It doesn’t matter how big or small your company is — customer service matters. As many as 79% of businesses agree that customers today are smarter and more informed than ever. As a result, they expect more. And they’re more likely to share when their expectations aren’t met. Small businesses must deliver top-notch service to stand out from the big guys.

But I get it. As a smaller business, it’s hard to imagine implementing and sustaining call center technology. The list of reasons and excuses is probably already running through your mind. You don’t have the budget. You don’t have time to handle the transition. Or maybe you don’t have the IT team to support the technology.

Let me stop you there.

It doesn’t have to be this way. Call center software built for SMBs helps you navigate the challenges of a small team, giving your agents the tools they need to excel. It empowers your service team to compete and match the level of customer service that massive enterprise companies offer.

A Few Benefits of Finding the Right Call Center Software

When you find the right software for your call center, there are plenty of benefits. It helps you:

• Increase efficiency. Call center software helps your agents work faster. It can automate mundane tasks, streamline workflows, and optimize resource allocation. This lets agents handle more customer inquiries and resolve issues faster.
• Improve customer experience. Solid call center software provides omnichannel support to streamline your channels into a cohesive experience. Then, when you pair your omnichannel service with AI-driven automation, you deliver personalized and responsive customer service. The result is a better customer experience and more loyalty and satisfaction.
• Save money. Although it feels like a big financial investment, call center software saves you money. By improving your efficiency, you add money to the bank. Plus, you eliminate the need for costly hardware and facilitate hybrid and remote work. Over time, this enhances your talent, reduces overhead expenses, and improves cost-effectiveness.
• Scale your business. You want to prepare for growth. As you expand your operations, your call center software should grow with you. It helps you adapt to changing needs and increasing call volumes without disrupting the quality of service.
• Make data-driven insights. Information and data are gold, giving valuable insights into improving performance and meeting customer needs. Call center software provides robust analytics and reporting tools. These empower you to understand customer behavior, agent performance, and operational efficiency.

Need a place to start? Here’s a list of the best call center solutions for small businesses.

12 Must-Have Features

Call center software can take your small business to the next level. Feeling overwhelmed by the number of options and the laundry list of features? Let me help you. Here are 12 essential features to look for in call center software.

1. Integrations

You likely already have an existing tech stack. Look for a platform that integrates with your other tools. It should integrate with your customer relationship management (CRM) system, collaboration tools, and other business applications. This way, you can centralize data and workflows to enhance productivity.

2. Call Monitoring

Call center software can help you become a better manager. With real-time call monitoring capabilities, you can track agent performance, provide coaching and feedback, and ensure you meet quality standards.

3. Omnichannel Support

Customers expect seamless communication regardless of the channel. Omnichannel support is a must. Make sure your call center software supports channels such as voice, email, chat, and social media. This ensures that sharing intel between channels is simple and seamless.

4. Call Routing and IVR

Intelligent call routing and IVR systems boost efficiency. By directing customers to the most appropriate agent or department for their needs, you’ll reduce wait times and enhance satisfaction as a result.

5. Analytics and Reporting

Comprehensive analytics and reporting tools are a must. Use the data you have access to daily to get actionable insights into call volumes, service levels, customer feedback, and more.

6. Scalability

Make room for growth with flexible and scalable call center software. Scalability helps you easily adjust capacity, add or remove features, and accommodate growth without significant disruptions or investments.

7. Automatic Call Distribution

ACD disperses incoming calls between available agents based on criteria such as skills, priority, and availability. With ACD, you can optimize your resources and improve response times.

8. AI and Automation

AI and automation are the new frontier. They’re changing the game. With these features, you can automate routine tasks and free agents to focus on more complex interactions and value-added tasks.

9. Softphone

Softphones allow agents to make and receive calls directly from their computer or mobile device. No need to invest in traditional desk phones. No need to have a fully in-office team. With softphones, you can empower agents to work anywhere, expanding your talent pool so you can offer the best possible service.

10. Unified Communications

UC features such as chat, video conferencing, and screen sharing enhance collaboration among team members. They can share information and tackle problems, allowing them to communicate and collaborate better.

11. Dialers

Look for call center software with outbound dialing features like predictive or power dialers. These can improve productivity by making it easier to reach out to customers.

12. Queue Callback

With queue callback functionality, customers can request a callback when an agent becomes available. This reduces hold times and improves the customer experience.

Learn more about our virtual call center software by scheduling a demo.