Best Contact Center Software of 2024: Enhance Customer Engagement and Efficiency
Prashanth Kancherla
Jul 3, 2024 | 13 mins read
Struggling to deliver exceptional customer service? Juggling multiple communication channels can be overwhelming for both your agents and your customers. However, investing in a good contact center software minimizes—if not completely eliminates—this problem.
Contact center software streamlines these interactions, providing a unified platform for agents to manage phone calls, emails, chats, and social media messages. This translates to happier agents, faster resolutions, and a more positive customer experience overall.
However, with a variety of software options available, the right fit depends on your specific needs and budget. Here’s a quick rundown of the top contenders for the best contact center software in 2024.
In this article, we will explore:
What is contact center software?
Contact center software is a suite of advanced applications designed to streamline and automate the intricate processes involved in managing communication across multiple channels – voice, email, chat, social media, and more. Think of it as a command center that orchestrates the seamless flow of conversations between your business and your customers, ensuring every interaction is handled with efficiency and finesse.
Overview
Before we get into the details of the best contact center software, let’s look at them briefly along with who they are best-suited for:
| S. No | Provider Name | Best For | Key Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ozonetel | End-to-end communication flow for business of all sizes | Cloud contact center, omnichannel support, AI-powered digital CX suite, CRM integration |
| 2 | Dialpad | Unified communications | Voice AI, seamless integration with Google Workspace and Microsoft 365, real-time transcriptions |
| 3 | Exotel | Customer support and sales teams | Cloud telephony, call recording, SMS campaigns, CRM integrations, scalable solutions |
| 4 | Zendesk Talk | Customer service teams | Omnichannel support, seamless integration with Zendesk Suite, advanced analytics, IVR |
| 5 | Servetel | Small to medium enterprises | Cloud telephony, IVR solutions, number masking, call tracking and recording, SMS solutions |
| 6 | Sprinklr Service | Large enterprises | Omnichannel customer engagement, AI-powered insights, social media integration, workflow automation |
| 7 | Twilio | Developers and businesses | Highly customizable APIs, SMS, voice, video, and chat support, robust security features |
| 8 | Five9 | Enterprise contact centers | Cloud-based, predictive dialing, AI-driven insights, workforce optimization, CRM integration |
| 9 | Talkdesk | Customer service and sales teams | Cloud-native, AI-enhanced, omnichannel support, robust analytics, customizable workflows |
| 10 | Aircall | Small to medium businesses | Cloud-based, easy setup, CRM integrations, call center analytics, global numbers |
| 11 | CallHippo | Startups and small businesses | VoIP solutions, CRM integration, call tracking and recording, virtual phone numbers |
11 Best Contact Center Software of 2024
Having the right contact center software empowers your agents to deliver exceptional service, streamline operations, and gain valuable customer insights. But with a plethora of options available, choosing the best one for your needs can be a daunting task. So, here are the best contact center software options to consider in 2024:
Ozonetel
Ozonetel is a leading provider of cloud-based contact center software, offering a comprehensive and reliable solution tailored to businesses of all sizes. Ozonetel’s flagship product, CloudAgent, is renowned for its advanced AI-based analytics, user-friendly interfaces, seamless CRM integrations, and industry-leading deployment times.
Features
- Modern Interactive Voice Response (IVR): Ozonetel offers a modern IVR system that provides a proactive inbound calling experience for customers. The IVR can be customized to guide callers through automated menus and self-service options, ensuring efficient call routing and reducing wait times.
- Seamless Integrations: Ozonetel seamlessly integrates with popular CRM software like HubSpot and Salesforce, allowing agents to access relevant customer information from a single interface, enhancing productivity and customer service.
- Smart Routing and Automatic Call Distribution (ACD): Ozonetel’s smart routing and ACD capabilities ensure that incoming calls are intelligently routed to the most suitable agent based on skill set, availability, and customer data, optimizing call handling and reducing wait times.
- Sentiment Analysis: Ozonetel’s advanced sentiment analysis feature leverages AI and natural language processing to analyze the sentiment of customer interactions, helping agents and supervisors identify potential issues and areas for improvement.
- AI-enabled Omnichannel Solution: Ozonetel’s CX hub delivers relevant customer information from across all interaction channels, allowing businesses to triple their interaction capabilities while cutting costs per contact through automation.
Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Ease of use with intuitive interfaces and drag-and-drop tools
- Excellent customer support with 24/7 availability
- Robust calling services with advanced features like IVR, auto dialers, and call routing
Cons:
- Some users have reported occasional call connectivity issues
- Network performance issues have been experienced by a few users
- Lagging or performance issues have been noted in some cases
Pricing
Ozonetel does not publicly disclose its pricing structure, as the cost of the solution varies based on the specific requirements and scale of each business. To obtain a personalized quote, you can reach out to our sales team.
Review
“Ozonetel is really beneficial for managing large volumes of calls efficiently.”
G2 Rating
4.6/5 stars
Dialpad
Dialpad is a cloud-based communication and contact center platform that has been at the forefront of leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance customer interactions and agent productivity.
Features
- AI Coaching: The platform provides real-time coaching insights and suggestions to agents during live conversations, helping them deliver more efficient and effective customer service.
- Next-Generation Analytics: Dialpad offers advanced analytics capabilities that provide deep insights into customer interactions, agent performance, and operational metrics.
- Dynamic Call Scripts: Dialpad’s AI-driven call scripts adapt dynamically based on the context of the conversation, providing agents with relevant prompts and information to better serve customers.
Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Pioneering AI capabilities for coaching and sentiment analysis
- Advanced analytics and reporting for data-driven decision-making
- Dynamic call scripts and real-time agent prompts
Cons:
- AI features may be overwhelming for businesses new to the technology
- Enterprise pricing plans are not disclosed, potentially limiting transparency
- Basic features like eFax may require additional costs
Pricing
Dialpad offers three pricing tiers for its AI Contact Center solution:
- AI Contact Center Essentials: $80 per user/month
- AI Contact Center Advanced: $115 per user/month
- AI Contact Center Premium: $150 per user/month
Review
“Dialpad is great and when AI has been introduced to Dialpad, it has become the best.”
G2 rating
4.4/5 stars
Exotel
Exotel is a cloud-based contact center solution that specializes in providing inbound call center software to help businesses efficiently manage and track incoming calls.
Features
- Smart Call Routing: Exotel’s inbound call center software offers various call routing options, such as equal routing, sequential routing, emergency routing, and sticky agent routing.
- Call Recording: The platform allows businesses to record all customer conversations, which can be useful for dispute resolution, quality assurance, and agent training purposes.
- Interactive Voice Response (IVR): Exotel enables businesses to create personalized call experiences by implementing IVR in their call flows.
Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Powerful inbound call management and routing capabilities
- Integration with popular tools for unified customer information
- Call tracking and analytics for performance monitoring
Cons
- Requires pre-setting and installation of third-party software before using the service
- Reported issues with call drops and abandoned calls, impacting customer experience
- Lacks certain features, such as detailed reporting on call wait times and agent availability, which can help improve service level agreements (SLAs)
Pricing
Exotel offers three main pricing plans for its inbound call center software:
- Dabbler: $65 per user/month (with a limited-time $50 introductory offer when billed quarterly)
- Believer: $55 per user/month (with a limited-time $40 introductory offer when billed quarterly)
- Influencer: $40 per user/month (with a limited-time $35 introductory offer when billed quarterly)
Review
“The best and the most reliable voice call manager service across the globe.”
G2 rating
4.3/5 stars
Zendesk Talk
Zendesk Talk is a cloud-based call center solution that seamlessly integrates with Zendesk’s customer service platform, providing a comprehensive omnichannel experience for customers and support teams.
Features
- Omnichannel Agent Workspace: Agents can handle voice conversations, emails, texts, and other channels from a single unified interface, enabling a streamlined customer experience.
- AI-powered Automation: Zendesk Talk leverages AI-powered automations to assist with various aspects of customer service, such as responding to customers, summarizing and transcribing calls, and identifying congested channels, helping agents be more productive and focused.
- Interactive Voice Response (IVR): The IVR system can gather customer information, intelligently route calls, and provide information to customers without the need for human agents, improving efficiency and self-service capabilities.
Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Seamless integration with Zendesk’s customer service platform for an omnichannel experience
- AI-powered automations and self-service capabilities to improve efficiency
- Comprehensive reporting and analytics for performance tracking
Cons:
- AI applications may be limited, potentially requiring third-party tools for advanced features like sentiment analysis
- Potential issues with ticket duplication, message delays, and varying call quality
- Limited international phone number availability
Pricing
Zendesk Talk is available as part of the Zendesk Suite pricing plans:
- Suite Team: $55 per agent/month
- Suite Growth: $89 per agent/month
- Suite Professional: $115 per agent/month
- Suite Enterprise: Contact sales for pricing
- Suite Enterprise Plus: Contact sales for pricing
Review
“Excellent tool to streamline support management queues and ticket handling.”
G2 rating
4.3/5 stars
Servetel
Servetel is a cloud-based call center solution provider that offers a comprehensive suite of services to handle all call center needs. By leveraging cloud telephony, Servetel enables businesses to quickly set up and manage their call center operations without the hassle of managing physical infrastructure.
Features
- Quick Setup: Businesses can set up their call center within minutes without the need for extensive hardware or staff.
- Agent Management: Servetel’s cloud telephony portal allows businesses to add, delete, or modify agent details instantly.
- Call Management: Features like call recording, forwarding, and routing enable seamless call management and easy handling of customer interactions.
Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Quick and easy setup of call center infrastructure
- Agent performance tracking and customized dashboards
- Real-time call analytics for performance optimization
Cons:
- Delayed updates and feature releases, according to customer feedback
- Potential limitations in specific business-centric features or customizations
Review
“Very friendly portal it is very easy to access all the features.”
G2 rating
5/5 based on one review
Sprinklr Service
Sprinklr Service is a comprehensive cloud-based contact center solution that harnesses the power of artificial intelligence (AI) and a unified customer experience platform to streamline customer interactions across multiple channels.
Features
- Conversational IVR: Sprinklr’s Conversational IVR fetches customer data to personalize interactions and seamlessly redirects callers to digital and social channels using AI, effectively reducing inbound call volumes.
- AI-powered Call Routing: Sprinklr’s AI-powered routing intelligently matches callers with the most suitable agents based on customer needs and issue complexity.
- Unified Agent Desktop: The unified agent desktop consolidates all customer conversations, case histories, CRM data, and survey results into a single interface.
Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Streamlines inbound and outbound calls, reducing contact volume and enhancing the overall customer experience
- Reduces Average Handle Time (AHT) through real-time assistance, guided workflows, knowledge base integration, and canned responses
- Offers personalized customer journeys through data integration and AI-powered capabilities
Cons:
- Primarily recognized for social media management rather than contact center software
- May be overly complex or costly for small businesses without existing CRM integrations
Pricing
Sprinklr Service’s pricing focuses on catering to businesses of different sizes. Here’s an overview:
- Self-Serve: $249 per seat/month (billed annually)
- Enterprise: Request Quote
Review
“A complex but complete system with a great user experience”
G2 rating
4.4/5 stars
Twilio
Twilio Flex provides a flexible and customizable platform for businesses to build their own call center solution tailored to their specific needs. It offers a voice SDK (software development kit) and open API (application programming interface) that developers can leverage to create a customized solution.
Features
- Interactive Voice Response (IVR): Twilio Flex provides an interactive voice response system that allows businesses to create customized voice menus and routing flows, enabling callers to navigate through options using voice or keypad inputs.
- Reporting and Analytics: Twilio Flex offers customizable analytical reports and dashboards, allowing businesses to gain insights into various aspects of their contact center operations, such as agent performance, call volumes, and customer interactions.
- Call Routing and Transfers: Twilio Flex enables businesses to configure advanced call routing rules and workflows, ensuring that incoming calls are directed to the most appropriate agents based on factors like skill sets, availability, and customer history.
Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Highly customizable through APIs, integrations, and programming
- Flexible pricing options for fluctuating call center agent requirements
- Customizable analytical reports and dashboards
Cons:
- Pricing can be expensive compared to industry standards
- Complex setup and integration processes for new users
- Requires API knowledge and development efforts to make it truly useful
Pricing
- Per-hour: Starts at $1.00 per active user/hour
- Per-user: Starts at $150 per named user/month (unlimited call volume)
Review
” It’s super reliable and fast, which is crucial for keeping things secure. Plus, it’s flexible enough to integrate into different platforms seamlessly. “
G2 rating
4.2/5 stars
Five9
Five9 is a comprehensive cloud-based contact center software that caters to the needs of businesses of all sizes. It is designed to streamline customer interactions, enhance agent productivity, and provide valuable insights through advanced analytics and reporting.
Features
- Omnichannel Routing: Five9 allows seamless integration of multiple communication channels, including voice, email, chat, social media, and more.
- Intelligent Call Routing: The software employs advanced call routing algorithms to distribute incoming calls to the most suitable agents based on factors such as skill set, availability, and customer history.
- Workforce Management: Five9 offers powerful workforce management tools that help businesses optimize agent schedules, forecast call volumes, and manage staffing levels effectively.
Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Comprehensive feature set for contact center management
- Scalable and flexible deployment options
- Robust reporting and analytics capabilities
Cons:
- Higher price point compared to some competitors, making it less accessible for smaller businesses
- Steep learning curve for new users due to the extensive feature set
- Dependency on a separate provider for voice capabilities in certain deployment scenarios
Pricing
Five9 offers four pricing tiers to cater to different business needs:
- Core: $149 per user/month
- Premium: $169 per user/month
- Optimum: $199 per user/month
- Ultimate: $229 per user/month
Review
” The service is top notch. Whenever we raise a concern, it is always addressed with priority.”
G2 rating
4/5 stars
Talkdesk
Talkdesk is a cloud-based contact center software that has gained a reputation for its advanced call routing and workflow capabilities, as well as its strong focus on automation and self-service. Designed to enhance customer engagement and streamline support operations, Talkdesk offers a comprehensive suite of features tailored to the needs of modern call centers.
Features
- Advanced Call Routing: The platform allows for sophisticated call distribution based on various criteria, such as agent skills, availability, and customer history.
- Workflow Automation: Talkdesk empowers businesses to automate various workflows and processes, reducing manual effort and increasing efficiency. This includes features like automated call distribution, self-service options, and intelligent call routing.
- Multichannel Communication: The platform supports multiple communication channels, including voice, email, web chat, SMS, and social media, enabling businesses to provide a consistent and seamless customer experience across all touchpoints.
Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Advanced call routing and workflow automation capabilities
- Focus on self-service and automation to enhance efficiency
- Easy implementation and user-friendly interface
Cons:
- Lack of enterprise case studies or customer success stories
- Some advanced features or integrations may require additional costs
- Limited support for lesser-known or niche integrations
Pricing
Talkdesk offers three main pricing tiers for its CX Cloud solution:
- CX Cloud Essentials: $75 per user/month
- CX Cloud Elevate: $95 per user/month
- CX Cloud Elite: $125 per user/month
Review
“Reliable, Highly Configurable and Powerful”
G2 rating
4.4 stars
Aircall
Aircall is a cloud-based contact center solution designed specifically for modern businesses, startups, and small teams. It emphasizes accessibility, transparency, and collaboration, allowing sales and support teams to communicate efficiently while managing high call volumes without sacrificing quality.
Features
- Interactive Voice Response (IVR): Aircall’s IVR system allows businesses to set up automated voice menus and self-service options, guiding callers to the right department or agent based on their needs.
- Call Routing and Transfers: Warm transfers allow agents to seamlessly pass calls to colleagues while providing context, ensuring a smooth customer experience.
- Call Queuing: When all agents are busy, calls are automatically queued. Ring groups allow multiple agents’ phones to ring simultaneously for incoming calls, ensuring prompt call pickup.
Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Quick and easy deployment
- Seamless integration with popular CRMs and helpdesk tools
- Multi-device compatibility (desktop, iPhone, Android)
Cons:
- Limited out-of-the-box integrations
- Lack of omnichannel support (no social, email, or live chat)
- No enterprise features like SSO
Pricing
- Essentials: $30 per license/month (minimum 3 licenses)
- Professional: $50 per license/month (minimum 3 licenses)
- Custom: Contact Aircall for quote (minimum 25 licenses)
Review
“Configurable call monitoring and integrated analytics for better communication”
G2 rating
4.3 stars
CallHippo
CallHippo is a cloud-based call center solution that caters to both inbound and outbound calling needs, incorporating gamification elements to motivate agents through friendly competition. Here’s an overview of CallHippo’s features, pros and cons, and pricing:
Features
- Interactive Voice Response (IVR): CallHippo’s IVR system allows businesses to set up automated voice menus and self-service options, helping to route calls efficiently and reduce wait times for customers.
- Reporting and Analytics: CallHippo provides detailed reporting and analytics dashboards that offer valuable insights into call center performance, agent productivity, and customer interactions, enabling data-driven decision-making and continuous improvement.
- Call Routing and Transfers: CallHippo’s intelligent call routing ensures incoming calls are directed to the most suitable agent based on skills, availability, and customer data.
Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Clear and user-friendly dashboard
- Easy to set up and use
- Affordable pricing plans
Cons:
- Occasional connectivity issues reported by users
- Difficulty in communicating with customer support
- Limited reporting capabilities compared to some competitors
Pricing
- Basic: $0 per month (for startups)
- Bronze: $16 per user/month
- Silver: $24 per user/month
- Platinum: $40 per user/month
Review
“Good experience. Easy to use. Customizable. Have a good experience.”
G2 rating
4.4 stars
What to look for in a contact center software?
That was a long list, right? So, how do you choose the best contact center software for your business? There are numerous factors to consider when searching for a contact center solution that meets your needs. However, in our experience, contact center managers tend to focus on a few basic factors, such as:
- Omnichannel Capabilities: The contact center software should provide a seamless and unified experience across multiple channels, such as voice, email, social media, instant messaging, video, and more.
- Analytics and Reporting: Look for customizable reporting features that provide real-time data and enable data-driven decision-making for continuous improvement.
- Integration Capabilities: The contact center software should seamlessly integrate with your existing systems, such as Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tools, business applications, and legacy systems.
- Support and Reliability: Consider the availability, responsiveness, and expertise of the support team, as well as their ability to provide timely assistance and troubleshooting.
- User-Friendly Interface: A user-friendly interface reduces the learning curve for agents, enabling efficient training, onboarding, and daily operations. Look for software with a clean and visually appealing design that minimizes complexity and streamlines workflows.
Conclusion
Investing in the right contact center software can empower your agents, streamline workflows, and leave a lasting positive impression on every customer.
Also, by carefully evaluating your specific needs and industry requirements, you can confidently select a contact center software that aligns with your goals and empowers your team to deliver exceptional customer experiences consistently.
