The best guide to call center software

The Best Guide to Call Center Software

Everything you need to know to get started with telemarketing.

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The only problem with call center software is getting started properly. We've made you a guide with everything you need to know to begin using call center software.

If you are already using a type of call center software, you might want to learn how to use it in the best possible way for your business. Keep reading to get tips on how to improve your workflows.

Download our complete guide to call center software here.

The guide contains answers to some of the internet's most frequently asked questions about call center software. Check out the different chapters online or download the full guide to your device.

 

Why get call center software?

How it benefits call agents, management and customers

1. Helpful for agents


Want to make the workday better for your call agents? Getting a call center software can be very helpful. With features such as call scripts, auto-dial, and automatic messages, the call center's agents will have a much smoother workflow.

Avoid confusion and optimize your onboarding process by making the software the work frame for your call center agents.

Call agents use call center software

2. Practical for management

One of the biggest perks of call center software is being able to develop your business based on reliable data.

Most call center software will give you quick access to reporting and data collecting. Get the complete overview of your business by using dashboards.

Call center software will help you get updated knowledge about your business and your customers. Something that's essential when it comes to planning a strategy and making important decisions.

You won't have to worry about constantly making sure you are compliant in your data collection. A proper call center software will help you do that.

Stay compliant with call center software

3. Better customer experience

Make sure your customers are meeting professionalism when they have a conversation with your call agents. Having the customer's information at hand at all times will help your callers provide the most informed customer service. 

Your customers will get better results because you get to spend time doing your core business tasks! Instead of spending valuable time dialing, reporting, and sending out booking emails manually, your call center software will do that for you. That way, you can concentrate on doing your best job.

 

What is the difference between outbound and inbound calls?

Know different functions and needs
Outbound calls

Outbound call centers handle a majority of outgoing calls. The employees - often referred to as 'call agents' - make calls to potential customers. Examples of this could be fundraising, telemarketing, or sales meeting scheduling.

Inbound calls

Inbound call centers handle a majority of incoming calls. It refers to your customers calling you instead of the other way around. It could be customer support at a tech company or appointment booking for patients at the doctor's office.

Call center business outbound and inboundKnow your needs

Knowing your primary function is key to getting the right tools. It makes perfect sense to have an autodialer if you have an outbound call center. Meanwhile, storing your customers' information is essential to excellent customer service in your inbound call center.

 

Predictive dialer software

Work more efficiently

A predictive dialer predicts when the call center has a free agent available to answer a call. The dialer then sends a call through to the agent at that moment to reduce wasting valuable time on waiting.

Predictive dialer software

Advantages of predictive dialer

Having a predictive dialer lets you automate outbound dialing and distribute the right call to the right agent. It helps call center agents to work more efficiently without having to dial phone numbers manually.

Where to get predictive dialer

A variety of call center software provides this service. Adversus is one of them. Learn how to get your predictive dialer up and running.

Want to know more about predictive dialer software? Check out this definition by TechTarget.

 

Do I use an auto dialer?

The purpose of getting an auto dialing tool

An auto dialer can be practical. Much like a predictive dialer, the auto-dialer is programmed to call a list of numbers until a call is answered. It sends the call through to a call center agent if someone is ready to answer the call - or it plays an automated message if no live agent is available.

Auto dialer phone call

The auto dialer’s purpose is to improve efficiency. However, it is a less intelligent tool than the predictive dialer as it can’t predict when there will be a live agent available to answer the call.

 

 

Outbound calls strategy

Reach the right people at the right time - with the right message

How do you make informed decisions and reach your business goals? It helps create a strategy for your call center, where you consider these three elements: Target audience, timing, and content.

1. Audience

Collecting data in a structured way is essential in getting to know your potential customers. If you get a call center software that also stores your contacts' data, you've come a long way already!  

Learn what's important to your customer: What do they ask you? Why do they accept or decline your offer? What do they worry about, and what are they looking for?

customer call center

Creating a buyer persona can be a helpful way to make your subjects more concrete and easier to work with. Learn how with this guide from Hubspot.

When you get new leads, it's a good idea to track where they are coming from while also logging your contact with each subject. Stay updated to keep developing.

2. Timing

Timing is - you guessed it - everything, especially when it comes to outbound calls.

Maybe your lead wants you to call them back later. Get a system that will notify you, so you won't miss an opportunity to close a sale.

Sometimes it can be hard to reach your contact at a specific time of the day. It can help to vary your timing. Make a notification appear more than 24 hours later than your last missed call, so you won't keep calling them at the same time every day.

Outbound call strategy

Are you calling other businesses? Keep an eye on opening hours when you are communicating B2B. Maybe you have an idea about when your target company makes decisions to purchase - be that time of the week, month, or year.

3. Content

When you've reached the right person at the right time, you want to deliver the right message.

To make the base of a strong conversation, you will need to identify your unique selling points, also referred to as your USPs. What makes you stand out compared to your competitors? This is what you need to focus on.

Remember your customers' perspective - not only your own. It's not about what you want to say, but what they want to hear. Connect to the wishes of your buyer persona.

Want to make sure your call agents stay on track during a conversation? Create a good call center script to help improve sales.

 

 

The perfect call center script

Stay on-brand and minimize errors

Why is it good to have a script for your call center agents? Because it helps streamline your brand’s communication while avoiding mistakes.

A script guides your employees to stay on track during a conversation - and the script can be particularly useful for new phoners who don't have a ton of experience.

call scripting

Here are five tips for your call script:

 

1. Use  a problem-solution pattern

Consider the questions that the customer potentially could ask and be prepared with the correct answers.

2. Write in a positive tone of voice

Focus on solutions instead of problems, and generally avoid ‘no’s and ‘not’s.

3. Know how to handle objections

A good way to do this is to consider why your customer could say no, and be prepared with an understanding, but still persuasive, response. This may take some time to get the hang of.

know how to handle objections in sales

4. Be compliant

Make sure you consider all legal issues like pinpointing important terms or getting consent when needed.

5. Evaluate and adjust

Your script should be agile and adaptable, so you can always be prepared for the right questions and objections.

Do you want a more in-depth guide? Check out our blog post on how to create the best call center script.

 

How to use call recordings

Make the most of your ressources

Did you know that using call recordings can remarkably increase the number of successful conversations in your organization?

use call recordings

Some of the uses for call recordings are obvious - such as reporting and documenting - while others are often overlooked.

Five examples of ways to use call recordings:
  1. Share your wins! Make an agent’s great sales pitch accessible to your other agents.
  2. Get to know your prospects. Listen to their objections, concerns, and attitudes.
  3. Re-listen before re-dialing. Your customer won't have to repeat themselves if you know what they said in the latest conversation.
  4. Better onboarding. Make new employees listen to recordings of good examples.
  5. Know your voice. Let your call agents listen to their voices to help them be comfortable and improve.

Wanna know even more? See the full list in our blog post on how to use call recordings.

 

 

The benefits of using call tracking

Learn what turns leads into customers

How do callers find your business? Use call tracking to find out. 

Your sales team and your marketing team can benefit from knowing which campaigns are making the phone ring.

Here's a shortlist of how call tracking can help your business:
  1. Increase conversion by collecting data that will turn callers into buyers.
  2. Improve lead generation by learning which marketing campaigns work.
  3. Appeal to buyers by localizing your phone number based on geography.
  4. Discover keywords that generate calls and focus on optimizing them.
  5. Gain customer feedback that will help you improve your business

In short, call tracking can help you make smarter decisions based on detailed data, making the most of your time and improving your business.

help your business using call tracking

 

 

 

Integration possibilities

Connect your call center software to your favorite tools

There are different types of software to integrate with your call center software. Your business will have different needs depending on where you are in your process with your customer.

adversus platform

  • Before prospect or customer contact

It’s essential to have platforms for generating leads integrated with your caller software. Maybe you want to use website sign-up forms or social media campaigns. 

No matter where your leads are coming from, you want to have a system that organizes potential customers' contact information. A Custom Relationship Management - or CRM system - will help you get the full overview of your contacts.

  • During customer contact

The CRM system is also essential when you are on the phone with a prospect or customer. Have their information available at all times to provide the best service for them - and avoid miscommunication.

Are your phone calls generating buyers directly? Then you might also want a payment system integrated with your call center software such as MobilePay or PayPal. 

Other practical software to integrate with customer contact is email platforms and calendar systems, especially if you schedule appointments on the phone.

Communicate optimally on your team during a customer call with a business communication app such as Slack. Let your sales team know about a new warm lead right away, or ask IT on behalf of a customer. If you integrate with communication software, you will be able to work more efficiently.

  • After a call

You want to save your data after your conversations to avoid losing valuable information that could help you improve your business. Once again, integrating with CRM software is essential. 

Meanwhile, real-time result software such as Plecto can help motivate your callers while keeping everyone on your team up to speed with your achievements.



The advantages of integrating software

By integrating your different software and platforms, you avoid manual processes. This saves time and makes it easier to minimize errors.

It also creates a much better work experience and overview for your team since you avoid working in too many different systems.

If you use integrations properly, it will support your business in the best way - and maintain a great communication flow between your different teams that will strengthen your organization as a whole.

integration software

 
Don’t miss out on important integrations

When all customer contact becomes more and more data-driven, having the right software is probably one of the most important things for your business. 

The more you can integrate, the better. If you are working with Adversus as your call center software, you will be able to create your own integrations to fit your organization's specific needs.

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