Mobile phones are a top choice for customers seeking support. According to a CFI Group study, over 76% of consumers prefer phone calls to reach customer service representatives (CSRs).
Effective phone support is crucial for maintaining customer satisfaction. For startups, excellent customer service can provide a competitive edge, though managing the workload can be challenging.
Fortunately, technological advancements can offer seamless support, benefiting both customers and businesses. If you're looking to enhance your call center performance, consider these must-have tools to boost your customer service.
Key Features to Look for in Call Center Software
Customer service is important for improving business productivity and boosting brand reputation. Using call center software can significantly impact your company. It is designed to support all aspects of a call center, including inbound and outbound calls. This enhances your customer support, helping you deliver better service. When choosing a software, you should look for these essential features:
Omnichannel Support
HubSpot says that providing a consistent customer service experience can improve workplace efficiency and reduce customer issues. Omnichannel support allows your whole team to access complete records from all communication channels, leading to smoother service and potential improvements in your clients’ satisfaction.
CRM Integration
Knowing your customer is one of the first steps in running a business and creating a successful marketing strategy. It allows enterprises to understand who their clients are so they can better reach them. The same goes for customer service. CSRs who know their market better can provide more effective support.
The software offers a customer relationship management (CRM) integration option, allowing agents to easily access any information about their customers, including past interactions. This helps prevent clients from repeatedly explaining their concerns.
Cloud-Based Calling
Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) is a cloud-based phone system that runs through the Internet instead of a typical phone line. Call centers that operate on cloud networks are usually the ones that require this calling system.
Call Routing
Call routing directs customers to the right person at the quickest possible time. A system with this feature can change your workflow while saving time and resources. Routing is cost-effective and makes sure calls are always directed to an available agent, preventing them from going to voicemail. By routing based on individual expertise, conversion rates can be maximized by addressing all incoming calls.
Interactive Voice Response
Interactive voice response (IVR) is an electronic voice that can help customers decide which agent to speak with based on their concerns.
Outbound Calls
Call center software isn’t only for customer service. You can also utilize such tools to make outgoing calls if you offer proactive customer support options, like following up with consumers who had just ordered from your business to confirm their orders. This way, you get your company to join the conversation by engaging with your clients.
Voicemail Management
Call center software should also provide voicemail management to customize how they greet customers and receive notifications. Some solutions allow sorting that shows the caller ID, time, message, and other call details, making it easier to respond to voicemails the next day.
Call Recording
Call recording allows businesses to listen to previous conversations with customers and check how agents resolved the problem. This will enable you to assess your service quality and customer satisfaction.
Reporting and Analytics
Reporting identifies common issues your customers experience. Meanwhile, the analytics derived from the reports show the areas where you lack support and can improve. Having such a feature can help pin areas for improvement, which your team could work on through training.
Supervisor Tools
Agent supervisor tools get the most out of your customer service team by encouraging real-time help and responses. These tools include key performance indicator (KPI) monitoring, work optimization reports, team messaging, and gamification.
Moreover, call barging allows supervisors to listen in on their team’s calls to help them make the best decisions for their customers. It prevents poor service response or habits and enables feedback to be addressed more quickly.
10 Best Call Center Tools to Try for Your Business
Call center tools are developed to benefit your business. However, there are many tools with many other uses, so it can be a bit overwhelming if you’re only starting to integrate them into your customer service process. To help you get started, check out these call center tools that can help you improve your customer support and satisfaction ratings:
1. RingCentral
RingCentral is an omnichannel CRM platform that allows businesses to adapt and simplify workflow through team messaging, file sharing, and task management. The app also enables groups to communicate flexibly through various channels like phone calls, video conferences, and plain messaging.
Integrating this tool streamlines work as it improves center communication, making everyone more productive daily. Enjoy the benefits of RingCentral anywhere the app is available—phones and desktops.
2. HubSpot
One of the most highly used CRMs today is HubSpot. This software comes with a ticketing system and helpdesk to keep track of customer requests in a single monitor, helping your team stay organized as they find solutions more quickly. This ticketing tool has routing and automation features that can help your team reduce the time spent managing the helpdesk and doing data entry.
3. Freshcaller
Freshcaller is an all-in-one call center software that allows businesses to maximize phone communication for customer service. Depending on the plan, it offers various benefits to service teams, such as voicemails, call barging, recording, omnichannel routing, and more. These benefits enable agents to stay on top of their customers' concerns and resolve them as quickly as possible.
4. ZenDesk
ZenDesk provides a voice solution system that syncs with all other channels, making it easy for agents to see customer information right away. What’s great about this tool is it lessens wait time because of its cloud-based voice solution. ZenDesk also offers routing and queueing services to address everything in an organized and timely manner.
5. TalkDesk
Another tool to try for your business is TalkDesk. This next-generation cloud contact center software allows team members to deliver exceptional customer support using a unified platform to accomplish requests. Its omnichannel engagement, employee collaboration, and customer experience analytics are the keys to solving concerns faster and developing new proactive ways to assist clients.
6. Nextiva
Looking for a cloud-based VoIP system? Check out Nextiva. Its tool lets you handle higher call volumes and automate multichannel customer support, including self-service options. Nextiva also offers excellent customer service features like IVR, call recording, automatic call distribution, routing, and reporting.
7. Bitrix24
Bitrix24's CRM management system prioritizes communication. It offers excellent IVR, live chat, call recording, chatbot support, and more. The great thing about Bitrix24 is its collaborative system, which connects CRM, instant messaging, collaboration, and task management into one easy-to-use package.
8. Cloudtalk
Cloudtalk is a powerful CRM system that can make and receive calls from your browser. It tracks and records calls for easier review of customer solutions. This system houses all the necessary tools every contact center needs, including call recordings, voicemail, conference calls, three-way calls, and more.
9. Avaya
Another company that provides cloud-based customer support is Avaya. With their tool, the Avaya OneCloud Contact Center as a Service (CCaaS), connecting everything from voice to video is now easier. Using this, teams can enhance contact center performance and experiences.
10. LiveAgent
LiveAgent offers multiple CRM tools to help any business improve customer service. They claim to have the world’s best-rated chat widget that provides personalized real-time support and invites customers to chat.
LiveAgent's cloud phone support is a game-changer, offering features like IVR, unlimited call recording, call transfers, and the ability to make outbound and inbound calls. This flexibility allows your customers to resolve their concerns in the most convenient way for them, thereby enhancing your business processes and reliability.
Integrate Call Center Solutions This 2024
Businesses across all industries can benefit from call center tools. With their long lists of pros, integrating them into your operations makes for a great investment that better serves your customers and your team. In today’s call center market, you have to ensure you’re matched with a company that best answers your needs.
When it comes to professional outsourcing for inbound customer support, outbound telemarketing, and business support services, Select VoiceCom is the right fit for your company. We are a trusted and reliable call center partner in the Philippines geared to enhance your process and customer relations. Contact us today to learn more!
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