If you’re running an inbound call center, you have many options for the software solution you choose to help keep things going. That said, there are a few key features that the best call center solutions should offer. Here, we outline the most common ones to help you determine what tools you need in your ideal inbound call center software.

  • Interactive Voice Responder (IVR): A high-quality, easily edited IVR should be the first thing you look for in an inbound call center solution. It will allow you to offer information and support 24/7, even if agents aren’t available when a customer calls. The IVR will also do some of the work for you of collecting information about why a customer is calling and directing them to the appropriate agent who can help them solve their problem efficiently.
  • Automatic Call Distribution (ACD): Often part of a good IVR, call center software that has ACD will be able to route calls directly to the correct agent or department based on selections that customers make in the IVR. That means that the first person the caller speaks to is the person most qualified to field their inquiry (a process also known as skills-based routing) which drastically increases customer satisfaction.
  • Live Call Transfer: While the optimal experience for a caller is for them to only speak with one agent who can help them solve their problem, there are times when they need to be transferred to a supervisor or a different department. For when these situations arrive, live call transfer is absolutely critical to limiting frustration on the caller’s part—the last thing you want to do is tell them that they need to hang up and call a different number to reach the correct person. The ability to seamlessly transfer calls without disconnecting the customer limits this possibility.
  • CRM and App Integration: Live call transfers are great, but if agents are able to complete all facets of an inquiry or a transaction on their own, that’s even better. To do so, having a dialer that is integrated with your CRM and any other applications your company uses is a huge plus. That way, agents can access customer information that allows them to provide personalized support as well as process any sales or other transactions the customer is trying to make without putting them on hold or sending them to a different department.
  • Call Recording: Automatic call recording is important regardless of the type of call center you are running, but it is especially key with inbound call centers where the caller’s experience is the most important thing. With real-time call recording, supervisors and managers are able to monitor agent performance to determine what agents are doing well and where they could use a little more training. Call recordings also help you determine how successful your team is in general, or how many callers are hanging up satisfied with the solution they have reached while on the phone. Without recordings, you would have none of the data you need to fine-tune your agent training and customer experience.
  • Monitoring, Analytics and Reports: Call recordings and the data they produce are great, but they are only helpful if you have the tools to quantify and analyze the information they hold. A call center solution that provides these tools will help you easily evaluate agent, team and call center performance and then use that information to inform decisions you make going forward.

 

If you’re still not sure exactly what features you need for your inbound call center, CallShaper can help you figure it out. Request a demo today to learn more.