When it comes to CRM connections and interoperability, the majority of call center technologies barely touch the surface.
But TalkDesk goes above and beyond by offering the sector’s most thorough Salesforce connectivity.
To enable two-way data sync, the majority of the other choices on our list need complex APIs and modification, however TalkDesk works differently.
The integration already includes two-way data synchronization. Therefore, regardless of whether software first stored the data, you never have to worry about entering information twice or encountering data synchronization delays.
In addition, TalkDesk provides a wide range of pre-designed automated workflows that are intended to do away with duplicate and repetitive chores across the two platforms.
When a member of your team misses a call and the user leaves a voicemail, you can, for instance, have Salesforce instantly generate a new case.
As a result, your agents don’t need to manually create a new case, and they are immediately informed of a missed call.
With such a thorough integration, you may set it up to start automated processes in Salesforce when certain TalkDesk actions take place. Additionally, it functions the other way around.
Integration: best call center software for your business
Additionally, agents can use screen pops within Salesforce that collect all pertinent caller data from both platforms to help them get up to speed before picking up the phone. Behind the scenes, you can use this information to direct callers to the appropriate agent.
Customers benefit from a personalized experience and quicker response times as a result.
The integration enables you to handle SMS and email support requests in Salesforce without utilizing a different system.
Additionally, you can integrate analytical dashboards and unique reports into Salesforce, providing users with a clear image at a glance as soon as they log in.
Your membership comes with 20+ pre-built historical reports that you may use as-is or modify to meet your needs.
The nicest aspect is that it’s simple to set up and use, though. In less than 30 seconds, Salesforce administrators may adjust user access and add additional licenses.
So they can continue utilizing a user interface they are already comfortable with without having to learn a new platform.
To make sure you’re utilizing your new software to its full potential, TalkDesk provides a number of add-on services for personalized onboarding, strategy development, user enablement, and success.
Hundreds of videos, webinars, publications, datasheets, how-to guides, and the entire TalkDesk Academy are also available.
See also: Top 10 Small Business Phone Systems – 2026 Expert Guide
Programs for different jobs: best call center software for your business
There are also certification programs for different jobs. You won’t ever have to be concerned about using the platform alone thanks to all of that and the platform’s award-winning customer service.
Only custom pricing is available from TalkDesk, although there are three tiers to choose from, including:
The Salesforce integration and other inbound calling capabilities aimed at improving the customer experience are included in all three tiers.
You don’t require the sophisticated functionality needed by high-volume contact centers if you and your staff only handle a small number of calls each day.
Additionally, you don’t have to spend as much money on something you’re only going to use sometimes.
FreshCaller provides the ideal answer. With its free option, there are no monthly expenses; instead, you only pay for the minutes you utilize.
Your staff may place and receive calls simply from their web browser, so you don’t need any new equipment or even a phone system. As a result, it is simple to set up, requires no special hardware, and is ideal for sporadic use.
It’s a wonderful solution whether you’re conducting sales and marketing outreach or customer support because it enables both inbound and outbound calls.
You can add an infinite number of users to the free plan, but you must purchase your phone numbers from FreshCaller.
Toll-free numbers cost $2 a month, while local numbers cost $1. The free plan is therefore not truly free. Simply put, using it doesn’t need paying a hefty monthly cost.
The free plan includes all the features you require, including configurable desktop notifications for incoming calls, personalized greetings, call blocking so you are not forced to pay for unnecessary calls, and iOS and Android mobile apps.
The best thing, though, is that you can set up a customized incoming caller ID to show previous communications and important details about the caller before answering.
Before they even answer the phone, this enables agents to comprehend the caller’s motivation. When a result, as they deliver the greeting, they may confirm that they are the best person to handle the call and learn more about the caller.
To ensure that everyone is always on the same page, even if a different agent takes the call the following time, agents can also take notes directly on the platform while on the phone.
On the free plan, there are minute usage fees that cover:
- Inbound calls from browsers cost $0.016 per minute
- $0.014 per minute for incoming voicemail
- Starting at $0.022 per minute for outgoing
Each of these is for a local number. We don’t advise using toll-free numbers unless absolutely necessary because the prices are substantially higher.
Upgrade to FreshCaller’s Blossom plan if you want something a little more sophisticated or utilize more over 1,000 minutes per user. You pay $15 per user every month, with 1,000 free incoming minutes included for each user, as opposed to paying per minute.
After 1,000 minutes, you must pay $0.013 for each additional minute.
This package is more affordable than the free option if you consistently use 1,000 monthly minutes per user.
Additionally, you may import your current phone system and numbers into the platform. As a result, if you already have phone numbers, you can avoid paying extra for them.
To guarantee that calls reach the appropriate agent, you may also use team routing, business hours, wait queues, call recording, voicemail, and click-to-call functionality in Chrome.
Despite being less sophisticated than the other choices on our list, these capabilities are more than sufficient for sporadic inbound and outgoing calls.
If you’re considering levels above the Blossom plan, we advise choosing a different solution on our list unless you currently use FreshDesk or FreshWorks CRM. We only recommend FreshCaller for low volume and infrequent use.
Methodology for Choosing the Best Call Center Software
There are many different variables that affect the functionality and call center software available. As a result, deciding which one is ideal for you and your team is not always simple.
There are many factors to take into account, including feature sets, implementation, automation options, tools for monitoring agent performance, and integration with the technologies you already use.
We developed a system that you can use to sort through choosing the finest call center software and get rid of any uncertainty or worries you could have.
Outbound vs. Inbound Calls
The type of calls you handle have an impact on the features you require to truly improve your business processes, so this is the most important thing to take into account when making your final decision.
Some firms might only deal with one or the other, while some of you might deal with both on a daily basis.
Outbound Calling – Sales, Marketing, and Outreach
Choose call center software with outbound-specific functionality if you must make outbound calls for your sales, marketing, or outreach.
There are helpful tools like click-to-call, automatic dialing, and predictive dialing that can help increase agent efficiency specifically for outbound calling.
Your team can reach more people, close more deals, produce more leads, or build better connections in less time with the help of these features.
Our top picks for outbound dialing are Five9 and PhoneBurner.
Inbound Calls – Customer and Internal Support
If you choose inbound-specific call center software, you may benefit from a ton of features that will help you automate your procedures, speed up response times, and increase agent productivity.
You must first choose if you want callers to autonomously route themselves to the appropriate agent using their touchpad or voice rather than relying on an operator to do it for them.
In some circumstances, you can configure this kind of technology to respond to frequently asked inquiries without ever having the caller speak to an agent.
So that callers can learn when you’re open and what you do without having to speak to anyone, you could, for instance, have an option to set your hours of operation and services offered.
This feature is referred to as interactive voice response (IVR).
An alternative is automatic call distribution (ACD), which sends callers according to predetermined rules and triggers you set up on the back end.
The majority of the inbound-specific alternatives listed here provide both in one way or another, but we strongly advise speaking with a sales representative to make sure the software meets all of your requirements.
You should carefully evaluate any other features you might require, such as:
- services that will call you back if you are disconnected
- Chatbots to assist with common inquiry answers
- Tools for self-service that will cut down on pointless calls
- When no one is available to answer, leave a voicemail
- Tools for teamwork so agents can cooperate
- workflow automation to get rid of menial jobs
The Basic or Advanced plans from RingCentral, Twilio Flex, Avaya, or Dixa are our top picks for inbound-specific suggestions.
Both inbound and outbound capabilities are required.
There are a number of alternatives on our list that cover both use cases, whether your organization is expanding or you’re trying to consolidate your contact center tech stack.
Our top picks for this are Five9 and the Ultimate package from RingCentral.
Integrating CRM
The functionality of both products is greatly increased when your call center software is integrated with your CRM platform.
The greatest integrations eliminate the need for frequent tool switching by enabling your staff to make and receive phone calls right from your CRM.
However, there are many more advantages to linking these two systems, such as the following:
- centralized contact information and conversation history logs
- notification of incoming calls automatically with contact details
- autodialing the appropriate people at the appropriate moment
- combining several channels of communication into one
- enabling agents to utilize a well-known interface
- smart inbound call routing
- Logging interactions automatically
However, not all call center tools have the same degree of CRM software integration. Some may seamlessly transfer data between them, but your CRM won’t allow agents to place calls directly from it.
Additionally, some call center software only integrates with particular CRMs.
For instance, Five9 already integrates with Salesforce. To develop bespoke integrations via APIs and SDKs for other CRM platforms, though, you’ll require an IT specialist or expert support.
Therefore, it’s essential to select software that integrates well with your CRM, but you also need to be aware of how they interact before making a final choice.
Number of Users and Call Volume
Per-minute or per-user price are the two primary options. The number of calls you handle each day determines which one is best for your team.
The more cost-effective option is per-minute charging for call centers with lesser call traffic.
Per-user pricing with unlimited minutes included makes more sense for greater volumes. If you’re unsure which path to choose, we advise calculating your monthly expenses. For a more precise price, you can also speak with a sales person.
The majority of the choices on this list provide both pricing structures. Twilio Flex only offers usage-based pricing, while PhoneBurner only offers per-user pricing.
There are minimum user and use requirements set by some providers.
If you only have one or two agents, Dixa, for instance, is not a practical solution because it requires a minimum of eight agents. Instead, pick software that can handle the size of your company both now and in the future.
Implementation and Onboarding
A large workforce or seasoned personnel who are less tech-savvy than others may make the process of implementing new software difficult.
Since cloud-based phone systems might not feel as natural, this is especially true for them.
Without the correct training and targeted onboarding, switching from traditional phones to utilizing a computer may be highly disruptive.
To make matters worse, before you can begin using the program throughout your company, administrators, supervisors, or your IT staff must create new reports, create workflows, and customize the software to meet your needs.
So, when you’re setting things up and running, it’s essential to choose call center software with thorough training materials and onboarding support.
To find out what kinds of training the provider offers and whether it is included with your subscription, you should carefully browse the company’s website.
Before you invest, another thing to think about is getting in touch with their customer support team via a variety of support channels to inquire about implementation and assess their responsiveness.
When you bring someone new onto your team, onboarding them is just as crucial as initial installation and onboarding, which are both significant tasks.
Will a support representative be on hand to assist you, or are you responsible for carrying it out on your own? You can rely on some software suppliers to assist with new hires because they give onboarding support as long as you’re a paying client.
However, not all providers give this, so it’s crucial to take that into account.
Ongoing Support
What kind of support will you receive after your initial implementation? What occurs when you are unable to resolve a problem or when the system fails? Will you also receive instructions for new features or more sophisticated capabilities when you require them?
To make sure you continue getting the most out of your new software as your company expands and you hire additional agents, you’ll need training materials and ongoing support.
For instance, Five9 consistently goes above and above for their clients. In addition to offering all of their clients specialized services at no additional cost, they also have an extraordinarily rich online help center that is jam-packed with guides, videos, and tutorials.
Some providers even give you access to a specialized account manager who can help you anytime you need it. But not every supplier follows this policy.
Continuous assistance should be a key factor in your choice, from custom report creation to real-time troubleshooting.
Even so, you might have a hard time learning anything about this without researching.
It might be beneficial to get in touch and express your concerns regarding future care and continuing assistance. From there, you can gauge how long it will take to receive assistance and learn what to anticipate in the future.
If you know someone who is using the software right now, you can also check out customer testimonials and get in touch with past users to learn more about their experiences.
