The best 12 contact center software for your business in 2024

In the fast-paced business environment, the key to streamlined, efficient customer service lies in the use of effective contact center software. Exactly what is this software, how does it differ from traditional call center software, and which is the best fit for your business?

This comprehensive guide will address all these questions, providing expert reviews of the top 12 contact center software in today’s market. We’ll walk you through the list of 7 must-have features for a renowned solution and share insights on how your business could see substantial profit increases from leveraging the right contact center software.

Furthermore, we’ll look at those pivotal factors to consider while selecting software and help you identify the right time for your business to acquire one. Let’s dive in and empower your customer service efforts!

Comparison table of top 5 contact center software

To make your decision process easier, we have compiled a table of the top 5 contact center software options with their Capterra ratings, number of integrations, free version and trial options, and price range. Whether you run a small business or a large-scale enterprise, there is a solution that will fit your needs.

Platform	Capterra rating	Integrations	Free version	Free trial	Price range
LiveAgent	4.7	220+	✅Yes	✅Yes	$9 agent/m
Nextiva	4.6	15+	❌No	❌No	Unavailable
CloudTalk	4.4	30+	❌No	✅Yes	$25/agent/m
Dialpad	4.3	60+	❌No	✅Yes	$80/agent/m
Talkdesk	4.6	30+	❌No	❌No	$85/agent/m

What is contact center software?

Contact center software is a technology tool that helps manage and streamline all communication in a customer service center. This includes communication channels like phone, email, live chat, social media, and more, allowing customer service representatives to interact with customers through various mediums.

Difference between contact center software and call center software

The main difference between contact center software and call center software lies in the modes of communication. While call center software focuses only on outgoing and incoming calls, a contact center software manages all kinds of digital interactions including email, live chat, social media, and sometimes even SMS and video calls.

Review of the top 12 contact center software

Now that we have the basics covered, let’s get into the detailed comparison of the following customer service center platforms:

1. LiveAgent (4.7/5)

LiveAgent is a comprehensive contact center software that integrates several communication channels into a single hub. Its advanced ticketing system, improves issue tracking, helping businesses better manage customer inquiries and complaints.

Contact center features

• Ticketing system
• Live chat
• Email ticketing
• Customer portal
• Call center capabilities
• Social media
• iOS/Android apps
• Multichannel help desk

Other key features

• Knowledge base
• Gamification
• Customer service reporting
• Customizable live chat button
• Automation and AI capabilities

Integrations

LiveAgent offers 220+ integration options. The most popular ones include

• Twilio
• WooCommerce
• Jira
• Shopify
• Slack
• Social media platforms

Pros & Cons

LiveAgent pricing

LiveAgent offers a free version, however, it does come with limitations. There is also a one-month free trial for users to familiarize themselves with the software. The four paid pricing tiers include the Small plan for $9 for each agent monthly, the Medium plan priced at $29 for each agent monthly, the Large plan available at $49 per agent every month, or the Enterprises plan at a rate of $69 per agent monthly.

Expert’s opinion

Placed first on our list is LiveAgent, due to an easy-to-navigate interface that streamlines customer interactions. The software overall is user-friendly and doesn’t warrant much technical knowledge.

It offers a centralized system for tracking customer inquiries that comes with an excellent built-in ticketing system for keeping tabs on customer issues. Its live chat feature is another standout, allowing timely customer engagement. The analytics and reporting are straightforward, delivering insights to help businesses optimize their customer service.

Despite its multitude of advanced features, LiveAgent could use some improvements when it comes to the mobile version. It’s not as intuitive or easy to use as its desktop counterpart, and accessing the software from a phone or tablet can be a bit tedious.

Probably the most notable benefits of LiveAgent’s solution are its scalability and customizability. You can tweak the software to fit your exact needs while being able to scale it up and down.

Overall, while LiveAgent stands out for its user-friendliness and range of features, improvements can be made in terms of its mobile interface. LiveAgent’s customizable and scalable nature comes as a breath of fresh air in today’s contact center landscape. While some advanced features are available at a higher cost, LiveAgent is a reliable contact center software for businesses of all sizes.

Customer review

“Their method is straightforward and easy to use, which is why I appreciate it. Because of its adaptability and usefulness for real-time communication. It’s easy to use and runs smoothly in the background, and I appreciate the reporting options and high efficiency it provides.”

Source: Capterra

To revolutionize your contact center operations, sign up for LiveAgent’s 30-day free trial and start delivering exceptional customer experiences today!

2. Nextiva (4.6/5)

Nextiva is a cloud contact center designed to integrate voice, video calls, instant messaging, and email services. This software offers robust features like multichannel routing, automatic call distribution, and interactive voice response. Key benefits include enhanced customer experience, improved operational efficiency, and real-time reporting and analytics capabilities. Its scalability is another advantage, making it suitable for businesses of all sizes.

Contact center features

• Call center management
• Chat/messaging
• Live chat feature
• VoIP
• PBX
• Social media

Other key features

• Virtual Assistant
• Knowledge base
• Dashboards
• Customizable reports
• Contact management

Integrations

• Salesforce
• Bullhorn
• Lotus Notes
• ConnectWise
• NetSuite

Pros & Cons

Nextiva pricing

The pricing for Nextiva’s Contact Center plans is available after contacting their sales team.

Expert’s opinion

Nextiva’s contact center software offers a comprehensive solution for business communications with easy-to-navigate tools and functions. We have given it second place in our list due to its powerful call center features, such as call routing, queuing, and interactive voice response that enhance the customer interaction experience significantly.

The interface is intuitive and simplifies managing essential tasks like scheduling and tracking performance metrics. The software’s ability to integrate smoothly with existing CRM platforms is particularly beneficial for seamless operations.

However, the experience comes with its share of challenges as well. For instance, setting up the software for use can be quite a task even though it appears straightforward. The complexities may be overwhelming for non-tech-savvy users.

Despite its initial setup challenges, Nextiva is a robust tool offering a multitude of user-friendly features that can be useful for any business.

3. CloudTalk (4.4/5)

CloudTalk is a contact center software that delivers an array of services aimed at streamlining customer support and sales team performance. It offers the ability to manage communications from one place, scalability for growing businesses, and enhanced call-handling capabilities.

Contact center features

• Call center capabilities
• SMS

Other key features

• Power dialer
• Unlimited concurrent calls
• Skill-based routing
• Workflow automation
• Real-time dashboards
• AI Call Transcription

Integrations

• Pipedrive
• Salesforce
• BigCommerce
• Slack
• Nicereply

Pros & Cons

CloudTalk pricing

You can purchase CloudTalk’s software in the following pricing options: Starter for $25 per user/month, billed annually, Essential for $30 per user/month, billed annually, Expert for $50 per user/month, billed annually, and Custom with a tailored subscription.

Besides these, CloudTalk offers a 14-day free trial, so you can get acquainted with the system before making a purchase.

Expert’s opinion

CloudTalk provides impressive features perfect for businesses managing extensive customer interactions. It has earned the third place in our list, thanks to its user-friendly and intuitive interface that requires little to no technical expertise to understand.

Its robust set of functionalities, including call recording, and monitoring, are comprehensive and efficient in managing customer relationships. CloudTalk’s automated workflow and advanced analytics enable users to assess and improve their customer service performance effectively, making it an excellent tool for productivity and organization.

However, one significant downside is the software’s occasional instability, where the system sometimes crashes during high-volume times. This could cause significant inconvenience, especially when handling critical customer service operations.

CloudTalk is a commendable contact center software with impressive features that enhance customer relationship management. However, it would significantly benefit from stability improvement and better customer service.

4. Dialpad (4.3/5)

Dialpad is a cloud-based platform designed to simplify and enhance customer service operations for businesses. Dialpad enables streamlined communication across various channels, contributing to improved customer experience.

Contact center features

• Voice channels
• Video channels
• Business text messaging
• Social media
• Chatbots

Other key features

• Automatic call distributor
• Real-time assist
• Call recording
• Auto attendant
• Screen sharing
• Analytics

Integrations

• Slack
• Rippling
• Miro
• Okta
• Salesmate

Pros & Cons

Dialpad pricing

Dialpad’s contact center capabilities come with three pricing options. The first, Essential tier costs $80 per user/month. The second tier, Advanced, costs $115 per user/month, and the last Premium plan costs $150 per user/month. All of these are billed annually.

You can give Dialpad a test drive during a 14-day free trial.

Expert’s opinion

Dialpad provides a well-balanced combination of efficient user interfaces, a host of features, and seamless integration capability. That is why it has been ranked number four on our list.

The software excels in its ability to integrate with multiple platforms, enhancing collaboration and thereby simplifying work streams and user interactions. The AI-driven voice intelligence function is impressive, enabling live sentiment analysis and transcription services, thereby aiding in better service provision and customer experiences.

On the downside, Dialpad’s mobile app doesn’t match the desktop version in terms of functionality and ease of use. Users might encounter intermittent issues like dropped calls and reduced audio quality. Additionally, there is a notable lack of depth in the reporting and analytic tools; the data provided is too basic and lacks the detailed insights that could be beneficial for a contact center’s efficient operation.

Overall, while Dialpad provides a commendable communication tool, it could still benefit from updates in certain aspects. Nonetheless, it’s a useful platform for establishing an effective communication system for various organizations.

5. Talkdesk (4.6/5)

Talkdesk is cloud contact center software designed to assist businesses in enhancing customer engagement and satisfaction. It leverages sophisticated artificial intelligence and machine learning technology, customizable telephony connections, and easy system integration.

Contact center features

• Call center capabilities
• SMS
• Email
• Chat
• Social media
• Ticketing system

Other key features

• Voicemail transcription
• Automatic call distributor (ACD)
• Automated workflows
• Call monitoring
• Real-time dashboards
• Local caller ID

Integrations

• Shopify
• Pipedrive
• Olark
• Slack
• Salesforce

Pros & Cons

Talkdesk pricing

If you would like to purchase Talkdesk’s solution, you can choose from four pricing packages. Talkdesk’s cheapest plans, CX Cloud Digital Essentials and CX Cloud Essentials come up to $85 per user/month. The CX Cloud Elevate pricing tier costs $115 per user/month, and the most expensive, CX Cloud Elite comes up to $145 per user/month.

Talkdesk doesn’t offer a free trial.

Expert’s opinion

We have placed Talkdesk in fifth place because it provides a user-friendly and robust cloud-based system offering an accessible interface, quick setup, and numerous integrations to third-party systems, making it a functional tool in our daily operations. Its omnichannel functionality allows you to connect with your clients easily via various digital channels, simplifying the process and ensuring seamless communication.

However, while Talkdesk boasts many benefits, it’s not without its shortcomings. Deciphering some of the analytics and reports can be quite a challenge, as the dashboard is complex at times and daunting to navigate. The high-quality features come at a price that may not be accessible for smaller companies or startups.

Overall, although Talkdesk has areas that need refining, its advanced features and reliable customer support make it a worthwhile consideration for businesses requiring robust contact center software.

6. Five9 (4.3/5)

Five9 provides customer service solutions across various communication channels including phone, email, chat, and social media. Five9 empowers remote work as it can be accessed anywhere with an internet connection.

Contact center features

• Inbound calls
• Outbound calling
• Call conferencing
• Email
• Social media

Other key features

• Reporting and analytics
• Workforce management tools
• Intelligent virtual agents feature
• AI insights
• Gamification

Integrations

• Customer relationship management integrations
• Salesforce
• Oracle
• ServiceNow

Pros & Cons

Five9 pricing

Five9 provides services in five distinct bundles. The Digital plan and Core tier are both priced at $175/month, while the Premium package is available for $235/month. The Optimum tier is offered at $290/month, and the Ultimate tier is priced at $325/month.

Expert’s opinion

Five9 is a fairly robust contact center software that I’ve found to be versatile in managing customer interactions. It notably supports omnichannel communication such as phone, email, chat, and social media – a feature that streamlined our service delivery immensely. The integration with popular CRM platforms is also a plus, as it aided in automating several customer service-related tasks, saving time and reducing errors.

On the positive side, the user interface is comprehensive and relatively easy to navigate after some training. The software is also cloud-based, making accessibility seamless from different devices, and the system’s predictive dialer robust feature enhanced productivity levels in our outbound call campaigns.

However, Five9 comes with a few drawbacks. At times, the call quality can be unpredictable, with instances of dropped calls or voice lags. The customer support, unfortunately, was sometimes slow to respond, and this negatively affected problem resolution times.

Overall, while Five9 contact center software has its fair share of downsides, it possesses features that can significantly contribute to the quality of customer interactions.

7. Zendesk (4.4/5)

Zendesk is an advanced contact center software that aids businesses in enhancing their customer service operations. Its user-friendly interface and scalability make it suitable for businesses of varying sizes.

Contact center features

• Ticketing system
• Live chat
• Email management
• Social media messaging
• Call center capabilities

Other key features

• Advanced analytics
• Custom business rules
• Knowledge base
• Customer satisfaction ratings
• AI-powered content rules

Integrations

• Slack
• Harvestr
• Salesforce
• Trello

Pros & Cons

Zendesk pricing

The charge for the Support Team bundle is €19 per representative monthly. The Suite Team bundle has a price of €55 per representative each month, while the Suite Growth bundle is available at €89 per representative every month, and the Suite Professional bundle costs €115 per representative each month. For the premium Enterprise plan, getting a detailed quote from the sales team at Zendesk is necessary.

Before deciding on a paid subscription, you can take advantage of Zendesk’s two-week complimentary trial.

Expert’s opinion

Zendesk’s contact center software is a formidable customer service solution. It effectively brings all customer interactions spanning various communication channels such as email, social media, phone, and live chat under one interface. The user-friendly design is also worth noting; not to mention the rich ticket management features it offers – easy assignment, tracking, and prioritization.

However, there are a few low spots to think about. The customization options are limited and might not meet the specific needs of businesses. Zendesk’s pricing structure is another disadvantage. While offering a decent array of features, it’s more expensive compared to similar software on the market. Of course, we have to mention that Zendesk’s customer support isn’t particularly helpful.

All in all, Zendesk is a solid choice for companies looking for robust, comprehensive customer service software but be prepared for a learning curve and consider if it fits your budget.

8. Webex (4.4/5)

Webex contact center is a comprehensive cloud-based customer interaction management platform. It provides advanced AI and data analytics capabilities to deliver personalized customer experiences. Users appreciate Webex’s easy integrations with other business tools.

Contact center features

• Advanced meeting capabilities
• Team chat messaging

Other key features

• Meetings on the go
• Call forwarding
• Voice commands and keywords
• Call recording
• End-to-End Encryption

Integrations

• Trello
• Moyobi
• Asana
• Billsby

Pros & Cons

Webex pricing

Webex contact center offers two main suites that include multiple pricing packages.

In the Meeting suite, there are four main pricing tiers: Webex Free is free of charge, Webex Starter costs £114 per license/year, Webex Business £162 per license/year, and Webex Enterprise offers custom pricing.

In the Webinars & Events suite, Webex offers two packages: Webex Webinars and Webex Events. Both come with custom pricing.

Expert’s opinion

Webex is a powerful tool that effectively manages customer and team interactions. Its prominent feature, the multichannel engagement eases customer interactions by consolidating calls, emails, and social media inquiries into one interface.

Despite the majority of its beautifully crafted features, the Webex contact center suffers a few setbacks. First, the configuration setup is quite technical. It may pose a challenge to non-tech-savvy users during the initial setup.

In terms of user experience, during peak periods, the software occasionally becomes slow, leading to longer wait times for customers.

To conclude, Webex has impressive qualities that streamline customer relationship management. While there are drawbacks, with slight adjustments and improvements, this tool can easily be a game changer for many businesses.

9. RingCentral (4.3/5)

RingCentral is a cloud-based solution offering comprehensive contact center technologies for managing customer interactions. It helps enhance customer service experiences, improve agent productivity, and streamline workflow.

Contact center features

• Call center capabilities
• Multi-level auto attendant and IVR
• Team messaging
• Video meetings
• Visual voicemail

Other key features

• AI-noise cancellation
• Advanced call monitoring
• Cost center management
• Real-time quality-of-service analytics and alerts
• Single sign-on

Integrations

• Slack
• Salesforce
• VMWare
• Canvas

Pros & Cons

RingCentral pricing

RingCentral’s Phone System suite has three primary pricing plans. The Core package is priced at $20 per user per month when billed annually. The mid-tier, Advanced package, comes in at $25 per user per month when paid on an annual basis. The highest level, the Ultra tier, is available for $35 per user per month, again with an annual payment plan. Besides, RingCentral’s Contact Center suite provides RingCX powered by RingSense AI, at a starting rate of $65 per agent per month, to be paid annually. Furthermore, an elite-tier RingCentral Contact Center Enterprise plan is available with a flexible, tailor-made pricing structure.

RingCentral lets you test out their offerings during a 14-day free trial.

Expert’s opinion

RingCentral works effectively for managing calls, emails, social media, and other customer interaction data. It presents the business analytics clearly and concisely allowing easy access to key customer intelligence.

However, it is not without its flaws. The user interface, although non-technical users can understand it, could still use a touch of refining in terms of aesthetic appeal. Moreover, the setup process can be quite intensive if not properly guided. Whilst their customer service is generally reliable, a few times I had to wait longer than expected to get a response.

RingCentral is a powerful contact center platform with a robust set of features, efficient reporting tools, and seamless CRM integration. Nevertheless, room exists for increasing responsiveness in customer support, simplifying the learning curve, and making the pricing model more small-business-friendly.

10. Nice CXone (4.2/5)

Nice CXone is a comprehensive platform for customer service operations. This software distinguishes itself with features like personalized customer engagement, predictive behavioral routing, and real-time data visualization.

Contact center features

• Live chat
• Call center capabilities
• Emailing

Other key features

• AI features
• Analytics
• IVR
• Speech analytics
• Auto dialer

Integrations

• Salesforce
• SugarCRM
• NetSuite
• Oracle service cloud

Pros & Cons

Nice CXone pricing

Nice CXone offers their customer base two main pricing suits: Interactions Orchestration and Orchestration, Optimization and Analytics.

The first option includes three pricing tiers. The cheapest, Digital Agent costs $71 /month, the second tier, Voice Agent costs $94 /month, and the last, Omnichannel Agent comes up to $110 /month.

Another three pricing plans are included in the Orchestration, Optimization and Analytics suite. The Essential Suite will cost you $135 /month. The second tier, Core Suite costs $169 /month, and the last, Complete Suite costs $209 /month.

You can experience the software for free for 60 days during a free trial.

Expert’s opinion

Nice CXone streamlines the customer experience with integrated services such as voice, email, and chat support, delivering seamless customer interactions. Additionally, advanced analytics is a game-changer, offering real-time insights that significantly boost the decision-making process. On the ease of use front, the software’s intuitive interface facilitates employee training and enhances productivity.

However, the software comes with some drawbacks. The initial setup can be quite overwhelming due to its rich functionalities. This steep learning curve might lead to some logistical challenges for teams who are new to the platform. More so, the software’s customer support could use some improvement in terms of response speed and issue resolution.

Additionally, the software can occasionally run slow or lag, particularly during peak usage times. This performance issue sometimes impairs workflow and requires timely action to rectify.

Despite these cons, Nice CXone remains a robust and efficient tool for customer interaction and support. It effectively bridges the gap between businesses and their customers, fostering relationships and promoting customer satisfaction and loyalty.

11. 8×8 (4.1/5)

8×8 is a comprehensive platform for customer service operations. This software distinguishes itself with features like personalized service, predictive behavioral routing, and real-time data visualization.

Contact center features

• Voice calling
• Team messaging with document sharing
• Intelligent interactive voice response (IIVR)
• SMS and MMS
• Social media
• Messaging apps

Other key features

• Skills-based routing
• Call handling
• Predictive dialer
• Contact center reporting and analytics
• Voicemail with transcription

Integrations

• Pipedrive
• Okta
• Salesforce
• Copper

Pros & Cons

8×8 pricing

8×8 offers five pricing plans: X2, X4, X6, X7, and X8. To request a quote, contact 8×8’s sales representatives.

Before committing to a paid plan, you can test 8×8 during a 30-day free trial.

Expert’s opinion

8×8 blends well with the modern demands of client contact services. It offers distinct features such as multichannel smart routing, interactive voice response, and real-time monitoring, which are crucial for successful customer service. The software’s flexibility and adaptability allow it to be customizable to specific business needs.

The interface of 8×8, however, comes with a steep learning curve, especially for first-time users. The dashboard is feature-rich, but it’s a bit complex and could definitely benefit from a more intuitive design. It tends to be overwhelming and can complicate understanding among new users.

Moreover, while their customer service is prompt and eager to help, on many occasions, they do fall short on technical expertise. And despite navigation and technical service support challenges, the platform lacks a comprehensive onboarding and user-guidance process.

In summary, 8×8, while innovative and feature-rich, might be daunting for new users due to its complex interface and insufficient customer support. Despite these hurdles, it does excel at offering the required tools for holistic and efficient customer service management.

12. Bright Pattern (4.8/5)

Bright Pattern is a contact center software solution designed to simplify omnichannel customer service interactions. Among its advantages are scalability, easy integrations with CRM systems, and real-time analytics. Its capability to provide seamless customer interactions across various channels gives businesses a competitive edge in enhancing customer experience.

Contact center features

• Inbound and outbound calls communications
• SMS / MMS
• Web chat
• Emailing
• Social messengers
• Video chat

Other key features

• Workflow automation
• Answering machine detection
• Customizable wallboard
• Knowledge sharing
• Natural language processing

Integrations

• Salesforce
• IBM Watson
• Forgerock
• PostgreSQL

Pros & Cons

Bright Pattern pricing

Bright Pattern offers the following pricing packages: Call Center Standard, Digital CX, Omnichannel CX, Bright Pattern Mobile. To learn about the prices of these plans, contact Bright Pattern’s team.

You can give Bright Pattern a test drive, before purchasing the tool during a free trial.

Expert’s opinion

Bright Pattern contact center software offers a robust and scalable solution for handling customer interactions across multiple channels. The intuitive user interface is a stand-out feature, allowing easy navigation and usage even for less tech-savvy customers. The real-time monitoring and reporting features also provide a comprehensive view of contact center performance, which is invaluable for business reviews and planning.

However, the software isn’t without its downsides. There is a steep learning curve, particularly without proper training, which may impact team productivity initially. The reporting feature, though comprehensive, can seem overly complex to a new user or to those not used to data analysis. This can delay retrieving necessary information or making quick, data-driven decisions.

Although Bright Pattern is slightly complex to understand initially, it proves to be an effective tool for maintaining a well-organized contact center once you get the hang of it. With its wide range of features and integration capability, it truly stands out from many competitor systems, allowing a seamless customer service experience.

How to choose the right contact center software for your business?

Choosing the right contact center software is a critical decision for any business that needs to provide efficient and high-quality customer service. This step-by-step guide will streamline the process, providing you with a clear path to making your decision.

Step 1: Define your business requirements

The first step is to identify what you need from a contact center solution. It should align with your business goals and requirements. Ask yourself these questions:

• What are our customer support objectives?
• What communication channels (phone, email, live chat, social media) do our customers prefer?
• Do we need integration with other business applications (like CRM systems)?
• What is our budget for contact center software?

Step 2: Evaluate features and functionality

Different software have different sets of features. Consider the following to determine which ones are vital for your business:

• Does the software support all the channels that our customers use?
• Does it have an easy-to-use interface that our staff can learn quickly?
• Does it offer reporting and analytics functionality to measure our performance?
• Can it scale as our business grows?
• Does it offer automation features to reduce repetitive tasks?

Step 3: Check vendor credibility

It’s crucial to choose a reputable vendor for your contact center software. Ask these questions:

• Does the contact center provider have a proven track record in supplying successful contact center software?
• Does their solution cater to businesses of our size and in our industry?
• Are they responsive to customer inquiries?

Step 4: Consider the cost

Cost is always a significant factor. However, don’t just look at the initial price. Consider the total cost of ownership, as well. Here are some questions to consider:

• What is the initial cost of the software?
• What are the costs for additional features or upgrades?
• Are there any hidden costs, like installation, training, maintenance, or support fees?
• Does the vendor offer a flexible pricing model, such as pay-as-you-go or subscription-based?

Step 5: Test the software

Most contact center providers offer free trials or demos of their software. This is your opportunity to test and see if the software suits your business needs. Look for the following:

• Is the user interface intuitive and easy to navigate?
• How do the features and functionalities work in practice?
• How does the software perform under high usage or stress?
• Is the customer support prompt and helpful during the trial?

Step 6: Gather feedback

If possible, gather feedback from other companies using the software. Here’s what you should ask for:

• How has their experience been with the software in terms of functionality and ease of use?
• Have they observed any significant downtimes or glitches in the software?
• Overall, are they satisfied with the software and the vendor?

Step 7: Make the decision

Based on your analysis and feedback gathered, decide on which contact center software is the best fit for your business. The right software should meet your present requirements and be capable of accommodating future growth. Be sure to consider all the aspects — functionality, vendor reputation, cost, and user feedback before making the final decision.

7 must-have features of the contact center software

Let’s look at 7 essential features your contact center needs to best support your customers.

Multichannel support

This feature allows you to access all customer interactions across email, live chat, phone, and other channels in a single streamlined view. LiveAgent does this effectively, allowing your contact center to provide seamless customer service.

Ticket management

A ticket management system is essential in helping businesses prioritize, label, and categorize issues systematically, which leads to more efficient problem-solving and shorter response times.

Knowledge base/customer portal

This is a comprehensive, searchable online database of information and resources. Contact centers often offer both internal and external knowledge base options. LiveAgent includes an integrated knowledge base that allows customers to seek out solutions 24/7, which reduces the workload for your support team.

Live chat

Live chat is an essential part of any reliable contact center software because of its ease of use and immediacy of customer interactions. LiveAgent’s built-in live chat software allows real-time engagement with customers, helping to boost sales and satisfaction rates. It provides features like proactive chat invitations and chat buttons that can be added to websites or emails.

Social media integration

Many customers prefer communicating with brands using social media. LiveAgent supports integration with the most popular social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, Viber, and X (Twitter), allowing businesses to manage social interactions as part of their customer service strategy.

Automation & rules

Automation can save your contact center agents a lot of time otherwise spent on menial tasks. This allows for better performance leading to improved customer satisfaction. LiveAgent offers rule-based ticket distribution and comprehensive automation features that help save huge amounts of time by automating routine tasks like tagging or routing tickets to a specific department.

Reports & analytics

Reporting and analytics are essential for making data-driven business decisions. LiveAgent’s software comes with robust reporting and analytics features to track various aspects of contact center performance. This gives management the necessary insights to optimize their service and operations.

How can your business profit from contact center software?

Let’s take a look at a few ways in which your business will benefit from using a contact center.

Provide multichannel support with integration capabilities

Deploying a contact center software that supports multichannel communications and readily integrates with your existing systems grants your team the flexibility to engage customers through each one’s communication channel of choice. It allows you to maintain consistent messaging and offer seamless customer service over the phone, email, social media, live chat, and more.

Improve customer experience

With contact center software, you can streamline the communication process, reduce response time, and eliminate errors, enhancing the overall customer experience.

Features such as smart automation, AI-powered chatbots, and integrated ticketing systems can significantly improve customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Save costs and increase sales

Contact center software can help you save business costs by automating routine tasks and reducing the need for a large in-house team. Furthermore, with improved customer interaction and issue resolution, you can expect a higher opportunity for cross-selling and upselling, improving your bottom line.

Increase your team productivity with skill-based routing

Skill-based and intelligent call routing is a feature that will direct customer calls or inquiries to the agent most qualified to handle them. This minimizes handling time, boosts first contact resolution rates, and reduces the need for transfers or callbacks. In turn, this revs up agent efficiency and your team’s productivity.

Offer real-time analytics

Make your business decisions based on data-driven insights. Contact center software can provide valuable real-time analytics on sales trends, customer behavior, agent performance, and more. This makes it easier to identify areas for improvement and measure the success of your customer service strategies accurately.

Factors to consider while deciding on contact center software

While picking the perfect contact center software solution, consider several key factors outside the aforementioned features. Let’s quickly go over the most significant of these factors.

• Ease of integration: Think about your current tech ecosystem. Will the new contact center software easily integrate into your existing setup? Software like LiveAgent offers integration with numerous popular tools like WordPress, Magento, Slack, and others, which can simplify the integration process.
• Scalability: As your business grows, your software needs to grow with it — can the software scale as per your requirements? An inability to scale could hinder customer service levels and growth plans.
• Reliability and uptime: You cannot afford for your contact center to be offline. It is absolutely critical to ask, “What is the software’s uptime record?” Consider solutions with 99.9% uptime or more.
• Security features: In today’s digital world, protecting customers’ information is paramount. Does the proposed software meet the necessary regulatory compliance for data security in your industry?
• Ease of use: Will your staff need extensive training to get started with the software? Look for software with an intuitive user interface to ensure the quickest path to team adoption and the best agent experience. For example, LiveAgent boasts a user-friendly design and easy-to-understand features.
• Quality of support: Evaluate the center provider’s customer support. When your team needs help, will they get it quickly and easily?
• Cost effectiveness: Lastly, remember that expensive does not always equate to better. Consider whether the software offers good value for the money. Look for a mix of functionality, customer service, and fair pricing in the software — LiveAgent can be a good example of such a balance.

When is the right time to acquire contact center software?

How can you determine the right moment to invest in a contact center solution? Let’s explore real-life scenarios that may compel businesses to explore contact center software options.

High volume of customer queries

If businesses are experiencing an unprecedented influx of customer queries, it can severely impact customer service quality.

For example, during Black Friday, a retail business may receive an overwhelming number of requests, order inquiries, or complaint calls. Contact center software can automate responses for common inquiries, distribute workload evenly among contact center agents, and streamline ticket tracking, freeing up time for agents to handle more complex inquiries.

Inefficient call routing

For contact centers to perform at their best, it is crucial to route customer inquiries, especially calls.

A hospital, for example, may experience misrouting of calls to the wrong departments or individuals, causing a delay in providing critical information or medical assistance. Contact center software can vastly improve call routing accuracy by assigning calls based on predetermined rules, ensuring patients’ calls are directed to the right doctor or department.

Increasing costs of operations

Operational and maintenance costs often increase significantly when a business expands. Contact center software can mitigate this issue while improving agents’ productivity.

If a rapidly expanding airline company is hiring more customer service representatives to manage an increasing number of calls as it adds new routes and destinations, the operational costs might skyrocket. Contact center software can offer AI-powered IVRs and chatbots to handle routine inquiries, leading to cost savings as fewer human agents will be required.

Poor customer service feedback

Customer feedback can make or break a business. Therefore, it is paramount that you keep your customers satisfied.

If a broadband internet service provider is dealing with complaints about long waiting times or poor issue resolution, this signals a poor customer experience. Contact center software can help manage the queue effectively, monitor calls for quality assessment, and provide data-driven actionable insights to improve customer service.

Remote working conditions

In situations like the Covid-19 pandemic when businesses like a food delivery service had to quickly shift their customer service operations remotely, they can struggle with maintaining service efficiency. Contact center software allows remote management of customer service, equipped with all required functionalities including call recording, reporting, and real-time analytics.

Conclusion

In a competitive business environment, optimizing customer interactions is indispensable. Good contact center software can provide seamless multichannel experiences, improve team productivity, enhance customer experience, and result in cost savings — all leading to improved business success.

Evaluate potential contact center solutions based on features like ticket management, live chat, social media integration, automation, and robust analytics. Analyze the software’s ease of integration, scalability, uptime, security, user interface, and cost-effectiveness to ensure that it aligns with your specific needs.

Consider crucial factors like high query volumes, inefficient routing, high operational costs, poor service feedback, and remote working situations to determine whether it’s time to incorporate this software into your business.

To take the first step towards revolutionizing your customer service center, consider starting with LiveAgent’s free 30-day trial and experience the difference firsthand.

In a digital era that heavily relies on virtual interactions, ensure that your contact center software is not just reliable but also your ally in fostering meaningful connections with your customers.