based services are scalable as they can adapt to your business’ growth.

4. Advanced Self-Service Tools

Rather than speak with an agent directly, some customers would instead use a self-service tool to solve their issues because it responds to them quickly; thereby, reducing call volumes and customer wait time. On the other hand, customer self-service allows agents to focus on complex issues while customers independently solve their problems.

Advanced Self Service Tools
Source: Zendesk

The self-service tools include tutorials, FAQs, and essential information to guide customers on generic issues. Businesses are beginning to introduce self-service tools because they believe it will free up their agents’ time to handle more complex issues.

The tools should be accessible to everyone from anywhere and at any time.

It initiates speech recognition. The next level of speech recognition will be an entirely virtual agent that is well implemented to look like a live agent.

5. Analytics and Big Data

These tools help you understand how customers interact with your business to know how to deal with them in the future. You get to know what your customer prefers so that you can serve them better in the future.

Omnichannel call centers use analytics solutions to summarize statistics affecting their businesses by adding dashboards.

Analytics and Big Data
Source: Genpact

Businesses also use quality assurance software to measure call center performance based on multiple criteria such as resolution time, the number of calls, and others.

Analytics helps reduce operational costs, increase productivity and help businesses make better decisions. Various analytical approaches include predictive, text, speech, self-service, and desktop analytics. Real-time advanced analytics helps you quickly and easily make adjustments.

6. Digital Transformation

Customers are about buying products and going into long-term partnerships with businesses that give them the satisfying experience they crave.

With advancements in the call center industry, a digital transformation strategy is essential for businesses that want to stay competitive. Companies should integrate technologies to offer a whole customer experience with each interaction.

The Evolution of Customer Service

Digital transformation improves communication and helps to redefine the contact center service. Unified Communications and Collaboration tools such as team collaboration applications are essential for contact centers.

Unified omnichannel communication tools help to streamline business processes. Companies that can make customers’ dreams of quick, personalized, and relevant responses come true will stand out. They will gain excellent customer loyalty and satisfaction, which will translate to significant revenue.

7. The Use of Recall Technology

Brands use the filtering technology to sieve unwanted communication from tainting their brand. Call agents will stop erroneous communications from getting to customers without compromising the service levels with this filtering technology.

The recall technology adds some minutes in transmission time but maintains accuracy in every conversation.

How to Get the Most Value Out of Your Call Center Software?

The secret to customer retention is delivering exceptional customer service. Customers are most likely to purchase from you again and pay more if they are satisfied with your service.

A call center is the face of every business. Every business should strive to go beyond just solving customers’ queries to developing an excellent customer service representatives team that will earn customers’ trust so that they are glued to your business.

Agents can provide support via phone calls, chat, and over the web. Excellent customer experience leads to sales generation. Here are a few ways that you can get the most value out of your call center software.

1. Enhance Agent Autonomy

Making agents follow a particular pattern of work can make them feel their job is repetitive and tedious, and they may not be able to keep up, allowing the work to suffer.

Giving call center agents autonomy to make certain decisions concerning customer service increases productivity and work engagement. Agent autonomy also reduces the likelihood of routing calls to another department.

2. Gain in-depth Knowledge of Products and Services

Agents should have in-depth knowledge of your products and services. You could lose customers if your call center agents are not able to solve customer issues. They need to know everything so that they know what to sell and to whom.

You should create a database of information about your products and services and make it accessible to your agents. They should be able to lead a conversation with customers confidently.

3. Survey Callers for Feedback on their Experience

Unified communications platforms let you create automatic surveys with ratings from 1 to 5 for your customers to fill out. This helps you to know if your customers are satisfied with your customer service.

4. Balance Technology with a Human Touch

Some customers want to interact with a live agent as they think solutions like chatbots and Interactive Voice Response (IVR) are not effective. You can make customers happy by mapping them to a well-trained agent that will solve their queries.

Balance Technology with a Human Touch

Train your customer service agents on communication skills to build relationships with customers without being unprofessional. Customers like to do business with brands that they trust and make them feel comfortable.

5. Cross-Sells

When customers call to make complaints, you can introduce them to other of your products or services that relate to that problem to help them solve it. Agents should not be afraid to talk about these support packages that can improve customer experience. You can also empower customers through incentives once a relationship and trust have been established.

6. 24/7 Customer Service

Customers want attention whenever they call. For this reason, agents are to always be on standby to attend to customers. It is essential to ensure that agents can handle customers’ queries from wherever they are. Otherwise, make helpful chatbots available that will guide the customers.

7. Establish Positive Incentives for Good Work

One of the best ways to encourage your agents is through positive incentives such as rewards, quotas, and contests. It helps agents stay motivated, appreciated, and boost their morale. When employees feel this way, they go the extra mile into getting the job done; thereby, increasing efficiency and productivity.

8. Use IVR to Provide Agents with Comprehensive Information About Customers

IVR gathers and shares customer’s information with agents in real-time before they connect with the customer. This helps customers to arrive at a solution real quick and agents to get back to solving more complex issues; therefore, boosting agent productivity.

9. Implement Continuous Training Sessions for Agents

You should implement training sessions in your agents’ daily activities. Do not limit training to once or twice a year. People tend to forget things they learn, but with a constant reminder, it sticks.

After an agents’ training session, a more experienced representative can listen in on calls to provide guidance. Encourage agents to share information. This can help them learn more effectively and increase efficiency.

Call Center Software FAQ

What is the best call center software for small businesses?

#1 Talkdesk
Talkdesk is an easy and affordable contact center solution that is ideal for small businesses. It helps small businesses thrive in the era of customer experience. 

For small businesses that want to use the Talkdesk call center software, the Professional Plan is ideal as it is the most affordable of all its plans. With this plan, you get all the essential features to run a small business’ call center.

#2 Freshdesk
Freshdesk offers a free trial with no credit card information required and a free forever plan, making it affordable and ideal for small businesses. Small businesses who want to try out a call center software before committing go for this software. Its cheapest paid plan costs $15 and offers a wide variety of great features. 

#3 Bitrix24
Bitrix24 is another great call center software for small businesses. It offers a 30-day free trial and a free plan which allows unlimited users per account and various unique features you need to run a small business. 

#4 RingCentral
This platform does not require any technical expertise to navigate. It has a free trial with no credit card information needed, making it ideal for small businesses to try out the platform before committing. You get essential features at a low rate, which is what a small business needs. 

#5 Zendesk
Zendesk has an intuitive interface. It has a 30-day free trial on all its paid plans. The Essential Plan is made specifically for small businesses, and it costs $5 per user per month. Most small businesses opt for this software because of its high affordability.

What is the best call center software for enterprise customers?

#1 Integra
This call center software is a good option for large businesses. The Full Plan costs $70 and has all the features that Integra has to offer. A lot of work is required to run a large corporation, and Integra has all the needed advanced features. 

#2 HubSpot
HubSpot offers a ticketing system that allows ticket creation. You can add automation and routing features to the tickets for efficiency. This call center software is ideal for enterprise customers. The ticketing system reduces customer wait time and improves agents’ efficiency and productivity because they focus on more complex tasks. 

#3 Avaya Contact Center
Avaya provides VoIP at an expert stage, which increases the call center system’s efficiency. Its pricing plans have entirely different features tailored to suit various use cases.

How much does call center software cost?

Cloud-based software providers are usually more cost-effective than on-premise call center software because agents run all communications online. It is also scalable, allowing you to add more agents as your company grows. 

Pricing varies based on the call center software you choose. Factors affecting each software’s price variation are the number of users, available features, billing method, and additional costs. Most call center software offer monthly and yearly pricing plans. 

Bitrix24, Freshdesk, RingCentral, CloudTalk, Nextiva, Aircall, Zendesk, HubSpot, and 8×8 offer free trials. A free trial is ideal for businesses starting, as it helps them get acquainted with the software to know the best one for their business before getting committed. 

Free plans are available for Freshdesk, HubSpot, and Asterisk. It is ideal for startups too.  

Zendesk has the cheapest paid plan, which costs $5 per user per month

Software like Talkdesk has additional costs for customized features and training.

Ready to Run Your Customer Support Department With Best-In-Class Software and Phone Systems?

If you want to offer your customers the exceptional customer service they deserve, you need reliable call center software supporting the number of team members in your company.

Your company’s size and type will determine which software is perfect for you as different businesses require varying features and capabilities. The call center software providers ideal for small businesses include Talkdesk, Freshdesk, Bitrix24, Zendesk, CloudTalk, and RingCentral. 

Large corporations go for CloudTalk, Avaya Contact Center, Integra, and HubSpot.

It is advisable to go for cloud-based software providers because they are cost-effective and allow you to handle customers’ queries from any geographical location at any time. With this, you do not have to worry about the cost of acquiring hardware, office space, and others.

The call center software that offers the cheapest paid plan is Zendesk, and it costs $5 per user per month. Freshdesk, HubSpot, and Asterisk provide free plans and are ideal for businesses who want to try them out before committing.

Businesses need call center software for agent productivity, efficiency, and customer satisfaction because customer service is the powerhouse of every business.

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Anastasia Belyh

Editor at FounderJar

Anastasia has been a professional blogger and researcher since 2014. She loves to perform in-depth software reviews to help software buyers make informed decisions when choosing project management software, CRM tools, website builders, and everything around growing a startup business.

Anastasia worked in management consulting and tech startups, so she has lots of experience in helping professionals choosing the right business software.