Looking to build a B2B call center?
Studies show that approximately 70% of customers prefer that organizations provide customized experiences, and around 75% are upset when this doesn’t occur. Moreover, 85% of customers expect to instantly reach a customer service representative when they call a company.
To meet these demands, any company reaching decision-makers and supporting their teams in the business-to-business (B2B) space market must use specialized tools to support a variety of communication channels — both of an inbound and outbound nature.
Here, we’ll walk you through the essential ingredients of a high-performing B2B call center tech stack. We’ll explore what core systems you need, how they work together, and how to choose the best options for your business.
Tech Stack for a B2B Call Center
Running high-performing B2B call center services involves outsourcing many processes to third-party software, so your tech stack is the foundation upon which most B2B companies are built. It’s the collection of tools and processes that enables your contact center agents to communicate effectively with your customers in a streamlined manner.
From cold calls to inbound customer calls, your B2B customer service center needs to optimize each task. The best way to do this is with a comprehensive tech stack.
Here are the critical components of a high-performing B2B call center:
1. CRM systems
A customer relationship management (CRM) system is the backbone of your call center, providing a 360-degree view of each client’s history, preferences, and needs. CRM of the highest quality, such as Kustomer and HubSpot, includes the following key features:
- Contact management: Stores customer information in a centralized database and identifies key decision-makers and sales targets.
- Sales pipeline management: Tracks prospects and manages sales processes.
- Customer interaction tracking: Logs emails, calls, meetings, and notes.
- Reporting and analytics: Generates detailed reports on sales team performance and customer interactions.
These features allow your agents to deliver personalized, efficient service while helping you optimize your sales process, enhance customer support, and make data-driven decisions.
Essential CRM use cases include sales tracking, which enables you to manage sales cycles and monitor pipeline stages; customer support, which allows you to track customer issues and resolutions; and marketing campaigns, which help you segment customers and track campaign effectiveness.
2. Automatic call distribution systems
Automatic call distribution (ACD) systems like Avaya, Five9, and Nextiva are systems that make sure calls are intelligently routed to the right agents based on factors such as skill level, availability, and the nature of the customer’s issue. These systems offer features like:
- Intelligent call routing: Directs calls to the appropriate agent based on predefined criteria.
- Skill-based routing: Matches callers with agents who have the specific skills needed.
- Queue management: Manages caller queues and wait times.
- Callback options: Offer customers the option to receive a callback instead of waiting on hold.
By directing calls to the most appropriate agent, ACD systems support your entire organization:
| Customer support | Directs customers to the most knowledgeable agent |
| Sales | Routes potential leads to available sales representatives |
| Technical support | Connects customers with specialized technical staff |
3. Interactive voice response systems
Interactive voice response (IVR) systems like Nextiva, Twilio, and Dialpad allow customers to interact with an automated system before speaking to an agent, streamlining the call process and reducing wait times.
These systems enable self-service, allowing customers to find answers to FAQs without needing agent assistance. They also handle customer identification by collecting details before routing calls to the appropriate agents. Additionally, IVR systems automate appointment booking, streamlining the process.
IVR systems achieve these goals with the following key features:
- Multilevel menus: Allow callers to navigate through various options.
- Speech recognition: Enables callers to speak their responses instead of using keypad inputs.
- Personalized greetings: Customize greetings based on caller data.
- Data collection: Gathers information before transferring the call to an agent.
4. Workforce management software
Workforce management (WFM) tools like NICE, ServiceNow, and Sprinklr optimize your staffing to meet call volumes. By using several key features, WFM software ensures that the right number of agents is available to handle varying call volumes and that your agents adhere to labor laws and company policies. WFM tools also monitor agent productivity and performance, providing valuable insights for performance tracking and ensuring you’ve got an engaged workforce.
Key features include:
- Forecasting and scheduling: Predicts call volumes and schedules staff accordingly.
- Real-time adherence monitoring: Tracks agent adherence to schedules.
- Performance analytics: Provides insights into agent performance.
- Shift management: Facilitates shift swaps and time-off requests.
5. Call recording and monitoring systems
Call recording service providers like Nextiva, Gong, CallRail, and Invoca capture customer interactions for quality and compliance. These systems provide quality assurance by reviewing calls for training and performance improvement, resolving disputes by providing evidence in case of customer disagreements, and ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements.
Essential features to look for in call recording and monitoring systems include:
- On-demand and automatic recording: Capture calls as needed or automatically.
- Search and playback: Easily locates and reviews recorded calls.
- Annotations and tagging: Add notes and tags to specific parts of recordings.
- Compliance management: Ensures recordings meet legal and regulatory standards.
6. Analytics and reporting tools
Analytics tools like PowerBI and Looker turn call center data into actionable insights. They are used for performance monitoring by tracking key performance indicators, identifying patterns and trends in customer satisfaction through trend analysis, and supporting data-driven decision-making.
Key features required:
- Real-time dashboards: Provide live insights into call center company performance.
- Customizable reports: Allow users to create tailored reports.
- Predictive analytics: Use historical data to forecast future trends.
- Customer sentiment analysis: Analyzes customer interactions to gauge satisfaction.
7. Communication and collaboration tools
Tools like Slack, Teams, and Zoom keep your B2B call center team connected. They support communication and collaboration for remote teams, help manage projects and tasks, and enhance coordination and collaboration among team members.
Ensure your collaboration tool has the following features for optimal functionality:
- Instant messaging: Facilitates real-time communication between team members.
- Video conferencing: Enables face-to-face virtual meetings.
- File sharing: Allows easy sharing of documents and files.
- Team channels and workspaces: Organize conversations and projects by topic or team.
8. Omnichannel support platforms
Omnichannel platforms like Nextiva enable you to support customers across multiple channels. These platforms provide consistent customer support, engage with clients through their preferred communication channels for sales, and deliver coordinated marketing campaigns across various channels. To be effective, omnichannel support platforms must support:
- Multichannel communication: Supports blended phone, email, chat, and high-quality social media interactions.
- Unified customer view: Provides a single view of all customer experiences across channels.
- Seamless channel switching: Allows customers to switch channels without repeating information.
9. AI and chatbot integration
AI-powered chatbots like Drift and Intercom provide automation for your customer interactions. They handle routine inquiries to free up call center agents for more complex issues, engage website visitors for lead generation, and provide personalized service with tailored responses based on customer data.
Ensure the AI chatbot you choose for your B2B cell center has:
- 24/7 customer support: Offers round-the-clock assistance.
- Automated responses: Provide automated answers to common requests.
- Intelligent routing: Directs inquiries to the appropriate department or agent.
- Data-driven insights: Analyze interactions to identify trends and improve service.
10. Cloud-based call center solutions
Cloud solutions like Nextiva, Five9, and NICE provide flexibility and scalability. They are ideal for supporting distributed teams and remote agents, ensuring business continuity during disruptions, and adapting to seasonal call volume fluctuations. Key aspects to look for in cloud-based call center solutions include:
- Scalability: Adjusts easily to changes in call volume.
- Remote accessibility: Allows agents to work from anywhere with internet access.
- Cost-effectiveness: Reduces the need for on-premise hardware.
- Regular updates and maintenance: Ensure that your software systems have the latest features and security measures.
- Hardware-free design: Gets you started quickly without telephony hardware.
Bundle ALL Your Call Center Tools With Nextiva
While the solutions mentioned above are great by themselves, they can be costly and lengthy to implement. What if you could consolidate all these powerful tools into one seamless platform? With Nextiva, you can!
It should be clear that integrating your platforms and ensuring smooth data flow are crucial for any successful call center. Nextiva provides a comprehensive solution that combines many of the essential tools listed above, making it an attractive option for SaaS leaders seeking efficiency and effectiveness.
