11 Top Contact Center Solutions to Supercharge Your Operations

Customer experience has become a top priority for businesses looking to stand out from the competition. An efficient contact center operation is key to providing exceptional service across every customer touchpoint.

Contact center solutions go beyond basic call routing and management. They provide businesses with the tools and insights needed to optimize the entire customer journey.

In this comprehensive guide, we‘ll explore the top contact center solutions and their notable features. We‘ll also discuss the benefits of implementing a modern contact center platform.

Let‘s get started!

Features to Look for in a Contact Center Solution

Here are some key capabilities to look for when evaluating contact center solutions:

Real-Time Dashboards

A centralized dashboard gives managers real-time visibility into contact center operations. Key metrics to monitor include:

Call volumes and wait times
First contact resolution rates
Customer satisfaction scores
Agent performance and availability

With real-time insights, managers can identify issues and make data-driven decisions to improve efficiency.

Omnichannel Support

Channels like phone, email, live chat, SMS, and social media should be managed from a single platform. This provides an integrated and seamless experience for customers.

Intelligent Call Routing

Smart routing uses criteria like agent skills, workload and availability to connect callers to the right resource quickly. This avoids long wait times and improves customer satisfaction.

CRM Integrations

Integration with leading CRM platforms provides agents with quick access to customer data during interactions, facilitating more personalized service.

Workforce Management

Features like schedules optimized based on volume forecasts, real-time adherence tracking, and built-in coaching help maximize agent productivity.

AI Capabilities

Virtual agents and chatbots can handle common customer queries to deflect calls from live agents. Speech analytics and sentiment analysis also provide insights to enhance customer experience.

Scalability

Cloud-based solutions allow businesses to easily scale up operations during periods of high call volumes without expensive hardware investments.

Security

Robust security features like role-based access, data encryption, and compliance with standards like PCI DSS, HIPAA, and GDPR are critical.

Benefits of a Modern Contact Center Solution

Here are some of the top benefits of implementing an AI-powered cloud contact center platform:

Improves First Contact Resolution

With access to complete customer information and history, agents are empowered to resolve inquiries quicker without transferring customers.

Boosts Agent Productivity

Intelligent routing and built-in coaching help agents improve call handling times. Automation of mundane tasks also lets them focus on value-added work.

Enhances Customer Experience

Shorter wait times, quick issue resolution, and personalized interactions translate to higher customer satisfaction.

Provides Valuable Insights

Granular reporting on CSAT, agent performance, channels, etc. helps identify areas for improving operations.

Reduces Operational Costs

Cloud solutions require lower upfront investments. Automation and optimized scheduling also drive significant cost savings over time.

Drives Revenue Growth

Satisfied customers are more likely to purchase again, respond to cross-sell offers, and provide referrals.

Facilitates Remote Work

Cloud-based tools allow contact center agents to collaborate and access customer data seamlessly when working from home.

Top 11 Contact Center Solutions

Now let‘s explore some of the leading contact center platforms on the market and their notable features:

1. Salesforce Service Cloud

Salesforce Service Cloud offers AI-powered omnichannel customer support natively within the Salesforce platform.

Key Features:

Unified desktop allows management of calls, chats, emails and social media messages.
Einstein Bots can understand customer intent and automatically resolve common inquiries.
Skills-based routing connects callers to the best available agent for quick resolution.
Reporting provides insights into call volumes, service levels, agent performance and CSAT.
Pre-built integration with Sales Cloud provides agents with 360° customer view.

2. Zendesk Suite

Zendesk Suite provides an integrated omnichannel customer service solution combining their Support, Chat, Talk and Guide products.

Key Features:

Unified agent desktop for managing conversations across channels.
Flexible call routing options based on agent availability, workload and customer info.
AI-powered analytics surface insights to improve efficiency and customer satisfaction.
Aspect Via AI Virtual Agent can understand natural language and automate call handling.
Native SMS, social media and messaging integrations.
Guided workflows and knowledge base to assist customers and agents.

3. Nice inContact CXone

Nice inContact CXone is an end-to-end cloud contact center suite combining their CXone and Workforce Optimization solutions.

Key Features:

Omnichannel routing and management supporting 30+ digital channels.
Speech and text analytics uncover customer sentiment and areas for improvement.
AI-powered agent assist provides next best action recommendations during calls.
Schedules agents based on forecasting, preferences and customer needs.
120+ out-of-the-box CX and operational reports.
PCI DSS, GDPR and HIPAA compliant for security and data protection.

4. AWS Connect

AWS Connect is a flexible, scalable and secure cloud contact center offering from Amazon Web Services.

Key Features:

Quickly launches contact centers without any infrastructure investments.
Virtual contact center dashboard provides easy access to metrics.
Seamlessly integrates contacts history across voice, chat, text, and CRM apps.
Machine learning accurately predicts call volumes and schedules agents accordingly.
Granular security controls and compliance with standards like HIPAA and PCI.
Pay only for what you use with no long-term contracts.

5. Genesys Cloud CX

Genesys Cloud CX is an omnichannel customer experience platform suited for both small businesses and large enterprises.

Key Features:

Unified desktop for voice, digital channels, and back-office apps.
Predictive routing understands customer context and connects them intelligently.
Real-time interaction analytics uncover bottlenecks impacting CX.
Journey orchestration tracks customer journey across marketing, sales and service.
Genesys Predictive Engagementadvises agents of next best actions during calls.
Cloud deployment provides faster innovation with quarterly releases.

6. Avaya OneCloud CCaaS

Avaya OneCloud CCaaS delivers the full suite of contact center capabilities through a flexible cloud platform.

Key Features:

Omnichannel customer engagement via voice, digital and video channels.
Intelligent call routing distributes interactions based on agent skills and workload.
Real-time and historical analytics provide insights to optimize operations.
Speech and text analytics reveal customer sentiment.
CRM integrations present complete customer profile to agents.
APIs facilitate customization and easy integration with other apps.

7. Talkdesk Enterprise Cloud Contact Center

Talkdesk Enterprise Cloud Contact Center is built for large contact centers handling over 10,000 agents.

Key Features:

Omnichannel customer engagement via voice, digital and self-service channels.
Flexible call routing options based on agent skills, workload and real-time adherence.
AI-powered sentiment analysis reveals areas for improving CX.
Talkdesk Interaction Analytics provides 200+ out-of-the-box reports.
APIs enable custom application development and easy third-party integrations.
Talkdesk Retail Smart Service matches customers with in-store agents.

8. RingCentral Contact Center

RingCentral Contact Center provides an end-to-end solution for workforce engagement and customer experience.

Key Features:

Omnichannel routing supporting voice, SMS, chat, email, and social media channels.
IVR provides capabilities like natural language processing and self-service options.
Real-time alerts notify managers about SLAs and KPIs.
AI analysis uncovers trends impacting CX.
Easy integration with leading CRM and UC platforms.
RingCentral Lightning AP enables building custom apps.

9. Serenova CxEngage

Serenova CxEngage is an omnichannel contact center solution built for mid-market and enterprise businesses.

Key Features:

Unified agent desktop manages interactions across channels.
Skills-based routing connects customers quickly with the right agents.
AI-powered virtual agents (AVA) provide 24/7 automated support.
Speech analytics reveals insights to improve CX.
Easy integration with business applications through open REST APIs.
Omnichannel analytics offer a unified view across channels.

10. Dialpad Contact Center

Dialpad Contact Center is a cloud-based AI contact center solution designed for the modern mobile workforce.

Key Features:

Voice, SMS and integrations with messaging apps.
Real-time speech transcription using AI.
Smart routing based on agent availability, skills and customer data.
Real-time alerts when service thresholds are breached.
60+ CRM and business app integrations.
UberAgent app allows managers to monitor and coach agents remotely.

11. Freshcaller

Freshcaller is a cloud call center software with omnichannel customer engagement tools starting at just $29/mo.

Key Features:

Unified agent desktop manages calls, chats, emails and social media.
Skills-based call routing for faster customer connections.
AI-powered bots automate customer service across channels.
Real-time and historical reporting insights.
Native integrations with Freshdesk, Freshsales, Freshteam apps.
HIPAA, PCI DSS and GDPR compliant for data security.

Key Considerations When Choosing a Solution

Here are some important criteria to factor when evaluating contact center solutions for your business:

Integrations – Look for pre-built integrations with your existing CRM, marketing automation and helpdesk tools.
Scalability – Ensure the platform can scale up or down easily to support your contact volume fluctuations.
Security – Verify the solution is compliant with standards like PCI DSS, HIPAA, and GDPR based on your regulatory needs.
Reliability – Check track record and average uptime over 99.99% to avoid service disruptions.
Pricing – Compare pricing models (per agent, per minute, etc) and any hidden fees involved.
Support – Review service level agreements (SLAs) and support channels offered.
Customization – Look for open APIs and low-code options to customize the platform as needed.
Ease of use – Evaluate agent desktop interface and admin portal usability to ensure quick ramp up.

Key Takeaways

Modern contact center solutions go beyond basic call routing to provide true omnichannel customer engagement powered by AI. Core capabilities include:

Unified agent desktop – Manage voice, email, chat, messaging, and social channels from one screen.
Intelligent routing – Connect each contact to the optimal agent resource based on skills, availability and customer needs.
Analytics – Actionable insights into contact center operations and customer interactions.
Automation – Chatbots, virtual agents and AI-assisted agent interactions drive efficiency.
Integrations – Quick access to customer data from CRM and other apps improves personalization.
Security – Robust security and compliance protections for customer data.
Remote work – Cloud delivery provides flexibility for distributed teams.

Choosing the right contact center platform tailored to your business needs and budget is key to enabling exceptional customer experiences. This list of the top vendors and solutions is a helpful starting point for your evaluation process.