Call Center Software

10 Best Call Center Software Features to Look For

Last Updated: March 29, 2024

As the phone continues to be customers’ preferred channel for contacting businesses, call center software becomes essential.

Bundled with valuable features, contact center software is an indispensable component of big and small enterprises alike. In this blog, we will take a look at some of the top features of call center software.

Contents

What is Call Center Software?

Call center software refers to a system that helps businesses carry out customer communications in a seamless manner. The main purpose of a call center is to offer phone support and enable outbound calling at an optimum level.

Call centers and contact centers encounter a huge volume of calls each day. Managing a large slew of inbound and outbound calls is not an easy task.

Agents can’t afford to leave customers unattended, nor can they lose sight of their sales targets. This calls for a tool that helps agents streamline activities and maintain a positive experience for customers.

The best call center software comes equipped with a variety of features to not only handle inbound and outbound calls but also simplify workflows and monitor performance.

In the next section, we will lead you through the top features that you must look out for in call center software.

Features of Call Center Software

1. Calling Capabilities

As per a Salesforce report, phone calls are the 2nd most popular customer support channel. Contact center software features allow you to offer superior quality customer phone support.

Following are some of the advanced calling features:

A) Call Recording

Calls can be recorded in high quality for later review. Recordings are stored in the cloud, and staff can access them from any location with the right credentials.

Managers can troubleshoot and resolve issues together with their agents.

B) Call Barging

This feature enables a third party to enter a call without transferring or ending a call. It helps train new staff members, as a superior can “barge in” and rectify a newcomer’s mistake.

C) Call Queue

This feature allows you to put many calls on hold while your reps are unavailable or busy. It ensures you don’t lose any inbound calls.

Queuing calls benefits businesses as it lets them efficiently route calls to staff without sacrificing availability to callers.

2. Call Routing System

It can be easy for calls to get dropped or customers to be lost while agents are handling large call volumes.

Call center phone systems features like automatic call routing can help you solve this problem by automatically directing each inbound call to the right agent.

A) Automatic Contact Distributor

This feature allows you to automatically route calls to agents based on different criteria such as call type, expertise, etc.

For example, a customer calling for technical support would be directed to an agent from the technical support department.

It also supports personal routing, where calls from a specific caller are directed to the same agent every time for a more personalized experience.

3. Dialers

Though inbound calls are important, sometimes your agents will need to make calls too. This can be either for following up with a customer or attempting to convert leads.

Automated dialers like preview, power, and predictive dialers boost marketing campaigns by automatically dialing the next number on a contact list after a call is finished.

This not only saves time spent on manual dialing but also helps agents run through their contact lists faster.

4. Collaboration

Allowing your teams to work together and communicate easily means that individual agents are less likely to run into issues they can’t handle.

Call center phone systems features like file sharing, screen sharing, screen recording, etc., aid collaboration, quality review, and monitoring.

Following are some advanced collaboration features:

A) Conference Calling

This feature allows several callers to join a single call through VoIP phones or softphones at the same time. It is useful for business discussions and meetings.

B) Internal Chat

This feature enables real-time collaboration between departments and support reps. As a result, your customers are no longer required to repeat themselves to several staff members.

5. Phone System

It’s crucial to ensure that your phone system has all the essential tools to help your agents do their jobs effortlessly and effectively.

Following are some of the best call center phone systems features to look out for:

A) Direct Inward Dialing (DID)

Contact center software features like DID enable a caller to directly call an extension within a PBX. They are helpful for businesses that assign specific reps to customers.

Simply put, DIDs allow people to call staff without knowing their extension.

B) Music on Hold

Music on hold is a service that plays music for the customer when their call is on hold. It’s an excellent opportunity to include relevant company announcements and reassure a customer that their call will be answered soon.

C) Toll-free Numbers

These are phone numbers your callers can dial with no charge to them. They have distinct 3-digit area codes, like 882, 855, or 899. They enable a small enterprise to appear bigger with a reliable presence thanks to the reputation of an 800-number.

D) Softphones

A softphone connects your smartphone or computer to a virtual phone system. A high-quality VoIP softphone offers rich functionality not usually available with the traditional phone network.

E) Extensions

This feature enables customers to call relevant agents directly. An extension dialing number change provides key accounts with priority access to a consistent support agent.

6. Mobile Capabilities

The best call center software allows your agents to work from any location, even without their main work devices. A system with mobile capabilities directs calls to verified cell phone devices using VoIP technology.

Here’s how it’s done:

A) Smartphone Integration

A VoIP app integration allows you to answer customer calls from your iPhone or Android phone. Your smartphone need not be on the business network to answer calls, as a modern cloud-based IP PBX system runs on remote servers.

7. Messaging and Voicemail

At times, your customers may face issues outside of your business hours or when your agents are unavailable.

SMS messaging and voicemail enable customers to contact you when necessary and make sure that reps can quickly respond once they’re back online.

A) Voicemail to Text/Email

Forwarding voicemails via text or email is great for consistent support. A single experienced rep can handle several contacts on one problem, even if they’re busy.

B) Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system

IVR is a technology that enables people to communicate with computers. It helps callers reach the right customer support department. IVRs also help businesses deliver an efficient and consistent customer experience.

8. Voice Intelligence and Analytics

AI-powered analytics provide you with more insight than ever before into the customer support experiences you provide.

Customizable, dynamic wallboards display and track real-time metrics and data, including wait times, on-call durations, and service levels.

Voice intelligence is another set of AI tools that analyze customer calls for sentiment, tones of voice, or pulling words that indicate negative or positive emotions.

A) Call Analytics (Historical and Live)

This feature provides real-time insight into the performance of your contact center.

With call analytics, you can even view detailed reports for individual agents. This can enhance customer loyalty and retention. Call center software and VoIP phones automatically register customer interactions in your CRM.

9. Workforce Management

Any operation with many staff in a rapid-paced environment benefits from efficient workforce management.

List and campaign management tools track large marketing campaigns, measuring their performance with detailed analytics.

These tools not only make it simpler to manage large call volumes but also help in avoiding being overstaffed during slow hours.

A) Gamification

This feature allows agents to see their work performance in real time instead of using boring spreadsheets.

This not only encourages reps to outperform their peers but also motivates them to be at their personal bests. Motivation is essential, especially if your reps make a lot of outbound calls.

10. Platform Capabilities

Your call center software should have the ability to integrate with other applications. It should essentially be compatible with the other systems you’re using.

A) Business Tool and CRM Integration

CRM integration can help you tailor communications to customer preferences and manage campaigns. API connectors that allow third-party extensions and plug-ins can expand your software’s functionality, including features, as you require them.

5 Best Call Center Software

Let’s look at some of the best software for call centers and their prominent features:

1. HubSpot

HubSpot’s contact center software offers insightful reporting and has advanced automation tools that help your team in enhancing customer service.

2. Nextiva

Nextiva’s phone system software for call centers offers an easy-to-use solution that enables you to connect with more customers in less time and with fewer agents.

The software includes features like automatic call routing, call queuing, IVR, etc.

You can leverage virtual agents to automate interactions, optimize agent call flow, and streamline the experience for the caller. Nextiva’s plans start at $18.95 per user per month.

3. Dialpad Ai Contact Centre

Dialpad Ai’s call center software enables you to access all your customer interactions – irrespective of the channel – from a single app, from any location, on any device.

What makes Dialpad unique is its built-in features powered by AI, like sentiment analysis, hyper-accurate voice transcription, chatbot self-service functionality, agent coaching, and more, all in real time.

Dialpad Ai’s software for call centers is custom-priced. You can contact them directly to get a quote.

4. TalkDesk

TalkDesk offers one of the best call center software solutions for big enterprise teams to manage phone support quickly.

5. Bitrix24

A call center built around your to-do list, Bitrix24 offers several customer service channels, including live chat, email queues, and telephone lines, that all integrate into Bitrix24’s task management software and CRM.

This helps enterprise teams collaborate to complete their work. Bitrix24’s plans start at $19 per user per month.

JustCall – The Complete Call Center Software

With 700+ call centers using it for their daily operations, JustCall is the complete call center software you need. It comes with all the features we discussed earlier and more.

The auto-dialer, for starters, has helped many of our customers amp up their calling frequencies to 70-120+ calls per agent per day.

Meanwhile, the call monitoring feature has helped businesses boost productivity by as much as 75%. So, if you’re looking for comprehensive phone system software for call centers, your search stops here.

Try JustCall for free.

How to choose the best call center agent software?

When it comes to choosing the best call center agent software, there are several key features to consider. Here are some factors to keep in mind:

Agent productivity tools: Look for software that includes tools to help agents manage their workload and stay organized, such as task lists, calendars, and reminders.

Call monitoring and recording: The ability to monitor and record calls is crucial for quality assurance and training purposes. Make sure the software you choose includes these features.

Analytics and reporting: Call center tracking software can provide valuable insights into agent performance, call volume, and customer satisfaction. Look for software that offers robust reporting and analytics capabilities.

Integration with other tools: Call center QA tools can be even more effective when integrated with other software, such as CRM systems or help desk software. Make sure the software you choose can integrate with any other tools you use.

Scalability: If you’re a small business, consider call center software small business solutions that can grow with your needs. You don’t want to invest in software that will become outdated or require a costly upgrade in just a few years.

By keeping these features in mind and doing your research, you can choose the call center software solutions that are best for your business needs.

As the phone continues to be customers’ preferred channel for contacting businesses, call center software becomes essential.

Bundled with valuable features, contact center software is an indispensable component of big and small enterprises alike. In this blog, we will take a look at some of the top features of call center software.
What is Call Center Software?
Call center software refers to a system that helps businesses carry out customer communications in a seamless manner. The main purpose of a call center is to offer phone support and enable outbound calling at an optimum level.

Call centers and contact centers encounter a huge volume of calls each day. Managing a large slew of inbound and outbound calls is not an easy task.

Agents can’t afford to leave customers unattended, nor can they lose sight of their sales targets. This calls for a tool that helps agents streamline activities and maintain a positive experience for customers.

The best call center software comes equipped with a variety of features to not only handle inbound and outbound calls but also simplify workflows and monitor performance.

In the next section, we will lead you through the top features that you must look out for in call center software.

Features of Call Center Software
1. Calling Capabilities
As per a Salesforce report, phone calls are the 2nd most popular customer support channel. Contact center software features allow you to offer superior quality customer phone support.

Following are some of the advanced calling features:
A) Call Recording

Calls can be recorded in high quality for later review. Recordings are stored in the cloud, and staff can access them from any location with the right credentials.

Managers can troubleshoot and resolve issues together with their agents.
B) Call Barging
This feature enables a third party to enter a call without transferring or ending a call. It helps train new staff members, as a superior can “barge in” and rectify a newcomer’s mistake.
C) Call Queue
This feature allows you to put many calls on hold while your reps are unavailable or busy. It ensures you don’t lose any inbound calls.

Queuing calls benefits businesses as it lets them efficiently route calls to staff without sacrificing availability to callers.
2. Call Routing System
It can be easy for calls to get dropped or customers to be lost while agents are handling large call volumes.

Call center phone systems features like automatic call routing can help you solve this problem by automatically directing each inbound call to the right agent.
A) Automatic Contact Distributor
This feature allows you to automatically route calls to agents based on different criteria such as call type, expertise, etc.

For example, a customer calling for technical support would be directed to an agent from the technical support department.

It also supports personal routing, where calls from a specific caller are directed to the same agent every time for a more personalized experience.
3. Dialers

Though inbound calls are important, sometimes your agents will need to make calls too. This can be either for following up with a customer or attempting to convert leads.

Automated dialers like preview, power, and predictive dialers boost marketing campaigns by automatically dialing the next number on a contact list after a call is finished.

This not only saves time spent on manual dialing but also helps agents run through their contact lists faster.
4. Collaboration
Allowing your teams to work together and communicate easily means that individual agents are less likely to run into issues they can’t handle.

Call center phone systems features like file sharing, screen sharing, screen recording, etc., aid collaboration, quality review, and monitoring.

Following are some advanced collaboration features:
A) Conference Calling
This feature allows several callers to join a single call through VoIP phones or softphones at the same time. It is useful for business discussions and meetings.
B) Internal Chat
This feature enables real-time collaboration between departments and support reps. As a result, your customers are no longer required to repeat themselves to several staff members.
5. Phone System
It’s crucial to ensure that your phone system has all the essential tools to help your agents do their jobs effortlessly and effectively.

Following are some of the best call center phone systems features to look out for:
A) Direct Inward Dialing (DID)
Contact center software features like DID enable a caller to directly call an extension within a PBX. They are helpful for businesses that assign specific reps to customers.

Simply put, DIDs allow people to call staff without knowing their extension.
B) Music on Hold
Music on hold is a service that plays music for the customer when their call is on hold. It’s an excellent opportunity to include relevant company announcements and reassure a customer that their call will be answered soon.
C) Toll-free Numbers
These are phone numbers your callers can dial with no charge to them. They have distinct 3-digit area codes, like 882, 855, or 899. They enable a small enterprise to appear bigger with a reliable presence thanks to the reputation of an 800-number.
D) Softphones
A softphone connects your smartphone or computer to a virtual phone system. A high-quality VoIP softphone offers rich functionality not usually available with the traditional phone network.
E) Extensions
This feature enables customers to call relevant agents directly. An extension dialing number change provides key accounts with priority access to a consistent support agent.
6. Mobile Capabilities
The best call center software allows your agents to work from any location, even without their main work devices. A system with mobile capabilities directs calls to verified cell phone devices using VoIP technology.

Here’s how it’s done:
A) Smartphone Integration
A VoIP app integration allows you to answer customer calls from your iPhone or Android phone. Your smartphone need not be on the business network to answer calls, as a modern cloud-based IP PBX system runs on remote servers.
7. Messaging and Voicemail
At times, your customers may face issues outside of your business hours or when your agents are unavailable.

SMS messaging and voicemail enable customers to contact you when necessary and make sure that reps can quickly respond once they’re back online.
A) Voicemail to Text/Email
Forwarding voicemails via text or email is great for consistent support. A single experienced rep can handle several contacts on one problem, even if they're busy.
B) Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system
IVR is a technology that enables people to communicate with computers. It helps callers reach the right customer support department. IVRs also help businesses deliver an efficient and consistent customer experience.
8. Voice Intelligence and Analytics
AI-powered analytics provide you with more insight than ever before into the customer support experiences you provide.

Customizable, dynamic wallboards display and track real-time metrics and data, including wait times, on-call durations, and service levels.

Voice intelligence is another set of AI tools that analyze customer calls for sentiment, tones of voice, or pulling words that indicate negative or positive emotions.
A) Call Analytics (Historical and Live)

This feature provides real-time insight into the performance of your contact center.

With call analytics, you can even view detailed reports for individual agents. This can enhance customer loyalty and retention. Call center software and VoIP phones automatically register customer interactions in your CRM.
9. Workforce Management
Any operation with many staff in a rapid-paced environment benefits from efficient workforce management.

List and campaign management tools track large marketing campaigns, measuring their performance with detailed analytics.

These tools not only make it simpler to manage large call volumes but also help in avoiding being overstaffed during slow hours.
A) Gamification
This feature allows agents to see their work performance in real time instead of using boring spreadsheets.

This not only encourages reps to outperform their peers but also motivates them to be at their personal bests. Motivation is essential, especially if your reps make a lot of outbound calls.
10. Platform Capabilities
Your call center software should have the ability to integrate with other applications. It should essentially be compatible with the other systems you’re using.

VoIP features like call pop allow you to connect the phone to your CRM. Whenever you receive a call, relevant customer information instantly pops up. This enables your agents to find out who they are dealing with from the very first second.
A) Business Tool and CRM Integration
CRM integration can help you tailor communications to customer preferences and manage campaigns. API connectors that allow third-party extensions and plug-ins can expand your software’s functionality, including features, as you require them.
5 Best Call Center Software
Let's look at some of the best software for call centers and their prominent features:
1. HubSpot
HubSpot’s contact center software offers insightful reporting and has advanced automation tools that help your team in enhancing customer service.

The Service Hub includes live chat software, a shared email inbox, and self-service tools, all of which are integrated with Aircall for phone support. HubSpot’s plans start at $45 per user per month.
2. Nextiva
Nextiva’s phone system software for call centers offers an easy-to-use solution that enables you to connect with more customers in less time and with fewer agents.

The software includes features like automatic call routing, call queuing, IVR, etc.

You can leverage virtual agents to automate interactions, optimize agent call flow, and streamline the experience for the caller. Nextiva’s plans start at $18.95 per user per month.
3. Dialpad Ai Contact Centre
Dialpad Ai's call center software enables you to access all your customer interactions – irrespective of the channel – from a single app, from any location, on any device.

Dialpad Ai’s software for call centers is custom-priced. You can contact them directly to get a quote.
4. TalkDesk
TalkDesk offers one of the best call center software solutions for big enterprise teams to manage phone support quickly.

From industry-specific features to workforce management, TalkDesk provides teams with all that they need to deliver a seamless customer experience at scale. TalkDesk’s plans start at $75 per user per month.
5. Bitrix24
A call center built around your to-do list, Bitrix24 offers several customer service channels, including live chat, email queues, and telephone lines, that all integrate into Bitrix24’s task management software and CRM.

This helps enterprise teams collaborate to complete their work. Bitrix24’s plans start at $19 per user per month.
JustCall - The Complete Call Center Software
With 700+ call centers using it for their daily operations, JustCall is the complete call center software you need. It comes with all the features we discussed earlier and more.

The auto-dialer, for starters, has helped many of our customers amp up their calling frequencies to 70-120+ calls per agent per day.

Meanwhile, the call monitoring feature has helped businesses boost productivity by as much as 75%. So, if you’re looking for comprehensive phone system software for call centers, your search stops here.

Try JustCall for free.
How to choose the best call center agent software?
When it comes to choosing the best call center agent software, there are several key features to consider. Here are some factors to keep in mind:

Agent productivity tools: Look for software that includes tools to help agents manage their workload and stay organized, such as task lists, calendars, and reminders.

Call monitoring and recording: The ability to monitor and record calls is crucial for quality assurance and training purposes. Make sure the software you choose includes these features.

Scalability: If you're a small business, consider call center software small business solutions that can grow with your needs. You don't want to invest in software that will become outdated or require a costly upgrade in just a few years.

By keeping these features in mind and doing your research, you can choose the call center software solutions that are best for your business needs.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is call center software and how does it work?

Call center software is a tool used by businesses to manage their customer service operations. It includes features such as call routing, automatic call distribution, and call recording.

This software works by connecting customer calls to the appropriate agent and providing them with relevant information about the caller.

Additionally, call center software can track call metrics, monitor agent performance, and generate reports to help improve customer service operations.

What are the benefits of using a cloud-based call center platform?

A cloud-based call center platform offers numerous benefits over traditional on-premise systems.

Foremost, it is cost-effective since there is no need for expensive hardware or software installations.

Second, it allows for greater scalability and flexibility, enabling businesses to easily add or remove agents as needed. Thirdly, it offers remote access, allowing agents to work from anywhere.

Additionally, a cloud-based call center platform can be integrated with other cloud-based tools, providing a seamless customer experience.

What is the difference between inbound call center software and outbound call center software?

Inbound call center software is used to manage incoming customer calls, while outbound call center software is used to initiate outgoing calls. Inbound call center software typically includes features such as call routing, automatic call distribution, and call recording.

Outbound call center software, on the other hand, includes features such as predictive dialing, call scripting, and call prioritization.

How does omni-channel call center software improve customer experience?

Omni-channel call center software enables customers to communicate with businesses through multiple channels such as phone, email, chat, and social media.

This software integrates all these channels into a single platform, providing a seamless customer experience.

Customers can switch between channels without having to repeat themselves, and agents have access to a customer’s entire communication history. This results in faster issue resolution and higher customer satisfaction.

What features should I look for in small business call center software?

Small business call center software should be easy to set up and use. It should include features such as call routing, call recording, and call monitoring.

Additionally, it should offer scalability to accommodate a growing business. Small businesses should also look for software that integrates with their existing tools, such as CRM software.

What should I consider when choosing a call center service provider?

When choosing a call center service provider, consider factors such as experience, reliability, and cost-effectiveness. Look for a provider with a proven track record of delivering high-quality customer service.

Additionally, consider the provider’s technology and infrastructure, and ensure it aligns with your business needs. Finally, compare costs and make sure the provider offers a competitive pricing structure.

Tarandeep Singh

Taran, as the Support Manager at JustCall, spearheads efforts to enhance customer satisfaction by strategically collaborating with client-facing teams. He upholds rigorous standards, ensuring JustCall's support services consistently excel. Passionate about superior customer experiences, Taran champions a company-wide dedication to a customer-first mindset.

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