Businesses know how important it is to have customer support that is second to none. It does not matter how good a business’s products and services are; customers will have questions and feedback about their purchases, making customer support indispensable for businesses to maintain and build customer relations. So, to tackle such issues, businesses have now started investing in a call center platform, essentially software that streamlines and improves multiple facets of customer service.

Evolution of call center platforms
Traditional call centers had a simple system in place, i.e., telephonic interaction between a customer service representative and a customer. While it worked well, it had a limited scope, and customers often experienced long wait times and frequent call drops. Additionally, dialect barriers would result in extensive miscommunication.

Today, call center support has evolved. Various tools, such as Interactive Voice Response (IVR) systems to guide callers through a menu of options before connecting them to an agent, have been implemented. Also, if a customer wants to avoid speaking to someone over the phone, they can send an email or opt for the live chat option. Multichannel support has immensely helped businesses improve customer satisfaction.

Benefits
A call center platform offers a range of benefits for businesses and customers.

Automatic call routing
With this feature, a call center can automate incoming and outgoing calls. The IVR system contains pre-recorded greetings, answers to frequently asked questions, and menu options to help customers easily find resolutions. If the customer cannot find a resolution, they can always connect to a live agent with the push of a button.

Improved performance insights
Managers can use the software to monitor their agents’ performance in real time. For instance, a call monitoring feature lets the lead and other agents listen to live calls in real time. This helps the business provide ample feedback to the agent and offer improvement tips as soon as possible.

Better ticket resolutions with CRM integrations
Computer telephony integration (CTI) enables call center software to integrate directly with a business’s CRM. This means that when an existing customer calls support, the CTI technology recognizes the contact information and automatically pulls up the customer’s profile for the agent. This allows employees to be better prepared to answer customer concerns.

Good call recording capability
Businesses need to record phone, email, or chat conversations to identify problems and maintain and improve customer satisfaction. This is where the software comes in. It can maintain these records, which can help businesses address any discrepancies, including miscommunication. For instance, one can always go back and listen to a customer call if they did not fully understand the query before the call dropped or was disconnected.

Improved security
Businesses often deal with sensitive data that is important to them when customers call the customer service center. Call center software usually comes with features like instant cloud backup, which helps store and secure the information on the system. This way, businesses do not have to worry about losing client information, and the security system ensures customers’ data is protected against malicious or unauthorized activity.

Urgent call identification
A customer’s query could be general or urgent. A call center platform has features that can identify urgent requirements and prioritize the call, email, or chat. For instance, if a customer needs to block their card, the platform can prioritize the call by routing it to a specialized team. This way, the customer data is safeguarded against theft as soon as possible.

Businesses should invest in a call center platform for several reasons. The benefits listed are just a few that can help businesses build and maintain customer relations.

Tips to choose a call center platform
The key to good customer service is finding a platform that best fits a business’s needs and goals. So, before selecting the ideal call center platform, a few considerations must be made.

Look for integration features
Ensuring that the platform has integration options is essential so that adjustments can be made as a business evolves.

Check after-sales support
While the call center platform will address customer queries, a business must ensure the platform has reliable after-sales support to address any software problems. Quick fixes can help businesses prevent monetary loss and customer dissatisfaction.

Determine ease-of-use
Finding software with all relevant features is important, but a business should also ensure it is easy to use. Since employees must operate the system, having a clean, readable, and simple interface can improve productivity and reduce errors.

Ensure it is worth the money
Investing in a call center platform is a significant investment. So, a business must set a budget before researching its options. This will ensure that a business does not unnecessarily pay for features that might not be required.

Top call center platforms
Multiple call center platforms exist; businesses can choose one depending on what features they want in a call center platform. CloudTalk, RingCentral, Nextiva, Grasshopper, 8×8, Vonage, Dialpad, 3CX, and VirtualPBX are among the leading call center platforms to check out.