Phone support remains a central pillar of every customer service model. Even though there aremany alternative options available for customers today , there will always be occasions when your customers need to speak with a member of your customer support team on the phone. Likewise, the call center is the lifeblood of any outbound call campaign.

With this in mind, picking the right call center software for your business is of utmost importance. Luckily, software offerings these days are plentiful and offer advanced feature sets that allow teams to do much more than just handle incoming and outgoing calls. Today we’ll be exploring everything you need to know about call center software and comparing some of the top software providers available on the market today.

A call center software is a business program that helps companies execute and manage customer communications. Traditional call center software was limited to computer telephony integration (CTI) and was primarily used to execute call commands like transfer, hold, mute, etc. using a computer. Still, as rudimentary as it was, CTI was enough for earlier inbound call center and outbound call center campaigns.

Nowadays, however, businesses are opting for a more sophisticated contact center software solution. Although they're often used interchangeably, call center and contact center software have their differences.

The difference between call centers and contact centers

Call centers are focused on managing and initiating phone call-based interactions with customers. In other words, it only deals with voice communications. In contrast, contact centers connect with people using other approaches like SMS or text messaging, email, live chat, and even social media on top of voice calls. With all of these options available, support teams can use multi-channel communication touchpoints that save time, increase resolution rates, and improve service outcomes.

As such, today’s contact center solutions help service teams manage different communications channels from a a single interface or platform whereas call center solutions tend to only highlight call management and enhanced dialing features.

Live agents require a range of different software tools in order to carry out their roles and provide optimal customer support. Examples include escalation management, performance monitoring, and customer relationship management (CRM) software.

1. Call management software - Call management tools like callback automation, help desks, automatic call distribution (ACD), and power dialers all assist call center agents manage high call density periods with ease.
2. Performance management software - Call monitoring software helps call center management monitor how agents are performing, train new employees, and ensure call quality remains high at all times.
3. CRM software - CRM software like Salesforce and Freshdesk belong to a type of customer service software that helps teams nurture better relationships with customers by managing and optimizing interactions across the entire customer journey lifecycle.
4. Escalation management system - Escalation management software helps teams streamline the process of prioritizing urgent customer calls. Top-priority call queries can be moved forward and subsequently de-escalated with ease.

Instead of acquiring three (or more) independent software tools, consider an integrated solution. This means you’ll be able to access all these capabilities from one centralized hub. With 8x8, for example, you’ll get more than just a call center solution for managing inbound customer calls: you get a fully integrated contact center suite complete with quality management and workforce optimization features that support omnichannel interactions, as standard.

You’ll also be able to integrate a wide range of third-party tools like apps with the solution so you can continue to use your favorite tools in tandem with the call center software you need.

Not sure what to look for when choosing a new call center software solution? With so many vendors out there competing for your attention, it can be difficult to know which software option is right for your business.

It’s always advisable to think about the features and functionalities that matter most to your team and work from there. To give you a head start, we’ve listed some of the most important features to look for in your next call center solution.

Interactive Voice Response (IVR)

Make sure that your call center software comes with Interactive Voice Response (IVR) technology. This is the ultimate in customer-facing tech. An IVR phone system will greet each of your incoming callers and guide them through a list of relevant options that will help route them to the ideal resource for their query.

Implementing an IVR system will help make your support service more customer-friendly, professional, and efficient. IVR systems reduce wait times and the number of incoming calls that get sent straight to voicemail - or worse, get met with a busy line. IVRs help teams manage their call volumes and get issues resolved in a timely and customer-centric manner.

Call Recording and Call Scripting

Look for a software solution that offers call recording and call scripting features. This is particularly useful for teams managing a lot of inbound calls. Call recording will help you keep a record of compliance, train new call center agents, and monitor performance. Call scripting can also help agents deliver more accurate, consistent, and articulate interactions based on custom call scripts. This is great for maintaining quality standards.

Call routing

Routing calls is a must if you want your incoming callers to get the help they need quickly and efficiently. Look for a call center software that offers advanced call queuing technology and automated call routing alongside IVR technology so customers can reach the right call center agent, department, or team right away, improving those first-time call resolution rates.

Reporting

You'll also want to make sure your cloud platform generates data-driven performance and workflow reports. This will allow you to make continuous, targeted improvements to your customers' experiences based on data and KPIs.

To this end, it’s very important to keep track of call center metrics (like first call resolution, agent productivity, call volume, and dropped calls). Choosing solutions with these features makes that process so much easier and helps your business plan for the future while monitoring progress.

Thanks to 8x8 analytics, you’ll be able to gain complete visibility over your call center's performance by capturing insights and acting on them as quickly as possible. With customized reports, it’s easy to monitor and manage your activities. And, along the way, automated critical performance notifications will keep you and your teams on track.

Bonus: Go omnichannel with a contact center solution

Today’s customers expect omnichannel customer support. That means, aside from calling, they want to be able to reach out to your business using channels outside of the reliable old telephone. Channels like email, social media, SMS text messaging, live chat, and self-service chatbots.

To this end, you'll definitely want to check out a software package that offers omnichannel communications and/or integrates with a wide range of alternative communications channels. 8x8 Contact Center is an omnichannel solution that combines voice and digital channel support, intelligent routing, and proactive self-service options.

That means your customers can connect with you whichever way they wish, and your service and sales teams will be able to respond quickly across multiple channels on one, consolidated, contact center platform.

There are two types of call center software models that businesses can choose from. These are on-premise call center software and cloud-based call center software. The former is the more traditional setup, in which all hardware and equipment is located on-site.

Cloud-based call centers are run as hosted, subscription-style services and are becoming an increasingly popular option for businesses looking for affordable, flexible, and highly scalable call center and contact center solutions.

Let’s take a look at the key differences between these two service models.

Both models have their pros and cons. Enterprise businesses might benefit more from an on-premise model because it offers more control over the whole system. Small-to-medium businesses, on the other hand, would find cloud-based call center software to be more value for their money.

We’ve already talked about the difference between traditional on-premise contact center software and cloud-based alternatives. But why are so many businesses choosing to make the switch from legacy hardware to a hosted service for the full contact center optimization experience?

Well, it’s simple really. There are so many benefits that come along with adopting a cloud contact center. From financial savings to increased flexibility and scalability, making the switch can be a very savvy business decision.

Let’s consider some of these benefits in more detail below.

Customer Experience

Cloud contact center software helps teams offer a better customer experience thanks to advanced call management and call performance features. For example, a good cloud call center solution should come with call management features like call routing, call forwarding, and call recording.

Some service providers, like 8x8, even offer a multi-level interactive voice response (IVR) feature that allow you to create a personalized menu that customers interact with. The menu will provide them with a range of options that they can navigate using their voice or keypad.

IVR menus use the latest conversational AI technologies to help teams handle all of those routine and repetitive customer inquiries with ease, and build customer-centric IVR paths that intelligently route calls to the best agent for the job.

Affordable Pricing

Cloud call center software solutions are an affordable option for small businesses and can help you save money in the long run. Think of it this way- by migrating to the cloud you don’t have to worry about the labor and equipment needed to install and maintain your contact center system. As a result, cloud contact centers require lower upfront and maintenance costs than on-premise alternatives.

All you have to pay for is your monthly or annual subscription fee. Your vendor will deal with the rest.

Cloud-Based Calling

Cloud-based call center software uses cloud-based calling (otherwise known as Voice over Internet Protocol or VoIP for short). VoIP calling allows teams to bypass fixed telephone lines and make calls over the internet.

This means the only infrastructure you’ll need to mobilize your call center is an internet connection and your vendor subscription. Plus, VoIP has come a long way in recent years. Internet calling offers high-quality, high-security, hassle-free communication channels that teams can access from any internet-enabled device.

Performance Insights

The best contact center software will generate targeted, data-driven performance insights to help monitor your workflows, agent performance, and customer satisfaction levels. Your software will gather customer data and provide automated reporting and analytics to help you spot any discrepancies and get them fixed as soon as possible.

In fact, thanks to call monitoring features, call center managers can even listen in on agents’ calls in real-time - great for ensuring quality assurance standards are maintained and for training up and onboarding new support agents.

Scalability & flexibility

Last, but certainly not least, cloud contact center software offers eminently more scope for flexibility and scalability than on-premise call center systems. Why? Because your service provider is responsible for managing and maintaining your entire backend infrastructure.

You’ll be able to scale up your level of service on-demand with just a few clicks. Plus, since all communications take place over the internet, your teams will be freed up to work from anywhere, simply from a desktop or VoIP mobile app. That could be in the office, on the train, at home, or from an entirely different country - ideal for international teams spread out across the globe.

When it comes to shopping around for a new call center software, there are many options. In fact, sifting between the options can quickly become a bit overwhelming.

To help you out, we’ve put together the go-to guide below to help you pick the best call center software provider for your business. You’ll want to look for a feature-rich, cloud call center and contact center software that can scale with your business and meet your unique business needs. All that’s left is to pick the one that’s right for you. To find out if it’s a suitable match, ask yourself the following questions.

Does it offer integrations?

Look for a call center solution that offers as many third-party app and software integrations as possible. Chances are your telephony software isn’t the only digital tool that your teams use on a daily basis. Most call and contact centers also use a range of management software like CRM systems, workforce management tools, or even social media integrations.

The best call center software will make it easy to access the features and functionalities of all of your favorite workplace tools in tandem with your telephony system. 8x8 users, for example, can choose between a native CRM tool and a range of third-party CRM integrations from the 8x8 app marketplace.

Does it have the features you need?

Make a list of your top features and ensure that your chosen software offers these key functions. For example, if you plan to conduct a lot of business overseas, look for software that gives you the option to use an international business phone number. Or, maybe your call center would benefit from being able to generate personalized scripting that agents can follow for those more repetitive calls.

In addition to your most needed features, look for core functionalities such as voicemail, call queueing, call routing, and a range of auto dialers (such as predictive dialers).

8x8 helps call centers activate the potential of every agent with targeted feedback, intelligent coaching, and seamless collaboration tools all within one unified toolset. This means teams can work optimally whether they’re in the office or working from home, and businesses can start to design better, customer-centric, and employee-friendly experiences.

Top 8x8 features include:

• Intelligent coaching
• Omnichannel routing
• Interactive Voice Response (IVR)
• Predictive dialer
• Customer surveys
• Call and screen recording
• Workforce management
• Speech and customer experience analytics
• Native CRM and CRM integrations
• Payment processing
• Affordable pricing plans

Is it easy to implement?

One of the biggest advantages associated with cloud call center software is that it makes managing your call center so much easier. With no hardware or maintenance requirements, you’ll be able to spend your time on what really matters - your customers.

That said, not all software providers offer the same level of user experience. It’s worth checking customer testimonials and reviews to make sure that your call center software of choice can be implemented quickly and easily. This will save you a lot of time, money, and not to mention hassle, in the long run.

If you’re looking for a comprehensive cloud call center solution then 8x8 offers everything you need and more with fully-integrated voice, video call and conferencing, chat, contact center, and API solutions.

The 8x8 platform has been designed specifically so that agents, employees, and customers can communicate seamlessly from one unified communications platform. With an 8x8 cloud contact center, businesses can start boosting agent and customer engagement from the get-go, with collaborative and operational tools designed to nurture customer and employee success.

8x8 call center software offers a fully integrated business phone system and contact center platform that’s secure, compliant, reliable, and ready to generate insightful, artificial intelligence (AI)-driven data and analytics from across all of your communication channels and touchpoints - data that will help you avoid bottlenecks and improve service outputs from day one.

With 8x8 you really can operate from anywhere. 8x8’s advanced call services allow users to build up a reliable phone presence in over 50 countries, supported by the 8x8 telephony integration. That means remote staff and regional offices can continue to make and take calls on your open communication platform without sacrificing quality or feature sets.

Whether you’re migrating to the cloud or just looking to switch up providers, finding the perfect call center software is important. Modern contact center software like 8x8 offers far more than just calling capabilities. The software is a gateway to better customer interactions, improved agent performance, affordable pricing, and awesome results.

So if you’re ready to upgrade to a better software for your call center: