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This guide covers everything to keep in mind so you know what to expect.
How Much Does Call Center Software Cost?
Call center software ranges from $60 to $200+ per agent per month. That’s a pretty big range and doesn’t necessarily tell the whole story.
It’s like asking how much a car costs or how much it costs to build a house. You can estimate what you’ll pay, but there won’t be enough information to know how much you’ll pay when it’s all said and done.
Factors Affecting Call Center Software Pricing
There are many factors that will affect the cost of call center software. You can use the sections below to help you find a more accurate price, or at least a closer estimate.
Software Provider
Providers can charge whatever they want. It can vary significantly from one to another. Here are some of them. Best Call Center Software Providers Charge to show you what I mean:
- Color Central – Starts at $65 per agent per month.
- Dial pad – Starting at $80 per agent per month.
- Nextiva – Starting at $129 per agent per month.
- Five 9 – Starting at $175 per agent per month.
These are the starting rates for each provider’s cheapest plan. Everything goes up from there and depends on a wide range of other factors.
Call volume
Most providers charge a usage-based fee on their call center plans. These are usually billed per minute. How much you pay per minute often depends on call volume and call type.
For example, RingCentral’s basic monthly price per agent includes unlimited domestic inbound minutes but you have to pay for outbound calls. Nextiva offers both agent-based pricing and usage-based pricing, with prices starting at $0.018 per minute.
Some also charge different rates for inbound and outbound calls. Others offer unlimited inbound minutes, but you’ll pay a fee if the caller dials your 800 toll-free number.
See: Check us out. Review of Ring Central And Nextiva Review To learn more about our favorite call center solutions.
VoIP vs. on-premises deployment.
On-premise deployments require a significant up-front investment if you don’t have any infrastructure in place, easily surpassing the $10,000 to $20,000 mark. You’ll need onsite servers, networking components, other hardware and space to put it all together.
While your ongoing usage costs may be lower each month, you will need to consider ongoing maintenance and hiring employees to manage your system.
Cloud-based VoIP systems are very easy to set up and use. Plus, they usually have no up-front costs.
Call Center vs Contact Center
The terms “call center” and “contact center” are often used interchangeably, but they are not the same thing.
A true call center refers only to voice-based calling capabilities. Modern call center software comes with other features, but making calls is the primary function.
Contact centers typically include voice, but they often include other communication options — such as live chat, SMS messaging, social media, ticket support, and more.
Omni-channel contact center software costs more than a voice-only call center solution.
The only instance where a contact center might cost less is if the voice component is completely removed and you’re only using a basic help desk software to manage ticket support. Tools like LiveAgent offer this for just $15 per agent per month.
See: Learn more about Call Centers vs. Contact Centers.
Phone numbers
Instead of paying per number, you’ll typically pay per agent. A central call center line will likely be added, and callers will be routed to the correct agent based on your call routing rules.
That said, if you want to buy additional lines, 800 toll-free numbers, or vanity numbers, you’ll have to pay extra.
For example, RingCentral charges a one-time $30 setup fee to purchase a toll-free and vanity number and then $4.99 per month to maintain the number. This is a solid deal, as most other providers charge $10 to $15 per month for toll-free numbers.
Features and enhancements
Call center software comes with a lot of features. In most cases, many of these are only available at higher levels or as extras. You may need to upgrade or pay extra for things like:
- Power dialer.
- Auto dialer.
- Progressive dialer.
- Gamification features.
- IVR with speech recognition.
- Characteristics of Manpower Management.
- Live call monitoring.
- Call recording.
- Additional cloud storage.
- AI-powered customer satisfaction scores.
- AI call transcriptions.
- Built-in payments.
- Real-time AI agent support.
Most of these are more useful for larger teams that can afford the higher costs associated with opening them. However, each provider has different plan structures that include different features.
You may be able to save a little money on a lower plan with one provider while another requires you to stay on a higher tier.
International rates.
International calls are usually charged on a usage basis. The rate per minute varies depending on the country you are calling.
Some call center software providers have special international plans that can help you save some money if you plan to make a lot of calls to a particular country or region.
Zoom and 8×8, for example, both offer international options to help keep prices down.
See: Read our Zoom Phone Review And 8×8 review To learn more
integration
Many call center software providers limit integration to high levels. Some may even require you to pay extra for their use.
For example, integrating with your CRM is an important part of getting the most out of both pieces of software. In some cases, the two tools may have pre-built integrations that you can take advantage of. In other cases, you may need to use their APIs.
Either way, it’s important to understand that doing so may incur additional costs, especially if you’re on a more affordable call center plan.
In addition to integration, there are other things you’ll need to use your call center solution to its full potential. This includes things like:
Although they are not technically part of the software, if you don’t have high-speed and stable Internet, devices to access the Internet, and tools to ensure your call center continues to operate in the event of a failure. This software does not use much. .
Best practices for cheap call center software
If you’re optimizing for cost, there are a number of levers you can pull to keep costs to a minimum. Keep the following in mind as you shop around.
Start with a basic business phone system (if possible)
If your business is small or you don’t have a ton of agents, you may not really need full-fledged call center software.
See if you can get away with just a regular VoIP phone system. They are very cheap, starting at just $15 to $30 per month, and most providers offer unlimited calling at this price point.
Many of them also include IVR, call routing, and other useful capabilities.
If it works for you, you can use such a solution for as long as possible and upgrade to a full call center system as you grow.
Close the annual contract.
Most providers will give you a discount if you pay for a full year up front. This is the fastest way to save 10% to 15% instantly if you can afford it.
Be sure to read the fine print before signing. Some providers won’t let you remove seats until it’s time to renew your contract, so if your usage fluctuates throughout the year you could be stuck paying more than you need. can
Pay only for what you actually need.
It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the list of features and capabilities of modern call center software.
But just because you can do something, doesn’t mean you should.
Instead of looking at a feature list and thinking, “That’s great, let’s buy it,” focus on the essentials that you actually need to do the job. If you encounter an issue that requires an additional feature, you can purchase an add-on or upgrade your plan at that time.
As I mentioned, it’s usually more difficult to downgrade than to upgrade, especially if you’re locked into a long-term contract.
Negotiate with your provider.
Many businesses don’t realize that they can negotiate call center software prices. Instead of signing up for a plan online, it can take the time to talk to your sales team. Not only does this give you an opportunity to lower costs, but you’ll also gain a better understanding of how they interact with their customers.
You’ll also be able to ask questions, possibly see the software in action, and make sure it’s really the right choice for you before making any decisions.
If you’re worried, just remember that the worst they can say is no.
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