Improve the customer experience with call monitoring

Even though call centers are well-established in customer service teams, they’re still evolving—and so is the technology for them. An example is call monitoring software, which enables agents and supervisors to listen to and learn from past customer conversations. Managers can also guide new agents in real time and take over when a support call goes astray.

Read more to explore call monitoring software and its benefits, features, and best practices.

Call monitoring software is a technology that records phone conversations between customers and support agents. Generally speaking, customer service departments record calls to collect customer feedback and facilitate training for new agents.

In addition to creating recordings, call monitoring software allows other employees (like a supervisor) to listen in on a live support call without alerting the customer or agent—this is known as call listening.

There are many different types of call monitoring systems—the best ones enable supervisors to coach their agents, monitor call interactions, and glean insights from real-time metrics. Most call monitoring software solutions also use artificial intelligence (AI) tools, such as chatbots, to help streamline workflows.

If you’re looking to integrate quality monitoring software for call centers within your business, gain some inspiration from this list of the 14 best call center monitoring systems.

1. Zendesk

2. Zoho Desk

3. LiveAgent

4. Talkdesk

5. Twilio Flex

6. CallHippo

7. Freshdesk

8. Invoca

9. Dialfire

10. Kixie

11. Contacto

12. CloudTalk

13. Acefone

14. Aircall

1. Zendesk

The Zendesk omnichannel call monitoring software is integrated within the Zendesk Agent Workspace to help create a smooth customer experience. This tool supports growing teams by quickly solving issues while tracking and increasing phone support operations. It also functions on a single dashboard to boost the productivity of your operations and allows your team to deliver top-notch customer service.

When it comes to call quality monitoring, Zendesk gives supervisors the opportunity to track and assess all agent interactions with customers to help identify areas of improvement. This includes call recordings, customer conversations, and queue volumes that are shown with real-time metrics and reporting.

With these tools, agents and supervisors can use cross-channel reporting to see where voice performance stacks up against chat, email, messaging, and other conversational channels.

The cloud-based software is also easy to set up and can support full call center operations in a short amount of time. So, there’s no need to hire additional support or involve the IT team.

Plus, with omnichannel routing, calls can be routed to the right agent based on status and capacity. Zendesk offers several flexible plans to help businesses of different sizes resolve issues quickly and meet their other pressing needs.

Features

• APIs, SDKs, and integrations

• IVR

• Omnichannel support

• Priority phone numbers

• Embedded call back within the web widget

• Voicemail and text messaging

• Call recording

• Click-to-call capability

• Outbound caller ID

• Inbound calling

• Overflow, group, and after-hours call routing

• 90+ telephony providers

Pricing

• Suite Team: $55 per user/month

• Suite Growth: $89 per user/month

• Suite Professional: $115 per user/month

• Suite Enterprise: Contact sales

Free trial

• Free 14-day trial

2. Zoho Desk

Zoho Desk is a call monitoring software solution that helps improve agent productivity and simplify customer service operations. Agents can track customer requests across brands, products, departments, channels, and more.

Zoho Desk helps teams dedicate more time to customers, facilitates quicker resolutions, and makes doing business simpler with its easy-to-use dashboards. Additionally, the built-in AI allows support staff to provide strong customer service and manage day-to-day tasks.

Features

• Ticket management

• AI and live chat

• Reporting and insight dashboards

• Task automation

Pricing

• Standard: $14 per user/month

• Professional: $23 per user/month

• Enterprise: $40 per user/month

Free trial

• Free 15-day trial

3. LiveAgent

LiveAgent is cloud-based omnichannel call monitoring software with advanced features, such as unlimited call recording, call routing, call transfers, and HD video calls. Agents can improve customer communications with real-time monitoring, call center metrics, and a desktop experience that displays multiple conversation channels at once.

LiveAgent boasts a built-in knowledge base that provides customers with 24/7 online support, plus a self-serve knowledge base for offline support. It also has unique email features, including email forwarding, email notifications for new tickets, and customizable email templates.

Features

• Real-time monitoring and call center metrics

• Omnichannel help desk software

• Internal call capabilities

• Third-party CRM integrations

Pricing

• Ticket: $15 per user/month

• Ticket+Chat: $29 per user/month

• All-inclusive: $49 per user/month

Free trial

• Free 14-day trial

4. Talkdesk

Talkdesk is another cloud-based call monitoring system that allows you to communicate from any device. This platform features omnichannel and workforce engagement, employee collaboration tools, and customer experience analytics.

Talkdesk also provides real-time status updates about customers and timeline estimates for issue resolution.

Learn how you can integrate Talkdesk with Zendesk.

Features

• Cloud-based contact center

• AI technology

• Self-service capabilities

• Customer experience analytics

Pricing

• CX Cloud Essentials: $75 per user/month

• CX Cloud Elevate: $95 per user/month

• CX Cloud Elite: $125 per user/month

Free trial

• Free demo only (upon request)

5. Twilio Flex

Twilio Flex is a contact center platform that features API integrations, custom metrics, KPI monitoring, and the ability to create custom engagement workflows and intelligent routing.

With Twilio Flex, agents can utilize API integrations to pull in customers’ past orders, payment information, inventory data, and more. Agents can add these details to reports with drag-and-drop ease and easily share them across your organization.

Learn about Twilio Flex for Zendesk.

Features

• Multichannel customer service

• Reporting dashboards

• Contact center management

• Application integration

Pricing

• Per-hour: $1 an hour per user

• Per-month: $150 per user/month

Free trial

• Free demo only (upon request)

6. CallHippo

CallHippo is call monitor software that helps increase agent productivity, monitor team performance, and automate workflows.

With its IVR capability, live call monitoring, and smart call routing, the platform allows agents to deliver a smooth customer experience. Internal teams can also collaborate on calls and share information through a dashboard.

Learn about CallHippo for Zendesk.

Features

• Speech analytics

• Call tracking

• Voice broadcasting

• Power dialer

Pricing

• Bronze: $16 per user/month

• Silver: $24 per user/month

• Platinum: $40 per user/month

Free trial

• Free 10-day trial

7. Freshdesk

Freshdesk has many features to boost call center performance, such as click-to-call, call notes capabilities, caller ID context, and call metrics and summary. Calls can be recorded and monitored in the future for training purposes, further strengthening your call center team.

Support agents can also easily manage customer calls and collaborate internally within the software. For example, you can invite other members of your team to collaborate on a complex issue. The learnings can be used to guide interactions for future calls.

Features

• Service level monitoring

• Abandoned call metrics

• Call center reporting and analytics

• Real-time dashboard

Pricing

• Growth: $15 per user/month

• Pro: $39 per user/month

• Enterprise: $69 per user/month

Free trial

• Free 21-day trial

8. Invoca

Features

• Real-time customer insights

• Automated call scoring

• Dashboards and reporting

• Call recording, transcripts, and scores

Pricing

• Contact team for pricing

Free trial

• Free demo only (upon request)

9. Dialfire

Dialfire is call monitoring software with a predictive dialer, inbound and outbound calling, unlimited customizable data fields, call monitoring and recording, and secure data and voice encryption.

With Dialfire, agents can also take advantage of real-time analytics and handle various phone campaigns on a centralized platform. Dialfire integrates with Zendesk Sell to help accelerate your campaigns.

Features

• Inbound and outbound calling

• Real-time analytics

• Customizable dashboards

• Integration capabilities

Pricing

• Basic: $15 per user/month

• Advanced: $20 per user/month

• Professional: $25 per user/month

• Enterprise: $35 per user/month

Free trial

• Free version available

10. Kixie

To help boost quality monitoring in call centers, Kixie provides automated calling and texting in an all-in-one contact center—complete with tracking tools and advanced inbound routing to voicemail.

Agents can text customers via SMS on a business phone number. They can also take advantage of an easy-to-configure IVR system, which routes callers to groups, call queues, or other agents.

Kixie boasts reporting dashboards that highlight outcomes, connections, SMS queues, and more. The company offers seamless support and call integration with Zendesk, too.

Features

• Unlimited cloud storage

• Call and text integrations

• Scheduled auto calls

• Custom automation

Pricing

• Integrated: $35/month

• Professional: $65/month

• Outbound Power Dialer: $95/month

Free trial

• Free 14-day trial

11. Contacto

Contacto is an omnichannel call monitor software solution that easily integrates customer conversations with your existing systems. Supervisors can empower their agents with real-time guidance and call data that identifies performance trends.

Additionally, Contacto has a drag-and-drop workflow builder to boost productivity, and it integrates with third-party applications—including Zendesk—to help drive agent productivity.

Features

• Reporting and analytics

• API integration

• Omnichannel workflows

• Call transfers and recording

Pricing

• Professional: $35 per user/month

• Business: $65 per user/month

Free trial

• Free demo only (upon request)

12. CloudTalk

With its cloud-based platform, CloudTalk allows call centers to operate virtually and from anywhere in the world. Agents can improve customer service with CloudTalk’s many features, such as call queuing, call recording, personalized phone numbers and extensions, power dialer, and integration capabilities.

A real-time dashboard tracks all call center activities to help agents stay on top of tasks and access the most up-to-date information. Agent statistics are also easily accessible, so the team can get insights on how to improve.

The CloudTalk for Support app integrates with Zendesk.

Features

• Call queuing and recording

• Internal calling capabilities

• Real-time customer information

• Automated call distribution

Pricing

• Starter: $25 per user/month

• Essential: $30 per user/month

• Expert: $50 per user/month

Free trial

• Free 14-day trial

13. Acefone

Acefone is a VoIP phone system that helps increase efficiency with auto-dialers, call transfer, click-to-call capabilities, and SMS auto-notification workflows. Acetone also features IVR, call detail reports, and end-to-end encryption to ensure that all customer data and conversations stay secure.

Agents who use Acefone can maximize their productivity and optimize processes with features such as call barge, detailed reports, missed call alerts, and text-to-speech. Acefone also allows agents to set up custom ringbacks and custom music or message on hold.

Learn more about Acefone for Zendesk.

Features

• Click-to-call

• Call forwarding and transfer

• Text-to-speech

• Scheduled callbacks

Pricing

• Business: $24.99 per user/month

• Premium: $32.99 per user/month

Free trial

• Free 15-day trial

14. Aircall

Aircall’s call monitor software helps agents learn from client conversations and provide better experiences. Aircall offers many phone system features, such as toll-free number creation, customizable voicemails, SMS business text messaging, and personalized three-digit extensions for team members.

The software also has unlimited concurrent calls, ring groups (groups you can create based on similar traits to improve call routing), and pause-resume recording to keep certain customer information private.

Aircall integrates with Zendesk—the Aircall for Support app helps improve collaboration within your customer service team.

Features

• Call center analytics

• Call routing

• Real-time activity feed

• Call queuing

Pricing

• Essentials: $30 per user/month

• Professional: $50 per user/month

Free trial

• Free 7-day trial

From accessing customer service interactions across multiple platforms to tracking and analyzing customer calls, many features make call monitoring software a great tool for businesses. Here are the top features to look for when choosing a call monitoring system.

In any industry, call monitoring software helps supervisors ensure agents’ performance is on track and they have all the tools they need. There are many advantages for customers, agents, management, and the business as a whole. Explore some of the top benefits of call center monitoring software below.

• Provide support for new team members

  Call center monitoring software is an essential tool for supporting new agents in real time and in training sessions. Not only can supervisors provide feedback during calls, but newer agents can also learn from seasoned agents by listening to their calls or certain parts of their calls.

  In short, call monitoring makes it possible for supervisors, managers, and agents to support and learn from each other. With the call listening feature in Zendesk, remote managers and agents can listen in on calls from anywhere.

• Emphasize quality over quantity

  As support teams scale and ticket volume explodes, it’s all too easy to take shortcuts. One of the most common shortcuts is not dedicating the proper time and resources to training and quality assurance. Call center monitoring software doubles as an invaluable quality assurance and training tool.

  Supervisors can spot-check agents from time to time by listening to their calls and making sure agents are performing to company standards. That way, no matter how large your operation grows, you’ll always have your eye on quality over quantity.

• Gather feedback from the source

  Analytics, interviews, and surveys are great ways to collect information about your customers. If you can layer in data from recordings of customer conversations to your analysis, you’ll gain invaluable insights into what drives, inspires, frustrates, and delights your audience.

  This is especially valuable for managers who are often too busy to have many customer interactions. With call monitoring, managers can jump onto a call and gain raw data straight from the source.

• Identify areas of improvement

  Supervisors can use call monitoring software features—like call listening, recording, and barge/takeover—to identify improvement areas and gaps in agent training. Additionally, most call monitoring systems have reporting and metric dashboards, so you can share data and insights with the whole team.

There are many different types of call monitoring systems available, each with its own set of unique qualities and features. Here are some considerations to keep in mind when evaluating call center quality monitoring software.

Current and future fit

For better or worse, software purchases often come about as a result of a pressing need—the purchaser often feels pressure to source software that solves it.

When possible, choose a call center monitoring system based on how useful it will be as you scale your support team. Remember that teams, products, markets, and service strategies are in a constant state of flux. Your call monitoring solution should be flexible enough to work for your team—and business—as it evolves.

The overall call center software features

Call monitoring is only one specific feature of call center software, so it’s essential to search for a solution that offers additional robust features. These include:

• Routing to ensure calls go to the right agent, every time

• Reporting and analytics to keep an eye on trends, staffing, and where to improve

• Unified customer view

Zendesk gives businesses the ability to track and manage support conversations from a unified view. Liberty London, for example, utilized Zendesk software to manage phone and email conversations in a single location. The system captured all customer data, and agents could receive calls on various devices using the Zendesk voice-over-IP phone.

Avid Ratings also takes advantage of Zendesk integrations. By leveraging Zendesk for support ticketing, integrated voice software, knowledge base, and reporting functionality, the company was able to create a more customer-centric product and cut response times by 67 percent.

Time to value (TTV)

A successful software purchase depends on more than capabilities and price. It’s just as important to buy software that your organization can and will deploy, use, and evolve with. Accomplishing that requires software that your colleagues can extract value from as quickly as possible.

Time to value (TTV), or uptime, is how quickly you can set up a product or service and start experiencing results. When a call monitoring system has a fast time to value, employees can see the impact of the solution for themselves sooner rather than later. This will vastly accelerate adoption among your team, executives, and other stakeholders.

Once you choose your call monitoring software, it’s time to implement the system. Read on for call monitoring software best practices to improve your call center quality.

Create the right team and provide training

Make the call monitoring process as smooth as possible by designating the right call quality monitoring team. This team should primarily consist of contact center supervisors, managers, and top-performing call center agents.

Make sure your team is trained and thoroughly understands your brand and customer service standards so they can deliver high-quality customer experiences.

Establish your KPIs and call quality standards

When implementing your call center quality monitoring software, you’ll want to set KPIs and quality standards for your team. This gives you a way to track and meet goals.

Examples of KPIs include:

• Average call abandonment rate

• Percentage of blocked calls

• Average time in queue

• Average answer speed

• Average handle time

• Net Promoter Score®

• First call resolution rate

You can measure call quality standards by using customer satisfaction surveys and asking questions like:

• Did the agent provide value by mentioning additional services or products?

• Did the agent provide a good experience for the customer?

• Did the agent ask for feedback after the call?

• Did the agent meet all compliance standards?

You should also define what is on- and off-script. Tell your agents the extent to which a call script should be followed.

Ask for feedback

It’s important to keep a continuous feedback loop—this applies internally and externally. Internally, this can mean providing agents with feedback regularly based on their performance from call recordings and listenings.

Collecting customer feedback is also crucial, as it allows you to gauge your call center quality and determine where you can improve. You can ask customers for feedback at the end of a support call or in a follow-up survey via email.

Stay consistent

Consistency is key—call monitoring should be an ongoing practice within a contact center. When agents are aware that call monitoring can happen at any time, they are more likely to follow their scripts and uphold the quality standards.

Below are some helpful call monitoring software FAQs to help you get started on the path to call center improvement.

Connecting with your customers is a prerequisite for sustained business success—call monitoring software enables you to build those connections by helping you listen to their needs, wants, and frustrations during support calls. Use Zendesk to start delivering better customer experiences today.