Date: August 20, 2024In today’s increasingly connected world, customers expect an instant resolution to their queries and requests. According to a Salesforce study, 96% of customers reported that service quality impacts their purchasing decisions.
So, businesses endeavor to deliver superior customer service and stand ahead of their counterparts. Inbound call center services help them offer a timely resolution to customer queries, improve retention rates, reduce their costs, and handle high call volumes effortlessly.
In this blog, we will take you through the key features and benefits of different inbound call center service providers and help you choose the best one.
Inbound call center services are your go-to option to scale your customer service quality to greater heights. In the initial stages, businesses can handle customer queries by themselves. But, investing in an inbound robust call center provider is a must as they evolve and call volumes increase.
What Are Inbound Call Centers?
Inbound call centers are those that function to offer support and assistance to the existing customers of a business. Their main role is to offer technical assistance, payments and order processing support, help desk services, and complaint resolution.
The nature of inbound call center services varies from one industry to another. For instance, in the travel industry, businesses use inbound call centers to handle reservations, bookings, cancellations, etc.
The performance of inbound calling services is measured using several metrics, including average wait time, first contact resolution, average call duration, call abandonment rate, etc.
First call resolution is an important metric and component of customer relationship management (CRM). For example, when a customer service representative resolves a customer’s needs on the first call. Doing this means the customer isn’t required to contact the company again. Read The Full Article
Inbound vs Outbound Call Center Services
Now that we know the main inbound call center services let us explore how they differ from outbound call center services.
1. Call initiation
Inbound call centers handle incoming calls from existing customers. Whereas through outbound call centers, businesses make sales and marketing calls to prospects and customers.
In inbound call centers, customers initiate the calls, and in outbound call centers, the agents or sales reps make calls.
2. Call center services
As explained earlier, inbound call center services focus on the following.
- Customer support
- Inbound sales
- Helpdesk and technical assistance
- Order processing requests
- Upgrade and renewal inquiries.
On the flip side, the outbound call centers focus on the following services.
- Lead generation
- Customer services
- Telemarketing services
- Market research
- Appointment scheduling
3. Nature of interaction
The very nature of inbound call centers is to react or respond to customer inquiries. On the other hand, the outbound call centers proactively reach out to prospects and leads.
So, inbound call center services are reactive whereas that of outbound call centers are proactive.
4. Objective
The goal of inbound contact center services is to listen to customer requests and resolve them accordingly. Here, customer satisfaction is the key objective.
On the other hand, the main role of outbound call center services is to reach out to as many prospects as possible in a given time, promote their offerings, and maximize conversion.
You May Also Read : Call Center Reporting Tools: A Comprehensive Guide
10 Best Inbound Call Center Service Providers
Now that you are aware of the key features and benefits of inbound call center services let us look at the 7 best inbound call center service providers in the market. We have also covered their key feature, pros, cons, and pricing details.
| Company | Rating | Plan | Top Features | Learn More |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Starter: $18/month Professional: $30 /month Ultimate: $42 /month |
| Learn More | |
 | Core: $20 Advance: $25 Ultra: $35 |
| Learn More | |
 | Essentials: $30/user Professional: $50/user Custom Plan |
| Learn More | |
 | Essentials: $18.95 Professional: $22.95 Enterprise:: $32.95 |
| Learn More | |
 | Digital – $149 Core – $149 Premium – $169 Optimum – $199 Ultimate – $299 |
| Learn More | |
 | Cloud CX 1 – $75 Cloud CX 2 – $95 Cloud CS 2 – $115 Cloud CS 3 – $135 Cloud CS 3 – $155 |
| Learn More |
After extensive research and analysis, we have curated a list of Inbound Call Center Services. These softwares are carefully selected based on usability and satisfaction scores, including features, ease of use, customer support, ratings, and reviews from SoftwareSuggest, G2, and Capterra. Our aim is to assist businesses in identifying the most suitable software to streamline their operations.
1. CallHippo
CallHippo ranks at the top in our list of popular inbound call center solutions as it offers powerful features at affordable pricing plans. It helps businesses forge an all-around availability and streamline peak call volumes effortlessly. The best thing about CallHippo is that it has different pricing plans to cater to businesses of different scales from startups and solopreneurs to established enterprises.
Key Features
- IVR system
- Intelligent call routing
- Call recording
- Call forwarding
- Real-time dashboards
- Live call transfers
- Call barging
- Customizable on-hold music
- Voicemail-to-email transcription
Pros
- The CallHippo’s basic plan is free and its premium plans cost only a few bucks when compared to other inbound call center solutions.
- CallHippo can be easily integrated with HubSpot and Pipedrive.
- Users have appreciated CallHippo for providing mobile as well as desktop applications.
- CallHippo is easy to set up, use, navigate, and scale.
- The customer support team is very knowledgeable and responds to queries promptly.
- The downtime is low and call clarity is high when compared to other systems.
Cons
- The free plan lacks important features like live call transfer.
- The mobile application has technical glitches and it must be upgraded.
Pricing
- Starter – $18 Per user/Month
- Professional – $30 Per user/Month
- Ultimate – $42 Per user/Month
*Pricing as of 11-06-2024.
2. RingCentral
RingCentral is an award-winning inbound call center service provider known for offering a wide range of calling and messaging features. With a robust mobile and desktop application, RingCentral helps streamline customer support functioning for businesses with remote teams and distributed workforce.
Key Features
- Call flip
- Smart call recording
- Visual voicemail
- Multi-way conferencing
- Unified inbox
- Call screening
- Caller ID
- Voicemail-to-email notification
Pros
- The interface of the RingCentral phone system is simple, intuitive, and easy to navigate.
- The video meetings and internal collaboration features are excellent.
- With a second phone number, one can separate business and personal conversations.
- It integrates well with Salesforce and several other third-party tools.
- Setting up the system and scaling up is extremely easy and they require a few basic steps.
- RingCentral offers a higher degree of customization with on-hold music, greetings, call routing, etc.
Cons
- The pricing system lacks flexibility and it takes longer for renewals, change of plans, etc.
- The customer support and technical team is not very responsive.
Pricing
- Essentials plan: $19.99 per user per month
- Standard plan: $27.99 per user per month
- Premium plan: $34.99 per user per month
- Ultimate plan: $49.99 per user per month
3. Nextiva
Nextiva is a popular inbound call center service provider known for offering a wide range of voice, video, and messaging abilities. It offers call forwarding, business phone numbers, unlimited calling, etc. in all its pricing plans. Nextiva offers a wide range of local and toll-free phone numbers in many countries.
Key Features
- Unlimited calling
- Call queuing
- Three-way calling
- Call analytics
- Voicemail to email transcription
- Custom on-hold music
- Conversational AI
- Team chat
Pros
- The call center solution is extremely flexible and can be extended easily as the business grows.
- Nextiva assigns a project staff who is readily available to address specific business concerns.
- The call clarity is very clear and the downtime is also lower.
- The interface is simple and user-friendly.
- The admin dashboard offers a wide range of information about the agent's performance.
- The Nextiva platform can be customized to a higher degree.
- It is easy to integrate Nextiva with the existing tech stack.
Cons
- The self-service abilities must be improved.
- The pricing is higher when compared to other inbound call center solutions.
Pricing
- Essentials: $18.95 per user per month
- Professional: $22.95 per user per month
- Enterprise: $32.95 per user per month
4. Genesys
Genesys is a popular, AI-powered inbound call center solution and its phone system abilities can be customized to a great degree. The voice bots and chatbots can be configured to handle customer inquiries. Agents can leverage the AI abilities of Genesys to get conversational guidance and deliver a superior response.
Key Features
- Automatic call distribution
- Unified communications
- Interactive Voice Response
- Analytics and reporting
- Omnichannel support
- Screensharing and co-browsing
- Speech analytics
Pros
- The call handling and distribution abilities of Genesys can be highly customized.
- Users find it easy to integrate Genesys with Salesforce and other third-party tools.
- Genesys' contact center solution allows businesses to handle customer inquiries from different platforms.
- On Genesys, supervisors can monitor call queues and make changes easily.
- The learning curve is low and agents do not require intensive training.
- Genesys features can be highly customized as it is an API-first platform.
Cons
- Poor call quality and technical glitches disrupt the functioning at times.
- The dashboard and reporting abilities are limited to 200 rows and they must be updated.
Pricing
- Genesys Cloud CX 1 – $75 per month (Voice)
- Genesys Cloud CX 2 – $95 per month (Digital)
- Genesys Cloud CS 2 – $115 per month (Digital + Voice)
- Genesys Cloud CS 3 – $135 per month (Digital + WEM)
- Genesys Cloud CS 3 – $155 per month (Digital +WEM + Voice)
5. 8X8
Next on our list of robust inbound call center solutions providers is the 8X8. Known for its AI and technological capabilities, 8X8 helps businesses make smarter decisions. With operations in 55+ countries and 35+ countries, 8X8 helps businesses scale their communication abilities and enable them to deliver a superior service.
Key Features
- Omnichannel routing
- Meeting transcription
- Agent workspace
- Contact center analytics
- Auto attendants
- Whisper coaching
- Automation builder
Pros
- The omnichannel support helps businesses interact with customers across their preferred channel.
- It is easy to navigate the 8X8 system using shortcut keys.
- With 8X8, it is easy to manage personal and business calls on a single device while keeping them separate.
- The call flow builder works great and the scripts can be easily customized.
- 8X8 offers consolidated reporting and it is easy for supervisors to manage the call center functioning.
- The setup is quick and new agents get their account running in just 15 minutes.
Cons
- Configuration settings are complex and require technical assistance.
- The recordings can be stored only for 30 days and it impacts training.
Pricing
Contact sales
6. Five9
Five9 is a full-on contact center solution provider and helps businesses engage with customers on a channel of their choice. With customer-focused product offerings, Five9 enables businesses to offer top-grade service. Five9 helps businesses handle calls efficiently while minimizing their costs and staffing requirements.
Key Features
- Agent call scripting
- Call quality monitoring
- Omnichannel support
- Collaborative intelligence
- Text-to-speech software
- Contact management
- Toll-free numbers
Pros
- Five9 takes notes during calls, which makes it easy for call centers to document the conversation.
- Five9 has extensive automation abilities that help save time, cost, and resources.
- Agents can take silent advice from supervisors through the call barging feature.
- The metrics and other parameters on the reports can be customized as per business needs.
- The IVR path mapping is very simple and you can play with it using drag-and-drop tools.
Cons
- The transition is harder and it takes time to get the system up and running again.
- The reports are very complicated and can be confusing.
Pricing
- Digital – $149 per month (Digital only)
- Core – $149 per month (Voice only)
- Premium – $169 per month (Digital + Voice)
- Optimum – $199 per month (Digital + Voice + WEM)
- Ultimate – $299 per month (Digital + Voice + WEM + Analytics)
7. 3CX
3cx dashboard
3CX is a popular solution provider when it comes to inbound call center services. It can be deployed on-premises or hosted on-cloud, which helps sort out data concerns for businesses in regulated industries. 3CX enables businesses to streamline customer service while helping them reduce communication costs.
Key Features
- Ring groups
- Video conferencing
- Multi-level IVR
- Voicemail transcription
- Ring groups
- Call logging
- Auto attendant
Pros
- 3CX has advanced features like video conferencing, shared inbox, etc. that help strengthen internal collaboration.
- 3CX is an open-source platform and has a community that sorts business questions quickly and efficiently.
- With SDKs and plugins, it is easy to integrate 3CX’s live chat and other widgets with the website.
- It has simple features that call center agents can use without extensive training.
- 3CX integrates well with HubSpot and other tools, so businesses can strengthen their existing stack.
- The admin panel is great and very intuitive.
Cons
- The licensing management is complicated and requires support.
- The upgrades require that you backup, uninstall, reinstall, and restore the backup, which makes the step complicated.
Pricing
- 3CX Free – $0 up to 10 users
- 3CX SMB – $175 per system
- 3CX Pro- $145 per system
- 3CX ENT – $180 per system
You May Also Read : What Is Average Handle Time & How To Reduce It Without Sacrificing CSAT?
8. Aircall
Aircall.io is a cloud-based inbound call center service provider designed to streamline and improve business communications. With a focus on call center software, Aircall offers a robust and intuitive platform that seamlessly integrates with various productivity and customer relationship management apps.
With features like call routing, analytics, and real-time collaboration, Aircall empowers businesses to manage customer interactions efficiently. Whether you’re a startup or an established enterprise, Aircall provides the tools to improve call quality, track performance, and deliver exceptional customer service.
Key Features
- International numbers
- Toll-free numbers
- Call conference solution
- Call routing
- Interactive voice response
- Virtual call center
Pros
- The platform offers multiple (country-specific) phone numbers from one device.
- Users can add the schedule and working hours to align it with their needs.
- The tool allows users to install voice-over IP from any device and work from anywhere.
Cons
- During the signing process, sometimes it keeps logging out despite the SSO being enabled in the organization.
- The platform lacks stability on Mac devices.
Pricing
- Essentials: $30 /license
- Professional: $50 /license
- Custom: Call for details
9. Talkdesk
Talkdesk is a leading cloud-based contact center software provider that helps businesses deliver exceptional customer experiences. Talkdesk offers a comprehensive suite of features, including AI-powered analytics, automated workflows, and omnichannel support.
Known for its user-friendly interface and robust security, Talkdesk serves a wide range of industries, from small businesses to large enterprises. By providing real-time insights and customizable solutions, Talkdesk empowers organizations to optimize their customer service operations.
Key Features
- REST APIs
- Warm transfer
- Natural language processing for IVR
- Automatic speech recognition (ASR)
- Omnichannel inbound routing
- Intelligent call routing
- AI assistance for live agents
Pros
- The platform allows users to purchase phone numbers and ports worldwide.
- The tool provides videos to assist with customer troubleshooting.
- The default reports provide most details without creating from scratch.
Cons
- Sometimes, users face issues related to caches.
- The platform does not provide workforce management in a simplified view.
Pricing
- CX Cloud Digital Essentials: $85 USD per month
- CX Cloud Essentials: $85 USD per month
- CX Cloud Elevate: $115 USD per month
- CX Cloud Elite: $145 USD per month
10. Justcall
JustCall is a versatile cloud-based phone system and contact center software designed to streamline business communications. Offering a wide range of features, including call routing, SMS, call analytics, and CRM integrations, JustCall provides a comprehensive solution for sales and support teams.
With global coverage and flexible plans, JustCall caters to businesses of all sizes, helping them improve customer engagement and operational efficiency. Whether you’re managing a remote team or scaling your business, JustCall offers the tools to improve your communication strategy.
Key Features
- Multi-level Interactive Voice Response (IVR)
- Call screening
- Audio conferencing
- Call park
- Directory of employee names
Pros
- The platform allows you to easily export data of calls for 60 days.
- The tool has the ability to launch and sync SMS messaging from within the Pipedrive app.
- The users of this system can access it through the cloud, SaaS, Web PC, and mobile devices, Android, iPhone, and iPad.
Cons
- There is no incoming call number recognition; the system sets an unknown number for the incoming call.
- The power dialer functionality is in the Beta version of the platform.
Pricing
- Essentials: $19 per user/month
- Team: $29 per user/month
- Pro: $29 per user/month
- Business: Contact the team
Advantages of Inbound Call Centers
While all businesses compete to maximize customer service quality, here is how inbound call centers help make a difference.
1. Higher customer satisfaction
The key focus of inbound call centers lies in offering timely resolution and response to customer inquiries and complaints. Today, customers prefer to interact with businesses through a channel of their convenience.
With a dedicated team to handle customer service requests, businesses get to manage queries from different channels and resolve them accordingly. This elevates customer satisfaction quality.
2. Handle high call volumes
In the initial stages, when your business is small, it is easy to handle customer inquiries. But when it evolves and the call volume increases, it could get overwhelming. Not responding to customers on time may be costly, leading to frustration and abandonment.
Dedicated inbound call center services have advanced features, including IVR systems and automatic call distribution, which in turn helps streamline high call volumes.
3. Boosts business reputation
With proven processes and seasoned resources, inbound call centers professionally expedite customer queries. The timely resolution of their problems boosts the business’s reputation, giving it an edge in the competitive space.
"A HubSpot study shows that 66% of customers consider brand reputation while purchasing."
4. Higher customer retention
Inbound call center services help improve customer retention and boost loyalty. A Forbes study shows that it costs five times lower to hold on to an existing customer than to reach out and acquire a new customer. By offering superior customer support, businesses can lower their costs.
5. Elevates business efficiency
Dedicated inbound call centers have advanced features like auto attendants, call queuing, and intelligent call routing abilities. They can receive incoming calls and direct them to an appropriate agent automatically.
With automated call handling and routing, business agents can focus their time and efforts on performing core tasks. This, in turn, leads to productivity and efficiency enhancements.
Top Features of Inbound Call Center Software
The features of inbound call center solutions differ from one provider to another. Here are the important ones.
1. Interactive Voice Response (IVR)
IVR is a defining feature of an inbound telephony system that navigates callers through a pre-defined menu. If it is a basic question like product information, order status, etc. the IVR system handles it on its own. In case of complex queries that require human assistance, the IVR routes the caller to the available agent.
IVR systems can be customized, and multiple levels can be added depending on the business requirement.
2. Automatic Call Distribution
Automatic Call Distribution or ACD systems help route incoming calls to an appropriate agent based on the information provided by the caller. It determines the most capable agent based on pre-specified criteria including skills, location, business hours, etc. ACDs help increase first-contact resolution rates.
3. Call queuing
Inbound call center solutions have virtual queues that can accommodate incoming callers. Beyond queuing, the software also informs the caller of the expected wait time. Businesses can keep the caller engaged by playing on-hold music or promotional messages.
4. Whisper coaching
Most inbound call center solutions allow supervisors to barge into ongoing calls and offer silent guidance if needed. This helps agents learn on the go and minimizes escalation.
5. Voicemail
Voicemail is another key feature notably present in popular inbound call center solutions. When there are long holds, voicemail allows customers to send a voice note and receive a call back without waiting in the queue for long.
The voicemail feature helps businesses handle high call volumes without recruiting additional agents or upgrading the infrastructure.
6. Dynamic reporting
Analytics and custom reports help businesses monitor the functioning of the call center and customer satisfaction levels. Businesses can set custom KPIs and metrics depending on their goals. Common KPIs include average call abandonment rates, queue length, average wait time, agent occupancy rate, etc.
These metrics allow businesses to make informed decisions and corrective actions whenever needed. Businesses can also spot changes in customer preferences early on and gain a competitive edge.
7. Call forwarding
Inbound call center solutions allow businesses to forward calls automatically to another number, agent, or department without informing the caller. The call forwarding feature helps businesses promote an all-around availability and secure customer trust.
How to Choose the Right Inbound Call Center Service for Your Business?
There are several inbound call center service providers in the market. So, choosing the right one becomes challenging. Here are expert recommendations on what you must focus on, to get there.
1. Business needs
The basic step in choosing the right inbound call center company is to identify your business requirements. In the process, you must consider the nature of your business, the industry you operate in, company size, peak call volumes, etc. Choose a service provider that aligns with your requirements.
2. 24/7 technical support
Downtime and service disruptions impact the reputation of a business. The best inbound call center service providers offer all-round availability with minimal service disruption. So, choose inbound call center service providers that have a reputation in the industry.
3. Advanced features
When it comes to inbound call center services, innovative features like IVR systems, ACDs, call forwarding, call queuing, etc. help elevate the service quality. This, in turn, helps you gain an edge in the business ecosystem. So, when you pick the call center services for your business, choose one that offers advanced functionalities.
4. Scalability
Scalability is an important consideration when it comes to choosing an inbound call center services provider. As businesses keep evolving, the call center should have the ability to accommodate dynamic needs.
It may not be viable and effective to change the service provider often. So, while choosing a service provider, ensure that they have the potential to cater to the scalability needs of your business.
5. Cost vs. Functionality
While choosing the right inbound call center service providers, check the pricing. Most of them offer subscription-based pricing. Choose one that offers the right cost vs. functionality balance. Also, keep an eye on the hidden charges.
You May Also Read : 25 Top Call Center KPIs & Agent Productivity Metrics
Closing Thoughts
Call center services impact the reputation, conversion, retention rates, revenue, and efficiency of a business. So, it is important to choose the right inbound call center services provider based on a deeper evaluation of their features, pricing, and scalability.
FAQs:
1. Which is easier inbound or outbound call center?
Both, inbound and outbound call center services are easier when you have the right service provider. Choosing one depends on the needs of your business. If you aim to push sales, then you must opt for an outbound call center service. On the other hand, if high-quality customer service is your objective, then you must invest in an inbound call center.
2. How do you handle inbound calls?
Inbound call centers have sophisticated features like IVRs, Automatic Call Distribution, call recording, warm call transfers, automated call forwarding, real-time dashboards, etc. These features help businesses handle inbound calls efficiently.
3. What’s the difference between call centers and contact centers?
A notable difference between call centers and contact centers is that the former offers services only through phone calls while the latter takes an integrated, omnichannel approach. Call centers streamline voice calls while contact centers help handle voice calls, SMS, live chat, social media channels, etc.
4. Is there any Free Inbound Call Center Software?
Yes! Some of the free inbound call center software providers include CallHippo, 3CX, AVOXI, Agile CRM, and so on.
Supriya is a highly skilled content writer with over 8 years of experience in the SaaS domain. She believes in curating engaging, informative, and SEO-friendly content to simplify highly technical concepts. With an expansive portfolio of long-format blogs, newsletters, whitepapers, and case studies, Supriya is dedicated to staying in touch with emerging SaaS trends to produce relevant and reliable content.
Subscribe to our newsletter & never miss our latest news and promotions.
+24K people have already subscribed