Offering a good product or service isn’t enough. You should optimize every touch point in the customer’s journey to deliver a great experience. That’s where picking the right contact center solution matters.
From a simple and intuitive IVR to seamless call recording, contact center software offers features to offer exemplary customer service.
In this blog post, we review the best contact center software options to help you find one that suits your needs.
Key Features to Look for in a Contact Center Software
All these software options come with many features, but here are the key ones to consider when picking the best contact center software.
Omnichannel Support
The solution should allow customers to switch back and forth seamlessly across channels like SMS, chat, call, and email without any context loss.
Interactive Voice Response (IVR)
IVR can reduce wait times by ensuring that calls go to the best person for the job. The software should offer IVR systems that can recognize high-value customers, prioritize their calls, and connect them to the best agents.
Workforce Management
The software should allow you to maintain efficient agent scheduling through accurate workflow forecasting using historical data. This will ensure you have the correct number of agents with the right skills available at the right time.
Automatic Call Distribution (ACD)
Ensure your call center software features ACD that can automatically receive an incoming call and distribute it to agents based on caller ID, language, or inquiry type.
Scalability
Your cloud contact center solution provider should be capable of handling high call volumes and inquiries as your business grows. It should also guarantee uptime during migration. This is especially important during busy seasonal times like festivals.
Security & Compliance
Given the sensitive nature of customer data these centers handle, your chosen call center software must adhere to strict security guidelines and compliance regulations like HIPAA and GDPR.
Reporting & Analytics
The ideal contact center software should offer in-depth insights into:
» Average call length
» Agent idle time
» Agent utilization rate
» Call transfer rate
» Call abandon rate
» First call resolution rate
» Cost per contact
CRM Integration
Integrating your chosen call center software with other existing CRM software offers a comprehensive view of their customer data. It can also provide unified communications tailored to their requirements, boosting chances of success.
Best Contact Center Software for 2024
We reviewed the best contact center software based on features, pricing, and reputation. For a quick consideration, here are the top ones:
Contact Center Software | Free Trial | Pricing |
Exotel | Yes | Custom pricing |
Genesys Cloud CX | Yes | Starts at $75/month |
Ozonetel | Yes | Custom Pricing |
Avaya Contact Center | No | Custom Pricing |
Five9 | No | Starts at $175/Month |
Let’s go into detail.
1. Exotel
Exotel is an advanced contact center software that offers AI-powered and contextual interactions, helping businesses with unparalleled speed. The platform breaks down silos in communication by gathering customer intent, state, and emotional tone to ensure the right message is delivered through the appropriate channel.
The platform seamlessly integrates AI across channels and enables personalized interactions. Agents can also get real-time guidance for faster conversions and improved lead nurturing.
Top features:
⇒ Unifies interactions across channels into a single view
⇒ AI-powered chat and voice bots for self-service
⇒ Customers can seamlessly switch between channels without repeating details
⇒ Offers real-time data analytics and insights into customer behavior and agent performance
⇒ Automatic call distribution to transfer the calls to the most skilled agents
⇒ Live monitoring to resolve issues quicker and take proactive action
⇒ Integrations with all leading CRMs and help desk tools
Pricing: Custom pricing available on request
2. Genesys
Genesys is an enterprise-level contact center platform trusted by thousands of small, medium and large enterprises. It transforms customer experience by connecting insights across teams, tools, and interactions. In addition to phone calls, it offers channels like social media, texting, and web chat. However, it comes with a premium price point and can be complicated for smaller businesses.
Top features:
⇒ AI-powered voice bots to automate and drive caller interactions
⇒ Automatic call distributor to send digital interactions to agents who have been idle the longest
⇒ Speech-enabled IVR to ensure conversations feel more natural
⇒ Built-in workforce engagement management(WEM) to improve employee retention rates
⇒ Integrated agent collaboration tools featuring video chat, screen sharing, document management, team chat, and more
Pricing: Starts at $75 per month
3. Ozonetel
Ozonetel focuses on providing businesses with an integrated platform for efficient communication across channels like voice, email, social media, SMS, and chat. It unifies multiple communication channels without the need for capital investment and offers tools for contact center operation, call management, and customer interaction analytics.
Top features:
⇒ Powerful AI to automate tasks like call routing and responding to queries
⇒ Real-time dashboards for detailed insights into call metrics and agent performance
⇒ Intelligent routing and ACD to accelerate response times
⇒ Seamless CRM integration for improved conversions
Pricing: Custom pricing is available on request
4. Avaya
Avaya offers a cloud-based contact center solution for organizations of all sizes and industries. It includes features for call management, agent collaboration, and CX. The platform combines collaboration software, multichannel contact centers, networking, security and video.
Top features:
⇒ Intelligent call routing directs calls to suitable agents based on pre-set criteria
⇒ Call recording, monitoring, and real-time analytics to track performance, identify trends, and provide targeted coaching to agents
⇒ CX functionalities like customer callback and SMS transfers in case of extended hold times
⇒ Integration with third-party APIs to quickly connect third-party cloud services such as Microsoft Teams, Salesforce, and Service Now
Pricing: Custom pricing is available on request
5. Five9
Five9 provides a full range of powerful and smooth contact center solutions that promise scalable customer service and sales operations. It enables businesses to engage customers on their channel of choice, streamline operations, and use AI to increase business efficiency.
Top features:
⇒ Powerful dialer to automatically dial a list of numbers and connect agents to live calls
⇒ Call routing and transfer tools leverage real-time data like caller ID, location, and call history
⇒ Call recording analysis using machine learning for trends and sentiment idenfication
⇒ Omnichannel communication through email, chat, SMS, etc.
Pricing: Starts at $175 per month
6. Zendesk Talk
Zendesk Talk is an integrated cloud-based phone system built into the Zendesk customer service platform. It enables call center agents to offer digital and phone helpdesk support from a single interface. The platform is easy to implement, use and customize, and features an omnichannel ticketing system that gives agents access to robust customer profiles with customer context to personalize calls.
Top features:
⇒ AI-powered call center tools that can generate post-call transcripts and summaries
⇒ Call prioritization based on customer intent and sentiment
⇒ Advanced reporting tools for managers to optimize their entire call center operations
Pricing: Starts at $55 per agent per month
7. Nice CXone
NICE CXone is a contact center software, primarily known for its IVR system and easy-to-use reporting tools. It’s browser-based platform, Max Agent, is designed to keep agents focused and efficient without cluttering the screen. The cloud-based setup offers an intuitive interface and advanced features like supervisor tools for monitoring calls, easy access to recordings, and robust coaching options.
Top features:
⇒ Omnichannel routing allows access to over 30 channels to interact with customers
⇒ Automated routing and queue management to help customers find support faster
⇒ Real-time dashboard to view agent performance, service level, queue trend, and other metrics
⇒ Pre-built integration with leading CRM software
Pricing: Starts at $71 per month
8. Talkdesk
Talkdesk provides a complete call center solution that handles inbound and outbound calls effortlessly. Its mobile app allows agents to work from anywhere, making it convenient. The platform offers flexible staffing options that let you manage call volumes effectively, even during off-hours or when staffing is low. This ensures you can keep up with customer needs without any interruptions.
Top features:
⇒ Features an agent console callbar using which the agents can handle all their tasks
⇒ Real-time dashboards provide visual reports based on in-depth customer and center information
⇒ One-click integration with tools for agent productivity, digital channel management, chatbots and automation
Pricing: Starts at $85 per month
9. 8×8 Contact Center
8×8 offers a robust cloud communications platform that blends contact center features with voice, video, chat, and enterprise API solutions. Its omnichannel support allows chat with customers seamlessly across communication channels, improving the service quality. It has acquired technologies like Jitsi that lets businesses tailor their communication tools accordingly.
Top features:
⇒ Integrated omnichannel experience for streamlined workflows
⇒ Call routing and comprehensive reporting to enhance user efficiency
⇒ Call monitoring and quality insights with a real-time dashboard providing an overview of key metrics
⇒ Self-service and agent assist tools with generative AI capabilities
⇒ Integration options available for tools like Salesforce, Zendesk, and Shopify
Pricing: Custom pricing available on request
10. Cloudtalk
CloudTalk is a complete cloud-based call center solution designed for phone interactions between businesses and customers. Businesses can use CloudTalk on desktops, web browsers, and mobile devices, making it easy for agents to work from anywhere.
Top features:
⇒ Intelligent call routing with a flow designer that streamlines call management
⇒ Multi-level IVR menus to guide callers through various options
⇒ Easy to use and feature-rich mobile app for agents
⇒ Seamless integration with CRM, help-desk and e-commerce tools
⇒ Comprehensive analytics of calls, agents, and call queues
Pricing: Starts at $25 per month
Conclusion
Connecting with your customers is crucial for your company’s success and demands cutting-edge call center collaboration tools. With Exotel, you can empower your support team to resolve issues more efficiently, monitor key customer support metrics, and enhance support operations throughout your organization.
If you’re prepared to elevate customer experiences across channels, explore Exotel today.