Call center operators may hold the view that one software package is much like another one and that the employees, in any case, will learn to adapt. They may end up choosing a cheap, outdated software package that does nothing much to help agents or deliver a superior customer experience but then they may not care. If you want your agents to be on top and give each customer a delightful experience, choose the best call center software for your business keeping in mind the following.

Go omnichannel

If you must choose call center software for your business then make sure it has an omnichannel facility. People are on WhatsApp, on Facebook, on LinkedIn and Instagram. Of course, your agents can keep track of each channel individual but that would involve time and effort. Omnichannel solutions give you the facility of single dashboard access and monitoring. You can switch lanes effortlessly to give better and faster responses.

Intelligent call distribution and skill-based mapping

You do not want one employee to sit while another one is overburdened with calls. Choose inbound call center software that has intelligent call distribution and skill-based mapping. The software distributes load intelligently and to the person most capable of handling the caller. In the same breath, one can talk about an automatic programmable dialer that does most of the work, connecting an agent only when a human picks up the phone at the other end. Likewise, one should have call monitoring, barge-in, whisper, and record facility. Take it a bit further and look for call center solutions that incorporate AI and ML. The tasks become easier and the software actually grows with you.

IVR 

Let customers handle basic and routine matters on their own through IVR in the call center solution. You can trap leads and channel it to agents. You can let callers find answers to routinely asked questions or carry out other tasks for which there is no need for a human employee. Let the IVR transfer a call to an agent only when a caller’s query requires it. Your agents can handle more important tasks with less stress. IVR keeps customers and agents happy.

Mobility

Why limit services only to the office and working hours? Opt for mobility features to let your customers have access at any time and give agents the facility of using their mobiles to stay connected with customers through the software. Your employees need not even attend the office. You can employ remote workers and save on office space and costs while maintaining a superior level of services.

CRM integration 

If it does not have a CRM integration feature then the contact center software just cannot deliver. Leads go into the CRM. Agents serving customers can view their records from the CRM and give better service. You can use the CRM to plan and implement outbound campaigns all the time with a view to increase the customer base or just carry out surveys. Your CRM becomes the repository of data that you can analyze to help you improve services. It will translate into more revenues and customer loyalty. If you are starting a new support center you can get a contact center solution with linked CRM. If you have CRM you can zero in on software that has an API integration feature for easy connection to existing CRM.

The face to face experience 

It is all very well to have audio, text, chats, fax, and email in your contact center software. What tips the scales is the inclusion of WebRTC that allows audio and video chats as well as conferences. It is simply transformational in different ways. Your customers and your agents will enjoy the virtual face-to-face experience leading to satisfaction. It is also possible to give online video presentations and share documents during the chat. One can create a conference during the chat and call in an expert. It is not just for customer-agent interaction; the video feature also comes in useful for training from time to time and team collaboration. The best thing about WebRTC powered omnichannel call center software is that you can get started with plain old desktop computers and mobile phones—no need for specialized IP hardware and servers.

Hosted

There are plus points to having on-premise software but the advantages of hosted call center solutions are far more. For one, you do not have to invest in infrastructure or incur heavy CAPEX. Two, you can set up and start operations within a day. Three, you can ramp up or scale down services according to need. Four, you can operate from anywhere and your employees have easy connected using their desktops or mobiles. Five, you do not have to worry about maintenance and upgrades—you always have access to the latest cutting edge technologies. And it costs less too since it is a pay as you go model.

The ideal software for call centers may not be easy to find but you will find offerings from Hodusoft and Asterisk Service come close, quite close to make them a good choice.

How to Choose the Best Call Center Software for Your Business

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