Most customers focus on the quality of customer service as a key factor in establishing and maintaining strong brand connections. Over the last few decades, these services have been doled out by call centers, which have become the focal point of brand-customer interactions, both for inward- and outward-bound calls. To make these services more efficient and to address challenges faced by customers and service agents alike, most companies rely on modern-day call center platforms or software.
Evolution of call center platforms
The key role of call centers in providing customer service is unmatched. In the past, this was managed via a system of manual processes since the technology was quite limited. In the 1960s, operators routed calls via switchboards to ensure proper communication.
As time passed and more sophisticated technology emerged, these systems underwent a significant transformation. By the 1980s, computerized systems had been implemented, which were responsible for automating call routing and queuing. Not only did this free up the workforce to take on other roles, but it also allowed companies to deliver better service with shorter wait times for customers.
By the 90s, a massive shift was underway due to the rise of computer telephony integration (CTI), which combined telephone systems with computer technology. This allowed agents to access customer data, including their purchases, past interactions, and more, to offer better and more efficient customer service.
Over the last two decades and the boom of internet technology, there has been a marked shift to cloud-based call center platforms or software, enabling the transition to virtual call centers. Since these are operated online, they allow agents to work remotely around the clock from just about anywhere in the world (with a stable internet connection). There has also been an evolution in customer service technology with the employment of artificial intelligence (AI) tools such as chatbots and virtual assistants, which take on the preliminary workload of call center agents.
Benefits of call center platforms
The role of call centers in reaching out to and helping out with customers is well-established. Here are some benefits businesses can expect when subscribing to quality call center platforms.
Better customer service management
The call center is often the first point of contact when customers face product-related issues or need assistance. With the focus on urgency around the world, it is no surprise that people expect an immediate response, no matter the time of day or night. This problem can be entirely circumvented by using call center software or platforms that provide professional responses to customers around the clock.
Additionally, agents can provide customers with multi-channel service (over calls, emails, live chats, text messages, social media, etc.), opening up new and often more comfortable avenues for customers to reach out to the company and have their issues resolved. Moreover, with good software, all this can be condensed into one application, saving agents a lot of effort. This puts the business in a better position to handle customer queries and complaints and offer improved service.
Enhanced productivity
Call center software gives agents quick access to collect and exchange information, thus improving their response times, reducing customer call/message wait times, and boosting overall productivity.
Cost-effectiveness
Maintaining an active call center space requires a lot of time and money. Some basic costs include hardware, upgrades, software, installation costs, training times, and more. Compared to this, call center platforms are a more cost-effective option, as businesses only need to integrate an application into their technological stack to handle all call center operations.
Improved security
Most top call center platforms are equipped with enhanced data security measures to keep company and client data safe and secure.
Leading call center platforms
Here are some of the top call center platforms in the industry today:
CloudTalk
This option is ideal for growing mid-sized companies. The software provides high-quality service and has noteworthy features such as easy management, IVR (multi-level interactive response voice menu), call queuing, call recording, real-time customer card display, callbacks, and more.
RingCentral
Companies looking at a unified call center platform may be more interested in RingCentral, which offers an omnichannel experience, lead qualification tools, SIP trunking, IVR, call recording, call routing, contact management, and more.
Nextiva
Scaling businesses may find a great call center platform solution with Nextiva, which has one of the most customer-friendly and intuitive setups. The company offers its clients access to many advanced features, including conference calling, voicemail transcription, multi-level attendants, tech integration, and a lot more, in addition to others like unlimited calling, workflow optimization, and video conference recording.
Grasshopper
This is one of the most affordable call center platforms for smaller companies running remotely. Grasshopper offers comprehensive features like voicemail transcription, custom greetings, simultaneous call handling, and more, which can be run directly from one’s smartphone.
