The best call center software provides a simple way to setup and use an enterprise-grade telecoms experience for small to medium-sized businesses.
1. Best overall
2. Best for local calls
3. Best for integrations
4. Best all-in-one
5. Best for CRM
6. More call center solutions
7. FAQs
8. How we test
Call centers used to something only enterprise companies could afford, but cloud phone systems can now also offer an accessible and affordable call center solution, to make it easier to manage all customer and staff communications.
As it's all driven by software, this means no expensive outlay of hardware costs, let alone constructing your own call center. Additionally, as it runs from your existing business phone system, this means all of your communications can be handled by the same software and phones that you are already using.
On top of all this, the best call center solutions can also be distributed for home workers as well as employees in the office.
Standard features will include all forms of call routing which should normally include interactive voice response (IVR) and on-hold messaging, among other things. Also note that some call center service providers offer complete SaaS platforms, such as Contact Center as a Service (CCaaS) and Contact Platform as a Service (CPaaS).
Additionally, using the same software platform means being able to collect and analyze data regarding all aspects of your business communications, from KPIs for phone agents, through to workflows that result in the best customer resolution. The result is the ability to generate reports on efficiency and productivity and have clear ways in which to improve both.
The fact that a call center can now be run through a software solution means that the market place is becoming increasingly crowded, with existing VoIP providers jostling with legacy phone companies to offer a plan for you. To help make the decision-making process simpler, we feature the best call center software solutions below.
We've also featured the best help desk software.
The best call center software of 2024 in full:
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Best overall
RingCentral offer one of the most innovative of the cloud-based phone platforms, and the RingCentral Contact Center software is no exception.
The platform is designed around a number of core features, such as true omnichannel routing, CRM software integrations, agent management software, as well as the inevitable reporting dashboard and analytics.
What sets RingCentral apart from many competitors is that the service has been built in the cloud for the cloud, avoiding some of the technical problems that have plagued other vendors who have tried to migrate legacy systems online.
Additionally, RingCentral's Connect platform offers a backend with a powerful yet easy to implment range of customizations which makes it a leading CPaaS (Communications Platform as a Service) provider.
Read our full RingCentral Office review.
Best for local calls
Formerly known as CrazyCall, channels is a cloud-based service that can be easily managed through an app. You can make calls both through an automatic dialer as well as using a click-to-call browser extension.
A unique feature of channels is that it allows you to route outgoing calls through local phone numbers, which may increase response rates for sales calls. Call recording comes as standard to help monitor agent results, and reporting is included to allow you to organize and analyze calls and manage success rates.
Rather than providing general customer/client support, channels is more focused on being a sales-calling platform and doing that well, especially in terms of improving conversions and increasing ROI.
Pricing includes features such as IVR, free incoming calls, 30 days call recording, ecommerce integration, and live chat integration. There are to plans available:
Best for integrations
Freshdesk Contact Center (previously branded as Freshcaller) is an all-round call center platform that runs from the cloud and is simple to use. Everything can be managed from a single control panel, and calls can be made with nothing more than a click.
The fact that it doesn’t require any hardware makes it an obvious solution for small businesses, but it still includes a lot of features, such as call masking, routing, recording/monitoring, forwarding, and conferencing calling. Although it allows for global use, local numbers still have to be bought through the Freshdesk Contact Center management inventory.
Overall, it’s a good general platform for integrated call purposes, and that it’s internet-based makes it both very accessible and affordable. The starter level is free to use for unlimited agents, with the only cost being call charges.
There are paid versions available, with the more expensive options offering more advanced features, such as call routing after business hours and metrics, as well as service-level monitoring and omnichannel routing.
To find out more, read our full Freshdesk Contact Center review.
Best all-in-one
Five9 is an all-in-one call center solution that enables management of customer support and sales through a single dashboard. Aside from all the usual features you’d expect, it also includes a predictive AI to maximize efficiency among teams.
This means that if there’s a surge in inbound calls, agents normally involved in outbound calls will be diverted to handle the extra workload, and vice-versa. There are various settings and features involved with this, all focused on improving efficiency.
If that wasn’t enough, this solution also integrates with a number of major CRM software platforms, such as Salesforce, Zendesk, and Oracle. Five9 is also a cloud-based solution, making it easy to access without the need for telecoms hardware. Built for anything from small business to enterprise needs, pricing is customized according to need.
Best for CRM
While many cloud call-center providers build customer relations management (CRM) into their product, ZenDesk has done it the other way around by building a cloud contact center around customer relations management. The result is ZenDesk Talk, a smooth and sleek solution that really does put the customer first.
Customer service teams now have the ability to provide telephone support from the same place they manage other channels, with the customer information and history provided as the call is taken. The aim here is to maximize efficiency and workflows by presenting everything together. However, as well as calls Zendesk Talk also has built in SMS, with texts automatically working to raised tickets, making it easy to keep track of communications.
Additionally, there are all the features you'd normally expect with a call center solution, not least call recording, IVR, routing, and real-time monitoring. As a cloud-based system it can be set up within minutes, and analytics allows for KPI to be tracked and monitored.
For more information, read our full Zendesk review.
More call center solutions
Improvements to internet and network technology have allowed cloud solutions to flourish, and while we've covered the best in contact center solutions, here are some strong contenders to also consider:
LiveAgent is a helpdesk solution for improved customer service, that includes the ability to route and work with phone calls in its more expensive plan. At the basic level LiveAgent is a CRM platform that deals with email ticketing and live chat, but its All-Inclusive plan for $39 per month per agent includes a cloud contact center along with all the options and analytics you'd expected from a best-of service provision.
Talkdesk offers an enterprise cloud contact center that could allow you to make big efficiency and cost savings. It's simple to use but packed with wide range of advanced features, and there are a number of integrations available to improve productivity. The system can be adapted and customized according to your needs, but automation is available for routine tasks to help improve workflows.
8x8 offers a dedicated cloud contact center alongside its VoIP services, offering features such as omnichannel routing and analytics, as well as a range of CRM integration options with SalesForce, Netsuite, Microsoft Dynamics, and Zendesk. The focus here isn't just on providing a communications solution as much as a platform for improving productivity and efficiency.
VICIdial is the most widely used open source call center platform, and it’s free to use. This solution is also very feature-rich and undergoing constant development. You can either download and install it on your own server network, or else opt to use VICIdial’s own hardware and have the company manage everything for you. Because VICIdial is open source, you’re not locked in to a vendor.
Twilio Flex is another option to bear in mind, billing itself as the ‘world’s most flexible cloud contact center’. Some of the major advantages with this particular system include the ability to very swiftly deploy a call center – within a week, the company promises – and not just that, but there’s a huge amount of flexibility on offer to tailor the solution to your precise business requirements (for example, it’s dead easy to add something like a chatbot to your existing contact center solution). Twilio offers a free trial and pricing is pitched at $150 per user per month (or you can opt for an hourly rate if you think that would suit better).
We've also featured the best live chat software.
Best call center software FAQs
Which call center software is best for you?
When deciding which of the best call center software to use, first consider what actual needs you have. For example, someone simply wanting to talk to a handful of people on a casual basis may find a simple option is the most cost-effective while providing all of the necessary tools that would be required. However, if you're planning to use call center software for professional or business purposes, especially with a large number of people and on a regular basis, then you will probably want to look to the higher-end options for the more advanced tools that are included.
How we tested the best call center software
To test for the best call center software we searched for a range of popular options as well as took recommendations from people we know who run call center software. We then tried each platform to see how user-friendly each was, as well as determine what range of tools and advanced options were available. Pricing also came into account when determining our best list.
Read how we test, rate, and review products on TechRadar.
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