Call centre software

With the prominence of social media, live chat, email, chatbots and other digital forms of communication, you might think traditional phone calls have gone the way of the dodo. But that couldn’t be further from the truth.

According to a 2022 survey by Statista, 30% of customers still pick up the phone to contact brands. This means that your business could be neglecting a sizable portion of your customer base if you ignore this channel.

Fortunately, providing customer support via phone doesn’t mean call centres must rely on outdated technology. Modern call centre software can enhance the customer and employee experience while minimising operating costs. Our guide provides a variety of market-leading contact centre solutions, and the right software for your business is just a ring away.

More in this guide:

• What is call centre software?
• Top 20 call centre software solutions
• What are the different types of call centre solutions?
• Essential features of contact centre software
• Benefits of a call centre phone system
• How to pick the best contact centre software
• Frequently asked questions
• Ready to try call centre software?

Call centre software helps organisations handle large volumes of inbound and/or outbound calls. It executes tasks such as routing calls, collecting caller information, triggering prerecorded FAQ answers, and transferring callers to other channels.

Any business with a high volume of outgoing and/or incoming phone calls can use call centre solutions to improve the quality of their phone support service while decreasing operating costs. For example, automating call-handling processes can significantly reduce the frequency and impact of human error, while also lessening call centre burnout.

We’ve compiled the best call centre software solutions into one comprehensive list to help you pick the best solution for your business.

1. Zendesk

The call centre software is embedded in the Zendesk Agent Workspace to create a seamless omnichannel experience for customers and employees. Your support team can manage voice conversations in the same place they manage email and texts for consistent support. Agents can also access customer profiles to personalise phone conversations.

AI-powered automations can assist with nearly every facet of the customer service experience – like responding to customers, summarising and transcribing calls, and identifying congested channels – so your team can be more productive and focused. Our IVR system can gather customer information, intelligently route calls and provide information to customers without the involvement of human agents.

Managers can track their phone support operations with real-time analytics and call monitoring software, applying those insights to make improvements. With our centralised reporting, you can understand how your phone support performs against other channels. Workforce management features can help you forecast staffing needs, build schedules and visual agent activity.

Simple to set up and fully cloud-based, Zendesk allows teams to set up phone numbers, voicemail and text messages right away. Additionally, our Voice API enables you to embed a CTA button on your website in mere minutes. That means there’s no need to involve IT, hire additional technicians or manage new suppliers – resulting in a fast time to value. With our flexible range of plans and comprehensive features, you receive a low overall total cost of ownership.

Features:

• Interactive voice response (IVR)
• Reporting and analytics
• Call routing and transfers
• Customer callback
• Workforce management
• Workforce management
• AI-powered automation
• Omnichannel Agent Workspace
• Customer callback
• Embedded voice and voice API
• 1,500+ apps and integrations

Pricing:

• Suite Team: $55 per agent/month
• Suite Growth: $89 per agent/month
• Suite Professional: $115 per agent/month
• Suite Enterprise: Talk to sales
• Suite Enterprise Plus: Talk to sales
  *Plans are billed annually.

• Start a free trial
• View pricing
• Request a demo
• Take a product tour
• Evaluate the ROI of Zendesk

Free trial:

14 days

2. LiveAgent

LiveAgent offers call centre software along with various customer service solutions. LiveAgent packages include full help desk capabilities such as live chat, ticket management, omnichannel support and much more. Its IVR system facilitates call routing, allowing callers to navigate a customised menu for prompt assistance.

The platform helps businesses maintain communication records, providing shareable chat transcripts and call recordings for quality assurance and compliance. LiveAgent’s advanced call queue management can reduce customer wait times. Its call recording feature captures and stores audio data, which can aid in training and performance evaluation.

Features:

• Interactive voice response
• Reporting and analytics
• Call routing and transfers
• Customer callback
• Call queues
• Call recording

Pricing:

• Medium: $29 per agent/month
• Large: $49 per agent/month
• Enterprise: $69 per agent/month
  *Plans are billed annually.

Free trial:

7 or 30 days

3. Dialpad Ai Contact Center

Dialpad Ai Contact Center supports calls, messaging and hosting. Its features include call sentiment analysis, real-time text transcription and built-in AI to automatically deliver question-specific call scripts to agents. The visual voicemail feature provides an interface for managing voicemails, letting users review, prioritise and respond to messages.

Dialpad offers unlimited calling to its customers, which can help businesses operate without the constraints of per-minute billing. Number forwarding allows agents to redirect calls to the most appropriate team member or department. And custom call routing further tailors the call-handling process, allowing businesses to design specific call flows based on their unique needs.

Features:

• Interactive voice response
• Reporting and analytics
• Call routing and transfers
• Customer callback
• Workforce management
• Visual voicemail
• Call sentiment analysis

Pricing:

• Ai Contact Center Essentials: $80 per user/month
• Ai Contact Center Advanced: $115 per user/month
• Ai Contact Center Premium: $150 per user/month
  *Plans are billed annually.

Free trial:

14 days

Learn about the Dialpad integration for Zendesk.

4. Five9

Five9’s contact centre packages include no-fee, long-distance calling and users can set it up on existing equipment, depending on their needs. The software’s power dialler can automatically dial a list of numbers and connect agents to live calls.

Aside from its contact centre software, Five9 also offers a range of telephony solutions, including business VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol). Its virtual assistant can coach agents while they’re on calls, and Five9 also supports communication through digital channels like email, chat and SMS.

Features:

• Interactive voice response
• Reporting and analytics
• Call routing and transfers
• Workforce management
• Power dialler
• Virtual agent

Pricing:

• Core: $149 per user/month
• Premium: $169 per user/month
• Optimum: $199 per user/month
• Ultimate: $229 per user/month

Free trial:

Unavailable

Learn about the Five9 integration for Zendesk.

5. Talkdesk

Some call centres only take inbound calls, some only make outbound calls, but some, like Talkdesk, do both. Talkdesk includes call centre features, such as a mobile app for agents to use wherever they are. Businesses can establish out-of-hours or part-time staffing features to handle calls with low volume or staffing.

Call and screen recordings help teams monitor the quality of customer interactions and apply them to agent training. And its cloud-based platform means businesses don’t need to download new software to on-site computers.

Features:

• Interactive voice response
• Reporting and analytics
• Call routing and transfers
• Workforce management
• Virtual agent
• Screen recording

Pricing:

• CX Cloud Essentials: $75 per user/month
• CX Cloud Elevate: $95 per user/month
• CX Cloud Elite: $125 per user/month
• Experience Clouds: Contact Talkdesk
  *Prices reflect a three-year commitment.

Free trial:

Unavailable

Learn about the Talkdesk integration for Zendesk.

6. Twilio Flex

Twilio Flex provides a voice SDK (software development kit) and open API (application programming interface) that developers can use to create a call centre solution customised to the company’s needs. Call transcription capabilities enable the automatic conversion of spoken words into text, providing an extra resource for training and quality assurance purposes. And queue management helps route incoming calls to available agents.

Twilio Flex also provides various phone number options, allowing businesses to choose local, freephone or national numbers based on their geographic reach and customer base.

Features:

• Interactive voice response
• Reporting and analytics
• Call routing and transfers
• Customer profiles
• Local, national and freephone numbers

Pricing:

• Per hour: Starts at $1.00 per active user/hour
• Per user: Starts $150 per named user

Free trial:

Available (5,000 free active user hours)

Learn about the Twilio Flex integration for Zendesk.

7. RingCentral

RingCentral is a communication and collaboration platform that can help businesses manage their call centres. The software’s push to talk is similar to a walkie-talkie and helps agents connect with customers and multitask. Team messaging within RingCentral provides a centralised space for real-time communication, file sharing and collaboration.

RingCentral supports video conferencing, enabling teams to conduct virtual meetings and client presentations. The platform also offers whisper coaching, allowing managers to provide real-time guidance to agents during calls without the customer hearing. Additionally, shared phone lines enable teams to manage and collaborate on incoming calls, reducing the risk of missed opportunities.

Features:

• Interactive voice response
• Reporting and analytics
• Call routing and transfers
• Call whispering
• Video conferencing

Pricing:

• Core: $20 per user/month
• Advanced: $25 per user/month
• Ultra: $35 per user/month
• RingCX powered by RingSense AI: $65 per agent/month
• RingCentral Enterprise contact centre: Contact RingCentral
  *Plans are billed annually.

Free trial:

14 days

Learn about the RingCentral integration for Zendesk.

8. CloudTalk

CloudTalk is a cloud-based outbound and inbound call centre solution. In addition to facilitating phone connections between businesses and their customers, CloudTalk lets businesses control call centre operating costs, monitor call quality and more. CloudTalk has call centre apps that work with desktops, web browsers and mobile devices.

The platform’s smart dialler automatically dials numbers and skips unproductive calls, so agents can be more efficient. Organisations can use the call flow designer to customise and design call workflows based on their needs. CloudTalk also offers AI call transcriptions, providing automated conversion of spoken words into written text for real-time analysis.

Features:

• Interactive voice response
• Reporting and analytics
• Call routing and transfers
• Customer callback
• Smart dialler
• Call flow designer

Pricing:

• Starter: £25 per user/month
• Essential: $30 per user/month
• Expert: $50 per user/month
• Custom: Contact CloudTalk
  *Plans are billed annually.

Free trial:

14 days

Learn about the CloudTalk integration for Zendesk.

9. Channels

Channels call centre solutions come with various features to help agents carry out their tasks. The platform’s call history gives agents up to 30 days of customer interactions to personalise support. And the real-time dashboard statistics visually represent key metrics, so managers can see insights into call centre performance.

Channels incorporates call distribution rules that intelligently route calls to the most suitable agents based on criteria like skills, availability or customer priority. Channels also has a customer recognition feature that can display individual details before a call.

Features:

• Interactive voice response
• Reporting and analytics
• Call routing and transfers
• Customer recognition
• Call history

Pricing:

• Plus: Starts at $24 per month (3 users, 5,000 web calls)
• Advanced: Starts at $62 per month (5 users, unlimited web calls)
  *Plans are billed annually.

Free trial:

7 days

Learn about the Channels integration for Zendesk.

10. Nextiva

Nextiva is a cloud-based contact centre software. Nextiva’s workforce management tools let managers optimise staffing levels, schedules and other resources to maintain overall call centre efficiency.

Virtual assistants can add a layer of automation to Nextiva’s contact centre solutions, enabling businesses to handle routine tasks without manual inputs. The platform also incorporates gamification elements to motivate and engage call centre agents, encouraging healthy competition amongst agents.

Features:

• Interactive voice response
• Reporting and analytics
• Call routing and transfers
• Workforce management
• Call recording

Pricing:

• Core: Contact Nextiva
• Premium: Contact Nextiva
• Optimum: Contact Nextiva
• Ultimate: Contact Nextiva

Free trial:

Unavailable

11. Bitrix24

Bitrix24 is a call centre software that supports inbound, outbound, external and internal calling needs. The software provides project management tools, a website builder and a standalone customer relationship management (CRM) tool. Its analytics provide insights into call centre performance so managers can track key metrics, such as call volume, response times and customer satisfaction.

Bitrix24 has call recording that can capture and store audio recordings straight to a business’s CRM. The software also offers AI-powered features including automated responses, customer scoring and intelligent call routing. The mobile app lets agents stay connected and manage customer interactions on the go.

Features:

• Interactive voice response
• Reporting and analytics
• Call routing and transfers
• Workforce management
• Mobile app
• AI support

Pricing:

• Free: $0 per month (limited features)
• Basic: $49 per month (5 users)
• Standard: $99 per month (50 users)
• Professional: $199 per month (100 users)
• Enterprise: $399 per month (250 users)
• On-Premise Edition Business: Starts at $3,590 (50 users)
• On-Premise Edition Enterprise: $24,990 (1,000+ users)
  *Plans are billed annually.

Free trial:

15 and 30 days

12. Aircall

Aircall is a cloud-based contact centre solution with a shared agent inbox – reps can apply tags and comments to calls to keep everyone informed. Additionally, Aircall allows for the creation of blocklists, letting businesses filter out unwanted or spam calls.

Computer telephony integration (CTI) workflows provide a unified interface for managing calls within existing business applications. Furthermore, Aircall supports call forwarding to mobile phones when agents are away from their desks.

Features:

• Interactive voice response
• Reporting and analytics
• Call routing and transfers
• Customer callback
• Workforce management
• Call whispering
• Blocklist numbers

Pricing:

• Essentials: $30 per licence/month (3 licenses)
• Professional: $50 per licence/month (3 licenses)
• Custom: Contact Aircall (25-licence minimum)
  *Plans are billed annually.

Free trial:

7 days

Learn about the Aircall integration for Zendesk.

13. Vonage

Vonage allows businesses to buy contact centre software and hardware from the same place. Its out-of-the-box functionality is customisable with add-ons, plus it integrates with third-party CRMs, including Zendesk.

Vonage’s features include core functionality such as call monitoring, call tagging and native messaging. It has an autodialler, so agents don’t have to spend time looking for the next phone number to call. And the software’s AI can assist with dynamic routing to help agents while they’re on calls and conduct post-call analysis.

Features:

• Interactive voice response
• Reporting and analytics
• Call routing and transfers
• Customer callback
• Workforce management
• Autodialler
• Omnichannel support

Pricing:

• Priority: Contact Vonage
• Premium: Contact Vonage

Free trial:

Unavailable

Learn more about the Vonage contact centre integration for Zendesk.

14. Webex

The Webex call centre system integrates video conferencing into a call centre environment. As many as 1,000 on-site and/or remote employees can simultaneously operate in this cloud-based solution. Businesses receive unlimited local and national long-distance calls included in their subscription.

Webex’s auto attendant is a self-service option for callers and can route calls to agents. The platform’s call barging feature lets agents answer someone else’s call while they’re away or allows a manager to enter an ongoing call. Additionally, businesses can have video conferences up to 40-minutes long with Webex’s basic plan or up to 24 hours with higher tiers.

Features:

• Call routing and transfers
• Call barging
• Video conferencing
• Call recording
• Call queue

Pricing:

• Webex Call: $15.30 per licence/month
• Webex Suite: $22.50 per licence/month
• Webex Enterprise: Contact Webex
• Contact centre: Contact Webex
• Webex CPaas Solutions: Contact Webex
  *Plans are billed annually.

Free trial:

Unavailable

Learn about the Webex integration for Zendesk.

15. 3CX

With 3CX, call centre agents and their managers can conduct virtual meetings via web conferencing, serving customers on the phone, and more. 3CX provides contact centre systems with on-premises, hosted and cloud-based options.

Along with deployment flexibility, 3CX provides features like call pop-ups, click-to-call capabilities and call journals. Reports can pull data from team calls and live chat history to track daily operations.

Features:

• Interactive voice response
• Reporting and analytics
• Call routing and transfers
• Customer callback
• Call pop-ups
• Click-to-call

Pricing:

• Free: $0 per month (up to 10 users)
• Small Business: Starts at $175 per system (10 users)
• Professional: Starts at $145 per system (10 users)
• Enterprise: Start at $180 per system (10 users)
  *Plans are billed annually.

Free trial:

Unavailable

Learn about the 3CX integration for Zendesk.

16. CallHippo

CallHippo is a SaaS (software as a service) call centre solution for inbound and outbound calling. The cloud-based telephony platform incorporates gamification elements to motivate agents with a bit of friendly competition. Teams can compete to earn rewards and achieve milestones.

Businesses can use post-call surveys to gather valuable customer feedback after each interaction, while Smart Switch uses AI algorithms to manage call routing on the fly. And CallHippo’s call queuing lets agents answer calls in the order they arrive. In addition to its packages, CallHippo offers paid add-ons for capabilities like custom caller ID, call transcription, voicemail transcription, and more.

Features:

• Interactive voice response
• Reporting and analytics
• Call routing and transfers
• Call hold audio
• Post-call surveys

Pricing:

• Basic: $0 per month (for startups)
• Bronze: $16 per user/month
• Silver: $24 per user/month
• Platinum: $40 per user/month
  *Plans are billed annually.

Free trial:

10 days

Learn about the CallHippo integration for Zendesk.

17. GoTo Connect

GoTo Connect’s contact centre as a service (CCaaS) software supports phone systems, video meetings and messaging. The platform features multiple, fully cloud-based plans that offer a wide range of call centre functionality. Connect features customisable call flows, so you can evenly distribute calls to available team members.

GoTo Connect’s hot desking functionality allows employees to move freely between workstations by logging into any device. Additionally, it provides call filtering capabilities, which helps organisations manage and control incoming calls by automatically terminating calls from blocked phone numbers.

Features:

• Reporting and analytics
• Call routing and transfers
• Call filtering
• Hot desking

Pricing:

• Basic: $29 per user/month
• Standard: $39 per user/month
  *Plans are billed annually.

Free trial:

Unavailable

Learn more about the GoTo integration for Zendesk.

18. Ringover

Ringover contact centre software comes with VoIP. The platform has features like the call back button, which allows customers to reinitiate a call and be connected to an agent’s direct line. And post-call surveys can allow organisations to measure customer satisfaction and identify areas for improvement.

Additionally, the platform incorporates speech-to-text functionality, automatically transcribing spoken words into a written text message. Ringover also offers a real-time dashboard that visually represents key call centre metrics. Managers can monitor call activity, agent performance and other metrics, facilitating informed decision-making.

Features:

• Interactive voice response
• Reporting and analytics
• Call routing and transfers
• Customer callback
• Real-time dashboard
• Speech-to-text

Pricing:

• Smart: $21 per user/month
• Business: $44 per user/month
• Advanced: $54 per user/month
  *Plans are billed annually and exclude taxes.

Free trial:

7 days

Learn about the Ringover integration for Zendesk.

19. VICIdial

VICIdial is an open-source contact centre software that offers cloud hosting and dedicated hardware. The software is fully open source, so you don’t pay an upfront cost to use, modify or distribute it. However, businesses do need a specialised developer to help them implement the platform.

VICIdial supports call scripts so agents can follow customised scripts during customer interactions. The software also offers answering machine detection, identifying when a machine has answered a call before playing a recorded message. And automatic call recording captures and stores calls, so managers can review and analyse interactions.

Features:

• Interactive voice response
• Reporting and analytics
• Call routing and transfers
• Customer callback
• Workforce management
• Predictive dialler
• Answering machine detection

Pricing:

Free, but hosting requires monthly costs and fees

Free trial:

Not applicable

20. Avaya Cloud Office

Avaya Cloud Office software offers a cloud phone system and collaboration solution. It comes with hot desking, call recording and call monitoring, while real-time analytics provide insights into communication patterns, call metrics and user activity.

Avaya Cloud Office lets teams share documents within their call centre, and agents can send business text messages one-on-one or to groups. The software also lets authorised users listen in on calls and provide coaching.

Features:

• Reporting and analytics
• Workforce management
• Hot desking
• Real-time analytics
• Call whispering

Pricing:

• Cloud Office Standard: $20 per user/month
• Cloud Office Premium: $25 per user/month
• Cloud Office Ultimate: $35 per user/month
  *Plans are billed annually.

Free trial:

Unavailable

Learn about the Avaya CTI integration for Zendesk.

Call centre solutions can differ based on what the software is designed to do. Some solutions are geared toward outbound calling, others are built for inbound calling, and many are a combination of the two. Both outbound and inbound call centre software can be cloud-based, hosted or on-premises.

Call centre software features can vary greatly depending on the provider you choose. Here are a few of the most important features to look for when selecting one.

Depending on your business size and needs, there is a lot to consider when investing in new software. Here are a few benefits of a call centre phone system that can help your team when calls start rolling in.

Even when a software checks all of the feature boxes, it can still be difficult to tell if it’s the best fit for your company. Consider these additional factors to find the right call centre software.

Ensure the software can integrate with your systems

The effectiveness of a call centre will be hindered if it operates in a silo. Integrating call centre phone software with other tools in your tech stack leads to an optimised and seamless experience for your agents. It also ensures a cohesive and unified workflow by enabling data synchronisation and information sharing across different departments.

When call centre software integrates seamlessly with CRM systems, help desk platforms and other business tools, agents are given a holistic view of customer interactions, enabling more personalised and informed conversations. Moreover, such integration enhances overall business intelligence, allowing for data-driven decision-making.

Consider total cost of ownership

Every business, no matter the size, should consider its budget when picking a new software supplier. But there’s more to consider than list prices. Companies need to consider the software’s total cost of ownership (TCO) to understand its full value.

Some additional things to think about when calculating the TCO of call centre software include:

• Implementation costs
• Consultants
• Maintenance fees
• Usage fees
• Add-ons
• Hidden fees

Some suppliers offer free call centre software plans and will exclude the features you want the most to get you to upgrade to a premium plan. Look at the features you need and invest in the plan that makes the most sense for your business.

Prioritise time to value and ease of implementation

No business wants to spend extra time and money to install a new system and train their employees to use it if they can avoid it. Businesses can get to work faster with a lower cost of ownership when call centre software offers:

• An intuitive interface
• Easy customisation
• Simple administration

Call centre software programs that have these traits allow you to quickly see a return on your investment.

Here are some frequently asked questions that can help you better understand call centre software and its benefits.

How can you transform customer experience with a call centre system?

You can transform customer experience with a call centre system by:

• Offering 24/7 self-service via voice or touch-tone-activated IVR.
• Creating more bandwidth for your agents with automated call routing.
• Making it easier for customers and agents to switch between service channels.
• Reporting on key performance indicators to optimise training and resource allocation.
• Consolidating ticket and customer relationship management with help desk software and CRM integrations.

How much does a contact centre phone system cost?

The cost of your call centre phone system depends on the number of phone numbers, users, features, and the software delivery model. Cloud-based call centre phone systems are the most affordable, with plans ranging from $20 to $150 per month per user. They also entail one-time development costs of a few thousand dollars and usage fees of approximately $0.10 per minute and up.

Do agents need specific training to use call centre software?

It’s always a good idea to ensure employees know how to use contact centre solutions effectively. Here are a few things to practice with your team so they feel confident using the software.

• Answering calls
• Transferring calls
• Muting and unmuting
• Adding another person (manager) to the call

What if you don't like the contact centre software after you buy it?

If you end up not liking the contact centre software you purchased, your recourse depends on the terms. If you bought an annual plan, you may have no other option but to serve out your term. But it’s certainly worth asking your vendor if you can cancel your contract and get a full or partial refund.

What is the best CRM to implement in a call centre?

The best CRM for one business may not be the best for another. However, there are important criteria that your business should consider when evaluating a CRM. These considerations include:

• Number of agents the CRM can support
• Pricing
• Features
• Customisation
• Ease of use
• Ease of implementation