Best Call Center Services

Staffing and maintaining your own call center can get prohibitively expensive. We at Crazy Egg have investigated many options for fully outsourcing your call center or just converting your existing one to a virtual operation. We’ve found Nextiva to be the best for most cases. Most organizations want some control over their reps, so going for a virtual call center with Nextiva is a smart choice, plus you get the full fleet of VoIP communications solutions from Nextiva along with it.

The Best Call Center Service for Most

Honestly, fully outsourcing your call center isn’t always the answer. It can be frustrating if a provider doesn’t live up to your expectations and you don’t have the ability to coach, train, hire, or fire to improve overall performance.

So, why bother? With Nextiva, you’re getting one of the best VoIP providers in the business. They offer generous features and unlimited calling on all their plans. Just add the extra call center solution package and your team members can take your call center fully virtual, with VoIP allowing them to field calls and operate from anywhere.

The 6 Best Call Center Service Options to Consider:

1. Nextiva – Best for most (For a limited time get 25% off, plus a free phone, when you sign up!)
2. Signius – Best for 24/7 availability
3. GoAnswer – Best for inbound support and legal intake
4. AnswerConnect – Best technology-driven answering services
5. Specialty Answering Service – Best answering services for large businesses
6. Five Star Call Centers  – Best for B2B and B2C outbound calling

When it Makes Sense to Invest In Call Center Services

In a world where one bad review can cut your revenue in half, customer service has never been more important. A quick tweet, or a calculated Facebook post on how your brand mistreated a customer can set off a chain of events you won’t soon forget.

There are countless reasons businesses need call center services. 

For instance, they offer state of the art technology, extraordinary reliability, and will change how you do business. And you don’t need to be a million-dollar corporation to have million-dollar call center capabilities.

Are you having trouble reaching out to your leads within 24 hours of the first contact? Or feel like you spend more time answering calls than you should? Then you need call center services.

Furthermore, call center services integrate tools that maximize sales, generate leads, and nurture relationships.

Let’s dig deeper and look at some more reasons you’d need call center services. If any of the following sounds familiar, it’s probably time to consider making the investment.  

• Customers call at various hours and you or staff can’t answer to help 
• You don’t have the capacity to answer customer calls
• If you sell globally but can’t speak those languages
• Customers can’t get ahold of you due to busy signals or reaching voicemail
• You frequently lost deals because you can’t respond to potential customers
• Continued difficulty managing appointments and scheduling
• You need detailed reports about calls or customized reporting options
• If you need outbound support to sell products or perform market research

The bottom line: If none of those sound like you, chances are you don’t need call center services just yet. However, if your current system isn’t cutting it or costing you sales, it’s past time to invest. 

#1 – Nextiva — Best for Most

Outsourcing can cause you big trouble if any aspect of the third-party call center service you’re using is lacking. The benefits of it can be quickly outweighed when you have difficulty managing appointments or schedules.

But Nextiva’s VoIP communications platform, upon which their call center software is built, allows for decentralized call centers that can be assembled in any number of ways.

So, the convenience of getting the whole kit and kaboodle from one provider may be gone, but you can still save a boatload of money by having your call center operate remotely or even be staffed by a completely distributed crew of contractors or remote workers.

So, now, your call service can be anywhere with the power of VoIP.

In order to get Nextiva’s call center solution, you’ll have to use Nextiva One.

Their full-fledged communications platform includes voice, video, fax, text, and team chat.  Fortunately, that complete VoIP comes at one of the most competitive prices in the category.

Nextiva One runs from as little as $18.95 per user per month for teams of 100 or more on the entry-level Essential plan.

Prices scale up for fewer users and more comprehensive packages. But that Essential plan includes unlimited voice and video calling, plus an auto attendant and toll-free and local numbers.

So, true to its name, you get all the essentials on Nextiva’s entry-level plan.

To add call center software that can be deployed on any device you may need, add $50 per user per month to your Nextiva One bill. That gets you unlimited call queues and intelligent routing. There’s also a $100 per user per month version that allows admins to do more intricate queue management, including manual routing.

In the end, a large operation can set up a virtual call center for as little as $68.95 per user per month and still reap the savings benefits of not having a truly in-house call center.

Reach out to Nextiva today to talk about your needs and the savings you can reap from their call center solutions.

#2 – Signius — Best for 24/7 Availability

If you’re looking for something to help bolster your existing customer service team or take over your business’s customer support altogether, Signius is an excellent option with trained agents available 24/7.

The entire company is 100% US-based with an extensive team of virtual receptionists across 12 operating centers throughout the country. With lightning-fast response times, your customers get unmatched customer support with unparalleled attention to detail.

Signius is entirely customizable, too. You can choose to have your calls covered when you’re with clients, out of the office for holidays or personal time, outside of normal business hours, or even over your lunch break.

Regardless of how much (or how little) help you need, your customers will appreciate 24/7 access.

When you choose Signius, you also get countless powerful features and benefits, including things like:

• Medical answering service
• Support in multiple languages
• A help desk and hotline
• 24/7 reporting
• No setup fees
• Pay as you go

Another MASSIVE benefit Signius provides that separates them from all the rest is their promise to never place a customer on hold or send your customer to voicemail.

That’s a direct benefit you can pass along to your customers to deliver nothing but excellent experiences 24/7/365.

Long hold times or leaving messages that never get answered are big reasons for bad reviews,  Facebook rants, and Twitter blasts about terrible service.

However, Signius trains their solution-driven reps to give your customers 100% of their attention solving issues one at a time while remaining on the phone. And by never missing a call or sending customers to voicemail it sends the message customers are the top priority.   

Pricing starts at $45 per month for up to 50 minutes plus $1/minute for additional minutes. They also offer more advanced plans with more minutes and lower additional fees. 

Custom plans are also available for high volumes if that’s something you need. 

Keep in mind that outbound services aren’t available via Signius and they only offer shared agent services. 

#3 – Go Answer Review — The Best for Inbound and Legal Intake

If you’re a law firm looking for a better way to handle inbound calls and intake, Go Answer is our top recommendation. Go Answer’s team knows the legal industry inside and out—they’ll even work with you to perfect your call scripts so every incoming call gets the same top-notch experience.

Not only that, but the team is also available 24/7 on behalf of your firm for:

• Call forwarding
• Off-hours live answering
• Outbound client calls, like follow-ups and appointment setting

That’s a huge help to many different types of law firms, but especially growing ones who don’t have around-the-clock answering capabilities. If you want to build your client list, you can lean on Go Answer to improve your legal intake process and take over while you’re team is off the clock.

You can switch to 100% live call answering if you have no capacity to answer calls—not only does this take the load off your plate but it also makes you available to your customers and clients 24 hours per day, seven days per week. In an always-on world that never stops, 24/7 access is a major bonus.

Plus, Go Answer’s agents are highly trained. You can utilize their Spanish-speaking reps, HIPAA-trained agents, and the company’s willingness to tailor scripts and methods to match the values of your company.

To sweeten the deal, your customers can contact customer support via email, SMS, and webchat. So, regardless of their preferred support channels, your customers can get expert help when they need it. 

All of this comes in a 30-day risk-free trial that allows you to see just what Go Answer is capable of.

They offer a wide array of pricing plans, split between traditional live answering services and packages that are focused on live receptionists and legal intake.

Their live answering services start at $50 per month for a pay-as-you-go model. That means you’ll still pay $1.15 for each minute as well, but you get all the features every other plan offers.

If you want to ballpark your monthly minutes and get a plan that includes them, you can do so. That starts at $110 per month for 100 minutes and $1.10 for every minute beyond that. Pricing scales up for larger chunks of included minutes (up to 2,500) and lowers additional minute rates.

Legal intake services start at $220 per month for 100 monthly minutes and a $2.20 fee for each additional minute. Those plans scale the same way as the live answering packages, up to 5,000 minutes.

Go Answer is an excellent option if you’re searching for an all-inclusive call center option that can scale alongside your business. Get started by reaching out to Go Answer today.

#4 – AnswerConnect Review — The Best Technology-Driven Answering Service 

AnswerConnect incorporates state of the art technology when servicing your customers, generating leads, inbound sales, and more. Plus, they’re always available so your customers never hear a busy signal or get pushed to voicemail. 

Mixing modern technology with affordable plans gives global reach to small business owners and makes answering services more accessible to businesses of all sizes. 

Plus, AnswerConnect offers specialized solutions for various industries, including ecommerce, finance, healthcare, marketing, and legal. 

On top of that, you can set things up to for help anytime you’re not available. 

Have lunch plans or a doctor’s appointment? No problem. With the AnswerConnect team behind you, your business is virtually open 24/7 so your customers are never left in the dark. 

Plus, you can configure your notifications settings to stay connected with receptionists and your customers at all times. 

They also offer a wide range of other services, features, and benefits, including:

• After-hours answering
• 24/7 answering service
• Customer support center and specialist services
• Lead capture tools
• Franchise answering services
• Appointment management app integration
• Bilingual services
• Exclusive Teleport video services
• Order Management
• 24-hour call answering for medical, dental, and clinics
• Local call answering services in all 50 states

Furthermore, AnswerConnect offers a wide variety of built-in software integrations. So, you can easily map sales, add call data to your CRM, provide real-time messaging to your chosen app, and more. 

Pricing isn’t readily available online, so you have to contact their team for a quote. 

#5 – Specialty Answering Service Review — Best Answering Services for Large Businesses

If you’re a large business handling hundreds (or more) calls a day, Specialty Answering Services’ dedicated call center is a smart choice. With thousands of customers and 30+ years under their belt, they know how to deliver excellent customer experiences for even the largest and most complex call centers.

Plus, they train their virtual receptionists twice as long as any other service representative in the industry. So, you can rest easy knowing they know how to handle just about every situation with ease.

Not only does SAS have a reputation for being the best answering service provider for large businesses, but they also offer lead generation services and branded customer care services as well.

Need a little boost getting more potential customers in the door? No problem. You can add that to your services rather than scouting out a separate company, onboarding with them, and paying separately.

Furthermore, you get access to an intuitive user interface that makes for convenient and simple reporting, advanced analytics, note-taking, call monitoring, and message reviewing. All of which are built to support you at your current sie and scale alongside your business. 

When you sign up, you also get a ton of powerful features, including:

• Virtual receptionist 
• Lead generation services
• Dedicated call center
• After-hours answering
• Local and toll-free numbers
• Dynamic software integrations
• Spanish customer support
• 24/7 live answering service operators
• 14-day free trial, no credit card required
• No long-term contracts

On top of full-fledged call center services, they also offer live answering solutions for smaller businesses. However, their full-service option is where they really shine. 

Furthermore, Specialty Answering Services separates itself by having a simple pricing structure, allowing any business to scale up or down depending on their needs.

Plus, they’re completely transparent about it. 

You can choose between per-minute and per-call pricing, depending on what you need. However, per-call pricing doesn’t include the same perks and benefits. So, keep that in mind when making your final decision. 

Per-minute plans include:

#6 – Five Star Call Centers Review — Best for B2B and B2C Outbound Calling 

Five Star Call Centers offers everything you need to provide award-winning customer service. But they specialize in outbound calls for both B2B and B2C audiences. 

Hate cold calling? They handle it. Need market research? Done. 

Direct mail campaign falling short? They follow up on direct mail promotions. And they can even help with fundraising, too. 

As an industry player for more than 35+ years, they know how to take care of you and your business while helping you grow in a sustainable manner. Plus, they’re based in the midwest and they offer both dedicated and shared models to fit your needs. 

From cross-selling and upselling to answering questions and everything in between, they can help transform the way you do business. 

Plus, they also offer inbound call services too. You can mix and match the services you need to build your own custom customer service outsourcing package. 

So, you don’t have to worry about paying for services you’ll never use. 

Some of the most popular services they offer include:

• Lead qualifying and lead gen
• Crisis management
• Email and direct mail follow up calls
• Marketing research
• Renewing memberships
• Selling products and services (Cold Calling)
• Quality assurance efforts
• Client retention
• Call center consultation
• Workforce management
• Campaign assistance

However, keep in mind that Five Star Call Centers requires an annual contract with a $3,000/month minimum for 24/7/365 support. So, it can be quite expensive for smaller businesses looking for a simple option. 

Since each plan is tailored to your needs, you have to get in touch with their team to learn more and get a custom quote. 

Methodology for Choosing The Best Call Center Services

Finding the best call center services for you and your business isn’t always an easy task, especially if you don’t know exactly what you’re looking for. 

So, to help you out, we put together a list of factors we considered when deciding on our top recommendations. 

Customer Support

We investigated what customers are saying, on surveys, review sites like – trust pilot, forums, blog posts, and Q and A sites like Quora and Reddit. 

Call center service support is the most important thing to your business and is weighted the heaviest when selecting a call center service provider. 

All the features, services, and price cuts in the world don’t matter if your customer’s experience is mediocre, or worse… your service agents are unfocused and provide inaccurate information.  

All the service providers we list streamline their services for instant results. And prioritize the customer experience so you don’t have to worry about poor customer experiences. 

They offer online services, email, phone support, and frequently asked questions to help you make the best choice. It’s also wise to call and interact with each company and the support team to see first hand how service is provided. 

Distinct Services

This is the second pillar of finding the best call center services for your business. What services do you need to manage? 

Is it inbound calls, email, live chat, sales, or something else? Perhaps you only need part-time help when you’re out of the office. Or maybe you want a completely hands-off approach to inbound/outbound calling. 

Do you want to have control over what agents say? Maybe you need a bit of help in that department. If so, you should consider an option that also includes scripting services to help you out. 

At the end of the day, it’s important to consider how your business operates, what your primary goals are, and what works best for your business.

Then, be sure to communicate this with each provider you’re considering. 

Focused Industries

Many call center service providers work with any industry. Often giving a one size fits all plan, promoting no real connection to your customers or business. 

That’s not what we want for you. 

We made sure to include call center service providers that specialize in focused industries. And provide dedicated agent services that only serve your business. This provides your customers with authentic experiences when interacting with your selected call center service.

Summary

Nextiva is our #1 recommendation for most users interested in saving money on their call center operations. It’s allows you to take your call center virtual and fully remote, opening up the potential to many other ways to remove the hassle of an in-house call center without fully outsourcing and sacrificing control.  

However, it’s not the best choice for everyone. So, be sure to use the methodology we talked about as you sort through choosing the best call center services for your business.