18 Best Call Center Solutions & How to Pick The Right One for You

Consider this: 43% of customers prefer talking to a customer service representative on the phone instead of text and email under non-urgent scenarios.

 This number goes up to 55% and more in urgent circumstances. (Source) 

That is even when other modes of channels are present!

This report reinforces the importance of phone communication in today’s digital age. 

A call center solution helps you offer just that: the flexibility and the freedom to choose one medium or more to offer seamless customer support. It not only builds customer satisfaction but also customer loyalty.  

In this blog, we will talk about the best call center software available in the market and how you can select the right one for your organization.

What is a Call Center Solution?

A call center solution is a software platform that manages large volumes of inbound or outbound calls or a combination of both. It includes a range of tools and features to optimize customer interactions, streamline call routing, and improve overall efficiency. 

A call center software often includes:

• Automatic Call Distribution (ACD) to route calls to the most appropriate agent
• Interactive Voice Response (IVR) for automated menu options
• Call recording and monitoring for quality assurance
• Customer service analytics tools to track KPIs

Additionally, call center solutions may integrate with customer relationship management (CRM) to provide agents with customer information. These solutions allow organizations to handle calls, track metrics, and deliver a better customer experience. 

Call center software can be deployed on-premises or in the cloud. The majority of call center tools are cloud-based these days. However, there are more types to it.

Types of Call Center Solutions

Call center solutions come in different types tailored to specific business needs and objectives.

1. Inbound, Outbound, or Blended Call Center Solutions

Inbound call center solutions focus on receiving and handling incoming calls from customers seeking support or information.

Outbound call centers, on the other hand, reach out to customers for sales, surveys, or appointment reminders. 

Blended call center solutions combine both inbound and outbound services.

2. Cloud-based, Hosted, On-Premises Call Center Solutions

Cloud-based solutions operate entirely in the cloud, offering scalability, flexibility, and remote accessibility without the need for much hardware investment. 

Hosted call centers involve outsourcing the infrastructure to a third-party provider while retaining control over software and management. 

On-premises solutions, on the other hand, are established within a company’s premises, granting maximum control. However, it takes substantial expense to install and upkeep the software.

3. Omnichannel Solutions

Omnichannel solutions ensure you can interact with customers through various sources such as phone, email, chat, social media, and more.

5 Benefits of a Good Call Center Solution

A good call center solution can transform your customer service experience. Following are the perks of installing a call center solution that is right for your organization.

1. Enhanced Customer Service: With great customer service as the number one priority of customer support today, a call center solution is absolutely necessary.

A call center solution improves customer service by ensuring that calls are efficiently routed to agents, reducing wait times, and providing the tools to deliver a more effective service.

2. Consistency Across Channels: Omnichannel call center solutions ensure a consistent customer experience across various communication channels, including phone, email, chat, and social media.

3. AI-Driven Efficiency: AI-powered solutions can automate routine tasks, handle simple inquiries through chatbots, and use AI analytics to gain insights into customer behavior and preferences.

4. Cost Efficiency: Effective call center solutions help reduce operational costs by optimizing resource allocation, reducing call abandonment rates, and improving overall efficiency.

5. Scalability: Businesses can easily scale their call center operations up or down to meet changing call volumes and business needs, especially when using cloud-based solutions.

1. Knowmax

Knomax is an AI-powered, DIY  knowledge management system that helps you create a single source of truth for your call center knowledge. It acts as a centralized repository of information, ensuring that knowledge is organized, accessible, and readily shareable throughout your organization. This eliminates data silos and reduces the time spent searching for information.

Knowmax has the ability to seamlessly integrate with your existing technology stack, including CRM, and telephony, you can also use it for self-service. This integration ensures that information is distributed consistently across systems, empowering your agents with contextually relevant knowledge exactly where they need it. 

No matter how your customers interact with your brand—whether through chat, email, phone, or social media—they receive consistent and accurate information, preserving context and enabling them to pick up where they left off.

Features

• Cognitive decision trees
• Visual how-to guides
• Auto-saves content
• User analytics & audit trail
• Supports concurrent chat
• Reduce AHT & repeat calls
• Contactless support

Pricing
Contact sales@knowmax.ai for pricing.

2. Zendesk

Zendesk Talk is a cloud-based solution integrated into the Zendesk service platform. 

Their omnichannel support covers live chat, incoming and outgoing calls, social media, email, and SMS. There is also interactive voice response (IVR) routing and real-time call monitoring. Additionally, you can measure agent performance and call volumes in real-time.

One standout advantage is its flexibility: you can start from scratch or seamlessly integrate your existing systems. Being cloud-based, it’s quick to set up and has an app gallery for customizing your experience. 

While Zendesk offers good features, its advanced routing, 24/7 support, and Zendesk Talk VoIP costs extra.

Features

• Blended call center
• Omnichannel support
• AI-powered auto-attendant 
• Multilingual support
• Self-service customer portals

Pricing

Suite Team – US$ 55 per agent/month

Suite Growth – US$ 89 per agent/month

Suite Professional – US$ 115 per agent/month

Suite Enterprise – Contact the team

3. Dialpad AI

Dialpad’s customer service solution is another cloud-based platform designed to streamline inbound and outbound call operations. Its Chrome extension allows for basic in-browser functionality, simplifying the process of clicking and calling.

Dialpad offers advanced AI capabilities, powering an array of built-in features such as hyper-accurate voice transcription, sentiment analysis, agent coaching, and chatbot self-service functionality, all in real-time. This AI integration provides a unique edge, making customer interactions more efficient and insightful. 

Furthermore, Dialpad’s mobile app ensures that you can stay connected from anywhere, on any device. 

Features

• In-queue callback
• Real-time transcription
• Sentiment analysis
• 24/7 support

Pricing

Essentials – $95 user/month

Advanced – $135 user/month

Premium – $170 user/month

4. RingCentral

RingCentral’s Contact Center solution offers inbound and outbound calls, omnichannel support, ticket management, and CRM integration. While omnichannel support is not available on the low-tier plan, the mid-tier plan does provide skills-based routing, a convenient click-to-call feature, real-time reporting, and integrations for a well-rounded customer service experience.

Some features like analytics, predictive dialers, and certain integrations, such as those with Salesforce, Zendesk, and SAP, are offered as add-ons. The RingCentral mobile app adds a layer of convenience, turning your employees’ devices into mobile offices and allowing them 24/7 access wherever an internet connection is available.

Features

• Support ticket management
• Omnichannel support
• Automatic call distribution
• Real-time reports

Pricing

RingCX Intelligent Contact Center – Contact the team

RingCentral Contact Center Enterprise – Contact the team

5. TalkDesk

For hybrid call centers that manage both inbound and outbound calls, TalkDesk is a good solution. It has a friendly UI for agents to navigate easily. 

Talkdesk has features such as an intuitive mobile app for agents, enabling them to work from anywhere. The software’s flexibility allows you to bring in agents during after-hours and part-time to manage calls.

Talkdesk is AI-driven, including voice analytics, reporting, and real-time context capture. These help you gain insights and enhance both agent productivity and CSAT. With no-code tools, you can configure and optimize the system to suit your specific requirements without starting from scratch. 

Its fully cloud-based deployment means you won’t have to deal with the hassle of downloading new software.

Features

• Blended call center solution
• VoIP
• IVR
• Callback scheduling
• ACD
• Reporting and analytics

Pricing

You have to contact the TalkDesk team to get a quote on the following plans offered by them:

• CX Cloud Essentials
• CX Cloud Elevate
• CX Cloud Elite
• Experience Cloud

6. Genesys

Genesys offers a cloud-based contact center software solution that’s tailored to manage both inbound and outbound communication. This platform goes beyond just handling calls; it also covers emails, chats, social comments, and instant messages, all wrapped up in a user-friendly interface.

The solution also includes self-service options, including voice bots and chatbots, which provide responses outside regular business hours. In addition to these advanced features, you’ll find the essentials like ACD tools, reporting, and workforce management tools to ensure your call center runs efficiently.

Features

• Blended call center
• Predictive dialer
• Callback scheduling
• ACD
• IVR
• Auto dialer
• Comprehensive Integrations
• Chatbots
• Co-browse and Screen Share

Pricing

Genesys Cloud CX 1 (Voice) – $98 AUD monthly

Genesys Cloud CX 2 (Digital) – $123.5 AUD Monthly

Genesys Cloud CX 2 (Digital + Voice) – $149.5 AUD Monthly

Genesys Cloud CX 3 (Digital + WEM) – $175.5 AUD Monthly

Genesys Cloud CX 3 (Digital + WEM + Voice) – $201.5 AUD Monthly

7. Five9

With Five9, you have a comprehensive suite of telephony solutions, including business VOIP.  The software lets you make inbound and outbound calls, record conversations, and get support 24/7.

Five9 balances operational efficiency with an excellent customer and agent experience. The intuitive dashboard acts as a streamlined CRM, offering your support team quick access to calls, emails, and client notes.

You can set up your support channels to handle inquiries using a knowledge base, and the AI-assisted agent will route a call to a live agent if it can’t find an answer for the customer.

Features

• Integrates with Salesforce, Zendesk, Microsoft Teams
• Real-time and historical reports
• Predictive dialing
• Workforce, performance management
• Workflow automation

Pricing

Digital – $149/month

Core (Voice-only) – $149/month

Premium (Digital + Voice) – $169/month

Optimum (Digital + Voice + WEM) – $199/month

Ultimate (Digital + Voice + WEM + Analytics) – $229/month

8. Aircall

Aircall solution is designed to supercharge the productivity of support and sales teams. It has a user-friendly setup on your existing hardware and offers an array of intuitive integrations, real-time monitoring, and project management tools.

When integrated with your help desk and CRM, Aircall can automate tasks and monitor call activity. It’s a versatile platform that functions on both desktop and mobile, making it suitable for both on-site employees and remote workers. Aircall covers the expected call center features such as inbound and outbound calling, advanced routing, a power dialer, and routing.

Features

• Call analytics
• Post-call automation
• Call tagging
• CRM and help desk integrations
• Intelligent dialing
• Cloud-based calling

Pricing

Essentials – $30/license

Professionals – $50 /license

Custom – Contact the team

9. Webex

Webex is a scalable cloud-based solution that accommodates up to 1,000 on-site and remote employees, making it a versatile choice for businesses of all sizes. It has enterprise-level capabilities and sophistication, but it’s equally suitable for smaller businesses aiming to establish their call center operations. 

Additionally, if you require internal collaboration tools like video conferencing, Webex can serve as a comprehensive productivity suite catering to different aspects of your business operations.

Features

• Unlimited domestic and local calling
• Unlimited messaging
• Screen sharing
• Call waiting, hold, transfer, and forwarding
• Conference calls
• Call recording
• Visual voicemail
• Interactive whiteboarding

Pricing

Meet: $15 user/month

Call: $17 user/month

Meet + Call: $25 user/month

10. Nextiva

Nextiva offers an intuitive solution for designing call routing workflows with its user-friendly tool, the Call Flow Builder. This visual editor is designed without the need for coding, making it accessible to non-developers. 

Nextiva’s offering includes standard call center features like IVR, ACD, and call queuing, making it a straightforward solution suitable for a range of businesses. 

The NextOS platform can be integrated with existing tools or function as a standalone system. Additionally, it offers real-time tracking of customer experience and sentiment.

Features

• VoIP phone numbers
• Automatic Call Distribution (ACD)
• Unlimited calling in the U.S. and Canada
• Call recording
• Real-time analytics
• Integrations with popular tools

Pricing

Call Center Pro – $50/mo per user

Call Center Enterprise – $100/mo per user

11. NICE CXOne

NICE CXone is an enterprise-level solution ideally suited for larger and complex service organizations. It equips managers to elevate customer service standards while maintaining cost control. These capabilities include quality management and workforce planning tools, promoting continuous improvement in resource planning and service delivery.

NICE inContact, the unified multichannel cloud platform of NICE CXone, offers a diverse range of call routing features, including IVR. Its workforce management tools enable efficient agent scheduling based on their skills, and it uniquely links workforce management to eLearning, making it highly beneficial for teams involved in frequent staff training.

Features

• Automation workflows
• Ticket routing
• Native integrations
• API
• Live chat software
• Tracking and reporting
• Self-service portal

Pricing

Digital Agent – $71 per agent/month

Voice Agent – $94 per agent/month

Omnichannel Agent – $110 per agent/month

12. Live Agent

LiveAgent offers live chat, ticket management, omnichannel support, and more. The call center features are bundled into the All-inclusive plan, which also grants access to the aforementioned help desk tools. 

However, if you’re primarily interested in call center software, LiveAgent’s feature-rich offering may include more than you require. It caters to a broad audience, offering a free forever plan, though it is for a limited period of time. 

With essential features like IVR and unlimited call recordings, LiveAgent is a cost-effective choice. It offers both inbound and outbound call center capabilities, featuring complex IVR trees, call routing, and unlimited call recordings. Additionally, LiveAgent provides live chat, ticketing, knowledge base, customer portal, and reporting capabilities.

Features

• Forever free plan 
• Omnichannel ticket system
• 24/7 support
• IVR
• Advanced reporting
• API and integrations

Pricing

Small business –  $15 per user/month

Medium business – $35 per user/month

Large business – $59 per user/month

Enterprise – $85 per user/month

13. Vonage

Vonage stands out with its integration capabilities with various CRM systems, often facilitated through its app gallery. Additionally, Vonage offers omnichannel support, including chatbots, to enhance customer interactions.

Their core features extend to an admin portal where supervisors can access call recordings, establish dialing restrictions, and customize dashboards to tailor the experience to their needs. The platform also provides performance management tools and gamification techniques to motivate and engage your team. There is call screening, dynamic call routing, and automatic dialing available in the solution. 

Features

• unlimited calling and SMS
• 24/7 tech support
• User-friendly interface
• High-grade voice quality
• Screen Pops, Call Recordings
• Disaster Recovery, Emergency Call Routing
• IVR, Skills-based Routing, SLA Optimizer

Pricing

You have to contact the team to get a quote on the following call center plans offered by them:

Priority

Premium

Add-on Options

14. Twilio Flex

Twilio Flex is for DIY enthusiasts with the resources to hire developers or already have a skilled team of engineers well-versed in APIs. Rather than offering pre-packaged software, Twilio Flex provides a voice SDK and an open API, giving room to your developers to create a call center solution tailored precisely to your company’s requirements.

With Twilio Flex, you have the freedom to customize everything, from crafting your web-based call center app to implementing call transcription and managing queues. In essence, Twilio Flex grants you the power to build all the features you’d desire in an enterprise-level call center solution.

Primarily, it’s a call center solution focusing on voice and messaging support, offering agents a wealth of client information and the capability for click-to-call interactions. True customization comes into play through APIs, integrations, and programming routing rules, workflows, and dashboards.

Features

• Call tracking
• IVR
• Masked calling
• API and SDKs
• Alerts and notifications
• Call transcription
• Omnichannel support

Pricing

Per-hour pricing – Starting at $1.00 per active user hour

Per-user pricing – Starting at $150 per named user

15. 8×8

8×8 delivers a cloud-based contact center management solution designed to handle both inbound and outbound calls. It provides a Virtual Contact Center that incorporates enterprise-level functionalities. In addition, 8×8 offers a ContactNow contact center solution tailored for small businesses. 

It provides comprehensive reporting, including both historical and real-time data, customer experience analytics, and speech analytics. The platform is versatile, allowing integration with CRM systems or through third-party integrations. Agents benefit from features like a knowledge base, Expert Connect, and co-browsing. 

While 8×8 is primarily known as a unified communications provider, it also offers a call center platform that complements its internal business communication software. The call center offering is best suited for customers seeking a combined internal communication platform that can also handle basic external communication for customer interactions.

Features

• Multichannel Routing
• Contact Center Analytics
• Customizable Reports
• Intuitive Unified Agent Desktop
• CRM Integrations
• Support of Inbound Outbound Features

Pricing

8×8 Call center solutions are available in standalone plans or as part of a communications suite. Contact the team for pricing.

16. Channels

Channels, formerly known as CrazyCall, provides a call center platform that is primarily oriented towards outbound web calls, but it also offers capabilities for inbound calling. 

One of its standout features is the ability to make outbound calls using local phone numbers from over 60 countries. The platform’s feature set includes a web call widget, call history and storage for effective record-keeping, IVR, text message support, and integrations with popular software systems like Shopify and Zendesk.

Channels streamline customer support management through its user-friendly app, making it a valuable tool for businesses looking to enhance their outbound sales efforts and improve customer interactions.

Features

• Unlimited web calls
• Welcome message
• Web-based panel
• Chrome Extension

Pricing

Plus – $24/month, 3 users

Advanced – $62/month, 5 users

17. CloudTalk

CloudTalk Voice is a user-friendly cloud-based call center software that caters to both outbound and inbound call operations. It offers convenient integrations, call recording for quality assurance, intelligent dialing to enhance efficiency, and two-way sync to keep data updated.

One standout feature of CloudTalk is its ability to provide personalized voicemails, allowing customers to leave messages that agents can address later. This customization extends to creating bespoke call queues and utilizing automatic call distribution (ACD) to route calls to agents based on specific predefined rules.

Features

• International numbers
• Call Analytics
• Call Recording
• Interactive Voice Response (IVR)
• Call Monitoring
• Click to Call
• Smart Dialer
• Power Dialer

Pricing

Starter – €25 per user/month

Essential – €30 per user/month

Expert – €50 per user/month

Custom – Contact the team for a tailor-made offer

18. Freshdesk

Freshdesk’s Contact Center, previously known as Freshcaller, is a specialized solution tailored for smaller businesses, offering a range of features to enhance their customer support and call center operations.

Notable among its offerings are chatbot capabilities along with analytics to improve customer interactions, efficient ticket management, detailed call reports, multilingual support for diverse customer bases, a knowledge base to empower customers with self-service options, and automation tools for intelligent call routing.

One of Freshdesk’s most appealing aspects is its affordability, making it an accessible choice for smaller businesses with budget constraints. The lower-tier pricing plans make it an attractive and cost-effective call center solution. 

Features

• Affordable pricing
• AI-assisted email and voice bot
• Customizable dashboards
• Ticket management
• Omnichannel support
• Custom reporting

Pricing

N/A

How to Select the Right Call Center Solution for Your Business Needs?

To pick the best call center software for your team, you need to consider the following factors:

Features

What features are important to your team? Do you need basic call center software with features like automated call routing, call recording, and analytics? Or do you need more advanced software with features like omnichannel support, AI-powered chatbots, and CRM integration?

Integrations

Does the software integrate with your other business applications, such as your CRM system or helpdesk?

Pricing

Call center software can range in price from a few dollars per month to hundreds of dollars per month. It’s important to find the software that fits your budget and needs.

Customer Support

Does the software provider offer good customer support? If you have any problems with the software, you need to be able to get help quickly.

Call center software is essential for increasing efficiency in the workforce and providing better customer support. By having call center software in place, you can cater to diverse customer preferences. It’s a strategic move that can enhance your organization’s reputation and ensure you meet the evolving needs of your customer base.