13 of the best cloud contact center solutions for 2023

In 2020, business owners worldwide were forced to pivot to keep their companies alive and the economy afloat. The cloud became more important than ever, giving businesses the flexibility to switch to a work-from-home model. With businesses finding more benefits than drawbacks, remote operations have become the new normal.

Cloud-based contact centers are expected to grow by 22 percent over the next five years. Position your business as an industry leader in customer and employee experience, starting with investing in the best cloud contact center for 2023. Transform your team into a well-oiled machine—no matter where they are.

Our list of the top 13 cloud contact center solutions for 2023 provides an overview, key features, and pricing to help you better understand your choices on the market.

1. Zendesk

Adapting to an ever-evolving environment with changing customer expectations is essential for your business to survive. Zendesk offers an agile cloud contact center solution that enables you to offer the best customer experience while setting your teams up for success and keeping your business in sync.

Connect conversations across all your channels, both internally and externally, and improve your customer experience with the Zendesk Agent Workspace. Integrate all your data with an open and flexible platform that brings customer context across tools and systems into one unified view so agents have all the details they need to offer fast, personalized support at scale.

Zendesk also boasts a fast time to value: You can set up Zendesk in minutes and integrate with your current systems with code and no-code functionality. This quick setup allows your teams to hit the ground running so you can start seeing your return on investment (ROI) faster. A study by Forrester found that Zendesk for Enterprise resulted in payback for a composite customer within six months of going live and a 286 percent ROI over three years.

The cloud contact center from Zendesk provides the best total cost of ownership by transforming the CX experience with rich conversations and revenue-generating interactions. Proactive automated messaging, IVR, intelligent call routing, and seamless handoffs between chatbots and live agents add to the experience to set you apart from the competition.

Remove silos across the business for better collaboration on customer and team issues. Collaboration tools like Trello, Slack, and Asana simplify communication and help keep a conversation going so everyone is in the loop.

Key Zendesk features

• Work seamlessly across all channels from one location

• Unified customer view

• Knowledge base

• Community forum

• Out-of-the-box chatbot and chatbot integrations

• Integrations, including code and no-code functionality (1,000+ pre-built integrations)

• Collaboration tools

• Routing and intelligence

• Analytics and reporting

• Cloud-based call center software (IVR, call recording, outbound caller ID, and overflow, group, and after-hours call routing)

Pricing

• Suite Team: $49 per agent/month

• Suite Growth: $79 per agent/month

• Suite Professional: $99 per agent/month

Free trial

• Free 14-day trial

2. 8x8

8×8 offers a cloud-based contact center solution designed to boost engagement and collaboration across teams. With features like voice and digital channel support, omnichannel routing, and self-service options, 8x8’s solution helps agents exceed customer expectations with customer-centric support.

The solution helps improve productivity through an online knowledge base and user-friendly interface to help find information quickly. When using 8×8 with Zendesk, you can optimize both the agent and customer experience with click-to-dial, outbound caller ID, and enhanced workflows.

Features (Essential plan)

• Multi-level auto attendant

• Unlimited international calling (to 14 countries)

• Unified mobile, desktop, and web app

• Advanced contact center analytics and artificial intelligence (AI)

• Team messaging and document sharing

Pricing

• Express: $15 per user/month

• X2: $28 per user/month

• X4: $57 per user/month

Free trial

• Free 30-day trial

Learn more about the 8x8 contact center app for Zendesk.

3. CloudTalk

CloudTalk isn’t just a clever name—it’s a completely cloud-based solution. This cloud contact center software mainly focuses on call-based support, helping to create better connections between agents and customers. The platform provides a reliable and secure calling experience, comes equipped with a dashboard that’s easy to navigate, and features reporting and insights on operating costs, call quality, and more.

There are three standard plans, but you’ll need to work with CloudTalk on a custom plan for outbound calling features. There’s a free trial to see how it works for your business. The software also offers native integrations with popular CRMs like Zendesk, so you can further enhance your customer experience.

Features (Essential plan)

• Intelligent call routing

• Advanced reporting and analytics

• AI call monitoring

• Workflow automation

• 140+ countries for international numbers

Pricing

• Starter: $30 user/month

• Essential: $40 user/month

• Expert: $60 user/month

Free trial

• Free 14-day trial

Learn more about the CloudTalk for Support app for Zendesk.

4. Five9

Features (Core plan)

• Omnichannel support

• Predictive dialing

• Intelligent virtual assistant

• Real-time and historical reporting

• Workflow automation

Pricing

• Core: $149 per user/month

• Premium: $169 per user/month

• Optimum: $199 per user/month

• Ultimate: $229 per user/month

Free trial

• No free trial

Learn more about Five9 cloud contact center for Zendesk Sell integration.

5. NICE CXone

The NICE CXone cloud contact center offers a wide range of solutions to boost customer interactions and engagement. Primarily serving larger enterprise organizations, NICE CXone can also provide end-to-end solutions for small businesses. With features including self-service options, CX and EX analytics, and call routing, the cloud software can help your team achieve success.

The call center tools are featured in a single interface, helping agents view important information in one location. The software also includes quality management and staff planning tools for managers to identify areas of improvement for customer service and resource planning.

Features

• Native integrations

• Knowledge base and self-service portal

• Workforce management

• Live chat software

• Tracking and reporting

Pricing

• Starts at $100 per user/month

Free trial

• Free 60-day trial

Learn more about the NICE CXone integration app for Zendesk.

6. Talkdesk

Talkdesk provides a fully cloud-based contact center, making it a great option for hybrid call centers. The self-service experience lets customers locate answers to common questions and features a 24/7 virtual agent to field customer questions at any time of day.

The Talkdesk software integrates with your current setup, so you won’t have to download new software. There’s also a mobile app for agents on the move. Although Talkdesk doesn’t offer a free trial, you can set up a software demo to see its full capabilities.

Features (CX Cloud Elevate)

• Omnichannel support

• Digital engagement (3 channels)

• Screen recording

• Conversations mobile app

• Automated notifications

Pricing

• CX Cloud Essentials: $75 per user/month

• CX Cloud Elevate: $95 per user/month

• CX Cloud Elite: $125 per user/month

Free trial

• No free trial

Learn more about the Talkdesk Connector app for Zendesk.

7. Vonage

The cloud-based contact solution by Vonage helps businesses boost agent and customer experiences by providing the tools service teams need to maximize production and efficiency. Great for remote and hybrid environments, the user-friendly omnichannel features and self-service options help streamline support.

The virtual assistant provides a conversational AI experience, and video screen sharing adds personalization to customer interactions. When integrated with Zendesk, Vonage allows you to collect all customer data in one place to deliver even more personalized experiences.

Features

• Screen and voice recording

• Omnichannel support

• Customizable dashboards

• Real-time and historical analytics

• AI interactions

Pricing

• Mobile: $19.99 per month/line

• Premium: $29.99 per month/line

• Advanced: $39.99 per month/line

Free trial

• Free 14-day trial

Learn more about the Vonage contact center app for Zendesk.

8. HubSpot

HubSpot’s cloud call center software connects sales, service, and marketing teams to enhance communication across departments. It features collaboration tools like a shared inbox and live chat software, all in a single view to help employees manage customer interactions and data.

Automation tools, self-service options, and reporting and analytics provide insights so businesses can keep improving the customer experience. HubSpot also integrates with Zendesk to provide a true end-to-end customer experience.

Features (Professional plan)

• Automation and self-service

• CRM integration

• Cloud-based calling

• IVR

• Call scripting

Pricing

• Starter: $225 per month for 10 users

• Professional: $900 per month for 10 users

• Enterprise: $1,200 per month for 10 users

Free trial

• Free 14-day trial

Learn more about the HubSpot for Zendesk Sell app.

9. Zoho Desk

Zoho Desk leans heavily into “traditional call center support” with its cloud-based contact center solution. The customer service telephony, designed for the cloud, combines the advantages of traditional support with modern support. You can connect your current help desk with the software and use your existing business phone numbers.

Zoho Desk offers integrations for businesses to sync with what they need. Features like IVR help route callers to the right place, quickly and efficiently. The call recording allows teams to listen back to both incoming and outgoing calls to find ways to improve or discover something they missed. You'll need the Professional or Enterprise plan to access the call center features.

Features (Zoho Desk Professional)

• Call logging

• Calls reports and dashboards

• Agent availability tracking

• Call-to-ticket conversion

• Call transfer, recording, hold, and mute

Pricing

• Standard: $20 user/month

• Professional: $35 user/month

• Enterprise: $50 user/month

Free trial

• Free 15-day trial

10. Bitrix24

Bitrix24 helps teams collaborate internally and communicate with customers through several channels, including voice, live chat, and email. These channels can integrate with the Bitrix24 CRM and task management software. The call center software features inbound and outbound support and call center tools to help your contact center get the job done.

Bitrix24 offers a free plan for unlimited users, so you can see how it works for your business. Though the free plan has limited features, there are pricing plans for businesses of all sizes.

Features (Standard plan)

• IVR

• Call routing, transferring, and forwarding

• HD video enabled

• Callback widget

• Call recording playback speed

Pricing

• Basic: $49 per month for five users

• Standard: $99 per month for 50 users

• Professional: $199 per month for unlimited users

Free trial

• Free 15-day trial

11. Dixa

Dixa’s cloud contact center is customizable, is easy to set up, and runs in your web browser. The software boasts call center features like IVR, VOIP, call recording, callback, and click-to-call while including chat, email, and messaging channels. Dixa’s software recognizes customer phone numbers and can pull in data or conversations from previous interactions.

Mostly used by small businesses, Dixa offers three plans to help scaling businesses grow. The flexibility allows growing businesses to move between plans as needed—for free. Dixa’s systems also auto-scale up and down, so you don’t have to worry if your systems can handle a surge of activity.

Features

• Intelligent routing

• Callback

• CSAT measurement for live chat, email, and messenger

• Ticket collaboration

• SLA management

Pricing

• Essential: $39 per agent/month

• Growth: $89 per agent/month

• Ultimate: $139 per agent/month

Free trial

• Free 14-day trial

12. Lifesize

Lifesize has been around for over a decade and offers a reliable cloud contact center solution for businesses of any size. Its customizable options, variety of seamless integrations, and ability to rapidly scale during fluctuating call volumes help teams be more efficient and productive.

It can be deployed within a few days with an easy five-step migration process to help teams get started quickly. The global telephony provides clear voice quality, including remote ones working from anywhere in the world with a connection.

Features

• Omnichannel customer experience

• AI solutions like chatbots and virtual assistant

• Video-enabled contact center

• Global telephony

• Integration options

Pricing

• Custom pricing

Free trial

• Free 30-day trial

13. Odigo

Odigo is a cloud-based contact center software solution for larger enterprises that connects communication channels through a single, intuitive interface. It offers omnichannel support, automation tools, intelligent routing, AI interactions, and workforce engagement, allowing your teams to deliver a personalized customer experience.

With data centers across the globe, Odigo provides local and global support to more than 100 countries worldwide. For small businesses or companies on an extra-tight budget, Odigo offers cost-effective plans that help reduce costs and allow you to pay for only what you use.

Features

• Workforce management

• Omnichannel support

• Intelligent call routing

• Reporting and analytics

• Quality management

Pricing

• Custom pricing

Free trial

• Free 30-day trial

To handle high volumes of customer interactions, you’ll need a cloud contact center that helps your agents stay organized and efficiently handle issues while creating a great customer experience. Here are a few of the key features that can help your team thrive.

A cloud contact center is a virtual solution that manages customer and employee interactions across various channels. In addition to inbound and outbound calls, contact center agents handle communications through email, chat, messaging, and social media.

The right cloud contact center software unifies customer conversations and context across channels and systems, allowing your team to deliver the highest levels of customer service while ensuring agents have all the tools they need.

What is the difference between a cloud contact center and a cloud call center?

On the surface, a cloud call center and a cloud contact center might appear to be the same thing. In fact, many people use the terms interchangeably. But the truth is, there are subtle yet important differences that set them apart:

• Cloud call centers primarily manage phone calls. Inbound calls roll into a queue and route to live agents who are ready to handle the customer’s issue. Outbound calls can also work from a queue, using productivity tools and integrations to boost efficiency.

• Cloud contact centers can do all of that, too—but they also offer support over many other digital communication channels, like email, live chat, messaging apps, and self-service.

As new communication methods hit the market and preferred channels evolve, so should your cloud contact center. According to the Zendesk CX Trends Report, 9 out of 10 customers say they want their preferred communication option to be available when reaching out to customer service—and they’re showing it by spending more. A cloud contact center can provide support options beyond the phone to satisfy your customers and make your teams’ jobs easier.

Businesses vary, so what one prioritizes may be different from another. These are some of the most popular benefits of a cloud-based contact center.

Scalability

Cloud-based solutions eliminate costs that come with on-premise solutions. Some of these costs include:

• Hardware and hardware upgrades

• IT department staffing

• Facility rental

• Maintenance

Many pricing plans for cloud-based solutions are determined by the number of agents using the software. As your business grows, so should your plan. For small businesses, the flexibility to add features or upgrade to monthly pricing plans to fit your needs can enable and nurture your growth without missing a beat.

Flexibility

Looking for more flexibility with your workforce? Investing in cloud-based call center software allows you to create a virtual call center, which provides unique options and advantages for your teams. These include:

• Hosting remote employees

• Hiring from a wider talent pool

• Offering larger coverage for teams spread across time zones

With a virtual call center, you can build bigger teams without the costs of brick-and-mortar office spaces. Eliminating these costs can help your company scale much faster.

Better customer experience

At the end of the day, customers want an easy, convenient, and positive overall experience. Here are a few examples of how a cloud contact center solution improves the customer experience:

• Providing around-the-clock support from remote employees working in time zones across the globe

• Delivering faster service by eliminating manual processes with automation

• Integrating tools and third-party apps that provide contextual customer data for a more personalized experience

• Offering preferred channels like messaging, live chat, and social media

Better employee experience

According to the CX Trends Report, less than 30 percent of agents feel empowered to do their jobs well—so creating a great agent experience is crucial in positively influencing the customer experience.

When your agents have tools that make their jobs easier, it directly impacts the service they provide to customers. Tools that consolidate information all in one place save agents from searching and toggling between several different programs. They can be more attentive, and the customer won't have to repeat information that already exists somewhere in the system.

What is the best cloud contact center solution? Asking yourself the following questions can help you decide which one is the best fit for your business.

Will support be available in the channels that my customers prefer?

Preferred channels are different across the board. Baby boomers and Gen X prefer traditional methods, like phone support and email, while Millennials and Gen Z customers typically use messaging and social media channels.

According to our CX Trends Report, the use of social messaging apps (like WhatsApp) is up 32 percent from last year.

If you aren’t sure which channels your customers prefer, collect customer feedback or look at your support data to determine which methods they use the most.

What tools are available in the cloud contact center software to create a better agent experience?

When you make things easier for your employees, your business will experience better results. According to the Zendesk Employee Experience Trends Report, agents say switching to a customer service tool that’s easier to use will make for a better employee experience.

Helpful tools include:

• Automation tools for repetitive tasks

• Chatbots and AI

• Self-service options

• Omnichannel support

• 360-degree customer view

Does the cloud contact center solution fit with my current infrastructure and will it scale with my company?

It’s wise to pick a solution that can sync with your current systems. Rather than learning a completely new system, your team can jump in with both feet and seamlessly adopt the new features that make their jobs easier.

Remember that your company will change over time—and so will your team. The tools you have today may not be the best for you a few years from now. A flexible cloud contact center solution that scales with you will enable you to evolve or pivot without missing a beat.