Best Omnichannel Contact Center Software

With the changing customer communication preferences, the demand for omnichannel contact center software is also increasing day by day. The evolution of omnichannel call center software to omnichannel contact center software is a result of the rising demand for a seamless customer experience across multiple channels.

In the year 2022, the global market for contact center software was valued at $35.3 billion, and it is expected to grow at a CAGR of 21.6% by 2027. Additionally, a survey by CCW Digital found that more than 60% of consumers have experienced difficulties switching between communication channels during customer service interactions, highlighting the need for a unified omnichannel approach.

Find insightful answers to some commonly asked questions about contact center software in this blog post if you are seeking the best omnichannel solution for your contact center. Read on to know more.

What Is an Omnichannel Contact Center?

An omnichannel contact center is a platform where businesses can access multiple channels for customer service. It allows businesses to engage seamlessly with customers through phone, email, chat, social media, and messaging apps. Customers can easily switch back and forth across communication channels at their convenience without losing context.

An omnichannel contact center solution works with the intent to provide a smooth and consistent customer experience irrespective of the channel used. Customers can begin a conversation on one channel and carry on it on another without the need to repeat themselves. Businesses can easily gather data on customer interactions across all channels and use that information to personalize interactions and improve the overall customer experience.

As a result, an omnichannel contact center solution can reduce costs and boost efficiency by providing agents with a single interface to handle multiple channels.

What Is an Omnichannel Contact Center Software?

Software that supports multiple communication channels, such as phone, email, live chat, social media, and messaging apps, is an omnichannel contact center software. It enables companies to provide a unified experience to their customers across multiple channels.

Using omnichannel contact center software, businesses can effortlessly manage all customer interactions through a single, unified platform. This unified platform allows agents to get a complete view of a customer's history and preferences, regardless of the channel or device they are using. A high level of customer satisfaction can be achieved by using this information to resolve problems quickly and efficiently.

Besides, omnichannel contact center software also provides real-time analytics and reporting which allow businesses to track and measure the progress of their customer service efforts across all channels. Omnichannel cloud contact center software can easily determine the areas that need improvement and optimize their customer service strategy accordingly. 

What Is an Omnichannel Cloud Contact Center?

A cloud omnichannel contact center software platform integrates multiple communication channels into a single system. Having a cloud-based platform means it can be accessed from anywhere with an internet connection and managed remotely.

With an omnichannel approach, an omnichannel cloud contact center helps agents in offering a consistent experience across customer service channels. They can provide quick solutions to the customers’ queries by accessing the transaction history which is available at every touchpoint.

Benefits of the Best Omnichannel Contact Center Software

There are many advantages of using omnichannel contact center software that can help you improve customer engagement and retention. Below are the main benefits of Omnichannel contact center software.

1. Increased levels of customer retention

   The omnichannel approach provides customers with multiple communication channel options. The convenience of being able to communicate with businesses in this way makes it easier for them to reach out for required support. Besides, the software enables agents to customize interactions with customers based on their preferences, behavior, and other details.

   This helps in resolving customer issues more quickly and efficiently, eliminating the chances of customers becoming frustrated or dissatisfied. By providing faster, personalized, and high-quality customer experience, businesses can increase customer loyalty and retention.

2. Constant monitoring and improvements

   Omnichannel cloud contact center software allows managers to monitor agent performance and customer interactions in real-time, providing immediate feedback and training opportunities. Omni channel contact center solutions include quality management tools such as call monitoring, call recording, evaluation forms, and others that help managers evaluate agent performance and identify areas for improvement.

   The software also provides detailed performance metrics on agent performance, customer satisfaction, and other key performance indicators. This way, it helps in constant monitoring and making incremental improvements over time.

3. Faster customer support resolution times

   Omnichannel cloud contact center software allows businesses to handle routine inquiries and simple issues via chatbots and other automation tools. This enables agents to dedicate their attention to more intricate matters.

   If a customer wants to connect with an agent, the software can automatically route incoming calls to the most appropriate agent based on skill level, availability, and other factors. This not only reduces the wait times for customers but also ensures that they are connected with the right agent. Moreover, the software gives a unified view of all customer interactions across multiple channels, allowing agents to quickly access relevant details and deliver faster resolutions.

4. Remote workforce optimization

   Since omnichannel contact center solutions can be deployed in the cloud, it lets agents work from anywhere with an internet connection. This empowers businesses to continue business operations and optimize workforce management, even if their agents are working remotely.

   It comes with virtual coaching and training tools, allowing businesses to coach and train their agents remotely. It also facilitates efficient communication and collaboration between remote agents and their supervisors via various collaboration tools, such as video conferencing and instant messaging.

   Additionally, the workforce management tools offered by contact center software enable managers to schedule agents and optimize staffing levels to ensure that they have the right number of agents available to handle customer inquiries, regardless of where they are located.

5. Improved personalization

   As mentioned above, contact center software provides a unified view of customer interactions across multiple channels. This allows agents to access relevant customer data like previous purchases, preferences, and communication history. Using this information, the agents can provide personalized support.

   The software uses contextual routing to automatically route customers to the most appropriate agent based on their needs and preferences. This ensures that customers are connected with agents who have the skills and knowledge to provide personalized support.

   Moreover, the software can be used to segment customers based on demographics, behavior, and other factors, allowing businesses to provide more personalized support.

6. Improves agent productivity

   Since the software helps to integrate all the communication channels into a single platform, it reduces the need for manual processes. Agents can easily access all the relevant information from a single platform which eliminates the requirement to switch between different systems and applications. This not only helps to save a lot of time and effort but also increases the agent’s productivity.

   Also, the collaboration tools such as screen sharing, video conferencing, and instant messaging enable agents to work together to resolve customer issues quickly and provide faster support.

Who uses Omnichannel Contact Center Software?

Omnichannel Contact Center Software helps to streamline communication processes and boost customer experience. Therefore, companies that interact with customers across multiple channels can benefit greatly from using the software. 

Here are some of the key organizations that use omnichannel cloud contact center software to manage their communication across various channels: 

1. E-commerce

   Omnichannel contact center software for e-commerce companies enables businesses to manage customer inquiries, orders, and refunds from a single platform, improving their overall efficiency and productivity.

   The software allows businesses to provide prompt and effective customer service. Agents can handle customer queries in real-time and deliver proactive assistance like addressing product-related queries, tracking shipments, and providing post-sales support.

2. Retail

   Companies in the retail sector need omnichannel cloud contact center software to manage customer inquiries, complaints, and orders across multiple channels such as phone, chat, SMS, email, and social media.

   Omnichannel capabilities allow retailers to engage customers proactively and quickly. Their marketing channels can be used to target promotions, recommend products, and send proactive notifications to their customers. By doing so, stronger customer relationships can be built and sales can be increased.

3. Hospitality

   Businesses in the hospitality industry can use omnichannel contact center software to manage customer inquiries, reservations, and requests across multiple channels.

   Integrated contact centers and reservation systems allow hospitality organizations to manage bookings and reservations in real-time. Reservations can be made, modified, and canceled efficiently by staff members. In turn, this leads to a faster and more accurate response to guest inquiries and streamlined reservation procedures.

4. Finance

   Organizations offering financial services use omnichannel contact center software to deliver customer support, process transactions, and manage financial data across multiple channels.

   The omnichannel contact center software can be integrated with fraud detection systems and analytics tools to detect potential fraud. When financial institutions monitor customer interactions across channels, they can detect suspicious patterns, spot potential fraud cases, and take proactive measures to prevent them.

5. Healthcare

   Omnichannel contact center software is an essential tool for healthcare providers. It helps them in the efficient management of patient inquiries, appointments, and records across multiple channels.

   The omnichannel contact center software integrates with electronic health record (EHR) systems, enabling agents or healthcare professionals to access patient data in real-time. This unified view of information enables personalized care and prevents unnecessary collection of information, leading to improved care coordination.

6. Telecommunication

   Omnichannel software for contact centers allows telecommunication companies to manage customer inquiries, service requests, and payments from a single platform, improving their overall efficiency and productivity.

   Omnichannel contact center software integrates customer data from multiple sources into a unified platform. This provides agents with a single, comprehensive view of customers' information, including prior engagements, buying history, and preferences. With this holistic customer profile in hand, agents are able to deliver personalized support services and suggest targeted cross-selling or upselling opportunities.

Multichannel vs Omnichannel Contact Center Solutions: Quick Comparison

Both multichannel and omnichannel contact center solutions allow customers to contact the customer service team via multiple channels. However, both are different in many ways. 

1. Integration

   Multichannel contact center solutions generally manage customer interactions across multiple channels separately, which means each communication channel operates independently. On the other hand, omnichannel contact center solutions integrate all the channels into a single platform, creating a seamless experience for customers.

2. Focus

   Multichannel solutions focus on engaging customers via interacting with them across multiple channels. On the other hand, omnichannel focuses on improving customer experience by providing a consistent customer experience across multiple channels.

3. Strategy

   A multichannel approach largely focuses on channels. It aims to increase the number of channels used to promote a brand. On the other side, an omnichannel strategy is customer-centric. It focuses on customers instead of focusing on the channels.

4. Tools required

   In the case of multichannel solutions, agents may need to use different tools and systems for each channel, which may lead to an unproductive customer support experience. Using omnichannel solutions, agents are able to effectively handle all customer interactions through a unified platform. This leads to quick and efficient customer support service across all channels.

5. Data and Insights

   Multichannel solutions do not provide a holistic view of the customer journey across all channels. On the other hand, omnichannel solutions provide a complete view of customer interactions, allowing businesses to gain deeper insights into customer behavior and preferences.

Key Features of the Best Omnichannel Contact Center Software

Not sure whether your omnichannel contact software has the right features? Check out the list of top features and functionalities that every omnichannel contact center software should have.

1. Omnichannel routing

   Omnichannel routing works similarly to call routing. It enables businesses to direct customer inquiries through multiple channels to the most suitable agent or team. Using this feature, businesses can provide a seamless and consistent experience, no matter which channels the customer chooses to use.

2. Workforce management

   The workforce management feature enables businesses to create a more productive team. It helps to forecast customer demand, distribute workloads evenly, schedule and manage agent shifts, monitor and streamline agent scheduling, forecast future trends, and analyze data.

3. Analytics and reporting

   The analytics and reporting feature in omnichannel contact center software help to track and analyze data across all customer communication channels. Using this feature, users can get a comprehensive view of the customer journey which enables them to measure and improve customer experience across all touchpoints.

4. Customer segmentation

   Customer segmentation is an invaluable resource that allows organizations to divide and classify their customers based on common traits, like demographics, behavior, preferences, and more. Segmenting customers helps organizations in customizing their communication and other strategies to meet the key needs of various customer groups.

5. Self-service option

   The self-service option in the omnichannel contact center platform allows customers to access key information and get answers to their queries, without connecting to a live agent. For customers, this feature is a convenient and efficient way to complete routine tasks like updating account information, sending payments, checking order status, etc.

6. Business software integration

   The business software integration feature facilitates seamless integration with other business applications like customer relationship management (CRM) software, help desk software, and other marketing automation tools. This integration helps to enhance efficiency, simplify workflows, and improve overall customer experience.

7. Cloud architecture

   With cloud architecture features, businesses can efficiently deploy and manage their contact center infrastructure in a cloud-based environment, instead of on-premises. A cloud-based environment ensures better flexibility, scalability, and cost savings.

What to Look for in Omnichannel Contact Center Software?

When seeking for the best omnichannel contact center software, there are several key attributes and capabilities to consider. Below are some critical aspects to take into account:

1. Unified agent desktop

   Unified Agent Desktop (UAD) in omnichannel contact center software provides agents with a single, unified view of customer interactions across multiple channels. It enables agents to access key details like customer information, interaction history, and other relevant data from a centralized dashboard.

2. Easy integrations

   Make sure that the software you choose can easily integrate with other business applications and software systems, such as CRM, marketing automation, or sales automation software. Integrations enable seamless data exchange. This can also help organizations to centralize customer data, streamline workflows, and provide a more personalized and efficient customer experience.

3. Mobile apps

   Since remote work is in trend these days, organizations must look for mobile apps when choosing omnichannel contact center software. It allows agents to provide consistent support and engage with customers anytime and anywhere, even if the agent is not physically present in the office.

4. ACD system

   ACD or Automatic Call Distribution (ACD) system is a must-have tool in omnichannel contact center software. This service aids in directing incoming customer calls to the suitable agent or team, depending on competency, availability, or other criteria. Organizations can use this feature to manage and prioritize customer interactions across multiple channels.

5. Voice essentials

   Voice is undoubtedly a crucial communication channel for many customers. Therefore, it is important to look for voice essentials in omnichannel contact center software. Voice essentials are usually the features and capabilities such as call routing, IVR, voice recording, and real-time monitoring & reporting that enable organizations to manage and optimize their voice interactions with customers.

6. Scalability

   As a business grows, the expectations and demands of customers also change. Therefore, organizations must look for scalability factors when looking for omnichannel cloud contact center software. It can help them adapt and expand to meet the changing needs of their customers.

7. Customer support

   Strong customer support in omnichannel contact center software can help organizations implement and use the software more efficiently. It also ensures that businesses have access to the right resources and management they need to resolve issues swiftly and maximize the efficiency of the software. are.

8. Integration with other tools

   It is also important to look for integration with other tools in omnichannel contact center software. It lets businesses connect and share data between different systems, leading to increased efficiency, productivity, and better customer experience.

Top 5 Omnichannel Contact Center Software: Comparison

If you’re planning to purchase an omnichannel contact center software, you need to look at a few options and then make a decision. Below is the list of 5 best omnichannel contact center software that you can check and compare.

1. HoduCC

HoduCC Contact Center Software is one of the preeminent software for customer service management, offering a comprehensive suite of features to assist businesses in handling customer engagement across multiple channels.

HoduCC caters to the needs of all types of businesses including large enterprises, mid-size businesses, as well as small businesses. A reliable, secure, and agile solution, HoduCC can be delivered on the cloud or on-premise environments as per the user's preference.

This omnichannel contact center software also facilitates easy integration with various third-party applications including Twilio, Zoho PhoneBridge, Salesforce Platform, Telnyx, etc.

Features

• Automatic Call Distribution (ACD) system
• IVR for self-service options
• Predictive dialer for outbound campaigns
• Social media integration
• Live chat and email management
• Advanced reporting and analytics

Pros

• HoduCC is a contact center software with advanced features for managing customer interactions across multiple channels.
• It is easy to implement and configure, allowing users to quickly set up the software.
• The HoduCC has a user-friendly interface, making it easy for users to understand and navigate through the application efficiently.
• HoduCC facilitates easy integrations with third-party tools, allowing businesses to connect with their existing systems and workflows seamlessly.

Cons

• HoduCC is relatively new compared to other bigger platforms.

Starting Price

• Free demo available

2. Five9

Five9 is another popular name in the list of omnichannel cloud contact center software providers. Its scalability, reliability, and robust customer engagement capabilities make it an excellent choice for businesses of all types.

Five9 utilizes Artificial Intelligence (AI) capabilities to speed up and optimize the customer service process, helping customers reach the right information and agent quickly and effectively.

This omnicahnnel contact center platform also integrates with other widely-used applications such as Salesforce, Zendesk, and Microsoft Teams.

Features

• Omnichannel Routing
• Automatic Call Distribution (ACD)
• Interactive Voice Response (IVR)
• Chat, Email, and Social Media Support
• CRM Integration
• Workforce Management
• Reporting and Analytics

Pros

• Five9 software offers robust integration capabilities with popular CRMs.
• It has an in-built user interface and easy-to-use tools, making it user-friendly.
• Five9 provides advanced analytics and reporting features to track and analyze customer interactions.
• Five9 is a scalable and reliable cloud-based solution, that ensures flexibility and adaptability for businesses.
• Five9 offers flexible pricing plans to meet different business requirements.

Cons

• The more advanced capabilities of Five9 software are accessible only with the pricier plans.
• The customization options for the Five9 software are limited.
• Integrating with third-party software can sometimes be a difficult task.

Starting Price

• 4 paid bundled monthly plans from $149-$229/month

3. RingCentral

RingCentral is a cloud-based omnichannel contact center service platform and an ideal solution for any growing business.

Several communication methods, whiteboard tools, AI-powered online meeting features, easy file sharing & seamless collaboration on documents, are some of the key capabilities that make RingCentral an ideal unified communications solution for organizations that strive to promote teamwork and enhance the customer experience.

Moreover, RingCentral contact center software allows businesses to integrate their choice of business intelligence tools to boost and customize their workflows.

Features

• Omnichannel routing
• Advanced analytics and reporting
• AI-powered virtual assistants such as AI chatbots and workflows
• Integration with popular CRMs
• Call center management tools

Pros

• RingCentral offers an intuitive and user-friendly interface for its users.
• The RingCentral omnichannel contact center service platform ensures easy scalability, allowing businesses to grow and adapt without hassle.
• RingCentral provides seamless integration with various third-party applications, enhancing productivity and workflow efficiency.
• The RingCentral platform provides adaptable pricing plans to fit varied business requirements and budgets.

Cons

• The RingCentral software provides limited customization options for users.
• Social media integrations within the software are also limited.
• The automation features of the software are inadequate.

Starting Price

• The Essentials Plan is available for $19.99

4. Dialpad

Dialpad is a cloud-based communication platform providing omnichannel contact center software. It enables businesses to communicate with their customers through multiple channels.

With AI-powered capabilities, Dialpad omnichannel contact center software helps to build better customer relationships and enhance agent performance. The built-in AI also enhances agents' capability to address requests more quickly by streamlining processes and offering relevant advice.

Dialpad also allows organizations to integrate their favorite apps and build custom workflows to meet their specific business needs.

Features

• Omnichannel support
• AI-powered virtual assistant
• Real-time analytics
• Integration with well-known business applications such as Salesforce, Zendesk, and Slack, among others, is available.
• Mobile app to enable agents to work from anywhere.

Pros

• Dialpad is easy to set up and use, ensuring a seamless user experience.
• The Dialpad software offers advanced features such as AI-powered virtual assistants, enhancing productivity and efficiency.
• It can be integrated with popular business tools like Salesforce, Zendesk, and Slack, among others, allowing for streamlined workflows and data synchronization.

Cons

• The Dialpad software has limited reporting capabilities. 

Starting Price

• Standard Plan is available for $15 user/mo

5. Talkdesk

Another popular cloud-based omnichannel contact center software is Talkdesk. It comes with various advanced features to help businesses improve customer satisfaction.

Dialpad's customizable user interface, powerful AI automation, and integrations with numerous CRM and helpdesk applications make it an ideal solution for businesses of any size.

Besides, Talkdesk facilitates easy integration with various popular platforms like Salesforce, Zendesk, Slack Connector, Microsoft Teams, and more.

Features

• Advanced routing and IVR
• Real-time and historical reporting and analytics
• Integration with CRM, helpdesk, and other business tools
• AI-powered virtual assistants
• Mobile app for remote agents

Pros

• Talkdesk omnichannel call center software is easy to set up and use, simplifying the implementation process.
• The Talkdesk software provides customizable interfaces and workflows, allowing businesses to tailor the system to their specific needs and preferences.
• Talkdesk ensures superior customer support, providing assistance and guidance throughout the customer journey.

Cons

• Customers may face limited customization options for certain features when using the software.
• The Talkdesk software has limited integrations with other applications and platforms.
• Some customers find the price of the software to be high compared to other competitors in the market.

Starting Price

• The basic plan, priced at $75

Best Practices for Omnichannel Contact Centers

Here are some best practices that omnichannel contact centers must follow to provide better customer experiences.

1. Provide a consistent experience

   It is important to ensure that customers receive a consistent experience across all communication channels. This must include the use of unified branding, messaging, and tone of voice across channels. Customers will appreciate your services when their every experience is at par and satisfying.

2. Monitor and measure performance

   Another best practice is to continuously monitor and measure the performance (FCR, response time, customer satisfaction, and others) across all channels. This helps in identifying the areas for improvement and implementing the right strategies to ensure a seamless customer experience.

3. Identify top communication channels

   Organizations must identify the top communication channels so that they can focus their resources on the channels that are most important to their customers. By identifying the top channels, organizations can prioritize resources, improve customer satisfaction, Increase efficiency, and gain useful insights.

4. Don't neglect social media

   Social media plays a particularly important role in an contact center. This is due to the fact that social media management platforms can boost the effect of excellent or poor service. Customers who don’t receive a good response on social media are likely to show their frustration. On the other hand, you gain credibility if they like your service, follow you on social media, and leave positive comments.

5. Use automation to boost agent productivity

   Using automation tools is another best practice for contact centers as it helps to boost agent productivity. Automation can help reduce customer handling times, deliver consistent service, provide a more personalized experience, reduce workload, and improve overall efficiency.

6. Improve the internal knowledge base

   Improving the internal knowledge base is a best practice for contact centers as it can help agents deliver precise and consistent information across all channels. Access to a comprehensive and up-to-date knowledge base allows agents to provide fast responses and consistent service. This also helps to reduce training time for new agents.

7. Enable customer support through a mobile device

   Organizations must focus on offering customer support through mobile devices in contact centers. It can help them meet the increasing demand for mobile customer support and provide customers with a convenient and unified experience.

8. Integrate with CRM

   Integrating with CRM is the most important and best practice for contact centers. Integration can help organizations provide a more personalized and consistent customer experience across all channels.

9. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and automation

   To stay competitive in today’s time, it is vital to implement Artificial Intelligence (AI) and automation for contact centers. It can aid organizations in enhancing efficiency, output, and customer satisfaction. It also helps to save costs by reducing the need for human resources and manual tasks.

Key Challenges that an Omnichannel Contact Center Software Can Face

Although omnichannel contact center software can provide several benefits, it can also face some challenges. Here are some of the key challenges that an omnichannel contact center software can face:

1. Inconsistent customer experience

   Providing a consistent customer experience across all communication channels is one of the key challenges that an omnichannel contact center software can face. Especially when all the communication channels are not integrated properly, customers may get different information or inconsistent responses across different channels. This may lead to frustration and inconsistent customer experience.

   To address this challenge, contact centers must focus on cross-training agents on multiple channels, integrating customer data across channels, automation to deliver consistent responses, and tracking customer interactions across channels.

2. Spikes in outbound and inbound volumes

   In the absence of careful capacity planning and forecasting, omnichannel contact center software can face spikes in outbound and inbound volumes. This may further lead to longer wait times or delays in getting issues resolved, lower quality of service, system downtime or disruptions, and increased costs.

   To address this challenge, contact centers must incorporate well-planned strategies like flexible staffing models, self-service options for customers, automation, and cloud-based technology solutions that can scale up or down as needed.

3. Customer data and insights collection

   Customer data and insights collection can be a significant challenge for omnichannel cloud contact center software. Data silos can make it difficult to integrate and analyze, leading to incomplete or inaccurate insights into customer behavior and needs. Besides, the need to comply with data privacy regulations and protect customer information from unauthorized access or breaches, collect accurate and complete data, and analyze customer data effectively, all these things can be challenging for contact centers.

   To address this challenge, contact centers must implement strategies like data management policies and procedures, data governance frameworks, and analytics tools and technologies.

4. Limited self-service option

   Limited self-service option is another key challenge for omnichannel contact center software. The inability to create and maintain a comprehensive knowledge base, limited automation capabilities, and inadequate training to handle complex inquiries that cannot be resolved through self-service options can result in inconsistent and unsatisfactory customer experiences.

   To address this challenge, contact centers must invest in improving their knowledge base and automation capabilities. They must also provide ongoing training to their agents to empower them to handle complex inquiries.

What Is the Pricing for Omnichannel Contact Center Software?

As far as the price of omnichannel contact center software is concerned, it can vary from software to software depending on various factors. Things like the type of software provider you choose, the size of your organization, the number of users, the type of features and functionalities required, software implementation, training, & support service, customization, and customer support, all can greatly affect the pricing for omnichannel contact center software.

So, if you are looking for an omnichannel solution for your contact center, then you must determine your key requirements and evaluate the pricing and features offered by different vendors. After carefully evaluating all these factors, you can select the right omnichannel contact center software that best meets your specific requirements.

Conclusion

If you are looking for the best omnichannel contact center software, then this blog post must have provided you with valuable insights. Before making a final decision, make sure to do thorough research including the features and pricing plans offered by the software provider.