10 Powerful features to invest in the right Call Center Solution

Call centers software are a way for startups and other businesses to bring their communication systems into the 21st century. The best call center software for your team depends on your specific needs. Every tool has benefits and drawbacks depending on how you plan to use it. To understand which tool is right for you, draw up a list of desired features and then focus on your top choices. Below are 10 features you might want to consider in your search.

1. Automatic call distribution (ACD)

Some form of ACD is now a must for a typical call center. A system that automatically routes callers to the relevant individuals cuts down on wasted time and resources. ACD systems distribute calls according to user-specified criteria, such as sending the call to a phone that is idle, or sending calls about billing to the accounting department. Nearly all call center systems have some form of ACD. They range from simple push-button virtual operators to those that use caller ID or voice recognition.

2. Call center monitoring and analytics

This is an essential feature for call centers. Being able to scrutinize call durations, costs, and other useful metrics can help supervisors and managers make informed decisions on issues such as staffing and employee performance and training needs. Some of the best systems provide real-time statistics, letting you know what's going on in the call center second by second. Historical reporting allows you to compile hourly, daily, weekly, monthly and annual statistics for detailed long-term analysis.

3. Call recording 

Useful for training and monitoring, call recording allows supervisors and operators to record and store phone calls as audio files on the server. However, the storage requirements for call recording can be quite large. Third-party hosted systems and cloud-hosted systems are better suited for this function, because they make it easy to upgrade the size of your storage space without buying new hardware.

4. Call transfer and three-way calling

Being able to transfer a caller to another department, or permit access to a third party, is essential for virtually all call centers. Few systems are sold without this feature, but it's worth checking just in case.

5. Contact management

These systems enable different calls to be tagged and stored with relevant information attached to the call file. This permits better management of customers, as it provides historical records of all calls by an individual account holder.

6. Interactive voice response (IVR)

IVR uses voice-recognition software to allow callers to route themselves to specific departments. IVRs vary in sophistication from the very basic, which enable simple routing functionality, to intricate systems that allow customers to access their accounts. At the high end, IVR empowers customers to serve themselves, reducing the workload for human operators.

7. Performance evaluation

By monitoring an operator's performance, you can identify gaps in training and areas where they need improvement. Call center systems with this type of evaluation can create reports, graphs and other data while scoring an operator's performance.

8. Technical support

This is a given for a system hosted by a third party, but for self-managed and cloud-based systems, technical support can be anything from nonexistent to extremely generous. Before you purchase a system, ask the company about 24-hour phone support, 24-hour web chat support, and virtual management (where technicians can fix problems remotely).

9. Hold music

Call center systems allow agents to play music while a customer is on hold. Although it may seem trivial, hold music can play a big role in keeping a customer on the line while a request is being fulfilled. Dead silence can be quite jarring, and a customer is more likely to hang up and file a complaint if there is nothing to fill the void.