As a small business, you could not have the resources to run a dedicated call center to service your customer base. Nevertheless, customer support isn’t something you’ll be able to compromise on either, especially as a small and growing company.
Fortunately, there are numerous call center software for small business needs that can assist your in-house agents handle customer calls and other related tasks efficiently.
In this text, we’ll explore the 11 best call center software for small businesses. We’ll highlight their key features, pricing, and user rankings to aid you make an informed alternative.
We’ll also discuss the three key benefits of using call center software.
Table of Contents
Let’s start.
Top 11 call center software for small business needs
Call center software for small businesses is a cloud-based platform dedicated to providing customer support via phone calls.
Because it mainly uses the web for phone connection as an alternative of the phone exchange, it may substantially enhance agent productivity and reduce your costs.
Most of those tools use Artificial Intelligence (AI) and automation to handle repetitive tasks and offer self-service channels to your customers. This helps unencumber your agent’s time and lets the shopper resolve basic queries on their very own.
This manner, the phone system helps small businesses handle call center operations without organising a full-fledged call center.
Another useful features of call center software include:
- Inbound and outbound calls: Lets agents handle inbound calls (often complaints or questions on a services or products) and outbound calls (cold calls used to advertise a brand new product to a customer in hopes of constructing a sale).
- Interactive voice response (IVR): Resolves the shopper’s query without requiring agent intervention. In case an intervention is required, IVR redirects the shopper to the proper agent or department.
- Call routing: Directs a customer to the subsequent available agent, reducing wait times and ensuring that the shopper gets help as soon as possible. A customer gets directed to an acceptable agent depending on their answers through the IVR stage.
- Omnichannel support: Allows customers to contact agents via different channels, corresponding to email, social media, and live chat.
- CRM integration: Customer Relationship Management (CRM) lets an agent access the shopper’s profile and any information needed without asking the shopper again. It also keeps track of the shopper behavior, allowing a support team to handle customers accordingly if a trend is noticed.
- Reporting: Gives a greater understanding of the agent’s performance and adds accountability to tasks performed. Also provides insights into any common problems that customers report about and aid in improving the training of employees.
Here’s an entire list of Call Center Software Features you need to learn about.
Newest call center software solutions offer these features to aid you manage large call volumes easily.
Now, let’s explore the 11 best software on your small business, each with its own advantages:
1. Nextiva
Nextiva is a Voice-over-Web-Protocol (VoIP) company that focuses on cloud-based customer communication.
It offers an integrated solution for all customer channels and business apps.
Key features
- Uses Interactive Voice Response (IVR) to route incoming calls to the proper agents.
- Can record, pause, and take heed to any customer interaction at any time.
- Distributes customer calls based on business hours, technical support required, etc., using Automatic Call Distribution (ACD).
- Offers local and toll-free VoIP phone numbers.
- Dashboards with advanced features and reports to aid you measure the efficiency of your outbound and inbound call center.
Pricing
Nextiva offers a 7-day free trial. The paid plans start from $18.95/user monthly.
User rankings
- G2: 4.5/5 (3000+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.6/5 (890+ reviews)
2. Freshdesk
Freshdesk (previously Freshcaller) is a cloud-based PBX (Private Branch eXchange) solution from Freshworks. PBX refers to a business telephone system that gives multiple inbound and outbound lines, call routing, voicemail, etc.
The shopper support platform provides omnichannel customer support to boost customer experience and satisfaction.
Key features
- Collects customer information on a unified platform to assist call center agents resolve customer queries efficiently.
- Enables customers to speak together with your agents using their preferred platforms, including email, social media, live chat, etc.
- Reduces call wait times using intelligent routing engines.
- Increases worker productivity using the tool’s built-in automation.
- Offers self-service options to customers through forums and a knowledge base.
Pricing
Freshdesk offers a 21-day free trial, and its Omnichannel packages start at $2299/agent monthly.
User rankings
- G2: 4.4/5 (3100+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.5/5 (3200+ reviews)
3. Zendesk Talk
Zendesk Talk is a cloud-based call center software that permits corporations to supply personalized phone support.
It’s built into the Zendesk for Service multichannel support ticketing system, which lets you provide phone support from the identical platform used for other customer conversations.
Key features
- Lets agents see all customer information in real-time by syncing the voice solution with other communication channels.
- Unifies conversations by allowing you to handle customer calls, voicemails, and texts in the identical space as emails, chats, and social messages.
- Means that you can enhance voice capabilities by adding other tools like advanced call transcription, redaction, etc.
- Uses IVR, group routing, and after-hours routing to divert calls to the proper agent at the proper time.
- Generates real time cross-channel analytics to match call performance with that of other modes of customer interaction.
Pricing
Zendesk offers a free trial. Zendesk for Service plans start at $69/agent monthly.
User rankings
- G2: 4.3/5 (5000+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.7/5 (18 reviews)
4. Zoho Desk
Zoho Desk is an omnichannel customer support software that helps you improve customer satisfaction and retention.
The tool has a one-of-its-kind context-aware helpdesk that significantly enhances your customer support.
Key features
- Manages tickets and customer requests across multiple channels, brands, products, etc., in a single place.
- Offers contextual AI features corresponding to sentiment evaluation, auto-tagging tickets, etc.
- Enhances agent collaboration and communication with work modes, CRM integration, etc.
- Automates repetitive activities to avoid wasting time and other resources.
- Offers actionable insights through reports and dashboards.
Pricing
Zoho Desk has a free 15-day trial. In addition they have a free plan for up to 3 agents. The paid plans start at $20/agent monthly (billed monthly).
User rankings
- G2: 4.4/5 (5500+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.5/5 (2100+ reviews)
5. CloudTalk
CloudTalk is a cloud-based call center solution for any sales and support team, offering 50+ advanced calling features.
Startups, small and medium businesses (SMBs), and even large enterprises can use this software to streamline their support operations.
Key features
- Has voice features like voicemail, personalized greetings, three-way calling, etc.
- Offers intelligent routing using ACD, IVR, skills-based routing, etc.
- Boosts workforce productivity through callback, After Call Work (ACW) feature, predictive dialer, etc.
- Integrates using an API with CRM software, helpdesk, and e-commerce solutions for smoother workflows.
- Provides call monitoring and detailed statistics to enhance the standard of your call center.
Pricing
CloudTalk offers a free 14-day trial. Their paid plans start at $25/user monthly.
User rankings
- G2: 4.3/5 (1000+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.4/5 (260+ reviews)
6. 8×8 Contact Center
The 8×8 Contact Center software is a virtual solution that helps support and sales teams interact with customers using inbound and outbound calling.
A few of its best features include IVR, predictive dialer, customizable dashboards, etc.
Key features
- Has omnichannel routing and proactive self-service options.
- Enables workforce management through quality monitoring, screen and call recording, etc.
- Generates customizable reports to watch your call center performance.
- Offers native CRM and payment processing for a greater customer experience.
- Integrates with CRM software like Freshdesk, Salesforce, Google Workspace, etc.
Pricing
The pricing starts at $125/user monthly.
User rankings
- G2: 4.0/5 (190+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.1/5 (35+ reviews)
7. Voiptime Cloud
Voiptime Cloud is a software vendor that gives call center software solutions for industries like banking, manufacturing, sales, etc.
You should utilize this tool to spice up customer satisfaction and achieve the best agent productivity in your inbound and outbound call centers.
Key features
- Routes customer calls and non-voice requests to the perfect call center agents using an ACD.
- Permits you to create IVR scripts for higher caller navigation and helping customers reach the proper agents.
- Provides Progressive, Preview, and Predictive dialing modes to enhance your sales and telemarketing and for proactive customer support.
- Offers multichannel customer communication through email, webchat, and chatbots.
- Means that you can monitor calls and track essential metrics and KPIs.
Pricing
The pricing starts at $63/user monthly.
User rankings
- G2: 4.9/5 (10+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.8/5 (80+ reviews)
8. Dialpad
Dialpad provides business communication and customer engagement services for small businesses, startups, and enterprises.
This cloud-based business phone system helps global teams make smarter calls.
Key features
- Uses sentiment evaluation and real time transcriptions to boost customer engagement.
- Has a built-in AI that mechanically creates the proper scripts for difficult-to-answer questions.
- Claims to supply a 100% uptime SLA (Service Level Agreement) so that you simply don’t miss any call.
- Lets agents work from anywhere and from any device.
- Integrates with Zendesk, Google Workspace, etc.
Pricing
Dialpad has a 14-day free trial. The paid plans start at $20/user monthly.
User rankings
- G2: 4.4/5 (4200+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.3/5 (500+ reviews)
9. Five9
Five9 is a cloud-based call and call center solution that enables you to engage your customers on the channel of their alternative.
The platform helps what you are promoting create a digital-first customer experience across multiple channels.
Key features
- Lets customers share their problems with agents in real-time through the video troubleshooting feature.
- Provides IVR self-service even on mobile devices for a consistent customer experience.
- Automates social media interaction for prompt and consistent responses.
- Has a unified interface for handling all messages, including SMS and social media messages, in a single place.
- Offers a live chat option for an fast online response.
Pricing
Pricing is offered on request.
User rankings
- G2: 4.0/5 (380+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.2/5 (460+ reviews)
10. RingCentral Contact Center
RingCentral is an entire virtual contact center and call center solution for small businesses, startups, and enterprises. The corporate offers an inbound omnichannel cloud contact center and an outbound SMS and call center.
Key features
- Provides an all-in-one intuitive platform for meetings, messaging, video conferencing, etc.
- Offers local numbers, free global extension-to-extension dialing, and free inbound calling.
- Ensures the best possible service level through continuous monitoring and optimization of the platform.
- Has solutions for finance, retail, healthcare, etc.
- Is an open API platform that integrates with Google, Salesforce, Zendesk, etc.
Pricing
RingCentral offers a free trial. The paid plans start at $29.99/user monthly (billed monthly).
User rankings
- G2: 4.0/5 (130+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.3/5 (190+ reviews)
11. Avaya Contact Center
Avaya OneCloud CCaaS (Contact Center as a Service) helps you connect voice, video, chat, messaging, etc., for higher customer and worker experiences at every touchpoint.
Key features
- Offers sentiment evaluation to capture and reply to customer feelings in real time and create meaningful engagements,
- Delivers 24/7 conversational self-service with an choice to speak to a live agent.
- Integrates your organization’s in addition to other general messaging channels like WhatsApp, Apple Chat, etc., right into a single system.
- Enhances workforce performance and engagement with live monitoring, automatic call recording, personalized desktops, etc.
- Offers real time insights using performance analytics and reporting functionalities.
Pricing
Pricing is offered on request.
User rankings
- G2: 4.1/5 (170+ reviews)
- Capterra: N/A
3 key advantages of using call center software in a small business
Now that we’ve explored among the top call center software available today, let’s see how leveraging these tools may give what you are promoting a competitive edge.
1. Lower costs
Call center software for small businesses have flexible plans that could be billed monthly or annually per user. Furthermore, these plans turn out to be cost-effective as what you are promoting grows.
You may as well select and add features in keeping with your budget and requirements.
Moreover, globally competitive telephony rates, minimum setup costs, etc., assist in cost savings.
2. Improved security
A call center solution often encrypts your data within the cloud with a backup, keeping your data secure from any prying eyes.
It’ll address any concerns your customers could have regarding sharing their personal data with a small business and increase their trust in your brand.
3. Multi-channel support
Today’s customer support isn’t nearly answering customer calls.
Many corporations aim to supply a holistic customer experience through multiple communication channels like email, live chat, etc., together with phone calls.
Call center software makes it possible to supply one of these multi-channel support by seamlessly integrating all channels on one platform. This goes a great distance in enhancing your customer support and increasing customer loyalty together with your growing business.
Wrap up
A call center solution that caters to small business needs can assist improve customer support and reduce overall business costs. That’s why you need to select a reliable software solution that can help what you are promoting do more with less.
This guide can aid you understand which features you would like in your software solution and select the perfect tool on your small business.