Call centers are entire companies or departments dedicated to handling all calls from customers. They can be part of your business or outsourced to specialized firms that manage calls daily.
Having a good call center on your side ensures customers are satisfied and likely to come back for more. However, choosing the right call center that would fit your business needs is not as easy as it sounds, especially considering the different types of call centers available.
To guide you, we’ve compiled a list of the top 10 types of call center software, their benefits, and a brief guide on how to choose the right one.
Table of Contents
What Are Call Centers and Why Do Businesses Need One?
Call centers are specialized departments that handle inbound and outbound calls for the company they represent. While they traditionally focus on phone calls, modern call centers handle multiple communication channels to provide an optimal user experience.
A report by Salesforce showed that 88% of customers are likely to purchase again if they receive good customer service. This only proves that improving customer experience can benefit your business.
Aside from improving user experience, call centers build customer trust and loyalty, enhancing the brand image and credibility. Moreover, they are an excellent tool for lead generation, conversions, and market research.
10 Main Types of Call Centers
Call center types can be categorized in two ways:
- According to the services they provide
- According to the location they work from
The first six types of call centers on our list are sorted based on the services they provide: inbound, outbound, combined, automated, omnichannel, and multichannel call services.
Considering the location they operate from, we can also differentiate between virtual, in-house, outsourced, and offshore call centers.
Let’s take a look at the features and specifics of each of them:
- Inbound call centers
- Outbound call centers
- Combined call centers
- Automated call centers
- Omnichannel call centers
- Multichannel call centers
- Virtual call centers
- In-house call centers
- Outsourced call centers
- Offshore call centers
1. Inbound Call Centers
The most popular form of customer support, inbound call centers, dates back to the 1960s when they were known as answering centers. Since then, their function has remained unchanged.
Inbound call centers take clients' calls and resolve customers’ complaints and requests. Call center agents act as customer support representatives, receive incoming calls, and address issues and inquiries on behalf of the company.
The most common inbound services include:
- Answering questions
- Resolving issues
- Managing loyalty programs
- Tech support
- Inbound order processing
- Dispatch
While inbound call centers can operate in-house, many companies choose to outsource them due to a lack of staff, or telephone infrastructures that cannot support large call volumes.
2. Outbound Call Centers
Outbound call center agencies reach out to interested parties and clients on behalf of a business or organization. They provide various services, from checking customer satisfaction with purchases — building a relationship of trust and positive brand sentiment — to generating leads through promotions and events.
Standard outbound services include:
- Market research
- Telemarketing
- Phone surveys
- Customer onboarding
- Product recalls
- Event registrations
- Scheduling appointments
3. Combined Call Centers
Combined or blended call centers provide all services mentioned in the previous two categories: inbound and outbound. They handle everything from customer support and order processing to lead generation and market research. These call centers provide a comprehensive solution for companies that want to manage all their phone-based services in one place.
4. Automated Call Centers
Many call centers use automation, artificial intelligence, and voice technology to handle some or all inbound services. For example, IVR contact centers allow callers to interact with a self-serve menu using dial entries or speech recognition features.
This type of call center is very time-efficient, allowing agents to focus on tasks that require human attention and creativity, leaving routine functions to the computer-based systems.
Automated call center responsibilities include:
- Online scheduling
- Appointment reminders
- Email management
- Holiday greetings
- Automatic SMS messages
- Dealer or franchise locator
5. Omnichannel Call Centers
While some call centers focus on phone calls only, omnichannel call centers provide inbound and outbound services using multiple communication means. They use calls, texts, emails, and social media platforms to get in touch with customers.
Omnichannel call centers unite all communication channels in one place, facilitating agents to follow up on previous conversations, regardless of the platforms they took place on.
6. Multichannel Call Centers
Like omnichannel, multichannel call centers use phone calls, faxes, SMS, email, and social media for inbound and outbound customer support. The difference is the structure — each communication channel operates independently in multichannel call centers.
7. Virtual Call Centers
Virtual call centers have unique work organizations. Earlier call centers required all employees to be in one physical location due to technical limitations. Today, things have changed. Thanks to advanced internet technologies, decentralized virtual call center agents work remotely from worldwide locations, often using different languages.
Virtual call centers provide inbound and outbound services, delivering 24/7 customer support across multiple time zones at lower operational costs.
8. In-House Call Centers
An in-house call center operates within the company it represents. It can be a dedicated department or using phone call center software.
Building an in-house call center is a significant investment initially but can be cost-effective in the long run. The company employs customer service representatives, handles their onboarding, and provides them with technical training and all the necessary equipment.
In-house call centers give the company’s management absolute control over the operations and resources. These are some of its other advantages:
- Agents can provide in-depth information about the company’s products or services since they are better connected with technical staff in the company.
- If agents cannot solve the problem, they can forward it to a specialized team much faster than outsourced agents.
- Agents can provide management with valuable insights from interactions with customers to improve the company's business strategies.
9. Outsourced Call Centers
If the company needs a cheaper alternative to an in-house call center, it can outsource all its responsibilities to third-party customer service providers.
Outsourced call centers can provide all the company's inbound and outbound services: from answering customers' questions, resolving problems, and scheduling appointments to outsourcing lead generation and telesales.
If you’re interested in exploring this option, check out our complete list of the top outsourced customer support companies.
10. Offshore Call Centers
Outsourced call centers have a subcategory — offshore call centers. These operate from overseas locations, such as Eastern Europe or Asia, where labor costs are significantly lower, yet workers are often highly professional and diligent.
Although cheaper, offshore call centers may present challenges, such as language barriers between customer support representatives and clients. However, this problem can be avoided through careful candidate interviewing and selection.
5 Main Benefits of Call Centers for Businesses
We’ve mentioned a few benefits different call center types can have for your business. Let’s dive into the top 5 advantages in more detail:
1. 24/7 Support
Today, your business can have customers from every part of the world. Moreover, clients expect a round-the-clock service, i.e., the ability to ask for a solution the second a problem arises.
Most of the time, call centers provide 24/7 support, so your business never loses customers. By outsourcing your calls, using call center software, or simply building a 24/7 in-house team, your business can address issues and answer questions right away, which helps increase productivity and customer retention.
2. Increase Efficiency
Call centers have evolved beyond basic call handling. Now, they have automation features for different tasks, such as scheduled call-backs, answering machines, and multiple device compatibility tools, that streamline workflow and improve efficiency. With all of this, call centers can handle a high volume of calls daily while maintaining quality.
3. Improved Customer Experience
For some customers, their first interaction with your business is through a call center agent. Hence, leaving a good first impression is key to giving clients a quality customer experience and fostering loyalty.
The State of Customer Service & Customer Experience (CX)’s 2024 report backs this up, stating that 61% of customers will leave a brand for good if they experience bad customer support.
4. Boost Competitiveness
Having a good product or service alone isn’t enough if your customer service is bad. Buyers turn to you when they experience issues with their purchase, so giving them the right answer on time will not only increase satisfaction but also position your brand ahead of the competition.
By investing in a call center, you show your clients that you care about them and not just your profits. This increases their trust in your brand, brings more leads, and gives you a competitive edge.
5. Increase Sales
A satisfied customer is a recurring customer. Choosing the right type of contact center for your business will ultimately lead to more revenue. When clients are satisfied with the quality of your offerings and customer service, you can rest assured the boost in traffic and sales will follow.
How To Choose the Right Call Center for Your Business
To choose the right call center, consider the factors that can influence the quality and compatibility of the service. These include the so-called SLEPPT factors:
1. Scalability
The first thing you need to check when selecting a call center is whether it can scale with your business growth. All companies strive to grow, so it’s natural to choose a call center that can adapt to that trajectory.
Ask yourself these questions:
- What’s your average call volume?
- Does your call volume fluctuate throughout the year?
- How fast do you expect your call volume to grow?
- How flexible is the call center in meeting your needs?
2. Location
If you’re not using an in-house call center, then you must consider the location of the call center provider. This factor can influence everything from cost to services, scalability, and more.
For businesses choosing between on-shore or off-shore call centers, or those looking to outsource, some questions that can help you decide are:
- How important is proximity to your operations?
- Does the quality of service match the location?
- Will time zones be a problem or does the call center provide 24/7 support?
- What potential language and cultural barriers might you face?
3. Expertise
This factor should always be considered, regardless of the type of call center software you’re looking for. Start by checking whether the call center agents have the necessary qualifications and certifications. Then, move on to reviews and customer feedback.
Some call center providers may specialize in certain industries, so check if the one you’re considering provides industry-based services or whether it can spread out. Of course, look for call center types or agents that are long in the business — newer providers can be a hit or miss.
4. Performance
A good call center should be able to provide measurable quality performance in the first two to three months. Conducting quality monitoring can be of great help to you in aligning your business needs with the call center’s services.
Ask yourself:
- Which call center KPIs are most relevant to your business?
- What performance feedback does the call center have from previous users?
- How does the call center measure its performance quality?
5. Price
The most important factor for most businesses is the price of the call center. If you’re creating an in-house team, consider how much it would cost to hire new people, provide them with the necessary technology and workspace, and more.
On the other hand, if you’re using a different type of call center, such as outsourcing or software, you have to consider the ongoing costs like monthly or annual fees.
Call centers have different pricing models, but the most common ones are:
- Per minute: They charge you for every minute the agents spend on customer calls.
- Per hour: They charge you for each hour the agents spend on customer calls.
- Per call: You pay a flat rate for each call.
- Salary: If you have an in-house call center, you can pay the agents on a salary basis.
6. Technology
When it comes to choosing the right call center for your business, consider the technology you need. If you’re establishing an in-house call center department, you’ll have to look into the software and other tech required to provide the best quality service.
Otherwise, if you’re looking to outsource to a specialized call center company, regardless of the type (inbound, outbound, nearshore, offshore, etc.), you should ask them these questions:
- Does their technology integrate with your existing technology?
- What features does their call center software provide?
- Is their infrastructure reliable enough to handle a high volume of calls?
- Do they use modern tech like AI?
Types of Call Centers: Final Thoughts
Knowing all 10 types of call centers and their specifics will help you choose the right one for your company’s requirements.
Research your target audience to determine whether inbound, outbound, or combined call center services will offer the most value. If you’re building an in-house call center, choose candidates with highly developed communication skills and provide them with in-depth technical training.
If you opt to outsource call center services to third parties, using an online marketplace such as DesignRush can help you find the ideal agency among a wide selection of viable candidates.
