Best Call Centre Phone Systems for UK Teams

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Our carefully curated research has revealed that RingCentral provides the best call centre phone system for UK businesses in 2025. Its agile, customisable features from AI analytics and skills-based routing to IVR automation and extensive integration options should equip your call centre with the necessary savviness to keep your customers happy.

RingCentral also has the cheapest call centre-specific plan of any provider on this page, although you can some better value business VoIP phone plans with GoTo in our view, due to the inclusion of unlimited calling minutes (something not available with RingCentral’s cheaper plans).

Whether either is the right phone system for your call centre is a completely different question. Read on as we discuss each providers benefits and downsides compared to one another.

Best contact centre phone system providers in the UK 2025

  1. RingCentral – Best all-round phone system for call centres
  2. Vonage – Best phone system for small call centre teams
  3. 8×8 – Best call centre phone system for international call centres
  4. GoTo – Best call centre phone system for value for money

These are the providers we recommend based on our research. Clicking on them will take you to our comparison tool to find the best phone line service for your contact centre business. If you want to find out how we ranked these providers, jump to the section outlining our research criteria.

The best call centre IVR phone system providers

After extensive research and analysis, our have researchers rounded up the four best call centre phone systems.

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0 out of 0

RingCentral

Vonage

GoTo Connect

4.7
4.2
4.5
3.7
Best For

All-round system for call centres

Best For

Small call centre teams

Best For

Best for unlimited minutes

Best For

Value for money

Pricing

£7.99 – Bespoke

Pricing

£10 – Bespoke

Pricing

Bespoke

Pricing

£10-£21

Domestic minutes
  • RingEX: Essentials: 100, Standard: 750, Premium: 2000, Ultimate: 4000
  • RingCX/Call Centre: Unlimited
Domestic minutes
  • Express: Pay-as-you-go
  • Core & above: Unlimited
Domestic minutes

Unlimited

Domestic minutes

Unlimited

International minutes

Not included

International minutes

Not included

International minutes
  • X2: 14 countries
  • X4 and above: 48 countries
International minutes

Unlimited to 50+ countries

Management Features
  • AI-powered analytics
  • Skills-based routing
  • IVR
  • Call monitoring
Management Features
  • Custom dashboards
  • Call recording
  • Customisable call routing
  • SLA optimisation
Management Features
  • Predictive analytics
  • Skills-based routing
  • Quality management (X8 only)
Management Features
  • Skills-based routing
  • AI summaries
  • Auto queue callback
Integrations
  • 300+ CRM, helpdesk, web conferencing, live chat, analytics, email, API, workspace and SSO
Integrations

Around 30 CRM, Helpdesk, API and Workspace tools (e.g. Salesforce, Microsoft, Zoho)

Integrations
  • Around 300+ CRM, helpdesk, web conferencing, live chat, email, API, workspace and SSO
Integrations

Over 30 CRM, helpdesk, web conferencing, live chat, API, email and SSO

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RingCentral

Best all-round system for call centres

As part of its range of VoIP-backed phone systems, RingCentral offers a comprehensive contact centre solution to aid your business’ customer calling interactions.

Its RingCX and RingCentral Contact Centre plans – the two calling options RingCentral recommend as its contact centre solutions – combine voice, video, messaging, and omnichannel capabilities to provide a unified experience that stands out according to our UK market analysis.

RingCentral Logo on white background
RingCentral
4.7
£12.99 - Bespoke
Strengths

Real-time AI analytics, skills-based routing and IVR automation

Extensive integration options (over 300 pre-built)

Offers a wide range of plans from affordable VoIP solutions to comprehensive contact centre packages

Weaknesses

Integrability with most software needs RingEX Premium and above.

Lower-tier plans include limited domestic minutes (unlimited with RingCX)

Extensive feature set and integrations may be overwhelming for smaller teams

Pricing
PlanStarting price (per user/agent, per month)
RingEX Essentials £7.99 – £12.99
RingEX Standard £14.99 – £19.99
RingEX Premium £19.99 – £24.99
RingEX Ultimate £24.99 – £29.99
RingCX £52.99
RingCX Contact Centre Enterprise Bespoke

Why do we recommend RingCentral for UK call centres?

Both RingCentral’s RingCX and Contact Centre plans are AI-first contact centre solutions that combine voice, video, social media, email, and other channels into a user-friendly interface (surpassing the likes of 8×8 in channels offered). This omnichannel approach also offers capabilities like intelligent routing, real-time analytics, and workforce engagement management to help businesses deliver customised customer experiences.

Where they differ is that RingCX was developed in-house by RingCentral’s team, whereas the Contact Centre tool is powered in partnership with NICE and its CXone software in 2021, to reflect a growing market demand for integrated Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) and Contact Center as a Service (CCaaS) solutions.

As the table below highlights, the key difference lies in the amount of digital channels you need to utilise and via what software architecture. Here’s a quick comparison of the two plans:

FeatureRingCXRingCentral Contact Centre
Omnichannel supportVoice and 20+ digital channels via RingCentral appOver 30 digital channels via MAX (My Agent eXperience) app
PricingStarting at £52 per user/monthCustom pricing based on business needs
Ideal forSmall to medium-sized businessesLarger enterprises requiring customisation

Pricing and feature details are based on available information as of January 2025. For the most current details, please visit RingCentral’s official website.

The smart routing offered by RingCentral can be based on interaction type, team, agent skills, and other factors to direct customer calls efficiently. Agents can use features including call transfers, conferencing, hold options, interaction tagging, and an integrated address book for efficient contact management.

ringcentral interface when making a call
Using RingCentral is pretty self-explanatory as we found out in our hands-on testing of its platform - Source: Expert Market

Supervisors can monitor and interact with agents in real time, too. They can view performance metrics, listen to live calls discreetly (monitoring), record interactions, provide in-call coaching (whisper), join calls when necessary (barge), and force agent logouts if required.

Teams and individual users can design scripts incorporating features like Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR), Interactive Voice Response (IVR) menus, and virtual agent bots. The simple drag-and-drop interface simplifies the creation of both basic and complex scripts, accommodating various organizational needs.

RingCentral IVR designer
With RingCentral's Visual IVR Designer, users can drag, drop and customize different aspects of call routing in an easily digestible manner, like the scheduling options being applied here - Source: Expert Market via RingCentral website

The platform offers real-time analytics and reporting tools to monitor performance and make data-driven decisions. For instance, you can employ interaction analysis across voice, chat and email interactions, to help identify trends and areas for improvement. Managers can analyse Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) of agents, accessible through intuitive dashboards. We’d argue the level of insight is more comprehensive compared to some competitors like GoTo, providing a clearer view of contact centre operations.

With RingCentral offering over 300 pre-built integrations, including popular CRMs like Salesforce and HubSpot, it’s well suited to slot in smoothly with your current workflows and avoid any issues in data consistency across platforms. While fairly extensive, 8×8 supports fewer integrations which may limit flexibility for some businesses.

And perhaps most crucially of all, RingCentral offers the cheapest contact centre-specific plan of the four providers on this page at £52.99 per agent, per month via the RingCX plan. While the exact pricing of some of the other provider plans is unclear, this is the lowest price according to our current knowledge.

ringcentral RingCX pricing web page
Via RingCentral's website, you can view the pricing for its RingCX plan (though there's no cost listed for its Contact Centre package) - Source: Expert Market via RingCentral website

Are there any drawbacks to RingCentral?

While RingCentral’s contact centre solutions are robust, there are potential considerations to be had compared to other contact centre calling system providers.

Firstly, and perhaps most pertinent for your operations, there’s no specific pricing for the RingCentral Contact Centre plan. This is not readily available on their website, requiring potential customers to contact them for quotes. By comparison, GoTo provides upfront pricing for its most comprehensive contact centre plan (although its worth noting all other providers besides GoTo on this page are equally opaque about their top plans, so RingCentral isn’t out of the ordinary in this sense).

Relatedly, these two plans’ extensive range of features like the 300 pre-built integrations and advanced analytics, might be overkill for some operations, particularly smaller businesses. This complexity, and the potential for underutilised resources as a result, may mean less comprehensive but still capable RingCentral RingEX VoIP phone plans (which we’ll discuss shortly) are a better fit for both practicality and your business finances.

Does RingCentral have any other VoIP plans suited to call centres?

Yes, RingCentral offers various VoIP plans under the RingCentral MVP (Message, Video, Phone) service, which can be suitable for call centres, especially those not requiring the full suite of contact centre features. These plans are:

EssentialsStandardPremiumUltimate
Cost per user, per month£7.99–£12.99 (billed annually)£12.99–£17.99 (billed monthly)£12.99–£19.99 (billed annually)£16.99–£23.99 (billed monthly)£17.99–£24.99 (billed annually)£21.99–£28.99 (billed monthly)£22.99–£29.99 (billed annually)£26.99–£33.99 (billed monthly)
Inclusive minutesInbound: 0 Outbound: 100Inbound: 250 Outbound: 750Inbound: 1,000 Outbound: 2,000Inbound: 2,000 Outbound: 4,000
Key featuresCall routing, call transcripts, team messagingUnlimited internet fax, audio conferencing, Office 365 integrationIVR phone system, call handling (barge, whisper, monitoring), call recording, CRM integrations (+90)Advanced reporting, unlimited storage, alerts,

These plans differ from the contact centre-specific solutions by focusing more on unified communications rather than specialised contact centre features like omnichannel support. They are cost-effective alternatives for businesses that may not require the full functionality of a dedicated contact centre solution but still need robust communication tools to manage customer interactions effectively.

A clear downside is those more restrictive calling minute allowances per user on all plans compared to the unlimited allowance of both call centre packages. Ultimately, this will come down to how many minutes per user you need to accommodate, the calling features you need and whether they both align with the pricing RingCentral states for its plans. For businesses requiring unlimited calling with slightly fewer digital channel options, all 8×8 plans from X2 to X8 will be a better match due to their inclusion of unlimited minutes.

Business Phone Line Plan or Contact Centre Plan?

Don’t need full contact centre capabilities? A business VoIP phone line package like those listed above might make more sense. We discuss the potential packages relevant to call centres at the end of each provider review section, or you can head to the linked guide for full details on the top-rated options.

Vonage

Best for small call centre teams

Vonage logo
Vonage
4.2
£10 - Bespoke
Strengths

Customisable dashboards and wallboards give you real-time visibility of KPI progress

Displays a local number when reaching out to customers, improving response rate

Unlimited domestic calling included across all plans except Express

Weaknesses

Essential management features such as call recording and monitoring are only available on higher-tier plans

Vonage supports fewer CRM platforms compared to competitors like RingCentral (though does integrate with Salesforce and Microsoft)

Pricing
PlanStarting price (per user, per month)
Express (Business Communications) £10
Core (Business Communications) £18
Pro (Business Communications) £20
Max (Business Communications) £25
Priority (Contact Centre) Bespoke
Premium (Contact Centre) Bespoke

Why do we recommend Vonage for UK call centres?

Both Vonage Priority and Premium plans come with a comprehensive suite of features to support efficient customer communications, including omnichannel capabilities, via CRM integration, to let businesses communicate with customers across voice, email, and chat seamlessly.

Vonage call dashboard on its software
Vonage has a intuitive call dashboard that can be accessed as part of all its plans - Source: Expert Market via Vonage website

Phone line operators will see screen pop-ups during calls, thereby helping agents deliver more personalised service by providing relevant customer information during interactions.

When calls come in, intelligent routing features, such as IVR, skills-based routing, and SLA optimisation help direct customers to the most suitable agents to solve their queries. Priority call handling and personal queues help businesses prioritise high-value clients efficiently, too.

vonage IVR routing settings
While not as visually appealing as RingCentral, Vonage also has a visual-based IVR routing controls that make it easy to see the call pathway callers will face depending on what criteria are met - Source: Expert Market via Vonage website

While waiting for their call to be taken, customers are kept informed with announcements of their place in the queue so they have a clear expectation of wait times.

After calls are complete, advanced analytics, reporting, and dashboards can provide businesses with in-depth insights into performance, too. Businesses can also benefit from activating Vonage’s post-call quality ratings, which can provide essential feedback to improve customer satisfaction in the future.

How do the Vonage Priority and Premium Contact Centre plans differ?

While these are all features both plans have in common, it’s worth quickly highlighting how the Vonage Priority and Premium Contact Centre plans differ from one another:

FeaturePriorityPremium
Dynamic & Multilingual AnnouncementsNoYes
Dynamic Routing, Queued CallbackNoYes
Whisper CoachingNoYes
Post Call SurveyNoYes
APIs for Agent Availability, Authentication Reporting, InteractionsNoYes
User AdminNoYes

Are there any potential drawbacks to Vonage?

While Vonage’s contact centre solutions are robust, it’s worth stressing that Vonage states that its omnichannel capabilities are only supported through CRM integration. This might require additional configuration compared to providers offering native omnichannel support, like RingCentral. Equally, if you already have a comprehensive CRM system, this could be a benefit, but it’s something to be aware of.

Vonage also lacks RingCentral’s breadth of pre-built integrations or 8×8’s unlimited call minutes, which may limit scalability for larger enterprises. And, even though it is fine margins, it also only offers a 95% to 99.8% uptime guarantee, unlike RingCentral’s 99.9% uptime promise.

And lastly, its Priority and Premium plans are custom-priced, which can make it harder for businesses to compare costs upfront. By contrast, GoTo offers its Contact Centre plan at a transparent £65 per agent per month, providing clarity for businesses looking for all-in-one solutions.

Does Vonage have any other VoIP plans suited to call centres?

Yes, Vonage offers Unified Communications plans under the Vonage Business Communications (VBC) suite, which can be suitable for call centres with less demanding needs.

Since you’re very likely to want CRM integrations to access customer information easily, we’d suggest that the Max plan will be the best suited to call centres of the bunch. In any case, below is a quick comparison of these VoIP plans:

PlanCost per User, per monthInclusive minutesKey features
Express£10Pay-as-you-go rates per minuteDesktop and mobile apps, 30+ calling features.
Core£18Unlimited*All Express features plus unlimited domestic calling and video conferencing.
Pro£20Unlimited*All Core features plus on-demand call recording, call monitoring, unlimited call queue, virtual receptionist, and call group.
Max£25Unlimited*All Pro features plus company-wide call recording, Vonage Integration Suite, and CRM integrations.

*Unlimited and inclusive calling applies to UK landline numbers starting with 01, 02, and 03, and UK mobiles on all major UK mobile networks.

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8×8

Best for global call centres

8×8 provides a range of contact centre solutions tailored for UK businesses, focusing on delivering comprehensive features with an emphasis on unlimited calling options to 48 countries across the globe.

This included perk combined with a more comprehensive system than GoTo (which has a similar 50+ countries included with its calling) makes 8×8 our pick for international call centre operations wanting the best system going.

Strengths

Supports voice, email, chat, SMS, and social media on higher plans, ensuring businesses can meet customers on their preferred channels

Unlimited inbound and outbound minutes to 48 countries (X4 and above)

Offers real-time dashboards and wide range of seamless integrations

Weaknesses

All plans are custom-priced, making it difficult for businesses to compare costs with competitors upfront.

Advanced reporting and predictive analytics are only available on the highest-tier plan

Pricing
PlanStarting price (per user, per month)
X2 Bespoke
X4 Bespoke
X6 Bespoke
X7 Bespoke
X8 Bespoke

Why do we recommend 8×8 for UK call centres?

8×8 offers three primary contact centre plans: X6, X7, and X8.

The biggest perk of these 8×8 packages compared to the other providers on this page is for international calling operations since 8×8 has unlimited calling to 48 countries with any of the listed plans. That’s better than all the other providers on this page which either require paid add-ons or have custom rates for international calling.

We found its software to be simple to use too, for the most part, with a calling interface that didn’t leave us confused or bound up in knots.

making a call in 8x8 Work software
Making a call and using call management features like call forwarding is incredibly intuitive with 8x8 - Source: Matt Reed (Expert Market)

All plans also include essential features designed to improve customer experience and operational efficiency, such as intelligent routing via its auto-attendant/IVR system, real-time monitoring, and CRM integration with popular systems. In other words, you have all the essential tools for effective customer interactions.

auto-attendant creation in 8x8 admin console
The 8x8 Auto Attendant creator isn't as visually simple compared to 8x8 and GoTo - Source: 8x8

Below is a comparison highlighting the key differences among these three plans:

FeatureX6 planX7 planX8 plan
PricingBespokeBespokeBespoke
Communication channelsVoice, Email, ChatVoice, Email, Chat, SMSVoice, Email, Chat, SMS, Social Media
Analytics and reportingStandardAdvancedAdvanced with Predictive Analytics
CRM integrationYesYesYes
Outbound diallerNoYesYes
Quality managementNoNoYes

Pricing details are based on available information as of January 2025. For the most current details, please visit 8×8’s official UK website.

Are there any drawbacks to 8×8?

A key issue with 8×8 is around the transparency of its pricing across any of its plans (including its other less extensive calling packages we discuss below). 8×8 doesn’t state the price of any plans, requiring you to get a custom quote for your business needs. And our research tells us that 8×8 tends to have higher prices than the three other providers on this page, although this could have changed since 8×8 last stated its pricing publicly.

This can make assessing the costs of your business compared to other systems more difficult, although since call centre plans are generally custom priced (due to being the most feature-rich of most providers) you can utilise our quote-finding tool to get answers for each provider quickly and easily.

Additionally, while 8×8 supports multiple communication channels and advanced analytics, its CRM integrations are fewer in number compared to RingCentral, which boasts over 300 integrations, including Salesforce and HubSpot. This may make 8×8 less appealing to businesses that rely heavily on diverse software ecosystems, though your mileage may vary depending on the tools you use, as 8×8 still caters to a decent variety of software.

Does 8×8 have any other VoIP plans suited to call centres?

Yes, 8×8 offers Unified Communications plans under the X Series, which can be suitable for call centres, especially those not requiring the full suite of contact centre features. These plans include:

X2 plan: This plan includes unlimited calling to 14 countries, video conferencing, and team messaging, making it suitable for small to medium-sized businesses.

X4 plan: It expands unlimited calling to 48 countries and includes advanced call handling and analytics, catering to businesses with a global presence. Again, the X4 plan has custom pricing like all other 8×8 packages.

GoTo Connect

Best for value for money

GoTo offers cost-effective contact centre solutions tailored for UK businesses, focusing on affordability without compromising essential features.

The only provider on this page to publicly state the pricing for all of its plans, including its contact centre-specific plan, we think it’s one of the best choices for monetary value overall. Even if you can get one of RingCentral’s contact centre plans for a little less investment, in terms of the providers as a whole, it’s an appealing choice, no matter what plan you pick.

GoTo logo
GoTo Connect
3.7
£18 - £65
Strengths

Offers AI-driven features like call summaries and sentiment analysis to improve agent performance and customer satisfaction

Free international calling to 50+ countries and unlimited domestic inbound and outbound minutes across all plans

Transparent pricing starting at £65/user for the contact centre plan

Weaknesses

Limited number of compatible platforms for external connections compared to other providers

Lacks some advanced capabilities like predictive analytics and detailed workforce management available in higher-end solutions

Social media and messaging channels require additional add-ons, which can increase costs for businesses seeking omnichannel support

Pricing
PlanStarting price (per user, per month)
Phone System £18
Connect CX £25
Contact Centre £65

Why do we recommend GoTo Connect for UK call centres?

GoTo Connect keeps its simple with just one plan relevant for call centres and is aptly titled Contact Centre.

As you will expect from a contact centre package, it supports multiple communication channels like the other providers on this page, including voice, email, chat, SMS, and social media, allowing businesses to engage with customers through their preferred mediums.

Features such as skills-based routing and auto queue callback should help customers be directed to the most appropriate agents (to improve first-call resolutions), and then reduce wait times in the long run.

GoTo contact centre dashboard
GoTo's contact centre dashboards provide valuable oversight into your call centre operations - Source: Expert Market via GoTo website
dial plan in GoTo Connect controls to route calls with nodes of different colors
The different nodes in GoTo allow you to edit call flows in a visual manner, as well as see how effective the route is directly inside the console over the past seven days - Source: Expert Market via GoTo website

All this valuable data integrates with popular CRM systems such as ServiceNow and Zendesk so your agents can access customer information effortlessly and provide personalized service. Granted, this extent doesn’t match RingCentral and 8×8, but it’s around par with Vonage.

When compared in terms of value for money, our research tells us that we believe GoTo might be your best bet on this page. At £65 per user, per month, it’s the only provider on this page to have its highest-priced and most feature-rich plan to have a public pricing, which is transparency we value highly. And you get unlimited international calling to over 50 countries no matter what plan you pick, bettering all other options purely in terms of the number of countries you can call without an extra charge.

Add in that its Phone System and Connect CX plans are also competitively priced, as we’ll detail shortly, and we reckon GoTo is an attractive option for small to medium-sized businesses seeking comprehensive contact centre capabilities without significant financial investment (particularly compared to RingCentral and 8×8).

Like RingCentral, GoTo highlights the inclusion of AI-driven tools such as call summaries, chat analysis, and sentiment detection to help improve agent productivity and provide valuable insights into customer interactions (and that’s majorly helpful if you’ve made hundreds of calls that week and can’t quite remember what was said in a particular one).

Relatedly, GoTo offers detailed analytics and reporting capabilities to monitor individual agents’ performance metrics, as well as understand customer trends, and use that information to adapt your approach accordingly.

Are there any drawbacks to GoTo Connect?

GoTo’s Contact Centre plan is competitively priced at £65 per agent per month, offering excellent value for businesses seeking affordability. However, compared to RingCentral, which includes over 30 digital channels in its Contact Centre plan, GoTo’s omnichannel capabilities are slightly less comprehensive.

Additionally, while GoTo integrates with CRM systems like ServiceNow and Zendesk, it lacks the extensive integration library of RingCentral, which may impact businesses with diverse software needs. 8×8’s unlimited call minutes across different countries is also a distinct advantage for organisations with high outbound calling demands, an area where GoTo does not match.

Does GoTo Connect have any other VoIP plans suited to call centres?

Yes, GoTo offers additional plans under the GoTo Connect suite, which can be suitable for call centres, especially those not requiring the full suite of contact centre features. These plans include:

Phone System plan: Costing £18 per user/month, this plan includes essential communication tools such as voice calls, video conferencing, and team messaging, making it suitable for small to medium-sized businesses.

Connect CX plan: Priced at £25 per user/month, it adds features like omnichannel communication, shared inbox, and enhanced reporting and analytics, catering to businesses with more advanced customer interaction needs.

What are the benefits of a call centre phone system?

  • Keeps your customers happy – When customers give your business a call, they expect their query to be handled quickly and seamlessly. A powerful IVR phone system that can assign the right calls to the right agents will ensure your customers can hang up – rather than slam down – the phone, feeling satisfied with your service.
  • Boosts efficiency – Whether you’re running a small or big business, your call centre is likely to experience a large number of inbound calls. Therefore, streamlining your service is key. IVR systems allow you to track all call activity in a single place, making it simple to understand where you’re faltering in customer service. Did you know that IVR phone systems can help reduce telephony-related costs by 30%?
  • Scale up your business – The perfect fertiliser for growing your business is slashing costs and planting an infrastructure that’ll make your agents as productive as they can be. Call centre phone systems can do just that. They can also help you collect data to understand how your product is performing, and where it needs improvement. In fact, call centre phone systems can reduce your IT costs by up to 14%.

What do call centres need from a phone system?

Compared to other areas of your business, your call centre has a specific and unique set of needs. With so many features and systems available, you may be overwhelmed with what exactly you need to choose the right system.

We’ve done the research for you and noted the key features phone systems for call centres should have:

  • Call routing – this will help callers be put through quickly and efficiently to the right person. There’s nothing worse than being put on hold for a long period of time or being bounced around to different departments before you eventually find the right person. Efficient call routing will reduce this from happening.
  • Call recording – an important features as it helps to protect both your business and the caller if a dispute is raised. Call recording is legal in the UK in this scenario as it is done to ensure a business is complying with regulatory procedures.
  • Integrated CRM – an integrated CRM system will help keep all of your calls and records unified. It makes it easier for your employees to access necessary information quickly, providing callers with a more efficient experience and ensuring less mistakes are made. If you already have a CRM system then look for a phone system that integrates easily.
  • Training mode – this will ensure your agents avoid mistakes that could lead to bigger issues and provide agents with more confidence when dealing with real calls.

What hardware do I need for a call centre?

To provide a high-quality customer experience, each of your agents will require hardware equipment, including a computer, headset, and high-speed internet connection. As for the software tools, you will need a call centre phone system, a customer relationship management (CRM) system, and workforce management tools.

Here is why you need them:

Hardware equipment (£900+ per workstation)

  • Computer – to access your call centre software and other tools.
  • Headset (headphones and microphone set) – having a comfortable and reliable headset with a noise-cancelling feature will facilitate clear communication between your agent and the customer.
  • Internet connection – you’ll need strong bandwidth to ensure smooth communication, high-quality calls, and uninterruptible service.

Software tools (£3,000+ per year)

  • Call centre phone system – whether cloud-based or on-premise, a call centre software is your agents’ main tool to manage all your customers interaction.
  • Customer relationship management (CRM) system – a database typically integrated to your call centre phone system, which stores important customer information, such as client demographics, call logs, and purchase history.
  • Workforce management tools – a software that helps you manage your workforce to make sure you have enough call centre agents to handle high call volumes, such as customisable SLAs and call monitoring.
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How We Compare Call Centre Phone Systems

At Expert Market, we spend time researching, testing, and evaluating providers we write reviews about. This typically consists of conducting market research to narrow down the software that's really worth digging into a little more and then assessing it against a range of research criteria.

Informed by readers and businesses we speak to regularly as well as our own experiences using major VoIP platforms, we designed a research framework consisting of eight overarching assessment categories that we used to assess each VoIP provider.

Scoring Criteria with Respective Weighting

  • Call Management (25%): an analysis of a given platform's call management features, including call routing functionality and the presence of a virtual receptionist.
  • Communication Channels (20%): assessment of the tools available within a VoIP platform for internal communication, including team messaging, video conferencing, and SMS capabilities.
  • Training Features (20%): the ability of the VoIP service to support the training of employees, from call review features like call recording and call data reporting, to live call coaching features like call barge or call whisper tools.
  • Pricing (10%): the pricing structure associated with the VoIP service, such as monthly subscription fees, call rates, setup fees, and any additional charges for add-on features or services.
  • Software Integrations (10%): the VoIP service's ability to connect and integrate with external software systems, such as integration varying CRM, helpdesk, and external video conferencing platforms.
  • Hardware Integrations (5%): the ability of a VoIP service to integrate with different phone brands.
  • Customer Support (5%): the extent of assistance and resources provided by the VoIP service provider to customers including technical support, online resources, and access to customer support representatives.
  • Security Options (5%): the measures and features implemented by the VoIP service to ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and protection of voice communications and data.
Verdict

We recommend RingCentral as the best all-around phone system for call centres. Why? We think its rich set of customisable features that help train your agents to first-class level, its integrability with a wide set of third-party software, and its ability to deal with a large number of calls make it a great option for call centres. It has the cheapest call centre specific plan we reviewed, too, which is an appealing boon in terms of cost savings.

However, we know that RingCentral might not fit the needs and priorities of all call centres. If you’re looking for more flexibility to scale up your operations over time, 8×8 can be a sound alternative. With a menu of six subscription models, you can adapt this IVR solution to cover all the specific needs of your call centre as and when you need to.

A downside to 8×8 is it completely private pricing model, meaning you need to find out costs from the supplier yourself. Alternatively, we suggest filling in our quick and free comparison tool to get quotes from 8×8 and all other providers suited to your call centre system needs.

Just answer a few questions and we’ll match you up with the call centre phone system providers who will be in touch with free, tailored, no-obligation quotes.

Written by:
Matt Reed is a Senior Writer at Expert Market. Adept at evaluating products, he focuses mainly on assessing fleet management and business communication software. Matt began his career in technology publishing with Expert Reviews, where he spent several years putting the latest audio-related products and releases through their paces, revealing his findings in transparent, in-depth articles and guides. Holding a Master’s degree in Journalism from City, University of London, Matt is no stranger to diving into challenging topics and summarising them into practical, helpful information.
Reviewed by:
James draws on his 4+ years experience as a researcher to offer specialized advice on a wide range of categories from CRM to Fleet Management. He believes all businesses can grow if they use the right tools and services.